Gauge O Guild Virtual Show Saturday 5th November 9:30-1700 - Free to All!!!

Rob Pulham · October 28, 2022

Date: 5th November 2022 (LIVE) then recordings of everything will be available until 30th November 2022

Location: Online from the comfort to your own home

Price: Free to members and non members

Demonstrations will include both recorded sessions and live sessions provided by members and our technical committee.
Traders will be advertising, product launches are expected and some traders will be available for Q & A sessions.

Layouts Booked

Appleton Junction by Peter Holland
Bridgewater, Cannington and Lilstock Light Railway by Ruth & Graham Powell
Balwiznet by Euan Cameron of Conecticut plus live Q&A session later
Bath Green Park by Andrew Pearce (with Zoom Q&A session)
Casterbridge By Paul Brown, filmed by Phil Harding, in Victoria, Australia.
Castlegarry by John Castle an extensive shed based layout
Central Works by the Luton MRC
Canfield, a loft layout by Nigel Seaman
Lejonthal by Konstantin Binder
Oxster from Joseph Booth
Port Joyce by John Margerum
St Stephens from the South Coast MRC
The SR7 Group Railway, an extensive fixed club layout
Punton Parkway by Steve Harland
Plus others

Rob Pulham · October 30, 2022

A bit more info on what's in store at the show.

Appleton Junction

I think I was born to be a 0 gauge modeller! Not long after WW2 my father was back home again and for my first Christmas since his return, I received a large trunk containing a selection of Hornby 0 gauge locomotives and rolling stock. I loved it but soon learnt not to put my hands on the track because the 18 volts required to power the locos gave you one heck of a shock.

In 1952 I began my loco spotting years at Manchester Victoria/Exchange stations and in the summer holiday period I couldn’t wait to see the Liverpool to Newcastle express double headed by 2 Jubilees storming out of the station to clear the Miles Platting incline. Before going home, I always paid a visit to the Bassett-Lowke shop where I stood in awe at a window full of magnificent 0 gauge models. I was hooked, when I grew up my model railway would be in 0 gauge and large enough to run a passenger set double headed by 2 Jubilees.

After a full career in the RAF my priority was building my model railway. My thoughts were to build it 4 tracks as per the LNWR style – the two inner lines would be the fast up and down lines for express passenger trains with the outer tracks for goods and stopping passenger trains. There would be to be an engine shed with turntable and a goods yard. The railway would be fully signalled complete with interlocking with the points.

The main running tracks would be 12 volts because I wanted to share the railway with others, the majority of whom work in 12 volts. There is a raised section of end-to-end track with DCC for those who have DCC equipped models.

I trust you will see from the track plan that I have achieved all that I set out to do. The bonus is that my railway is half in a shed and half in the garden, the garden section has a covering with dimmable lighting which gives tremendous atmosphere on dark nights.

I have a weekly get-together with good friends who bring their locos to run on the railway. They support me by helping maintain the railway and fix locos that may develop a problem and I in turn offer them cups of tea and biscuits!

If you ever find yourself in the North West, you would be welcome to visit my railway.

Peter Holland

Photos by Geoff Helliwell and Neil Davis courtesy Railway Modeller

Casterbridge & Casterton

The layout is situated underneath the house in Mount Eliza, Victoria, Australia and is a continuous main line with loops at the north and south ends. Automatic controls decide how close the trains get to each other around the layout. The loops are out of sight in the other parts of the cellar. The layout was built by Paul Brown.

It is a GWR mid thirties main line layout with an end to end branch line which runs automatically. The Station is called Casterbridge but you have to change to travel to the branch terminus called Casterton.

Rob Pulham · October 30, 2022

Next up we have Castlegarry

Castlegarry By John Castle

The video commentary is about what happens in the 4 sheds hosting the layout, covering the early sequence timetable through the eyes of the camera. There are 5 stations and 3 motive power depots, a marshalling yard, coal mine and 5 separate goods yards. The Scottish end of the line has been put on hold as old age has crept up on me quicker than expected.

