Cleethorpes 2013

After all my pre-show nerves last weekend passed too quickly. Unfortunately I wasn't able to do justice to the whole show, only managing to get a quick half hour on Sunday afternoon to have a look around. There were some excellent layouts on show. I was especially impressed by Melton Mowbray North. It is a very large N gauge layout with superb buildings and scenic detail. It was a shame I couldn't spend more time appreciating the layout.

Melton Mowbray North

Melton Mowbray North

Melton Mowbray North

Another layout I really liked was Rowntrees Sidings. I'm not really a DEMU modeller (well not yet anyway) but can fully appreciate the skill at depicting the current scene that we are all still living in rather than one that we can only depict from photographs. The guys behind the layout were also a very friendly bunch.

Rowntrees Sidings

Rowntrees Sidings

Other layouts that I've seen before but still worth a mention are Barrowfleet (with its mix of 009 and 00),

Barrowfleet

along with Peakdale (a rather nice depiction of a mainline through the Peak District in N gauge).

Peakdale

In the same room as Tredethy Wharf was Gordon's P4 Fish Dock Road, which attracted a lot of local interest.

Fish Dock Road

Along with the layouts, there was a demonstration stand where a lady making trees was very helpful in answering my questions.

My apologies for not getting photos of the other layouts on show, but as I said, this was only a frustratingly quick half hour around the show. I probably missed some worth a mention and certainly did not spend enough time appreciating what I did catch glimpses of.

Overall an excellent weekend. Tredethy Wharf performed reasonably well for its first outing, though I've come away with a 'to do list'.

Tredethy Wharf

Just a final indulgence, and as a thank you to Clive for loaning a substantial amount of stock, above is a view of his little Hunslet (which ran as sweet as a nut all weekend) about to enter the woods (stage left). Also, to all who took the time to drop by and take a look at Tredethy Wharf, and pass comments, thank you.

Pre-show nerves

Well... my first exhibition this weekend and I think I'm all set up for the show at Cleethorpes: http://www.cleethorpesmodelrailway.co.uk/events.htm The curtain has been made by my very understanding wife and I think it is the finishing touch to the presentation. I'm very apprehensive as to how my little offering will be received, as I feel it is not much of a layout with a lot to do scenically and also building appropriate rolling stock.

All set-up and ready for tomorrow

Our area group have three offerings on show:Tredethy Wharf; Fish Dock Road; and the very early stages of Swan Yard. Other layouts at the show include four N gauge (one being a German/Swiss layout); one OO; one OO/oo-9 gauge; one O gauge; plus an EM gauge. So a good spread of gauges and interests ...

 Stage left is one area that is beginning to look how I have visualised it.

If anyone following this blog is able to make it to the show please make yourselves known as it would be good to have a chat. Hope to see you there.