Mike Bellamy

Derby Exhibition this weekend and Jacob decided to try and help his Grandad to get the admission tickets ready - I don't think I can use this roll now . . !! .

Grandson Jacob decided to help me get the admission tickets ready - I don't think I'll be using this roll again . . . . .!!!

Only two problems so far - The bar was bigger than expected and we had to ask them to reduce the size so we could get all of the exhibits into the extra room we have for this year. Confirmed that there will be draught beer but at this stage I don't know what it will be. Exhibition Guides were printed a few days ago and despatched by a parcel delivery company - checked into their local depot and later checked into the Derby depot - and then disappeared. No sign of them on the van and they have done a thorough search of the warehouse. End result is that the show guides are being printed again overnight and sent by direct door to door courier ready for opening time. No cost to the Club - that's up to the printers and couriers to sort out between them.

Out last night hanging road signs on lamp posts so that once you are on Pride Park there are signs from all three entrances (A52, City Centre and A6). Although we are next to the Station be careful following their signs otherwise you will end up at the main entrance and on the wrong side of the tracks. For those arriving by train you need the Pride Park exit. BBC Weather Forecast for Derby is sunny all day today, cloudy all Saturday with a return to some sunshine Sunday. We often have a debate about the best weather for an exhibition - too nice and some will go elsewhere, too bad and they won't come at all - hopefully what we have ordered for this weekend will be just right . . . . . .

I'll be there Brian although they do tend to keep me hidden away in a dark corner counting cash and paying expenses . . . . . . BBC Weather Forecast for Derby is sunny all day today, cloudy all Saturday with a return to some sunshine Sunday. We often have a debate about the best weather for an exhibition - too nice and some will go elsewhere, too bad and they won't come at all - hopefully what we have ordered for this weekend will be just right . . . . . .

Don't you realise there's a separate 'Bargain Hunters' topic for things like this .

I hope so otherwise all the adverts are wrong !! For the first year we could not get access until Saturday morning and went in at 6.00am to set up. It was only after adverts had gone to press last year that it was confirmed we could set up part of the show on Friday evening and so we kept to the advertised time of 10.30am. However we now have a new contract which definitely has Friday evening included as well as the additional room mentioned in previous posts and so the majority of the show will be ready the night before which enables us to open that bit sooner at 10.00am. I just hope that we get enough through the door to cover the additional costs . . . . . . .

Many thanks to Ray and Brian (and others) for their postings above which all help to get the show back to the top of the list. Mum (88) has a broken hip and I have had several round trips of 160 miles acting as Dad's taxi service. I haven't had time to trawl through RMweb for details of visiting layouts and so it's great that some of our exhibitors have done that work for me. Apologies for the lack of other updates but there hasn't really been that much to report as everything is going according to plan now that we are into our third year at this impressive and historic venue. A reminder that we have more space this year, there will be continuous running layouts, an extra catering outlet (with beer?) and extra signs for the car parks - all based on feedback from last year to show that we do listen and where possible we take action. However remember that many things are outside our control and governed by the College (such as the £2 charge for parking). .

Not often I can answer a question on RMweb . . . . . . . Monday 2nd June 1975. Derbyshire playing Lancashire in the County Championship at Buxton. See here for full story and photo http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/cricket-day-snow-stopped-play-buxton/story-21172809-detail/story.html and also here http://www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk/lifestyle/dickie-bird-recalls-when-snow-stopped-play-in-buxton-1-3493083 .

Can't help you with the date but I do know that it's the Roundhouse in the background and that's the venue for the Derby show next month Details here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/120254-derby-the-roundhouse-6th-7th-may/ .

. . . or even two . . ! ! .

As mentioned previously, we have additional space this year and at the latest 'catch up' meeting, the Roundhouse confirmed that they would be using an additional catering outlet there with more seating. That will mean that there will be three separate catering areas, in the main Roundhouse with seating on the turntable (no it won't be going round !), the entrance to the Library with seating in the corridor area, and in the new Theatre space. However one surprise was to be told that the new area would also be serving beer - not sure if this will be draught or bottled but it gives us another alternative to tea and coffee - but not for those driving - which gives me an opportunity to remind visitors that the venue is next to Derby Station and so rail travel is the best option. .

. . . . and again . . . . and again . . . . . .

Love that Hamster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Imagine the chaos if this had been announced in advance - remember that Scotsman brought the whole East Coast line to a standstill because of idiots who called themselves enthusiasts were wandering along the main line !! .

Just clicking 'Like' doesn't seem to be enough . . . . . . . . . what an amazing week ! !

Traders list edited to include Legomanbiffo Digital Sounds - otherwise I would get loads of ear ache from Charlie !! .

The latest Railway Modeller has OAKE as a featured layout Details here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/121773-may-2017-rm/ .

That's bad luck Phil as these pages are OK in my copy. Can you get a refund and purchase a copy elsewhere ? .