Edited October 30, 2022 by Rob Pulham

Rob Pulham · October 31, 2022

The next to layout to grace the show is Central Works from Luton MRC

Central Works

Central Works is based on a fictional car assembly plant, with some likenesses to the intense network of sidings that once existed around the complex at Longbridge in Birmingham, Although this was an Austin factory, it has been made deliberately region neutral to allow the opportunity for us to feature different car makes & marques plus interesting rolling stock periodically.

Although electrically and predominantly scenically complete, it is still a ‘work in progress’, being the latest project of the Gauge ‘0’ Section of the Luton MRC.

It comprises of an industrial scene featuring a car assembly plant. This layout has two segments, the mainline exchange sidings and the industrial section of the factory complex. Stock is predominantly freight but the occasional passenger operation may be seen arriving at the short platform. These are generally workmen’s trains and do not appear in a public timetable.

Traffic for the factory arrives in the form of raw materials and is

exchanged into the works via the industrial locomotives. Completed vehicles are then returned back to the main line for onward transport on CARFLAT vehicles.

A feature of this layout will be ongoing development of the backscene with lighting effects and steam/smoke emissions from the various factory processes. Additionally, a working coal tippler is in use which provides fuel from loaded wagons to the plant boiler house. This tippler was generously donated to the Luton MRC by the Model Railway Club of London, so it would enjoy future use on a layout after their Happisburgh layout was decommissioned.

Rob Pulham · October 31, 2022

Next up is Lejonthal, a layout by Konstantin Binder based in the North Rhine region of West Germany.

Lejonthal

Lejonthal is the name of a fictional town and train station based in Western Germany in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It features a main train station, a factory, a railway depot, and a railway stop. My background is H0 and OO, but a couple of years ago I decide to switch to o gauge. I have been building the layout since August 2019 and it is obviously far from finished. My focus not so much lies on rolling stock, I prefer the actual building side of things. I recently started scratch building and it gives me immense pleasure.

Rob Pulham · October 31, 2022

Finally for today is Oxter by Joseph Booth, located in the north west of England.

Oxter

The Oxster railway was developed at the time when I moved scales from '00' to '0' gauge. This was 2017, having decided that '0' gauge is where I should be, although I have to say I was eventually persuaded to this end by one of my friends, who himself has been scratch building '0' gauge for something like 40 years, even producing his own wheels.

However back to Oxster, I'd built 3 loco kits but needed somewhere to run them when out of the blue my wife said it would be okay to have a railway around the garden, as long as we could integrate it with the plants & tree's etc. If we are to have a garden railway then you will need a shed and she said we should order one right away, so we did. It is just 10' x 6' but is plenty when you have the whole garden to run around.

Why Oxster? Well I already have a '00' layout in the attic base upon Chester General so I decided that as I would like to retain the link with Birkenhead - Paddington & Birkenhead - Hasting trains I should consider having a station somewhere in Oxfordshire from which I could use my preferred regions loco's; WR/MR/SR, hence Oxster put together from OXford and cheSTER - Oxster.

Rob Pulham · November 1, 2022

he next in our long line up of layouts to be seen this coming Saturday is Port Joyce by John Margerum

PORT JOYCE

Port Joyce, named after my wife, is my first venture into 0 scale modelling. The layout which measures approximately 27 feet by 8 feet was built in the loft which had been professionally converted into a hobby room some years previously.

Due to width restrictions caused by the sloping ceilings in the room the initial plan was to build an end to end layout but by using Peco Setrack curves at either end of the layout I have been able to build a continuous circuit which has always been my preference when planning previous model railways in 00, H0 and N gauges. Sections of the tight curves are hidden in tunnels so as not to detract from the more scale track formations seen in the rest of the layout.

Port Joyce is a fictitious harbour town and represents how I think it might have looked in the late 1950’s/ early 1960’s, a time I still remember quite vividly. Locomotives of both BR London Midland and Western Region parentage work on the line so I like to imagine it is somewhere in deepest rural Somerset although any similarity is purely accidental!

The layout includes plenty of loops and sidings which offer a fair amount of operational flexibility when it comes to shunting operations or of course I can just sit back and watch the trains passing by. There is also a three track fiddle yard so additional trains can be stored “off site”.

