Bala Lake Railway Model Show 21st and 22nd September 2024

[MatP]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into Meirionnydd...

 

This year's Bala Model Show will be taking place on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd September. Opening times are 10.00 - 16.00 both days. The venue is the same as in previous years: Ysgol Godre'r Berwyn (Bala School), Heol Ffrydan (Ffrydan Road), Y Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7RU. 

 

There will be approximately 30 layouts in gauges from T to 45mm, with a roughly 50/50 split between standard and narrow gauge. There will also be approximately 12 trade and Society stands. For the provisional list of all of these exhibits and stands, please see below.

 

There is free parking at the School and at the Bala Lake Railway. A vintage Crosville bus will run between the School, other car parks in Bala (pay and display) and the Lake Railway Station. With the exception of the stage in the main Hall, all parts of the venue are fully accessible to people with reduced mobility.

 

Please note that, in order to comply with School regulations, only registered assistance dogs are allowed on the School grounds or inside the School buildings. We have been told that we must be very firm about this from now on, if we want to keep using the School as our venue. All dogs are welcome on the Railway itself (and the BLR Society offers canine memberships too!). 

 

On 27th March 2024, the BLR's application to extend the line into the town of Bala was re-submitted to the Snowdonia National Park Authority. Please see the website below for more information. We should receive their decision well before the Show date. Fingers (etc.) crossed!

 

 

https://www.balalakerailwaytrust.org.uk/news/

 

Below is a provisional list of exhibits and stands for the 2024 Show, which may well change between now and September. I will keep you posted. There are several layout owners, traders and railway societies with whom we are still finalising financial details, and these are not included below (yet!). I will also update this thread with information about the individual layouts in due course.

 

Best Wishes,

Mat P. (Bala Lake Railway Society Secretary and Bala Model Show Organiser)

 

2024 Layouts:

 

Boston Lodge Jn  (16mm, electric - models mainly of FR locos and rolling stock)
Enwin's 3D Models Industrial layout (00 Gauge) CONFIRMED AS NOT COMING 6.9.24
Bryncrug (0-16.5) (steam, based around a fictitious extension of the Talyllyn Railway)
Bayview (00 Gauge) (preserved steam and diesel)
Cwm Parciau (00-9) (slate quarry to transhipment sidings)
Tanner's Hill (N) (Network South East, 1990's)
Afon Adit (0-9) (gold mine)
Puffin Colliery (00 & 00-9) (exchange sidings, steam and diesel)
Porth Penrhyn (00 & 00-9) (exchange sidings and harbour, SG steam and NG steam and diesel)
Goldford Aston (00-9) (Col. Stephens era mixed traffic railway, also serving a lead mine)
Z and T micro-layout display 
Sanderling-on-Sea (00 Gauge) (25kv electric, continuous run, present day) CONFIRMED AS NOT COMING 6.9.24
Wormhill (N) (Peak District, 1990's)
Coed Helen (N) (preserved railway, steam and diesel, also features 2mm scale narrow gauge)
Llangower (00-9) (my own layout - a model of the mid-way station on the Bala Lake Railway - might appear as a static diorama if I'm very busy!) 
Black Drake Wharf (0 Scale, Standard Gauge) (steam and diesel, lots of shunting and scurrying)
Halfpenny Green (00 Gauge) (BR(W) branch terminus with military traffic)
Campbell's Quarry (16mm, electric) (Bucyrus loads wagons for dumping elsewhere, lots of automated features)
Tutherside (00-9) (009, steam and diesel, castle and village on one side, rotates to show industrial scene on 'tuther)
Rhos-y-Gwaliau Road (00 Gauge) (GWR / BR(W) light railway terminus)
Wrapton  (00-9) (industrial town scene, micro-layout)
16mm Scale Narrow Gauge Modular Layout (electric and live steam, anything goes!)
Mikesbiltom (00 Gauge) (diesel and electric continuous run, present day)
Alswear (00-9) (steam era, station and large rail-served factory, freelance so plenty of variety of rolling stock)
Normanton (N) (preserved railway, steam and diesel, shows-you-how features)

