Railex, Aylesbury

[David Holman]

 Northport Quay will be there this weekend (actually at the Stoke Mandeville stadium). Very much a finescale show, I' m quite chuffed to be included and fly the flag for broad gauge. On Sunday, Galteemore is bringing some of his stuff as well, so possibly the largest selection of 7mm scale, Irish broad gauge at a model railway exhibition for quite some time.

 Shame the layout is only 7'6 long!

[Galteemore]

21 minutes ago, David Holman said:

 Northport Quay will be there this weekend (actually at the Stoke Mandeville stadium). Very much a finescale show, I' m quite chuffed to be included and fly the flag for broad gauge. On Sunday, Galteemore is bringing some of his stuff as well, so possibly the largest selection of 7mm scale, Irish broad gauge at a model railway exhibition for quite some time.

 Shame the layout is only 7'6 long!

Looking forward to it David. The locos will be getting prepped over next day or so …unfortunately the PP crew Andy Stadden painted for me got sent to wrong address so she’ll be running with an empty cab! 

[Horsetan]

9 hours ago, David Holman said:

 Northport Quay will be there this weekend (actually at the Stoke Mandeville stadium). Very much a finescale show,....

Sure I might see you there.

C&L are attending, so the only flat bottom rail available at the show is likely to be Code 82....again. I don't think anyone will be stocking Peco Code 75 FB.

[amdaley]

That's a fine show. I was there some years ago.

If I remember correctly David Lane was running the show at the time ?

[Horsetan]

13 hours ago, amdaley said:

That's a fine show. I was there some years ago.

If I remember correctly David Lane was running the show at the time ?

I think he still is.

[west_clare_wanderer]

My pal is there with his 009 layout, featuring excuisite hand built track, and flying another flag for narrow gauge. Looks like he will be in the best of company if Northport Quay is there. I wish I was there in person now, but look forward to seeing the photographs of the weekend. 

[leslie10646]

David, apologies for not putting in an appearance at an exhibition where you were exhibiting - just an hour's drive away.

I'm sure that the Quay will be much admired and even more so (dare I say it?) when @Galteemore 's stock is added to your own super rolling stock tomorrow.

I'm off Interrailing in a few days and this was my last day to pack, other than at the last moment and sanity prevailed!

It also meant that I didn't have a nasty, stand-up row with a "supplier" who promised the earth and two months on hasn't even acknowledged receipt of samples from me!

That's a few more wagons etc which won't ever see the light of day.

Retirement seems sensible .......

Edited Saturday at 15:17 by leslie10646

[Horsetan]

I stopped by....

Seemed to be working alright, with an occasional sticky uncoupler. The rear wheels on no.2's tender occasionally lost contact with the rail, which suggests the frames or axleboxes may not be quite straight. 

I even overheard some conversation about a modeller of a real location who, on being told by someone that his father worked at that place and grew runner beans in his garden, actually went so far as to model said plot of runner beans, ready for the next show....

[Mike 84C]

David, Northport Quay looks fantastic I very much enjoy your foreground modelling but the backscene with its perspective and subtle detail, nothing leaps out but it's all there just ties it together.

Well, it does for me!

[David Holman]

13 hours ago, Horsetan said:

I stopped by....

Seemed to be working alright, with an occasional sticky uncoupler. The rear wheels on no.2's tender occasionally lost contact with the rail, which suggests the frames or axleboxes may not be quite straight. 

I even overheard some conversation about a modeller of a real location who, on being told by someone that his father worked at that place and grew runner beans in his garden, actually went so far as to model said plot of runner beans, ready for the next show....

Hadn't noticed the tender wheel on Shannon, though rear bogie wheel on Wolf Dog wasn't always turning, which probably means the springing needs adjusting.

 Not sure about the uncoupling. Some trains were almost faultless all day, so suspect more adjustment of the AJs is necessary. All were working fine the two weeks before, honest! Guess I wore them out...

