Railex 2026

 

Phew, what a scorcher!

On the hottest weekend of the year so far, I jumped on a train to enjoy a proper finescale model railway exhibition. And boy, it was warm in the hall! I felt for the exhibitors as I felt under the weather the following morning, even though I'd made an effort to take plenty of liquid on board. There's nothing the organisers could do either - that's the weather for you.

The show itself was as good as ever. High-quality layouts, and trade you don't find at other events. As I write, it's too hot to knock out a detailed review, so this is going to be a photo dump. I forgot to buy a programme too, which makes things even tricker.

Looking back through my photos, I don't seem to have taken much of the S gauge island. Some cracking layouts, but I've photographed most of them for work. One of the picture even made it's way into MRJ as part of the show advert. I had to buy a copy because of this. Finescale fame at last! 

The trade here is interesting. Lots of bits for making things, much like you would have found at a show 30 years ago, when kitbuilding in 4mm scale was more popular. I'm pleased to see this, but wonder how much gets sold. Sadly, most of these guys wouldn't be able to justify financially, appearing at a general show, but then that's what makes this event worth the trip. My colleague Steven drove four hours to visit, and it's not the first time!

I wish I had more time available for loco building, this new model from Judith Edge really appeals, but I don't need another kit sat on the shelf. And with the death of Romford wheels, combined with my inability to build a chassis without taking it apart several times, I'm not sure what I'd sit it on. 

There was spending of course, but I'll cover this tomorrow. You have been warned, some very Phil items came home with me.  

Catering isn't bad here. Lunch was a nice tuna sandwich, and morning tea came with cake. 

Of course, on a hot day, the walk back to the bus stop needed an ice cream. 

Talking of the bus, this is my only complaint. We were told to look out for a vintage bus for the ride from station to show. This is what we found. 

According to a poster on board, this vehicle was built in 1995. OK, it's now out of service and preserved, but 1995 isn't really old, never mind vintage! I mean, you'll be telling me the 1980s was more than a couple of years ago next...

 

Saturday Film Club: This is Japan's UNIQUE Monorail Built By a Hospital!

This is a terrible video. I recommend skipping the first minute and a half, but the subject is interesting, a monorail in the grounds of a hospital. A bit like Hellingly Hospital, but not for carrying coal. And with one fewer rail. 

There's a cracking view of the thing on Google Streetview too. 

 

L&WMRS open weekend ahead

OK, after me banging on about it for ages, the L&WMRS Open Weekend is upon us. 

On both Saturday and Sunday, the clubrooms in Knightcote (near Leamington Spa) - you can find us on Google Streetview.  

All the club layouts will be set up and working, as will the outdoor track. Plus a rare appearance by Melbridge Dock!

More details on the club website. 

Obviously, on Sunday, we will be celebrating the life of my Dad, Brian. This isn't going to be solem. The plan is a slideshow of photos on a screen and the Dock on display. We'll unveil a bench by the boat club, and sail a couple of models he built. I'll also give the 16mm scale coaches he built, a spin on the outdoor track. No fuss, it's what he would have wanted. 

As part of this, we'll be laying on a free barbecue so you can watch trains, and munch burgers (and salad) and of course, there will be cake.  

So, if you can be in the area, please drop in, even if you didn't know Brian. We'll be pleased to see you. 

 

Will the trains run?

 

The layout has sat idle for a decade, and so the locos have done the same, so the first job was to set up the wheel cleaning station, and give them all a good polish. While I was at it, all the bearings received a drop of Loco-motion, as I think this does what it says on the bottle. 

First impressions were good. OK, a couple of models took a little while to wake up, but that's to be expected. Given a dose of God's own 12v DC, they were soon turning over. 

Tradition demands that the first loco of the day is my Mailine 03 diesel. And so it was on this occasion. 

It trundled around nicely, and revealed the electrical gods weren't completely on my side, as I found a couple of dry joints in the track. Soldering iron out, these were quickly dealt with (I found another a couple of days later) and we were running. 

This was all good fun, so each loco in turn, was driven around the runround loop. And to varying degrees, they all seemed to behave. 

Of course, even though the light was rubbish, I took photos on my phone, and shared them on social media. 

 

The only loco that wasn't playing was the Portescap-equipped 07 diesel. This needed the body lifted off, and a bit of poking around to turn the gears over. Back on the track, it lumbered into life, but quickly improved as the lubrication of the metal gears and bearings took effect. 

 

Point power ON!

 

OK, first an admission. I hadn't squeezed all the layout bits into the Berlingo. Once I got home and unloaded, I found that the essential little box of bolts wasn't with me. Good job the storage is only 5 minutes drive away!

Back home, I was amazed to be able to remember how to set the model up. OK, years ago I'd had a lot of practise, and it's not difficult, but half an hour saw everything erected, and ready for a test. 

Prepare yourself reader, for a very smug Phil.

Every single point worked. All of them. Maybe a little lazy in a couple of cases, but I pressed the buttons and they worked. 