 

Plus (added since this message was first posted)

 

Pentre (16mm live steam, dual gauge, lots of 'heritage' 16mm models from 'back in the day')

Rush Green Colliery (00 Gauge, steam and diesel NCB locos)

Tan Yr Owain (009)

 

2024 Traders and Societies:

 

Sawyer Models
Elaine's Trains
Enwins 3D Models
North Western Models
Andrew McDougal 0-16.5 Models
Maid Marian Locomotive Fund
Bala Lake Railway Society 
Richard Sterne Electronics
Porterhouse Models
Grainge and Hodder Baseboards
Steve Currinn Books and Models

 

Plus (added since this message was first posted)

 

Raven Eve Designs

7mm Narrow Gauge Association

 

 

 

 

Edited Friday at 15:02 by MatP
Two layouts have cancelled - but hopefully I can replace them!

[branchie]

Looks an intriguing list of layouts and traders .... now can I be persuaded to return to Bala since passing my driving test there in 1994!?!

[MatP]

Good Morning / Bore Da...

 

I have another trader to add to our list: 'Collector Stash' of Wrexham. Their website is www.collectorstash.com and they also have an eBay shop. They sell both scale model railways and gifts suitable for younger visitors. 

 

I hope you can come to the Show, Branchie - we'll also be having a two-train service on the Lake Railway. That's why our exhibition is in September - it's also designed to attract more passengers to our last 'fling' of the operating season.

 

Vaguely related to the subject of driving tests, I suppose, is a report from the Highways Agency which we included with our planning reapplication (and indeed with our original set of papers) affirming that extending the Lake Railway into Bala will have no negative impact on traffic through the town...

 

Best Wishes One and All,

Mat P. (Bala Lake Railway Society Secretary and Bala Model Show Organiser)

 

 

[MatP]

Hello!

 

I have another trader to add: Raven Eve Designs (www.ravenevedesigns.com). They're based in Dwygyfylchi on the North Wales coast and produce laser-engraved wood and slate products. They're not a model railway company as such but we want to support local and local-ish businesses, plus not everybody attending the Show will be the sort of person who can tell a Hall from a Grange at 1000 yards in the dark... (or, to put it more politely, a lot of our Show visitors come in family groups!).

 

Best Wishes,

Mat

 

 

[MatP]

Hi there!

 

After a little delay getting my artwork (and Welsh grammar!) checked and approved, I'm pleased to reveal this year's Bala Model Show flyer. The actual flyer will be double-sided and thus bilingual.

 

All the Best,

Mat P. (Bala Lake Railway Society Secretary and Bala Model Show Organiser) 

Edited April 26 by MatP

[MatP]

Hi All,

 

I can now confirm that the 7mm NG Association will be joining us for the Show, with some dioramas and a sales stall featuring their publications. 

 

The picture below (which I took at Minffordd, yesterday, of the EDM Models stand at the FR's modelling event, seems appropriate in this context).

 

Best Wishes,

Mat P. (Bala Lake Railway Society Secretary - re-elected on Saturday! - and Bala Model Show Organiser)

 

 

 

Edited May 20 by MatP
Extra information

[MatP]

Hi All,

 

Having confirmed a few little details, I can now add the 16mm live steam, dual-gauge layout "Pentre" to our list (a return visitor from last year).

 

Regards,

Mat

 

P.S. Oooh, another Britomart!

[MatP]

Hi folkses!

 

Again after finally confirming a few details, I can add another layout to our confirmed roster: Rush Green Colliery (00 Gauge). For some reason, the links I tried to add to this message just now didn't manifest as links, but if you will forgive me for directing you to Google, running a search on the name of this layout will provide plenty of information about it, photos, videos, Facebook page etc. Expect lots of NCB steam and diesel locos!