 Will have to see what the 1950s stock brings to the party today.

[Horsetan]

On 25/5/2025 at 7:11 AM, David Holman said:

......Will have to see what the 1950s stock brings to the party today.

Did it run?

[Galteemore]

1 hour ago, Horsetan said:

Did it run?

Yes 

[Galteemore]

Fabulous day at Railex yesterday. There was a GN presence, @leslie10646, although the JT was absent as it has some pickup issues I couldn’t fix in time. The SG2 developed a sudden and mysterious short which I still haven’t found. The PP did ok, barring a brief interlude when a motor lead needed re soldered. She found gainful employment on a train of CIE 6w stock, with David’s J26 doing pilot work. One of my ambitions since taking up 36.75 was to produce an engine which could fit on Belmullet or NPQ and do a day’s work. Delightful afternoon and as always David is very patient when I commit a shunting movement that’s not in the plan ….apologies for lots of pics of 74 below - was just so nice to see her stretching her legs a bit in such a lovely settting.
Operating all Mr H’s Sligo stock was a treat as always. Although in disgrace, the SG posed for the camera at the end anyway. 

Edited Monday at 09:54 by Galteemore

[Mol_PMB]

This layout is superb, as is the rolling stock! Both the atmosphere and the attention to detail.

I almost wish I'd re-started my Irish modelling in 7mm scale, but it's too late now.

Edited Monday at 08:59 by Mol_PMB

[Galteemore]

 

1 hour ago, Galteemore said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never say never @Mol_PMB!

Edited Monday at 10:02 by Galteemore

[Georgeconna]

Saw the layout on Western signalman's you tube channel but a very short cameo.  some nice layouts there for sure and yours look great.

[leslie10646]

Thanks for the GN Fest @Galteemore. It shows that the plain black livery which the GN used works and presents a handsome loco (well, two in this case!).

Do David H's ex MGWR six wheelers have photographs on the compartment walls like the ones you made for me?

@David Holman, as @Mol_PMB says above, your attention to little details is terrific. Loved the lobster pots and the well-posed figures. The whole layout is a delight and shows what you can do in a small space - even in 7mm!

[David Holman]

 It was a a fine weekend at Aylesbury and a pleasure, as always to have David along on Sunday. Railex is very much a 'fine scale' show and though there were plenty of families and other folk along, events like these have a high proportion of knowledgable fellow modellers, which always results in  interesting and informative conversation.

 My Acla coaster caused much interest, while it was nice to get plenty of comments about how 'Irish' the layout looks, which has always been essentially one of its main aims.

 David's PP and Q locos really are fine models so it was great to run the PP all day. Slight problem was that it is too long for my headshunt [likewise the Q, which is an even bigger beast], so eventually we worked out a way of using my J26 to collect the coaches. AJ coupling at one end for the 0-6-0T, screw links the other for the PP. The latter's 6'6" drivers are obviously intended for high speed mainline work, but it rolled across NPQ, at little more than walking place, very smoothly.

 Another highlight for me was seeing Ditchling Green again. This was the layout that launched Gordon & Maggie Gravett as major players in 7mm scale modelling. When the Chatham Show first started in the Dockyard, we used to put up a lot of exhibitors in our own homes, and Ditching Green helped start a long friendship when they stayed with my wife & I. Gordon later sold it, to make space for Pempoul and it ended up in a barn somewhere in France. Later, my own Loose End layout ended up in the same place! Anyway, DG is now back and has been extensively renovated. As can be seen below, it still looks very good indeed. See if you can spot the baseboard join in the last picture.

 Other things that caught my attention were the 2mm depiction of York station and an interesting diorama illustration perspective modelling, but all the layouts were of a very high standard, so it was great to be part of it all.

[Horsetan]

The 2mmFS stuff is insanity modelling. I've relied on varifocals for years, but they no longer allow me to see anything that small.