Yesterday, was the East Midlands Narrow Gauge Modellers show. With over 30 layouts and demonstrations plus 17 traders, it was a big event, and well worth attending.

Here are some snaps of a few of the layouts. Click on an image for a larger version.

Ashgate, 009 by Richard Holmes. This layout combines elements of Ashover Butts and Fallgate on the real Ashover Light Railway, hence the name ‘Ashgate’. It shows the ex-War Department stock being used for mineral and passenger traffic. I was impressed by the natural colors and the seamless transition between the layout and the backscene.

Knottmuch by Sea, 009 by Alan Martin. A fictitious terminus with quayside, fish factory and engineering company. A really nice, compact layout offering lots of operating poential. It’s for sale if you are interested….

Melin Dolrhyd, 009 by Stuart Taylor. Step back in time to see how this real location on the Welshpool and Llanfair railway would have looked in 1900. This is another layout where the transition from layout to backscene is invisible. Lovely modelling of the mill, the mill race and the associated stone walls. And the water looked so realistic. The ‘preservation stock’ was running when I visited.

Calf of Node, 009 by Andrew Eames. Regular readers know I like micro layouts, and I liked this one a lot. The size of two A4 sheets of paper (590 x 210mm, 23.2 x 8.2 inches), the layout folds in half for storage. The controller and power supply (a 9V battery) are built into the back. The use of a sector plate instead of a point and headshunt saves a lot of space.

Boxworth Wharf, 009 by Ian Jones. Another micro, this time a layout in a boxfile. It is a very nice version of the Scalescenes card kit, with 3D printed locos and stock. I liked the extra detailing throughout, especially the workshop interior.

Popplepenn Wood, 0-16.5 by Stephen Penn. An attractive 7mm scale narrow gauge layout with RC locos. Lots of attractive modelling, and proof you don’t need a lot of space to model large scale narrow gauge.

Royd Moor, OO9 by Peter Oates. This layout was a refreshing change – it’s a modern image, narrow gauge layout set in 2024! It’s a modular layout, with three different scenes, cleverly created with good use of laser cutters and 3D printers. The mills have been converted into flats, there’s a new industrial estate, a business park, delivery robots running on a Magnorail track and modern image ‘railtaxis’ inspired by a system operating in France. One of the wagons contained a video camera. You can put of a VR headset and take a real-time journey round the tracks !

This was a top notch event. There were quality exhibits to see and enjoy. The organisers had given a lot of thought to the layout of the exhibition. Most of the traders were in the common areas, or wide corridors, making it easy to access the stands. The layouts were well spaced out, and you could see them clearly. The 009 Society Sales stand had a whole room to itself and it wasn’t the usual ‘supermarket scramble’. I suspect there were lots of visitors, but it didn’t feel like it. There was a feeling of space not crowds! Congratulations to the organisers.

I spent a lot of time chatting to people, old friends and new friends that I’d only every met online before. Nice to talk to you all !

Put this exhibition in your calendars. It’s well worth visiting!