 

Best Wishes,

Mat P. (Bala Lake Railway Society Secretary and Bala Model Show Organiser)

 

 

[MatP]

Hi All,

 

Here's the latest list of layouts and traders for the 2024 Show - subject to last minute changes of circumstances of course. 

 

Micro-layout display (Z and T Scales)

 

Tanner's Hill (N)

Wormhill (N)

Coed Helen (N and N-6.5)

Normanton (N)

 

Wrapton (00-9)

Cwm Parciau (00-9)

Goldford Aston (00-9)

Tan yr Owain (00-9)

Llangower (00-9)

Tutherside (00-9)

Alswear (00-9)

 

Porth Penrhyn (00 and 00-9)

Puffin Colliery (00 and 00-9)

 

Enwin's 3D Models Industrial (00) WITHDRAWN 6.9.24

Bayview (00)

Sanderling on Sea (00) WITHDRAWN 6.9.24

Rush Green Colliery (00)

Halfpenny Green (00)

Mikesbiltom and Fredby Depot (00)

Rhos-y-Gwaliau Rd (00)

 

Afon Adit (0-9)

Bryncrug (0-16.5)

 

Black Drake Wharf (7mm scale, Std Gauge)

 

Modular Layout (16mm scale Live Steam)

Pentre (16mm scale Live Steam, 32/45mm gauges)

Boston Lodge Jn. (16mm scale, 32mm gauge)

Campbell's Quarry (16mm scale, 32mm gauge)

 

Traders and Societies:

 

Sawyer Models
Elaine's Trains
Enwin's 3D Models
North Western Models
Andrew McDougal 0-16.5 Models
Maid Marian Locomotive Fund
Porterhouse Models
Grainge and Hodder Baseboards
Steve Currinn Books and Models 
Richard Sterne Electronics
Raven Eve
Collector Stash (Wrexham)
7mm NG Association

Bala Lake Railway Society

 

I'll put up some pictures of the layouts over the next few days. In the meantime, I'd also like to announce that one of the trade stands at the 2025 Bala Show will be that of Bachmann. We also have approximately 25 expressions of interest from layout owners for 2025 - so far! We don't have a confirmed date for yet but the 2025 Bala Model Show will probably on the same weekend in September as the 2024 event.

 

Edited Friday at 15:04 by MatP
Two layouts have cancelled - but hopefully I can replace them!

[MatP]

Some pictures of Alswear in 009 and Rhos-y-Gwalia Road in 00. 

[MatP]

Hi,

 

Some more pictures for you, with an industrial theme - Rush Green Colliery (00), Campbell's Quarry (16mm) and Black Drake Wharf (7mm). The excavators on Campbell's Quarry work, as do the tipper wagons. So not do the diggers move sand about the layout but they can also be used, I suppose, to put sugar in coffee (sorry!).

 

Mat P. (Bala Lake Railway Society Secretary, Bala Model Show Organiser and who knows what else...)

Edited August 8 by MatP

[MatP]

Hi,

 

Here are a few more pictures for you: Tanner's Hill (N) and Porth Penrhyn (00 and 009). The pictures of Porth were taken at last year's Show, when it was situated in the School foyer. This will probably stay the case for 2024. Also on the subject of School premises, please let me remind you that  no dogs, apart from registered assistance dogs, are allowed at the School this year, due to a tightening of regulations. 

 

All the Best,

Mat (currently doing horrible things to Hornby train set footbridges)

 

Edited August 9 by MatP
For some reason, RM Web's software doesn't like pictures taken in 'portrait' format - they keep being turned upside down!!!

[MatP]

Hi All,

 

Today's photo dossier shows Halfpenny Green (00) and Bryncrug (0-16.5).

 

Best Wishes, 

Mat (just back from seeing 6880) 

 

[MatP]

Hi,

 

Here are some pictures of Wormhill (N), Bayview (00) and the Janus-like Tutherside (00-9).... Some of the pictures of Wormhill are courtesy of Ben at Revolution Trains - thanks, Ben!