DCC operation offers considerable flexibility and all locos are sound equipped.

The layout is just about complete now and generally speaking I am pleased with my first sojourn into 0 scale modelling. There are a few things I would have done differently if I had been starting the layout today such as extending the platform lengths slightly, but you learn by your mistakes even after 50 plus years indulging in the hobby.

Photos by Geoff Helliwell and Neil Davis courtesy Railway Modeller

Edited November 1, 2022 by Rob Pulham

Rob Pulham · November 1, 2022

Then we have the extensive layout by the SR7mm Group

Introduction to the SR7mm Group Railway

This O gauge model railway occupies most of a suburban back garden and is based on BR Southern Region (Central and Eastern Divisions) operating practices in 1958. We now have eight stations (including goods stations) with approximately 110 operating signals and over 100 point ends.

Construction commenced in 1990 using Peco and Marcway points and track. Steady development over the years has seen a new building, a new station, hand built C&L/Exactoscale track with 31.5mm gauge points, and near completion of a full signalling and control system with strategically placed CCTV cameras. Much work has also taken place on the scenic side of the railway.

On one side of the garden two buildings contain the London end of the railway. In the “Garage” is Smithfield, a high level terminus with four platforms plus a meat and goods depot and loco facilities. Adjacent is a low level fiddle yard representing the Widened Lines giving connections both prototypical and fictional to other regions, the whole area being inspired by Holborn Viaduct Station and its surroundings.

Both levels continue to the “Old Shed” with Great Victoria Street (GVS) (inspired by Blackfriars Station) having three low level platforms together with parcels bay, two carriage sidings and a loco depot. This station is mainly used as the London terminus, with a single track connection to the fiddle yard for inter-regional trains. An island platform serves the high level line which then crosses above the main station throat on a girder bridge.

On the opposite side of the Old Shed is a large goods yard at Southwark with its loco and milk depots, together with a single platform station at Bermondsey Bakers Yard.

Originally these were the only buildings, with the rest of the railway being out in the open with covers that had to be removed for running.

All three lines swing round 180 degrees to Coulsdon Station. This now occupies the far side of the “New Shed” although it is in a similar position and has a similar layout to the original station.

Platforms 1 and 2 serve the main line from GVS. The high level lines from Smithfield drop down to a junction with the Southwark lines just outside Coulsdon (with a separate Goods Loop from Southwark to Coulsdon) and then into Platforms 3 and 4. This end of Coulsdon Station with its various crossovers, Loco Spur, and connections to the continuous run and the Link Line (see later), is controlled by the Coulsdon A operator, although two signal boxes, Coulsdon A and Coulsdon B, are modelled.

After connections to two Berthing Sidings and a Coal Concentration Depot (CCD), the tracks from Platforms 3 and 4 join the main line then immediately split again at Coulsdon C signal box as they leave the New Shed.

Straight on is what is now a single line to Warrior Square Station. Originally this was a double track line to a three platform station called Bexhill (inspired by the real Bexhill West). Following construction of the New Shed this was downgraded to a single line with a single passenger platform (plus two carriage sidings) with the other island platform accommodating a bagged fertiliser depot. Removal of certain point blades and rails makes this now part of a large goods yard.

Onwards from Coulsdon C the tracks swing round a further 180 degrees to run along the outside of the Old Shed. Splitting into four tracks the two innermost lines drop down between the main lines to form a flying junction with a continuous run connecting back to Platforms 1 and 2 at Coulsdon B. The two outermost tracks continue on the level, the lines re-enter the shed, whilst curving through 180 degrees (on the opposite side from Coulsdon), finally approaching the two island platforms that form Bexhill Station.

At Bexhill, the goods yard, three platforms and the centre road are all directly connected to both Up and Down lines by a magnificent looking selection of points and crossings, all on a curve. The station building, concourse and raised ground frame controlling the loco release crossovers to the centre road are all models of Bexhill West station which was on the now closed branch from Crowhurst.

A “Link Line” running directly from Coulsdon A, serves Platform 1, but also has a crossover connecting it to the rest of the station.

