Chrisoafc

Excellent first day had by all at the 1st re-run of Saddleworth Model Railway Exhibtion. Fantastic to have one back up and running with 6 superb layouts, each with their own quality not to be missed! It has been a fun, sociable day had by everyone with a great atmosphere in the exhibtion hall. Excited for what tomorrow will bring and hopefully, we will see you there! 10am to 4pm, Uppermill Museum, OL3 6HS

We have had a last minute very generous donation for a raffle prize! A stunning, life size replica of a Deltic name plate - Alycidon (D9009) The exhibition goes ahead as normal this weekend. Buy a raffle ticket on entry for just a £1 and this gives you a chance to win this nameplate! Don't forget to take part in our fun "vote for best layout in show" competition to be in with a chance of winning a Hornby Train Set donated by Sawyers Models of Leigh! which is free to enter. All donations from this weekend go towards Macmillan Charity. Thank you, see you soon!

LESS THAN A WEEK TO GO!!! The inaugural Saddleworth Model Railway show in aid of MACMILLAN CHARITY will be going ahead as planned this weekend (14th/15th March) at Uppermill Museum, nr Oldham, OL3 6HS. Parking is available at the small car park outside the museum as well as the civic hall car park (around 300 yards walk) and plenty of off street parking, but please use public transport or walk if possible! Greenfield station is also just a 10 minute walk/2 minute bus journey away. This station is served by trains from Manchester and Huddersfield. We have another layout to reveal for the show and this is an O gauge beauty! Produced by the well known, MIOG (Modern Image O Gauge) team, this well detailed layout called BarrHead Parcels shall be entertaining you during the weekend. Featuring class 37s and royal mail vans galore, it is one not to be missed! We may only be a small show, but I hope YOU can help us raise some money towards Macmillan Research and have some fun and meet new friends along the way! See you soon!

Our exhibition is for the charity Macmillan, but kids go FREE with every paying adult, so appropriately we have layouts which the children will love! Here is BOSTON AND MAINE, an American themed container depot set in N gauge with a fully operational container crane which children can operate! We look forward to welcoming the layout making the short journey from Leigh Model Railway Society.

WIN - Highland & Rambler Hornby Starter Set (kindly donated by SAWYERS MODELS OF LEIGH). All you have to do, when visiting the exhibition choose the layout in which you think is the "best in show". - The layout with the most votes wins Best in Show. - If you have chosen the layout which wins overall, you will be entered into a draw for the Hornby Starter Set! - We will contact the winner and announce on here after the exhibition is finished. Good Luck!!

We are extremely privileged to welcome BRIDGE NORTON in 7mm, O gauge to our charity exhibition in aid of Macmillan Cancer Research (March 14th/15th). This large scale layout will be making its return to the exhibition circuit and I thank Ian Allcroft for agreeing to show it in Saddleworth. The layout is available to be operated by the general public, which is very exciting and unique as most exhibitions you just stand and watch the trains go by but with this layout you can operate them for yourself!! Do not miss this! Your support is much appreciated in aid of Macmillan Cancer Research UK, we hope to see you all there at Saddleworth Museum, Uppermill, OL3 6HS. Doors Open 10am-4pm both days!

Another layout attending the Saddleworth Exhibition is the fabulous Sodor Appreciation Society with their Thomas themed layout. All the latest technology included! Touch screen DCC, smoke machines, lights and interactive so the kids can all have a go! A great big thank you to the Sodor team making the trip to Saddleworth for this show, a real gem of a layout, something different too and will be talked about by all the kids after the show!

Thank you Charles! Here is an image of Leigh Bridge Stabling point, one of the layouts which have very kindly given up their time to support the show which is much appreciated. Just a reminder, we are holding the show for Macmillan Charity and it is within Saddleworth Museum, Uppermill, OL3 6HS. Refreshments will be available all day while the exhibition is on, 10am-4pm. Your support is very much appreciated and on behalf of the committee, I hope everyone enjoys their visit! Do pop into the museum as well where you will learn all about the history of Saddleworth including it's rich railway past.

Just to confirm, The museum post code is OL3 6HS and quite rightly, deserves a visit alone as it is a fantastic museum with great exhibits. We have hot and cold refreshments too over the weekend. Look forward to seeing Leigh Bridge too Craig!

Hosted by Uppermill Museum, the re-launch of Saddleworth's model rail show on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March 10am -4pm both days. Saddleworth and the surrounding areas have a very rich railway history and it is only right that we can have a model rail show again. We are holding this show not for profit and all proceeds will be going to Macmillan Cancer Research. It has always been a small show, but well attended non the less and we shall be welcoming 6 layouts and 3 traders into the room to entertain the general public. Layouts... BARRHEAD PARCELS (MIOG) BRIDGE NORTON (O) ROWLEY (N) BOSTON AND MAINE (N) LEIGH BRIDGE (OO) SODOR APPRECIATION SOCIETY with Thomas themed DCC layout. Traders... SAWYERS MODELS MILNSBRIDGE MODELS TOWPATH BOOKS thank you to everyone who has helped get this exhibition back again, you know who you are! If you are local to the area, please do pop on down! Entry is £5 for adults, £2 for concessions and kids go FREE! So make a day of it and have a great time! See you there!