 

All Best,

Mat

[MatP]

Morning!

 

Here's another mixed platter of photographs for you: Boston Lodge Junction (16mm), Normanton (N) and Goldford Aston (009).

 

 

[MatP]

I feel a picture update coming on...

 

Here are some pictures of Wrapton (009), Mikesbiltom & Fredby (00) and Afon Adit (0-9).

 

All the Best,

Mat

 

 

[MatP]

Good morning, only me...

 

I have a few things today, such as some more pictures. I'm starting to run out, so if you're a layout owner coming to the Show and you haven't sent me any yet / recently, please do. One of the pictures below is a scan of a picture from a film camera: I cleaned it up the best I could.

 

Our Bala Lake Railway GM has told me that he's planning to sell some ex-Hatton's stock at the Show: after the closing down sales to the public and the trade there were still loads of bits of this and that to clear from Hatton's, and a consignment of such stuff was donated to us. I have no idea what's in this consignment - somehow I doubt it's 200 boxes of Genesis coaches in Big Four liveries! - but I imagine that there will be curious widgets at bargain prices.

 

Now, one thing I've been promising for some little while is to turn my 009 diorama of Llangower (built during lockdown) into a continuous-run layout rather than a static exhibit. So I'm writing this to give myself extra motivation to get it done in time for the Show. I've bought a bunch of very tight radius Kato Unitrack, to this end. However, I've just realised that there are only about 5 weeks to go (less for me because I have to go up to Wales several days in advance) so I'd better get on with it. 

 

So, below are pictures of Cwm Parciau (009), the 16mm Scale live steam modular layout and Llangower (009). I've removed the pictures of Sanderling on Sea as it is now not coming. I'm working on a replacement!

 

Best Wishes,

Mat P.

 

 

 

 

Edited Friday at 15:05 by MatP

[MatP]

Hi folks,

 

I don't have any pictures of other layouts for you today, but here is a little bit more on my Llangower Fach project (apologies if this really should be in the Layouts thread).

 

The layout is built on a Tim Horn baseboard which I won in a raffle. My model is compressed to fit but otherwise tries to be as close to the original as possible. This means that the tracks on the left-hand side are at the front of the board and the track on the right, by the platform, is at the back. Also, the track level is built up with strata of balsa wood so as to raise it above the lake (as it needs to be - I've seen that little footbridge completely under water). Below is a picture of the layout under construction.  

 

This sinuousness means that more than just a simple pair of 180 degree curves is needed. The second picture is from my freebie copy of SCARM, showing how (I think) I can use Kato Unitrack to form a circuit. I did consider putting a point in, so that the passing loop will actually be a passing loop, but not doing this will allow, I hope, most of the formation to fit on the Tim Horn end boards I already have, plus a narrow shelf behind the backscene.

 

I've got all the Kato track in stock, along with a bunch of balsa to prop it up on. I'm not intending anything too fancy. I don't have room permanently to set up the extended Llangower at home, due to my also having one or two (ahem!) other layouts.

 

The loop at the real Llangywair - Llangower is indeed used as a passing loop, but it isn't quite as it appears. Not all of the signals are in use and the little signal cabin does not currently contain any block instruments. Passing moves are controlled by a signalperson with a walkie talkie and flags. So I think, at least for a first attempt, I will make the 'main line' continuous run and leave the loop on the layout as a siding, which is what the real loop often is outside of the peak timetable period, with most movements in and out of it happening at the signal box end.

 

The third picture is of the loop in use as a siding for the Members' Special train after this year's AGM in May. We hand-shunted the train into the siding-loop a bit at a time, rather than go to the bother of unlocking the point at the far end. We also needed to have the Penrhyn "Workmen's" coaches next to the locomotive (Winifred) for the return journey, so we would have had to do a bit of hand-shunting anyway. The signal on the left of the picture doesn't currently work (it doesn't work on my model either!). 

