Annual Show Day Report - 1 March 2014
Last year’s Show (see NRS/NL 58/2 pp5/6) went ahead despite the bad weather, but the weather for this year’s Show held on 1st March was comparatively benign. With Mike Fordham having stood down, the 20th Show was in the capable hands of Peter Willis & Chris Mitchell, though Mike was lending an experienced hand. It fell to your Editor to write this Report but the limitations of my model railway knowledge were quickly exposed. The Shows (or Open Days then) were intended to demonstrate what the members could do, but their increasing popularity has led to visits from other local societies.
The Diss & District MRC, courtesy of John Hanchet and Warren Wordsworth had a display of “Helendale”, based on a Derbyshire quarrying location in N gauge. Fred & Gavin Collinson had a 3-rail Marklin Lindental offering in HO gauge of a Continental setting on a neat fibre-glass base which, later in the day, I saw was very easy to transport. The Norfolk Mardlers (Bruce Hoyle, Roger Keeley & Roger Kingstone) had their O gauge display and were beavering away throughout the afternoon. Entirely new to me was the Border Modellers Group with their representation - in OO gauge - of a cross-country line in East Anglia. Brian Cornwell had his customary “Lego” show whilst Malcolm Cooper brought a diverse display with an essentially “Thomas the Tank Engine” theme in OO gauge with “Thomas’s Friends at the Fair” added for good measure.
Most people retreated to the Robert Scarfe DVD show at some point, where they could see his own films of “Driver Experience Days” (Steam & Diesel) on the NNR & MNR respectively.
The RCTS (Ipswich Branch) were paying us a first visit with their sales stand, and other publicity/sales displays in the circulating area were from the Barton House Railway and the Friends of the Bure Valley Railway.
In the Blake Room – where we have our meetings – there was a real mix. Arthur Barrett had decided that the Southwold Railway would be his chosen minor railway and he had a video show plus various books and publicity material to tempt our visitors. Ken Mills had his usual display of high-quality LNER models, the selected constituent this year being the GCR. I had not thought about Meccano for about 50 years, but Ron Frith showed its evolution with models from the 1920s to the present. The March – Wisbech line lost its passenger service almost 50 years ago, but the Friends of the Bramley Line are hoping that passenger services will eventually be restored – they had brought publicity material to heighten public awareness, as did the M&GN Circle and the M&GNJRS, whilst Mike Handscomb busied selling both members’ stock and that of deceased members. Various LNER & LMS locos from a “Jinty” upwards were exhibited by the Gauge 1 Model Railway Association, plus a Class 66 diesel and, nearby, Ray Meek’s M&GN display was themed around Potter Heigham Bridge (complete with bridge plate) with various M&GN locos whilst Peter & Christine Allison’s toy train set-up seemed smaller than that of recent years.
The Church was given over to “larger” layouts, either in size or gauge, and Chris Mitchell’s “Neustadt” was of a German/Swiss station depicting pre-unification Germany with military trains and local trains typical of the era (HO gauge).
It had not occurred to me that Hornby had a French arm until I saw Terry Durrant’s “Grandfather’s Trains” with its fine variety of French trains in O gauge. A Swiss scene in what they called “Beginners LGB” was shown by Mike Fordham and Philip Moore. At the end of the church, the Southwold Railway – whose volunteers were suitably uniformed – had a model of a train crossing the bridge over the River Blyth in Nn3 gauge – the smallest I had seen. At the other end of the scale Graham Smith brought a revised version of his “Thomas the Tank” in G gauge, which layout has been exhibited near and far since 1989, its debut being at the BR Staff Association Hall in Lower Clarence Road on 4th February 1989 in aid of the Toy Library. This time, “Emily” was new – a Bachmann model based on a Stirling Single, and Alan Thurling ran his Bachmann “James the Red Engine” based by Revd. Awdry on an L & Y 2-6-0, together with BR brake, correctly lettered NW in Awdry fashion as the island of Sodor which was intended to be off the coast between Barrow and the Isle of Man. Also a converted LGB hopper ran as “Hector”, and younger visitors were puzzled by the appearance of two Fat Controllers. A new version of Wisbech & Upwell tram “Toby” seemed to be watching the punters as he circulated.
[Older members will recall that we welcomed Revd. Awdry to speak during one of our meetings at the Assembly House, as well as his great friend the Revd. Teddy Boston on a different occasion.]
Local artist and author Wrenford Thatcher exhibited his paintings, including one of LNER Pacific 4480 Enterprise on the “Flying Scotsman” (to make a change from 4472) and he explained to me that whilst the late Terence Cuneo’s pictures had a mouse hidden away somewhere his trademark was a bicycle.
The Norwich MRC’s model of “Oberwaz” (somewhere in Switzerland) was a daunting 16’ long (HOM gauge) and, by way of supplementary, they returned to our doorstep with the unusual “Tombland Tramway”. We have several excellent photographers within our ranks, and John Hanchet & Andy Wright went across the railway scene, with John re-creating a bygone era with some of his night shots. In the foyer, meanwhile, Mike Young’s display covered more than 50 years, from pre-closure M&GN through to the heritage lines of today.
It just remains for thanks to be recorded. First, and foremost, we must thank our loyal band of “helpers” in the kitchen who made sure that everybody was kept fed and watered. Then, thanks to Peter, Chris and Mike, for organising the Show and accommodating every display, and giving up a fair amount of their time in planning for the big day. I should also like to thank Peter Adds who stepped into the breach and sold raffle tickets with a skill born of long practice (as I was to discover later). And, finally, thanks to every member who contributed to the day’s success in some way or other, whether from the warmth of the building or outside on car parking duty.
Before the raffle was drawn, a cheque for £400 was presented to the NNR towards their “Suburban Four” Appeal.