Hi folks, Diggle Junction is still progressing well and has actually been moved into the big shed which gives me space to add fiddle yards etc etc. I am contemplating erecting a lighting unit as the shed lights aren't brilliant... any recommendations? Thank you

Hello! Had a little break from modelling past few days due to being busy at work but back in full swing of things! I have assembled the bike shelter, along with a few other minor details including some painters who are painting the rather grubby station building, some station staff and some deer which add to the countryside/pennine look.

Really like the look of this layout. Buildings are spot on and I do like the backscene! Good work! And track is nicely weathered too, how did you do that?

Good Evening! I received a few bits and bobs today courtesy of the Royal Mail, a bike shelter, drainage grids and some bushes! How exciting! So I'm currently assembling my bike shelter for platform 1 and that is very fiddly but should look good once in situ... I've painted and assembled the drainage covers which are now in place between tracks and on the road and all they want is a little coat of "rust"... I decided I needed more foliage in the form of bushes along the bankings and around the platforms because looking at old photos, poor Diggle was overgrown in its last years. Attached a few photos for all to see, any criticism please do speak up as I want this layout to look good in the end! Thank you

Two photos here, one of the real Diggle and my layout. Today, I've added more detail to the canal section, some much needed improvements on the canal towpath have been done too. I have also added clouds to the far backscene, a bridge support and some extra lineside fencing. I am awaiting a parcel of lineside accessories such as drain covers etc which should enhance the rather boring look it has.

Found the N gauge model of Marsden on here, good model and what a wonderful Pennine backdrop, I hope I can recreate something similar. While I'm here, has anyone else used the WOODLAND SCENICS track painter pens as I have had to give some of my sleepers (not all strangely), a second coat and just wondering if this is normal? They look great which is all that matters I suppose but was a bit concerned that some of the paint seemed to just vanish!

Ooo thank you for that useful information! I didn't know that at all and helps put a timeframe into my layout. I know that the tunnel has reopened as a tourist attraction I think. But yes thank you, love all these little snippets of info that's coming my way! Thank you!

Ha ha thank you and yes I know the GWR visitor was probably not a wise choice for the photo! I had a friend round today who said a lot of WD Austerities were around on the Diggle lines and often hauled freight on the Micklehurst loop, so I shall invest in one I think! Thanks for your kind comments and also I'm glad I've started a little trip down memory lane! Ha ha

More modelling today of Diggle Junction, track weathering and more backscene drawing. Struck me as to how far the layout has come since October.

I think I'll bob down to Saddleworth museum actually when I get time to have a look at some old photos and to ask for Mr Fox if you think he can help in anyway. Thank you.

Brilliant. Very entertaining read there thank you! I'll see if I can ask a few questions to him but apart from that enjoy my updates of Diggle!

Hello! I'm Chris, I'm a railway modeller and live in sunny Saddleworth. I am looking for anyone in the oldham or Saddleworth area to come together and possibly help me hold a small exhibtion to raise money for Delph Methodist Church. I held an exhibition last year at the church hall on my own displaying my many models and railways, which went down well with over 200 visitors, which is good considering the small size of the village. I am only enquiring to see if anyone has a layout that lives locally, doesn't matter how developed the railway is, or how big or small it is, just please get in contact with me to arrange a date and hopefully raise a few quid for a church! Thank you. Chris You might have seen Diggle Junction around here, I'm the modeller behind that!

Hello! I'm Chris, I'm a railway modeller and live in sunny Saddleworth. I am looking for anyone in the oldham or Saddleworth area to come together and possibly help me hold a small exhibtion to raise money for Delph Methodist Church. I held an exhibition last year at the church hall on my own displaying my many models and railways, which went down well with over 200 visitors, which is good considering the small size of the village. I am only enquiring to see if anyone has a layout that lives locally, doesn't matter how developed the railway is, or how big or small it is, just please get in contact with me to arrange a date and hopefully raise a few quid for a church! Thank you. Chris

Thank you, I know I have to do a lot of work yet to get it up to standard and that could take years but only been at it for 6 months! Think I need to construct a lighting rig and redesign the backscene so it looks more realistic. Yes transportation could be an issue BUT my ambition first is to get it into a modelling magazine first

Hello! Yes always supported Oldham, but it's depressing at times! So I turn to modelling when the football gets bad! Very nice, might join that group then. Wish I had the space to go all the way to uppermill goods yard! Thanks for looking