A separate loco depot serves both the station and the sizeable goods yard. The latter has a connection to the Bexhill Harbour Board lines that has its own loco and shed.

A notable feature of the railway is the third rail electrification of Smithfield, Southwark/Bermondsey Bakers Yard, Warrior Square and Bexhill Platform 1 together with Platforms 3 and 4 at Coulsdon plus the Berthing Sidings and Link Line. Most of the passenger services between these stations are formed of electric multiple units with electric locos presently being built to work freight and other loco hauled services. A new depot to accommodate these locos has been built at Warrior Square on the site of an old turntable.

Other features are the wartime bombing damage still visible (damaged overall roof at GVS, partially destroyed loco shed at Bexhill, replacement buildings at Warrior Square) and the use of parts from an actual British Railways (W) NX (entrance – exit) signalling panel, ex Slough PSB, to control some of the junctions at Coulsdon C.

Operation is presently by telephone block (to be replaced, in due course, with wireless train describer’s/block instruments using tablets) normally with timetables (actually sequences) that can represent different days or times of day. Most of the railway can be operated in all weathers, being in buildings, roofed areas or with new metal covers that can remain in place for running. Warrior Square is now the only area that is weather dependent.

Rob Pulham · November 1, 2022

The last one for todays line up, is ST Stephens by Steve Mosedale and John Dedman of the South Coast MRC

The South Coast Model Railway Club is located in an industrial building on the outskirts of New Milton, Hampshire.

Members have the benefit of 24 hour, 7 days a week access throughout the year, giving access to the following free standing layouts.

A large 7mm (f/s) layout

A substantial G1 layout

A 16mm layout

Two 4mm layouts

An extensive 2mm layout which is currently under construction.

While access is unlimited, Wednesdays are generally considered to be the day when as many members as possible assemble socially and also to show off their locomotives, trains etc. whether acquired or built. Anything can run from any era, although trains themselves are normally consistent in their era.

The club has its own website and is represented on Facebook.

An annual exhibition is organized over the last weekend of July each year in a local school.

The club’s ‘0’ Gauge layout has a double track main line circuit with an 8 lane fiddle yard at the rear. At the front of the layout is a through station with platform loops and bays. There are two branch lines which leave the main line at the rear corner of the layout and one of which drops slowly down hill along the front of the layout to a terminus at the other end. On the other side of the hall we have a terminus station which is reached by the other branch off of the main line. This crosses a bridge section which can be lowered for emergency access to the fire escape.

There is a reversing loop across the centre which also gives access to a steam loco depot, a diesel depot and a small goods yard. The goods yard also has an access to an oil storage terminal where road tankers are loaded. The steam loco depot has a shed, coaling and watering facilities and a turntable. While the diesel depot is an intrinsic part of the main layout it can be removed to form the greater part of our Exhibition Layout, Stephens Lane Diesel Depot.
The main station has 3 through platforms, platforms 1 & 2 of which are either side of four through roads and can accommodate 12 coach trains. There are also 2 bay platforms, a Mail/Parcels platform, a freight yard which deals with stone trains.
The terminus on the far side of the hall has 3 platforms with a goods yard, loco depot and carriage sidings as well as three stock sidings where members can berth stock kept at the club. The other branch terminus has one platform and a bay together with a goods yard and a private siding.

The main oval circuit is some 51feet by 16 feet and the branch termini are 74 feet and 54 feet respectively from their junctions with the main line.

We have conventional DC and DCC controls. At present the layout is split into 4 sections, that is the UP MAIN, DOWN MAIN and BRANCH (1) & (2) we can select DC or DCC control for each one individually. The controls and electrics are slowly being upgraded with new control panels

The track is mostly Peco Streamline with some Marcway points. The point motors are Tortoise.
The scenery is pretty much completed although details are constantly being added and upgraded.

The stock that the members run is quite varied covering the Big Four pre-nationalisation era, through BR steam days to diesels from the 1970s and 1980s privatisation to modern times.

The operation of the layout is not structured in any way and members run prototypical trains in either direction, either on the continuous circuit or to and from both branches, by use of the return loop as necessary.