The fiddle yard was a little different, but after reseating (plugging it and unplugging it) the power lead from layout to fiddleyard a couple of time, it leapt into life. 

Basically, I dun a good job with the wiring all those years ago. Phew!

There were a few issues. The minic panel seemed a bit scruffy, and one of the buttons had lost its top. 

Scencily, the water looked a bit scummy. 

My mum diagnosed a bit of mould, and a light wipe of anti-mould stuff cleaned it up perfectly, followed by some furniture polish for a bit of a shine. While I was at it, the panel cleaned up using the same techniques. 

As you can imagine, I was pretty pleased with myself at this point, but would the trains run?  

Melbridge Dock emerges from storage...

 

Doncaster 2016. Melbridge Dock and Ruston Quays set up next to each other to celebrate 25 years (I think) of the show. The Dock had appeared at the very first one, and here it's displayed with my (then) latest layout, serialised in BRM. 

After that, the layout went into store, and was never seen again. 

But, for my Dad's celebration day on Sunday 31st May (all welcome), I really wanted to bring the layout that we built and exhibited for many years, out of retirement. There is a lot of him and me in this model. Arguably, without it, I wouldn't be doing what I do now for a job. 

Best guess is that Melbridge Dock appeared at over 100 shows, from small local one-day events to the biggest in the country. It even managed a trip abroad once. This layout has always meant a huge amount to me, and my Dad, which is why it deserves to be at the day to celebrate him. 

Of course, a layout that has been stored in an unheated shipping container for a decade stands a good chance of having some issues, which is why it came out a couple of weeks early for a check over. 

First question: Will it fit in the car? The chances of getting it on my Peugeot 2008 looked slim, but the Berlingo, no problem. 

I'll be honest, this isn't the best layout packing I've ever done. I haven't had a chance to practice. Each time I loaded the model in the past, the space required reduced as I worked out the best way to assemble the 3D jigsaw. Still, it's all in there, time to take it back home. 

G3 haul

 

The trouble with the rule that you can't go to a show without buying at least something, is that the purchases can be a little random. Good job I like random!

A nice kit for a Southern Railway concrete hut from Mels models. I've seen some concrete paint around, and want to try it out on this. The build might eventually become a Garden Rail feature. Just the sort of job that isn't too taxing, so could appeal to readers nervous of making models. It would also make a nice standalone build for someone wanting to dabble in a larger scale. 

Five velcro pads from RC Trains. Becuase I was looking for some of these in the boat bits stash, and can't find them. I can never find them. I swear one day I'm going to open a cupboard and there will be an avalanche of the things. I've bought loads over the years!

Finally, from the bring'n'buy, an interesting, and very cheap, cast plate that says "Tare 12 Tons". The label said wagon plate, but I'm not sure. Any suggestions? 

Talking of that stall, I felt I ought to own a length of G3 track. 

 £15 seemed like a good deal. Maybe when I get around to building some wagons to go with the loco...

Gauge 3 show 2026

 

A bit of a result this. The G3 AGM and show used to be in Flitwick, an hour's drive away. This year, it was at the motor museum in Gaydon, ten minutes travelling!

The other benefit is that the whole event is indoors, including the test track. This allowed them to put on a full programme of models running, so there was entertainment all day. Add to this a scenic G3 model, the G1 track, and an O gauge layout, and you have quite a bit to look at. 

In my bag, I'd brought my G3 model of the Hellingly Hospital Railway locomotive, hoping to have the chance to sneak it onto some track. As it was, I bagged a few minutes on the test track, borrowed a couple of wagons from the very accommodating John Tuckett, and enjoyed it trundling around. Two wagons looked just superb behind the model. 

 I could be really tempted to build myself a train like this, but with wagons at approaching £150 a pop, not an unreasonable price, and more projects than I can shake a stick at, that dream will have to wait for a while. Besides, for the loco in green the wagons should be 16 ton minerals, not attractive wooden ones. Then I start thinking about making Hellingly in G3, egged on by Simon Castens who is republishing the Iain Rice Cameo Layout book later this year. 

 Having the track indoors was nice as the weather wasn't conducive to standing around outside anyway. 

The Society had put a board up along the lines of the G1 version with booked slots so we all knew what would be running at any time. 

Elsewhere, there were many fine models, including some from John Tuckett's next project, a stunning slice of London. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing this, as Littlecliff blew me away. I'm processing the photos for this as it's appearing in BRM in a couple of months. 

Catering is provided by the museum cafe, and a very nice bacon and brie panini was enjoyed, along with some lemon meringue cake. 

I'd thought a couple of hours would be enough, but there was so much to see, and loads of chat, that I arrived shortly after 10:30 opening, and left just after 4. That counts as a good day!

Saturday Film Club - Happy Birthday Groudle Glen Railway!

A bumper set of videos to celebrate the GGR's birthday today. 

 

 

Shaun the Sheep, and the man who can't do maths...