(Edward Mann & Graham Smith)
Last year’s Show (see NRS/NL 58/2 pp5/6) went ahead despite the bad weather, but the weather for this year’s Show held on 1st March was comparatively benign. With Mike Fordham having stood down, the 20th Show was in the capable hands of Peter Willis & Chris Mitchell, though Mike was lending an experienced hand. It fell to your Editor to write this Report but the limitations of my model railway knowledge were quickly exposed. The Shows (or Open Days then) were intended to demonstrate what the members could do, but their increasing popularity has led to visits from other local societies.
The Diss & District MRC, courtesy of John Hanchet and Warren Wordsworth had a display of “Helendale”, based on a Derbyshire quarrying location in N gauge. Fred & Gavin Collinson had a 3-rail Marklin Lindental offering in HO gauge of a Continental setting on a neat fibre-glass base which, later in the day, I saw was very easy to transport. The Norfolk Mardlers (Bruce Hoyle, Roger Keeley & Roger Kingstone) had their O gauge display and were beavering away throughout the afternoon. Entirely new to me was the Border Modellers Group with their representation - in OO gauge - of a cross-country line in East Anglia. Brian Cornwell had his customary “Lego” show whilst Malcolm Cooper brought a diverse display with an essentially “Thomas the Tank Engine” theme in OO gauge with “Thomas’s Friends at the Fair” added for good measure.
Most people retreated to the Robert Scarfe DVD show at some point, where they could see his own films of “Driver Experience Days” (Steam & Diesel) on the NNR & MNR respectively.
The RCTS (Ipswich Branch) were paying us a first visit with their sales stand, and other publicity/sales displays in the circulating area were from the Barton House Railway and the Friends of the Bure Valley Railway.
In the Blake Room – where we have our meetings – there was a real mix. Arthur Barrett had decided that the Southwold Railway would be his chosen minor railway and he had a video show plus various books and publicity material to tempt our visitors. Ken Mills had his usual display of high-quality LNER models, the selected constituent this year being the GCR. I had not thought about Meccano for about 50 years, but Ron Frith showed its evolution with models from the 1920s to the present. The March – Wisbech line lost its passenger service almost 50 years ago, but the Friends of the Bramley Line are hoping that passenger services will eventually be restored – they had brought publicity material to heighten public awareness, as did the M&GN Circle and the M&GNJRS, whilst Mike Handscomb busied selling both members’ stock and that of deceased members. Various LNER & LMS locos from a “Jinty” upwards were exhibited by the Gauge 1 Model Railway Association, plus a Class 66 diesel and, nearby, Ray Meek’s M&GN display was themed around Potter Heigham Bridge (complete with bridge plate) with various M&GN locos whilst Peter & Christine Allison’s toy train set-up seemed smaller than that of recent years.
The Church was given over to “larger” layouts, either in size or gauge, and Chris Mitchell’s “Neustadt” was of a German/Swiss station depicting pre-unification Germany with military trains and local trains typical of the era (HO gauge).
It had not occurred to me that Hornby had a French arm until I saw Terry Durrant’s “Grandfather’s Trains” with its fine variety of French trains in O gauge. A Swiss scene in what they called “Beginners LGB” was shown by Mike Fordham and Philip Moore. At the end of the church, the Southwold Railway – whose volunteers were suitably uniformed – had a model of a train crossing the bridge over the River Blyth in Nn3 gauge – the smallest I had seen. At the other end of the scale Graham Smith brought a revised version of his “Thomas the Tank” in G gauge, which layout has been exhibited near and far since 1989, its debut being at the BR Staff Association Hall in Lower Clarence Road on 4th February 1989 in aid of the Toy Library. This time, “Emily” was new – a Bachmann model based on a Stirling Single, and Alan Thurling ran his Bachmann “James the Red Engine” based by Revd. Awdry on an L & Y 2-6-0, together with BR brake, correctly lettered NW in Awdry fashion as the island of Sodor which was intended to be off the coast between Barrow and the Isle of Man. Also a converted LGB hopper ran as “Hector”, and younger visitors were puzzled by the appearance of two Fat Controllers. A new version of Wisbech & Upwell tram “Toby” seemed to be watching the punters as he circulated.
[Older members will recall that we welcomed Revd. Awdry to speak during one of our meetings at the Assembly House, as well as his great friend the Revd. Teddy Boston on a different occasion.]
Local artist and author Wrenford Thatcher exhibited his paintings, including one of LNER Pacific 4480 Enterprise on the “Flying Scotsman” (to make a change from 4472) and he explained to me that whilst the late Terence Cuneo’s pictures had a mouse hidden away somewhere his trademark was a bicycle.
The Norwich MRC’s model of “Oberwaz” (somewhere in Switzerland) was a daunting 16’ long (HOM gauge) and, by way of supplementary, they returned to our doorstep with the unusual “Tombland Tramway”. We have several excellent photographers within our ranks, and John Hanchet & Andy Wright went across the railway scene, with John re-creating a bygone era with some of his night shots. In the foyer, meanwhile, Mike Young’s display covered more than 50 years, from pre-closure M&GN through to the heritage lines of today.
It just remains for thanks to be recorded. First, and foremost, we must thank our loyal band of “helpers” in the kitchen who made sure that everybody was kept fed and watered. Then, thanks to Peter, Chris and Mike, for organising the Show and accommodating every display, and giving up a fair amount of their time in planning for the big day. I should also like to thank Peter Adds who stepped into the breach and sold raffle tickets with a skill born of long practice (as I was to discover later). And, finally, thanks to every member who contributed to the day’s success in some way or other, whether from the warmth of the building or outside on car parking duty.
Before the raffle was drawn, a cheque for £400 was presented to the NNR towards their “Suburban Four” Appeal.
(Edward Mann & Graham Smith)