Report by Bob Leggett

Photos: Dave McCarthy

More photos available HERE

For the first time in many years I was not trading at Leicester so was able to have a sleep in and not leave home until 8.45am and travelled up with Les Martin and Paul Rees.

An excellent journey and 2 hrs later we were being greeted by members of the Church who ran the entrance all day.

In the entrance lobby Eric Large was manning the club stand and also displaying an interesting Mignon set he had just acquired. It is slightly smaller than TT and the electric streamline engine had its ‘smoke’ as a switch to go forward or reverse.

Malcolm Pugh and Tony Benn ran the club Bring and buy stall with sales over £400. Of note were a selection of good quality books, a collection of Wrenn rolling stock sold well, a Dublo 9F sold for £60 and there was also a good collection of O gauge wagons. Also Bachmann had donated one of their Bachmann Digital passenger sets which was sold for £80 using a price drop auction.

Opposite Peter Corley was selling and exhibiting some unusual oo gauge. Of particular note were two engines saved from the tip. Apparently they were hand made for Vacy Ash in the 30’s by Hamlings and were in NCR Livery.

Also in the lobby John Ridley (mainly 00), Peter Hilton (tankers, and he also had a new mould for a copy of the Dublo pre-war Nigel Gresley, Albert Chapman (O gauge) Phil Goater (mainly oo), Vicky and Simon Draycott (Children’s toys) were selling.

Andy and Elaine Hyelman were selling a variety of 00 trains. They were also displaying rare Jouef that was made in Ireland (Shannon Airport industrial estate) for only one year(1979-1980).The locos included a North British Warship (actually a German V200 diesel) in BR blue and an Irish Black Shunter

Entering the main Hall, Allen Levy and Len Mills had some ACE Trains for sale as well as examples of the superb new Battle of Britain engine, one was Winston Churchill in BR Livery and the other was Padstow in Southern Livery. I also noticed a Schools ‘ Repton’ and a celebration class loco in Southern livery for only £245.

On the shelf was an unusual Meccano model made by Richard Bingham of a meccano man climbing a rope and coming down again.

Alongside Peter Berry was displaying Pacific locos in 00 gauge from 1938-2000 and included pre-war Trix and Dublo  and more recent Hornby’s oo gauge live steam. Peter was also displaying various examples of Peter Hilton’s new replica post war A4 Dublo body.

Peter Gurd had a good lot of ephemera as well as a few interesting models including sealed Kitmaster kits and a Minic Motorway road rail set in the rarer maroon colour. Kevin Garret and Alan Orton and Steve Knight were also selling an interesting variety of stock.

On the stage Mick and Janet Mobley were running Lionel Standard Gauge. While I was there a gold Lionel all American train (Wild west era) was running with 3 colonial coaches. On the outside track a Lionel 2-4-2 no 385 with 300 series coaches was running around. Also on display was a 1990’s station building which is in fact a replica of the Lionel 1930s station and a very large Marx Goods depot.

Chris Smith was selling a variety of oo gauge including a rare Tri-ang Baltic made in South Africa.

Michael Foster was showing off the latest Skytex trains. Mike fowler was selling more of his old Triang-Hornby Dublo layout and I spotted an Ultra Modern Station Arkitex set for £175 and a Railway Children Set for £275.

Willam Vyse had a nice Hornby Dublo scenic layout which was full of Dinky and Lesney toys, Metal and Plastic Dublo stations. He called it the layout he would loved to have had as a kid.

David Ramsey was manning the club stand and the theme this year was Goods Engines. Over 40 had made it to Leicester . I was impressed with an 0-6-0 tender loco Clockwork controlled made by Walker Penn and a Carrette LNWR 0-4-0 electric tank loco. I also notice a Tenshodo ‘Big Boy’.

Paul Williams had a superb display of Hafner American clockwork trains running on a triple figure of eight. Hafner only made clockwork trains and production ceased in the early 50’s.

In front of the stage Mark Carne with help was running Gauge 1 live steam. As I was passing a Bing 4-4-0 with 4x 1921 coaches was running on the outside track, a scratch built 0-4-0 was pulling a rake of Carette and Marklin Coaches on the inside.

Part of the layout include a nice scene with a turntable and Engine  shed. I must also mention the pre WW1 Clapham Junction station loaned by Peter Dunk.

In the Small Hall it was a bit of an underground theme. Pat Hammond was displaying Bachman’s Underground Ernie series including buildings and track packs

Bob Fleming had an 00 layout including most makes from the last 60 years, really the club theme any make, any scale and age (as long as it runs on Dublo or Trix OO track!!). As I passed a motorised Airfix Railbus was on the inside loop and an unusual K’s Motor bus/coach on rails was running around. Of special note was Bob’s underground station which was under the main layout board and could be viewed from the front.

Brian Arnold and John were running Trix pre and post war, 14v AC and 12v Dc. A pre-war  Southern 0-4-0 with tender was being operated as I arrived. On the outside was an EM1 with lights looking great.

To continue the underground theme in this room, Paul Brooks was operating Ever Ready underground sets. Paul has had both motor cars fitted with a Tri-ang motor bogie unit and then converted them to three rail and used the original track. Both trains were running well while I was there. It’s a shame Ever Ready never produced an oo gauge underground station.

George Beardsmore was running his ACE trains layout. Kinlet hall was doing the duties while I was there. Also a Polar Express train was running on the inside track, I do not know who made this set.

Going back to the entrance lobby. Sometime in the early afternoon Simon Goodyear appeared and gave all Tri-ang collectors something they have never seen before. He had a 1950’s vacuum formed plastic layout made for Tri-ang standard track and buildings. This caused a huge amount of interest with the Tri-ang collectors as no one had any knowledge of this layout or even rumours one was made. The photos will show off this unusual item and now we look forward to finding some more info on it.

One of the highlights of this show is the wonderful Christmas lunch made by the ladies from the Church. For £5.50 a three course lunch with all the trimmings was presented to over 100 visitors. Many thanks again to Marilyn, Adam and Ian Draycott, Karen Clements, Margaret Lunn, Margaret Walters, Carol Ireland, Mary Starie, Daphne Sargent and Audrey Foulds.

Finally a big thanks you to Paul Draycott and his helpers for putting on such a great show.

Bob Leggett