 

We did start a BLR Society appeal about a year ago to raise money to complete the signalling etc. at Llangower and to stock up on parts for other places. This was partly with a view to the Extension being given the go-ahead, but also for the benefit of the current railway, as having Llangower fully signalled will allow the Railway to do lots more fun things, a lot more easily, for our visitors. And the signal box might even form a bit of an attraction in itself - Llangower with its shingle beach is a very popular spot these days. 

 

However, the need then arose to raise money quickly to re-submit our planning application for the Extension, after the first one was turned down. So we stopped publicising the signalling appeal almost as soon as it had started, concentrated on Extension fundraising, and very little signal money was raised. We also perhaps struggled with the fact that to many people signalling isn't the sexiest aspect of railway preservation...!

 

However, we're planning to relaunch the appeal at this year's Gala. I hope the moderators will forgive me including a link to the online donations page - thank you:

 

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/BLRS-Jubilee

 

All the Best,

Mat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 15 by MatP

[MatP]

Hi,

 

Llangower Station is open seven days a week but it isn't always staffed - and there isn't any covered waiting room. On the other hand there's a car park (with toilets) and a shingle beach. Please be aware that the car park does get pretty busy during the school summer holidays - you really need to be there by 9 AM!!! - and the local authorities have introduced a very strict no-parking policy on the narrow main road alongside. 

 

I can heartily recommend visiting Llangower by train - there's plenty of parking at our Llanuwchllyn terminus and a good amount of side-of-the-road parking at our current Bala station (but please be careful to check where the new no-parking zone starts!). 

 

Here are a couple more pictures for you, one of the model, one of the real place (taken a few years ago before we built the new signal cabin and before the National Park people put a reinforced wooden fence next to the gate on the right, because people manhandling kayaks over the wire fence kept damaging it).

 

Best Wishes,

Mat

[MatP]

Hi All,

 

I think my upgrade work to Llangower might end up just with a fiddle yard at each end, now I've mapped out how much extra baseboard a continuous version would need... Anyway, in the meantime, here is a picture of another layout attending the Show, Tan Yr Owain (009).

 

All the Best,

Mat

 

 

[MatP]

Hi All,

 

We have recently been told that the National Park will be meeting on September 4th to decide on our resubmitted application to extend into Bala. That presumably means that we will know the outcome by the time of the Model Show.

 

Fingers crossed!

Mat

[MatP]

Hi,

 

Good news!

 

Bala Lake Railway Announcement:

 

https://www.balalakerailwaytrust.org.uk/weve-got-it/

 

News Websites:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0jpy6yzl6zo
 

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/exciting-day-eryri-lake-railway-29868248?utm_source=sharebar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sharebar

 

Less good news:

 

One of our layouts seems to have pulled out (but I won't confirm which one until I'm sure). However, given that there are only a couple of weeks to go until the Model Show, I would be interested if anybody reading this would like to bring a layout - especially if it's 4mm or 7mm standard gauge - and help celebrate the above! Unfortunately my 'little black book' has quite run out. I do have some extra traders interested in the Show and will be contacting them but I'd like a layout too. And jam tomorrow / world peace / the moon on a stick etc. 

 

But... Bala Town - Here We Come! Many thanks to the SNPA and many congratulations to everyone who made this happen and all our supporters and friends.

Mat

Edited Thursday at 07:41 by MatP
More news links added

[MatP]

Hi,

 

The BLR Society recently commissioned a small batch of reprints of the 1913 Penrhyn Quarry Guidebook and sold them from the Society Stand at the BLR's recent Steam Gala. Almost all were sold so we have produced a second small batch. These will go on sale at the Model Show on a first-come, first-served basis and any remaining copies will then be sold online through the Railway's e-shop.

 

Best Wishes,

Mat P. (BLR Society Secretary and Bala Model Show Organiser)