GETS haul

 

Not a lot of stuff for me from GETS. There were a few purchases for work projects, but I'm still being restrained as I have so much stuff in the stash, and not enough time to build it all!

Of course, as regular readers will know, I'll buy pretty much anything Groudle Glen Railway-related, so when I saw that Saddletank Books had some bookmarks and a badge featuring "Polar Bear", they were obviously coming home with me. I don't need three bookmarks of course; a couple will be Christmas presents in a few months, an idea I like so much, I may need more. 

Better still, Pauline has promised to add "Sea Lion" to the range in the future, knowing this guarantees even more sales. 

The Warley 21st wagon turned up in a rummage box for three quid, a big drop from its original price, I seem to recall.  

And more paint pens. My stocks of these are growing, which is handy, as you'll find out later this week.  

Great Electric Train Show 2026

I don't know if this can described as a "trend", but there were several layouts this year that offered little operation at the front, replying on the fiddle yard operator being efficient and sending around a constant procession of trains. 

Instead of operation, they provided superb scenic displays. I particularly liked Penhelig, seen above. It's a halt, and very accurately, doesn't have much other railway around it, but treated as an attractive moving picture, it just works. 

I like this idea, and it's one I've pondered building in the past. You need a wide selection of trains made up, ready to be fired around the layout so the viewers aren't left waiting for some movement, but for a stock builder, that's no problem. In my head, I'd also include a couple of animated scenes to provide interest. The fun would be in the building. 

A feature that intrigues me, is this coaling stage on the layout Marley Potts & Witherwack Sidings 

Is there a prototype for this? It reminds me of the Hornby/Pola model from the 1970s that I built last year.

Layout quality overall was really high. Even Making Tracks was behaving itself on the Sunday when I visited, although Pete mentioned that the day before, one of the control boxes had released some of those bad electrical smells we all dread...

Food wasn't bad. Lunch was a very nice jacket potato with chilli and cheese, which looked a bit like the eggs in Alien. After this I really fancied something sweet, but there wasn't anything on offer, apart from bars of chocolate, so I nipped up to see the nice chaps of the Double O Gauge Association, and blagged a jam doughnut. 

Numbers looked good, but it wasn't hard to get around. Layout watching was a little challenging, because of the numbers who are filming the models, and so have to occupy a prime spot for a long while.  Grabbing a photo is one thing, long video sequences? Not so sure, especially those filming on an A4 size iPad, for whom there is a special place in hell reserved. The bit where the only model trains as N gauge GWR!

Anyway, more photos on my Flickr feed.  

Saturday Film Club: Mazda K360: The quirky three-wheeled truck that changed Japan’s roads

When I mentioned the Mazda K360 a few days ago, it inspired me to try to find some video of one in action. This is the best the internet can serve up, and it's an interesting, and pleasingly concise piece. 

Off to Gaydon this weekend for the Great British Model Railway Show

 

This weekend, I can be found at the top of the escalators at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, for the Great British Model Railway Show. 

All being well, I'll fill a couple of tables with various projects I've carried out of the years. In deference to the organiser, many with be from The Hornby Collector and TT:120 club magazines, but there will be a few BRM and Garden Rail projects too. 

Please drop by and say hello. I'm there to talk all things model railway, and not to get any modelling done!

Visit the Great British Model Railway Show website.  

Look mum, no wires!

Out in Birmingham last week, I found myself tram spotting while waiting to go into the town hall. This is the section of the line where the trams run on battery power to avoid having to install overhead wires. 

For modellers of the modern scene, this is a gift. The hardest part of any tramway build is the knitting in the sky. Now we can just pretend that the model shows a battery section - job done!

It also occurred to me that it's been a long while since I've ridden Brum trams, and the only place they went in those days was Wolverhampton. The route is now being extended, and the trams have changed too! Another for the list of places to go.  

Why was I in Brum? Well, an evening making my little grey cells do some work...