Rob Pulham · November 2, 2022

Today's thrilling instalment starts off with the Bridgwater, Cannington and Lilstock light railway by Graham and Ruth Powell.

Bridgwater, Cannington and Lilstock light railway.

History ( fictitious of course!).

The GWR took over a privately funded branch line that runs to the small Somerset town of Cannington. Some while later, there was an expansion of activity at the small port of Lilstock so it was decided to build a light railway to there. (There is actually such a place and its to the west of Hinkley point. It exported pit props and lime and received incoming cargoes of coal. There was also excursion traffic. The port closed in 1916).

The layout.

The layout is situated in a 15’x 9’ spare bedroom. Originally it was roundy roundy layout which became a LIMA diesel race track for the grand kids. Sort of a Scalextric on rails. Eventually my wife Ruth and myself decided to build an end to end layout with two stations so that kids could send a train from one station to the other. It took a long time to do this and of course the grand children having grown up a bit were not interested in it apart from one who loves playing with it when he visits.

Virtually everything on the layout has been home made. The buildings are from a variety of sources. You may recognise Wallingford station building and a Tanat Valley good shed. The lovely scenery is entirely the work of my wife Ruth. All credit to her.

The railway uses small engines which I had already built. These have given yeoman service of the years. The GWR train I bought off a friend and they run from hidden sidings representing Bridgwater to Cannington only.

Having got fed up with crawling under layouts to fix point motors all are now mounted above board and are hidden under various buildings or items of old rolling stock. I added some signals for my one grandson and they do work. The railway is quite a fun thing to work and I do run it quite often. One of the biggest snags has been getting the Sprat and Winkle couplings to work properly. They are a bit temperamental and I’m not sure why!.

Hope you enjoy your visit to our little railway.

Rob Pulham · November 2, 2022

The next layout to whet your appetite is Bath Green Park by Andrew Pearce a large indoor layout based on the Somerset and Dorset at Bath Green Park.

Rob Pulham · November 2, 2022

The last instalment for today is the VicGOG Test Track at Caulfield By Phillip Harding

VicGOG Test Track

It’s an 8 x 4 metre twin track oval with storage sidings at the back. It has DCC on the outer line and DC on the inner line so that all members of the group can run their stock. I call it the VicGOG test track. The show at Caulfield race course is the largest in Victoria with 2000 visitors on the Saturday and slightly less on the Sunday

Rob Pulham · November 3, 2022

Today's instalment starts off with Hope Street by John Buck

Hope Street

Hope Street depicts a fictitious urban goods yard somewhere in the industrial north east. It incorporates two of my interests, the North Eastern Railway and vernacular architecture.

The scenic area is 12' x 3', the longest I could fit in my cellar, for construction. The 5' fiddle yard was fitted later following relocation to Keighley MRC. A goods yard was chosen because it gives room for some interesting shunting and leaves room for lots of buildings.

The period chosen is late Victorian/Edwardian. This gives scope for some interesting engines and a range of wagons.

The coal cells are based on those at Alston and the goods shed is a shortened version of the Pocklington shed. The principal non-railway buildings are taken from photographs of buildings that once existed in the North East, particularly Newcastle & Gateshead.

All the buildings are scratch built with the exception of two flats. They are built from card and foam board with various claddings and assorted windows and other detailing bits. The two flats are used to fill in gaps between the industrial buildings on the end board. These are kit bashed from card kits.

Photos courtesy of Derek Shore

Edited November 3, 2022 by Rob Pulham

Rob Pulham · November 3, 2022

Next up is Canfield by Nigel Seaman

Canfield

Canfield is a scenic indulgence through attic rooms, now some 56 feet long. It depicts a Great Eastern Railway station and its approaches on a fictitious byway in north Essex around 1902. The track layout is simple but lengthy, and is sufficient for some interesting prototypical operation. Buildings and scenery are narrow and minimal, with much pushed away into the back-scenes. Late winter is chosen for its starkness and bare trees. Typical branch trains of the period pass and return. No talk or music, but do turn up your sound….. Less is more, I hope.…