Invicta Informant

The Erith Model Railway Society's annual January show, one of South East England's largest shows (and probably Kent's largest by stand numbers), will return to The Longfield Academy for our 5th show there. Venue address: The Longfield Academy, Main Road (B260), Longfield, Kent, DA3 7PH. Opening Times: Saturday 25th January 2020 - 10:00am to 5:00pm & Sunday 26th January 2020 - 10:00am to 4:00pm. Entry Prices: Adults - £9.00. Accompanied Children - £1.00 Entry price includes free exhibition guide. The show will encompass at least 30 layouts, extensive trade and society support, demonstrators (including the club's Foxley Service Centre - Loco Diagnostics & Cleaning Service), static exhibits & charity raffle (in aid of the Association of Bexley Charities '78), making over 90 stands in total. The venue can be reached by Longfield railway station (5-10 minute walk away), Arriva bus services 423 (from Dartford and Bluewater), 433 (from Bluewater, Sunday only) and 489 (from Gravesend), and Go-Coach bus services 474 and 475 (both from Bluewater). The buses stop within a 5-10 minute walk from the venue. Some services may stop at Longfield Academy itself, but ask the driver for the nearest stop to the venue. There are no Sunday services for the 423, 474 and 475 routes. There is a sizeable free on-site car park, full disabled access (including toilets), a large refreshment area (300+ seats) and an extensive range of hot and cold food and drinks at reasonable prices. There is some off-site parking available at a day nursery in Brickfield Farm just up the road from the venue (5 minute walk away), should we run out (and we usually do) of on-site parking. The Erith Model Railway Society will be selling remaining stocks of Bachmann limited edition wagons commissioned by the club: 8 Ton Shepherd Neame & Co. Ventilated Van (Weathered). Ref. 38-375U. Price: £10.00. 14 Ton Paper Makers Chemicals Ltd. Tank Wagon. Ref. 37-650R. Price: £10.00. Please check our website for further details (list of layouts and traders attending, directions etc.). http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/erithmrs/exhibit_january.html Thank You.

From what I have read in the latest UK Model Shop Directory newsletter, the winner of the Best in Show was Peter Capon's 4mm scale WW1-themed layout Somewhere In France.

Speaking as someone who works as car parking marshal at a pretty sizeable exhibition (the Erith MRS January Show), I know how you feel Jonathan. I had breakfast in the Ace of Spades Café and I can recommend it. There are alternatives in Surbiton (such as the local Wetherspoons, The Coronation Hall) should you be coming from there. I got the TfL No. 71 bus service from Surbiton station (NK Stop) to the stop nearest the venue, called Southborough High School, then walked from there. Bear in mind you are walking right next to the A3 and it is not pleasant if it is raining. The show once again had many high quality layouts (Sidmouth, Rolvenden, St. Ruth, Ferrocarril San Maria Gandia, Lee-on-the-Solent, Scratchy Bottom Halt and Tansey Bank were my personal highlights) and consequently difficult to pick a winner for Best in Show. Many thanks to the Hampton Court MRS for organising another great show. Next year's show is on the 14th & 15th November 2020.

Here is another photo of Fisherton Sarum by Graham Muspratt and his team.

Thank you to the Beckenham & West Wickham MRC for another very good show at St. John's Church, Eden Park Avenue. For a relatively small show (27 stands all told), they have had some quality layouts exhibit at their show down the years, and this year's show was no exception with The Bridge at Remagen, Fisherton Sarum and Lighterman's Yard amongst others in attendance. Their club sales 'stand' (though area would be a better word) is one of the largest I have come across. Next year's show is on Saturday 17th October 2020 and their vintage show is on Saturday 4th April 2020 (both shows at the same venue).

Here is another photo of the Blackwell's Brewery Company by the Mid-Essex MRC.

These carriages could prove to be a boon to the cottage industries which make 'after-market' parts and accessories to ready-to-run stock, which can make something that looks generic into something very specific.

These carriages will be ideal for those modelling a Colonel Stephens light railway and for those who wish to recreate the vintage trains that run on preserved railways such as the Kent & East Sussex and Bluebell railways. We are spoilt for choice in terms of liveries, but no London, Brighton & South Coast Railway livery is quite surprising, considering the ready-to-run LBSCR locomotives that have been produced such as the Terrier and the E4 0-6-2T. No doubt Hatton's will be persuaded into producing one at some point. This looks an excellent project and will be a step up from Hornby's generic 4-Wheel carriage.

