The snow was back last weekend. While Saturday around the venue was clear, by Sunday we had about 5cm. The roads were mostly clear by the time I drove in, but you wouldn't want to risk travelling too far in those conditions.
All this was sad, because there was a lot to see. The larger scale show covers gauges from O to G3 and there were even a couple of G5 locos in the room. In this respect, it's very like Garden Rail.
Like all other large-scale shows, it's a friendly event. OK, with reduced numbers through the door, people were looking to chat, but not that much more than normal. It's also family friendly. Kids are happy to watch a loco circling a track, especially if it is steam powered as most of them are.
I like watching the owners prepare their models. Unlike the electric mice I normally work with, there a lot of oiling and fuelling followed by some cleaning and even pushing up and down to clear water from the cylinders. No chance just to plonk a model on the track and watch it go.
Once new model, to me at least, was a Lego layout with lots of homebuilt British trains. I've seen plenty running standard Lego products, but these guys had put in a lot of extra effort to give us UK stock. The HST looks particularly good.
Still cake-free, I enjoyed a delicious vegetable chilli both days. You want hot food on a cold day and this was very welcome.
The trade seemed to do OK, even though there weren't as many people through the door as normal. I bought a couple of wagons I'll show you later. I didn't buy a £4000 Garratt, but others did. And looking at it, I couldn't blame them.
Anyway, more photos over on Flickr
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