Steve

Saffron Walden and Beccles Exhibitions 2023

Yesterday I visited two exhibitions, a model shop and the seaside in the same day!

My itinerary featured the Saffron Walden Model Railway Club exhibition, the Norfolk and Suffolk Narrow Gauge Modellers exhibition, a trip to Parrs model shop and the beach.

Let’s start in Saffron Walden. I arrived early before opening time, I was third in the queue. Good exhibition. Nice light venue, space to view the layouts and a good mix of scales, eras and layout styles. I brought some secondhand ‘Merit’ sacks, still in the original cardboard box.

Shepherds Mine by Pat French 009
Just 18 inches long a real micro layout
Southcliffe by Graham Roper N
Arduino controlled funicular railway is very clever
Varicourt by SWMRC 009
A brace of Baldwins
The grey sky is very effective
Derelict Windmill
St Saviour Street by Tim Chandler N
Nice row of terrace houses
Grime Brothers by Adrian Dyer 00
Fits a lot in a small space by running diagonally on the baseboard
Nice industrial feel
Clever, hidden sector plate at the rear
The design creates lots of interesting viewpoints

The refreshments looked great, but I didn’t stop – I had to get to Beccles.

The N&SNGM run a great exhibition. Nice venue, quality layouts and super refreshments. It’s nearly a year since I’ve been to a specialist narrow gauge exhibition. It was really enjoyable to look at the layouts and talk to people I haven’t seen for ages. One modeller even showed me his legs. I mean the legs that support his layout!

Fen End by David Barham 16mm scale
Train of empty skips going towards the dragline
The washing plant at the other end of the layout
The Ruston RB10 dragline actually operates and lifts sand
The engine shed
Much Meddling by Chris O’Donoghue
A charming slice of Roland Emett inspired whimsy
Great stock and a toadstool for point operation!
Emett inspired railcar and trailer
There’s a huge amount of creative modelling in the buildings and stock
New Walmington Pier by Dave Carson
The carousel is animated, hence the blur…
Plugstreet by Lawrence Hendry 009
Nice sprinkling of snow
Reed Beck Waterworks by Chris Seago 009
Detail of the Victorian waterworks
Super buildings and atmosphere

The N&SNGM run a challenge at each exhibition. This year it was to build a layout with a maximum area of 4 square feet (0.37 square metres). There were seven entries and the public was invited to vote for a winner. And the winner was… Lysander Farm.

Noels Works 1:16 scale
Nice critters
Wainford Sidings SM32
Pointless Shunting 009
The two turntables are a useful spacesaver
Loose End 009
Martlesham Malteser Mine SM32
The honeycomb balls run into the barge – but too quickly for me!
Southgate Sidings O-16.5
Nice stock – 422 Modelmaking I think
Lysander Farm 009
Detail of the pond
The station section of the layout
Great way to mask the exit to the fiddle yard

Thanks to Richard Doe and the boys from Beccles for organising such an enjoyable exhibition.

Next stop, Parrs model shop in Lowestoft. It’s a super shop with an excellent range of models, paints, and tools. The owner is really friendly, helpful and knowledgable. I wish I lived nearer.

I walked out of Parrs with a razor saw, a mitre box, some track and a Sundeala baseboard.

Crumbs 🙂

Instead of driving home through traffic I decided to visit Lowestoft. I had an ice cream on the seafront, went for a long walk along the beach and had some excellent fish and chips.

You can’t beat a 99
Lowestoft South Beach
Mr Chippy London Road South Lowestoft – just along the road from Parrs!

It was a great day. I packed a lot in but, as they say, ‘If you are going to go, go large’ 🙂

4 comments

  1. Thank you for the photos. Although I was at Beccles with ‘Whimsey’ I didn’t get to take any pics of the other layouts. Unfortunately I was on my own in the back room with Great Eastern Models for company, probably because there was a possibility I might have to cancel. MrsJ was up for a knee op around the date, fortunately it is the next weekend, so I was able to attend. Although very different, my little effort seemed to get a lot of amused positive comment. If you managed to get a photo I’d be interested to see it. Ian

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    • Hi Ian, Good to hear from you. I have checked the photos on my computer and I can’t find any photos of ‘Whimsey’. I must admit that I thought that room was traders and when I went in there I headed straight for the rummage boxes, then up the stairs to the upper room. I returned by the other stairs that lead to the main hall entrance so I didn’t go into the back room again. Apologies, it looks like I didn’t see you and your layout. I will definitely look out for it in future.
      All the best
      Steve

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