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!
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