 

Before his stroke, my Dad and I used to enjoy watching Shaun the Sheep each morning. It's more fun than the news for a start. He really appreciated the effort required for the stop-motion animation. I loved the way a complicated story could be told in five minutes with no dialogue. We both enjoyed the stories. 

Anyway, Big Chris at the railway club offered to 3D print some sheep for me. In G scale. But, along the way, he got his scales a bit wrong. So we have G scale sheep, and something along the lines of 1:12 ones!

The Shaun printed, is the version from the Wallace and Gromit film, A Close Shave. He's got a jumper on. 

Those who know the film well, will have spotted that the red line around the cuffs should be a zig-zag, but it's hard enough to paint a straight one, so if it bothers you, tough.  

 

Dad's train

 

A nice sunny Thursday evening gave me the chance to take out the newly named locomotive "Brian" and give it a run on the club track. 

Initially, all went well. 

But after three circuits, the loco stopped, making a grinding noise. Investigation showed the gears had eaten themselves. 

This wasn't good. However, to compound matters, the reason this happened is, because I am STUPID. Talking to Boot Lane, it seems there is a little bottle of oil in the package, which I seem to have lost. In the instructions, which I didn't read properly, is a note that the gears MUST be lightly oiled. Something I didn't do. 

They have kindly provided me with replacement gears, and oil, which I have been sternly told, should be used this time! 

Colourful graffiti

 

 

Spotted in York earlier this year, a nice piece of colourful graffiti at the top of a building. 

Graffiti is a fact of life, and has been for many years. Replicating it on a model is challenging, as some of it is distasteful, and we like our models to be suitable for a family audience, at least at an exhibition. This could be copied though, and would be safe for young eyes, as well as adding a splash of colour to a model.  

Putting Puffin on the water

Time to launch the second of my Dad's boats, for his celebration day on the 31st. I've already sailed his Victorian launch, but the other vessel I really wanted to see in action is "Puffin", a small tugboat. 

Scratchbuilt from a Basset-Lowke drawing, I think, I've always liked this model, but it's especially important as Dad built absolutely everything. OK, I did the paintwork and electronics, but otherwise, it's all him. 

Inside, there were a few issues. The battery pack had died through lack of use, and it was fitted with 27mHz radio gear. A new pack was ordered from Howes, and a spare RadioLink receiver fitted. I'm not using Planet this time as I want the opportunity to sail three boats, and I only have two Planet transmitters. I'll probably change it over eventually, but right now, it all seems to work. 

Carefully placed on the water, it seems the model is stupidly fast, or at least it would be if I opened it up! A couple of clicks on the transmitter, and we were plodding around at a suitable speed for the tugboat. 

Puffin sits well on the water, and doesn't seem to let any in. The day was a bit breezy, but there was very little roll. All the weight that gets the model down to the waterline, and broad beam, see to this!

I managed 10 minutes sailing, but there was no sign of the battery running out of charge, so we should be good for a long enough sail on the big day. 

You did a good job there Dad. 

 

Lifeboat day haul

 

Obviously, I can't spend the day with lifeboats, without picking up something from the supporters' stand. And it's never too early to do your Christmas shopping and pick up some cards! And an umbrella. 

Over on the Bring'n'Buy stand, I'd placed a small pile of old plastic RTR boats as part of my current clear-out. I've hung on to three Tri-ang models, because I collect this make, but Scalecraft and similar have gone - yes I sold them!  

£45 in. £8 out. One plaque seen above, with an RNLI badge on it (a rare thing, according to someone who knows about this stuff), and a battery charger. 

A fiver for this. It doesn't have the mains connection, but it does have all the output leads, some of which I'm missing from my current charger. At some point, I will make up replacements, but this solves the problem for now. 

Finally, a couple of vintage badges. 

Apparently, these are very old, and came to the Enthusiasts section as an estate sale. I'm assuming I can't claim to be President, but I do have a model Brede, and this now lives in the box with it. 

Lifeboat day 2026

Lifeboat day dawned grey and cloudy, but when I arrived at the lakeside, everything was set up, and looking good. I'd even got there early to help, but I think that despite the emails during the week, much of this work had been carried out the night before. 

Good news as it turned out, because people had travelled to the event from quite some distance, including a group from the Blackpool MBC.  

There were all sorts of orange boats, plus a few blue and white earlier vessels to be seen. I'd taken my Brede, and launched it early in the day - at that point when everyone seems unwilling to get their hulls wet. It performed well, but ran out of electricity before the main parade. Never mind, we struggled around a bit, and at least stayed on top of the wet stuff. 

Not everyone did. 

Speeding off, and then slamming the brakes on, saw this superstructure jump off the hull, and need resucue by someone in a wetsuit!

Incidentally, the funny colour of the water is a fish-safe chemical that keeps the weed down. 

By lunchtime, the sun had come out, and I was enjoying a sausage in a bun, followed by some cake.  

All in all, a really pleasant day by the water. I even made a profit on the Bring'n'Buy stand!

You can see more photos over on Flickr.