I am surprised that nobody has started a thread for the Folkestone, Hythe & District MRC's Show at the Leas Cliff Hall on the 5th & 6th October. It is a very good show, with a number of quality layouts and very good trade support. Bachmann were in attendance with display cabinets showing the painted samples and engineering prototypes of their upcoming models in both OO and N. It is, however, important to bear in mind that the show is on a number of different levels, but there are lifts available and stewards around to help. The date for next year's show is 3rd & 4th October 2020.

Chatham station is not far from the venue, but it is an uphill walk all the way. There are no Engineering Works scheduled that would disrupt travel to this show.

There will be Engineering Works between Rochester and Rainham on Saturday 14th September, with replacement buses running between these two stations, also stopping at Chatham and Gillingham stations.

I know Kerry is juggling looking after the shop, Vernon's wellbeing and their two children. I have always found Kerry and her team of helpers in the shop or at shows to be helpful.

Yes.

It was No. 35028 Clan Line. There was always a queue to get in the cab. It is a Class 88 No. 88 007 Electra, not a Class 68. Other locomotives on display included three Class 73s, Class 37 No. 37 407 Blackpool Tower, a Class 33, two MLVs, a 2 Car EPB and the 6 Car Hastings Unit.

Here is the Javelin that has been named and the pre-production model on display on the Hornby stand at the Ramsgate Depot Open Day. Simon Kohler was in attendance.

Here are a few that I took. The weather was either really piddling down hard or lovely sunshine. It was a good day out all told.

The Dartford Steam Fair & Vintage Vehicle Rally that the club was meant to be attending on Saturday 11th May has been cancelled. The reasons can be found here: https://www.dartford.gov.uk/by-category/leisure-and-culture2/events/steam-rally-and-dartford-remembered

The club's flagship layout Fleet Lane has received the physical 'Best in Show' Shield that it won at the West Sussex N Gauge MRC's exhibition back in early November 2018 (see image). Hopefully it will be the first of many such accolades. The Erith Model Railway Society will be attending the Dartford Steam Fair & Vintage Vehicle Rally with its Publicity & Club Members' Sales Stand on Saturday 11th May. Details of this event can be found here: http://www.trevithicksindustrialdartford.co.uk/

At the Erith Model Railway Society’s AGM on Thursday 28th March, the members of the club who were present have elected Alan Bone as Chairman, succeeding Iain Nunn who has stepped down from the Committee. Paul Plummer, Clive Simpson and Stan Monger-Godfrey are still Exhibition Manager, Secretary and Treasurer respectively and the other ‘ordinary’ Committee Members still remain David Bone, Michael Chipperfield, Janet Jackson and Peter Wells.

I attended the show on Saturday and I found this year's show bit overwhelming at times, and I have been to every Ally Pally show since 2011. I am not sure if it down to an increased visitor attendance or the fact that many 'big hitters' in the industry (Hornby, Bachmann, Dapol, Accurascale, Hatton's, Kernows, Rails of Sheffield, Gaugemaster and DCC Concepts) all had something worth having a look at on their stands. The layouts as always are excellent, if you got the chance to see them properly. I only got a glance from afar with a few of them and I completely missed The Bridge at Remagen. Johnstown Road and Burntisland 1883 are amongst my favourites. Lighterman's Yard always appeared to have had a crowd people around it. Not surprising as it has excellent details for a 2mm scale layout and when it was exhibited at my club's show back in January it won the People's Choice Award. Also, I approve of the extra seating in the hallway. Roll on next year's show.

Having visited this exhibition on a number of occasions, the only issue I have is there are too many exhibits in the Jubilee Room for its size. I struggled to get out of there this year. Nonetheless, it was another excellent exhibition with many quality layouts and congratulations to the Tonbridge MRC for their hard work.

The date for next year's show is Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th January 2020. Thank you to SP Rail and lardenr123 for uploading your films of the show on YouTube.

Thank you to everyone who visited and supported our show this weekend. From my understanding we have had a pretty successful weekend. And thank you to those who have already posted photos on this thread. Anymore is more than welcome. North of England Line - Scarborough Junction by Mike Johnson and his team from the Scarborough & District Railway Modellers won the Bill Murphy Memorial Shield for Best in Show and Lighterman's Yard by Pete King and his team from the Kent & Essex Area Group of the 2mm Scale Association won the John Muskett Memorial Shield for People's Choice. ​Please feel free to add anymore comments about the show and we will consider them and other feedback we receive to see if we can make any improvements for future shows. Cheers.