Geordie Nigel

The brig which was built just in time for the layout's appearance at the Tyneside Model Railway Exhibition in 2019. The photo was taken on an evening using a basic camera with built-in flash, hence the shadow of the rigging on the backscene.

The Maryport & Carlisle Railway passenger train arrives at Port Solway. The photos are not the wrong way around. The train comes off the branch and stops on the viaduct before reversing into the station. When leaving for Maryport it must back out of the station onto the viaduct before heading up the branch. The train is scratch-built with some commercial components.

Some more up to date photos from the running session in July 2019. The Maryport & Carlisle Railway passenger train arrives. The R runs around its train, stopping in front of the warehouse. The E1 waits to shunt ahead at the shunting signal.

Some more archive photos from 2012 when the scenery was still quite basic. Various locos crossing the viaduct - 290, P, E1 & R.

The next outings for Port Solway are planned for Wigan in September, 2021 then Alexandra Palace in March 2023 and Keighley in March 2024. Unfortunately we have to schedule outings around appearances of other layouts as our crew are involved with some other exhibition layouts, so the layout does not get out so much. Here is a pair of comparison photos. The first was made at a running session in October, 2012 and the second in July, 2019 with the same loco in roughly the same location.

Some more images from the running session in December 2015. The NER Class P1 heads a mineral train across the viaduct before crossing the level crossing and entering the station where it meets a Class B1 on a goods train, waiting for the single line section to be cleared. One the trains have passed, the crossing gates are opened and the road traffic is allowed to go.

Port Solway is the P4 / S4 layout of the Newcastle & District Model Railway Society. It is set in the early part of the 20th Century somewhere to the West of Carlisle and the fiction is that the North British Railway was unsuccessful in its attempt to reach Silloth but that the North Eastern Railway extended the Newcastle & Carlisle Railway to create a new town of Port Solway. The Maryport & Carlisle Railway extended from its main line in an attempt to connect with the Caledonian Railway coming in via the Solway Viaduct, but with the building of the Port Solway branch ended up connecting with the North Eastern Railway there. Purists please note this is the exact opposite of what actually happened. The layout has been under construction for some time and has been making slow progress on Thursday evenings. In a bit of slow reporting and an attempt to get things started, here an image from a running session in December 2015.

Thanks to all contributors and those who came along to the Exhibition. The Exhibition was well received and generally a 'good time had by all'.

0 gauge layouts attending the Tyneside Exhibition this year will be Colin Salmons' new layout Mill Lane set in the transition era and East Dock built and operated by Peter Shields and set in 1977-8. In N gauge as well as the US outline layout California Surfline layout mentioned above we will be exhibiting Newlingham by Neil Walker and Grindleby on Swain by Malcolm Robinson, both layouts being set in North East England in the 1960s. Flying the flag for 009 will be Thomas Ashcroft with his Llantrevelyn layout

One of the 00 layouts that we are proud to have this year is Cadham Bay, built and exhibited by the Glenrothes MRC. Not only does this contemporary themed layout sees plenty of action, so is hopefully a crowd-pleaser, but also features some great architectural and scenic modelling of the Scottish setting. Their earlier layout Alburne Park is now owned by the Shildon club and has been popular at a number of exhibitions in and around North East England. Other high quality 00 layouts we are proud to feature at the Tyneside Model Railway Exhibition this year will be Dunstan Harbour, an LNER layout built and operated by Norman Cook and Alan Blackburn of Darlington club and Marine Park Yard built by Ian Blenkinsop but now owned and operated by Les Paul. The Hornby 00 Live Steam Club will also be exhibiting their layout and demonstrating the operation of this form of operation - some lucky people may even get a go.

To the best of my knowledge, the following traders and societies are due to attend (hopefully no late cancellations / changes!) ABC Models Contikits Dave Alexander DJR Model and Engineering Design Durham Trains of Stanley Finishing Touches Graham Eason Grosmont Books High Level Kits John Owens Junction Box Layouts 4 U Models Books and Games NERA Nick Tozer Northumbrian Painting Services Pooleys Puffers RCTS Smart Models Stephenson Railway Museum Streetscenes Tanfield Railway Trains and Planes Triangman Also Great North Air Ambulance

Bob Harper will be bringing his 7mm scale GWR broad gauge layout Coldrennick Road set in the 1880s.

The Exhibition closes at 18:00 on the Saturday so a trip to the Brandling Villa and also The Millstone could help you round off your day. I don't want to encourage drinking before exhibitions having seen the 'Violence at Exhibitions' thread.

The other H0 layout that will be appearing at the Tyneside 2017 Model Railway Exhibition will be Salz, the Austrian (OBB) outline layout built and owned by Michael Watts. This layout is up for sale and this will be the last time that Michael will take it to an exhibition. Offers can be made at the Exhibition. Other overseas layouts appearing at the Tyneside Exhibition this year will be Smrzovka, a Czech outline TT gauge (2.5mm / 1') layout built and operated by Ian Lampkin and California Surfline, an American N layout also built by Ian Lampkin but now owned and operated by Blyth & Tyne MRS.

Looking forward to this layout appearing at the Tyneside Model Railway Exhibition 11th & 12th November.

Notice that you mention decoder so I assume you intend to run this on DCC. Here is a left-field suggestion (haven't tried this myself yet). If you pair your non-working / dummy GP35 with a working GP35 then you could use a stereo sound chip for a dual engine DD35 and put a speaker in each loco. The sound from one engine would come out of one loco and the sound of the second engine would come from the second speaker in the second loco. The locos would be permanently coupled but the one chip could be used to control the motor on the operating GP35 and the 'outside facing' lights on the GP35/GP35 pair (no point in wiring up the lights that face between the two GP35s). The DD35s were effectively two GP35s as one loco on the same frame.

Although we try to keep a balance with the layouts attending sometimes due to circumstances we have a strong showing and this year it will be in EM gauge. The contemporary era layout Woodfield Road will be coming from Wakefield and another contemporary era EM gauge layout Rountrees Sidings will also be in attendance. This layout heavily features the Tyneside Metro. Other EM gauge layouts will be North Sunderland and Stop Gap, two LNER era layouts coming from Cleveland MRC. For those inspired to model the Tyne & Wear / Tyneside Metro in 4mm scale Dominic of Trains and Planes will have his new Metro car plastic kits available and Dave Alexander, also at our Exhibition, produces a whitemetal kit version - check with Dave Alexander models for availability. The real metro is about a good 20 - 30 minute walk from South Gosforth or Ilford Road so those arriving by public transport are advised to catch the 38 bus from Newcastle Central Station.

The Tyneside 2017 Model Railway Exhibition is rapidly approaching, coming up on 11th & 12th November. For the second time we will be at Heaton Manor School - see diary entry for further details. We now have 20 layouts scheduled for this year and we normally try to keep a balance in terms of scales/gauge, periods and geographical area, but this is dependant upon who can attend and what is available. Layouts this year range from N to 0 / S7 representing periods from the 1880s to present day. There will also be our usual range of traders and societies along with demonstrations thanks to North East Finescale Group (NEFG) and Model Electronic Railway Group (MERG) North East Local Group. Nigel