Time for another update - Trade this time, including a number who are new to Derby now that we have secured additional space (but kept the admission price the same !!) All Components C&L Finescale Coastal DCC Contikits D&E Video/DC Kits/Realtrack Models Eileens Emporium Footplate Greenscene H&A Models John Sammans Layouts 4U Legomanbiffo Digital Sounds Mad About Trains Malcs Models Megapoints Controllers Mick Bond Model Tree Shop Mount Tabor Models Nick Tozer Nostalgia Art - David Wright Online Models P&H Models Peco Plus Daughters Railway Bookshop RCTS Severn Models Shawplan Sherwood Models Smart Models Talyllyn Railway TTC Diecast Pleased that following the sale of the business, C&L will continue to support us for all you trackbuilding needs New traders this year Eileen's Emporium - what can I say about one of the best known tool suppliers . . . . . . . . . Megapoints Controllers - all sorts of electronic wizardry - far too complicated for me to understand but they make it sound simple ! Mick Bond - local swapmeet trader with new and secondhand stock - replacing John Kelsey who had supported us for over 30 years since the early days at the Assembly Rooms but now in semi-retirement Smart Models - laser cut card building kits TTC Diecast - our local model shop (previously Loughborough Models even though they had moved to Derby) .

I was going to make a feature of the American and Continental layouts by deliberately listing them separately in the same way as I am going to list the trade in a different posting as well. That way it gets the topic back to the top of the list every couple of days. The American and Continental list is below - and this answers Ian's query above about a lack of 7mm - instead we have 1:48 instead which we hope is acceptable ! There are also two Narrow Gauge layouts there as well - as mentioned above Alex does try to cover several scales and gauges - I make that 10 different combinations End of the Spur HO Scale USA Grizzly Woods Railroad On30 Scale USA Laramie Engine Terminal O Scale USA Midland, Ohio O Scale USA Cronenberg HO Scale Euro Zweiberg HO Scale Euro Gresten HOe Scale Euro

I wonder who that might be - consider yourself on the reserve list ! .

As promised, here is the latest Layout List Ashcombe N Gauge GWR Clifton and Lowther N Gauge BR Horsted Keynes N Gauge BR Mickleover (GN) N Gauge BR Tanners Hill N Gauge BR D&E Tinners Wharf N Gauge BR D&E Wantage NG Tramway 4mm NG NG Aberdeen Kirkhill 2 4mm Scale BR D&E Ashbrooke 'Midland Railway' 4mm Scale LMS Bonnington Goods 4mm Scale BR Caradon Junction 4mm Scale BR D&E Carminster 4mm Scale BR D&E Chebstone 4mm Scale BR Field Lane 4mm Scale BR D&E Oake 4mm Scale BR Rosamund Street 4mm Scale BR Rowntree Halt 4mm Scale BR Seven Ash 4mm Scale BR D&E Thomas the Tank Engine 4mm Scale - Tonbridge West Yard 4mm Scale BR D&E Treskilling ECC 4mm Scale BR D&E Wheal Louise 4mm Scale BR D&E Woodward Lane 4mm Scale BR WPD Safety & Training 4mm Scale - Friday Bridge EM Gauge BR D&E Hartburn EM Gauge BR Bodmin P4 Gauge GWR Longcarse West P4 Gauge BR D&E As well as the 29 listed above, there are a further 7 American and Continental layouts and I hope we don't get any of the 'discussions' seen in the Ally Pally topic about if they should or shouldn't be there. Derby has a long tradition going back about 30 years of always supporting all railway modellers regardless of their chosen prototype. Those with a long memory will recall the use of the 'Darwin Suite' at the Assembly Rooms which for many years had an alternating American / Continental theme organised on our behalf by NMRA and SNCF Society. We can also now tell you that there will be a special announcement at 10.00am on the Saturday - for details see here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/121571-Bachmann-exclusive-locomotive-to-be-launched-at-the-derby-show-in-may/&do=findComment&comment=2675602 Mike Mickleover MRG

Sorry my fault - they have been up on our new website for a while but I forgot to copy them across here. Check back soon for an update as we have a meeting tonight with the Exhibition Manager and I can then be sure that I have the very latest list. As mentioned in the opening post, we have more space this year and we also have access on Friday night which means that Alex has been able to book some continuous running layouts as that was one of the criticisms from last year that there wasn't a 'roundy-roundy' layout - but we didn't know about getting in Friday at that time and there wouldn't have been time to set up a big layout on the Saturday morning. All part of the teething troubles you get from going to a new venue - it takes time for the venue operators to get to know what we want. Now with more space and Friday set-up, it's going to be bigger and better than before. .

A new topic has been started about the Brake Van here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/121266-Dapol-announces-o-gauge-br-20t-brake-van/ I have just posted there that the Little Loco Co have already announced on the Gauge O Guild Forum that they will also produce a Brake Van - after the Ruston loco (due in Summer from a British factory !!) and an mystery Type 2 loco. .