ModRXsouth

The outer sleeves of the boxes for Class 128s 55992 and 55993 state: Diesel Parcels Unit Royal Mail ‘Duplex’ What is the ‘duplex’ aspect of these two specific units?

I also saw this show mentioned on the UKmodelshops listing and have been trying to find more details. If you go to keymodelworld.com and click ‘Show guide’ it does at least provide a second listing to indicate that there is apparently a show on 28 October with the Seaford venue, times and cost - but once again no specific layouts or traders are stated. As you also note, the club’s own website provides no information, so unfortunately such poor marketing does not encourage attendance. Given the current high costs of car fuel or train fares, I want to have an idea of the layouts, scales and traders at a show before committing to travel. Still a few days left for the missing Seaford show information to be posted……

Adrianmc - Congratulations to you and your club team for presenting such an excellent show. The Iain Rice Extravaganza was a tremendous showcase of highly detailed modelling, and the range of minimal space layouts was also inspiring - the daytime/nighttime lighting sequence of the SNCF’s Cessy-En-Bois was very effective. However, I arrived on Sunday and the show guides had just run out. As the 2023 show has ended, please could you now make a pdf of the guide available on your club’s website to assist those who of us who missed out? Thank you.

I have been wondering if Continental Modeller will become available on the Readly publications website. Railway Modeller has been on the website since the July 2023 edition, so hoping that the viewing level has been good and will encourage Peco to add CM soon. Readly availability will be particularly appreciated since CM’s recent jump in price to £7.45.

I attended GETS on Saturday and had a very enjoyable day with no train or parking problems. Southern train then tube to Euston for 9.48 to MKC. Full shuttle bus but into venue before 11am for an absorbing range of very long to compact layouts plus well stocked traders. Yes it was crowded but I dodged the rucksacks and just remained patient as many people moved on from viewing each layout after a few minutes. I stayed until the 4.30 shuttle back to the station for trains home. A table by the entrance/exit had various exhibition leaflets, including Key Publishing/Hornby Magazine’s double sided leaflet advising “save the dates” for their 2024 shows. It states that GETS will still be at the same Arena MK on 12/13 October, following a brand new Spring show ‘Model World Live’ at Birmingham’s NEC on 27/28 April. Interestingly, that end of April weekend coincides with the usual dates of the Friday to Sunday show at Bristol’s Thornbury Leisure Centre staged by Warners Group Publications/BRM magazine. The Bristol show’s dates are yet to be confirmed on its website, and UK Model Shops Exhibitions database does not yet include either show, but could we see the two publishers with large shows on the same weekend?

Today’s post on the Revolution Trains website mentions collection of Class 128s at this weekend’s Great Electric Train Show at Milton Keynes. There is a link to short form which needs to be submitted. Thanks RT for the P&P saving!

Apologies Ben - point taken about the Land Recovery boxes. But you did spring a surprise on everyone by producing the yellow Wascosa Network Rail boxes out of nowhere! Such revelations keep us entertained, interested and enthusiastic about the brand.

So the Land Recovery boxes have reached the south west. Have they ever got to the south east?

New N gauge Class 37 in grey Europhoenix and red DB Schenker liveries would certainly capture my wallet. Very frustrating seeing these for so long in OO gauge. IEA bogie ballast wagons - in Network Rail yellow and ‘red snapper’ EWS. This would enhance the existing JNA Falcon and IOA high sided Merlin wagons. How about white bogie tankers - TEA with BOC or TCA with ICI logos? Or the PDA bogie twin dip cement wagons, with some later recoded as JCA in Croxton & Garry livery carrying calcium carbonate between Aberdeen and Sittingbourne in Kent - a useful cross-country wagon! On track machinery seems an unexplored area but understandably tampers, cranes, etc present tooling complications. So how about the relatively simple boxy shaped departmental unit: Network Rail’s 999800 or -801 single survey cars built by Plasser in 2004 to measure track geometry and ballast depth.

Paul - Thanks for clarification. I wonder how long Carlsberg has agreed to have their logo displayed on those wagons, and how frequently the panels have to be cleaned?!

How about another JNA variation for the wish list (mine is N gauge) - the silver grey wagons from WH Davis for Land Recovery? End doors, 12 ribs plus two thicker end ribs with separate long panels labelled “Land Recovery Ltd in a stylish font. Most eye catching is surely that at least three of the 30 strong fleet have their panels labelled “If Carlsberg did recycling” with the brewery’s name in green. Have these ever ventured south of the Thames?

Thank you for the tip. An online search indicates the Farish pack code 379-402.

Ged - Whose short couplings are you using? Are your PFAs still OK on gentle curves? Thanks

Thank you Long Island Jack, Johann Marsbar, Fulton and SM42/Andy for your replies. Looks like Gdańsk and Poznan are worth investigating for visits with freight content, ideally based on flights from Gatwick or Heathrow. Also, are there any large model railway shows in Poland, or sources of such information?

Thank you for rapid reply! Any places you would recommend to visit in Krakow or Gdańsk? Any excursions from either city and was it easy to buy tickets?

Great photos - I want to visit Poland as your shots illustrate the variety of rolling stock. Which city did you prefer, and which was the busier rail location? Did you have to wait long for the freight trains at Gdańsk? Any restrictions on photography at the stations? Any details will help with planning a trip to Poland - thank you!

Thank you Neil for the information.

Neil - Great layout - so much of interest in each of your posts and photos. You mention “Bocq Gala” - first time I have heard of this event so pleased that an online search found the website ‘cfbocq.be. Aside from the rolling stock and train rides, were there any traders of models, books, railwayana etc? Did anything inspire you to add to your layout? And do you know if this is an annual event as this looks worth a visit in 2024? Is there a website anywhere for such events in Belgium, France, Luxembourg or Germany? Kind regards.

Thank you for the tip to use WD40 Contact Cleaner - did not this existed! Would seem to be a convenient way to help ‘wake up’ long stored or sluggish locomotives. Any recommendations for brands of non-mineral machine oil?

Part 10 - Goodnight BR I saw one copy in the WH Smith at Cobham Services on the M25 on Thursday. I did not buy so may still be there!

OK yes, the Scale Model Scenery ‘baseboard in a box’ kits for two sizes from the Really Useful Box range.

You mention the 28x8 inches dimensions - what brand or source of wrapping paper box?

Great news that this show is returning in 2024. Hoping the plans include the useful bus connection between Chatham railway station and the dockyard?

Thank you for the photo and further details of your lighting rig. I am mid-way between a B&Q and a Homebase so will investigate their LED options.

Great views of your layout, but any chance please of some photos showing the lighting rig itself? The demountable boom arrangement has particularly caught my interest. Many thanks!