adrianmc

38th UCKFIELD MODEL RAILWAY EXHIBITION

Incorporating Scalefour Southeast and the Iain Rice Extravaganza

Organised by the Uckfield Model Railway Club.

UCKFIELD CIVIC CENTRE
Civic Approach
Uckfield
East Sussex
TN22 1AE

Saturday 21st October 2023
Sunday 22nd October 2023

Open 10am till 5pm both days.

The 2023 Uckfield Model Railway Exhibition will once again be featuring a selection of some of the best quality layouts around. There will be full trade support as well as Demonstration and Society stands. Licensed Restaurant within the Civic Centre will be open throughout the weekend. There will be bacon/sausage baps for early arrivals to purchase - from 9am.

This year sees the inclusion of Scalefour Southeast, a new Scalefour Society regional event. Featuring the Society's Publicity Stand and the Scalefour Stores, along with five P4 layouts and a full schedule of demonstrations that should appeal to railway modellers of all scales and skills.

As a tribute to the well known railway modeller and author who passed away last year, we will be holding the Iain Rice Extravaganza, featuring no less than five 4mm/ft finescale layouts which were constructed by him or in which he was a major contributor. Those confirmed as attending include Butley Mills, Debenham Cade's Green, Hepton Wharf, Trerice and Longwood Edge. We also expect to have on display a selection of Iain's North Cornwall stock, built for his layout Tregarrick. This will probably be the only time these layouts will appear together - an opportunity not to be missed.

The show has its usual eclectic mix of layouts, with of the 20 layouts scheduled to attend there will no less than 13 different scale/gauge combinations represented. Standard, broad and narrow gauge British. Irish, Continental and American prototypes.

List of layouts expected:

Northport Quay - 7mm/ft scale 36.75mm gauge (0-36.75)
Compact Irish broad gauge terminus by David Holman, Kent - second exhibition.
Wenford Dries - 7mm/ft scale 31.5mm gauge (finescale 0)
Minimum space Cornish industrial layout by Pete Matcham, London - exhibition debut.
Bedlam Brewery - 7mm/ft scale 16.5mm gauge (0-16.5)
Narrow gauge industrial brewery scene by Andrew Dancy, East Sussex.
Tony's Forest - 7mm/ft scale 14mm gauge (0-14)
Narrow gauge forestry layout by Robin Edwards, Gloucestershire.
Arcadia - 1:64 scale 0.884in gauge (S)
Light railway terminus inspired by the Rother Valley Railway, constructed by Richard Barton, Herefordshire - BRM Mar. 2023.
Debenham, Cade's Green - 4mm/ft scale 18.83mm gauge (P4)
Iain Rice's home layout portraying a Great Eastern byway. presented by the North Norfolk Area Group of the Scalefour Society - MRJ 250.
Faringdon - 4mm/ft scale 18.83mm gauge (P4)
Prototypical Oxfordshire GWR branch line terminus  by Rex Davidson, Shropshire - BRM Jun. 2018 and MRJs 77, 240, 270, 273, 275 & 280.

Hepton Wharf - 4mm/ft scale 18.83mm gauge (P4)
L&Y branch line layout constructed as a 'build a layout in a weekend' challenge at the 1983 Scaleforum, presented by the South Hants MRC.

Longwood Edge - 4mm/ft scale 18.83mm gauge (P4)
Joint LNWR and L&Y large cameo layout built by Iain Rice and Don Leeper, presented by the South Hants MRC - second exhibition.

Trerice - 4mm/ft scale 18.83mm gauge (P4)
Cornish industrial scene constructed by Iain Rice, presented by the East Somerset Modellers - MRJ 213.

Butley Mills - 4mm/ft scale 18.2mm gauge (EM)
Iain Rice's East Suffolk Light Railway layout, renovated, modified and regauged by Andy Vincent, Hampshire - MRJ 9.

Shwt - 4mm/ft scale 18.2mm gauge (EM)
BR late crest (1965) western region South Wales backwater by the TLF Group, South Glamorgan - BRM Jul. 2020 and Model Rail's GBMR No 8.

Ewe - 4mm/ft scale 16.5mm gauge (00)
Bucolic East Anglian minimum space layout by Rob Gunstone, Cardiff - BRM Oct. 2022.

College Halt - 4mm/ft scale 16.5mm gauge (00)
Light Railway through station by the Uckfield College Model Railway Club - BRM Nov. 2023.

Rodmell Green - 4mm/ft scale 9mm gauge (00-9)
Small narrow gauge cement works railway by Allen Etheridge, West Sussex - exhibition debut.
Kamiack Falls - 3.5mm/ft scale 16.5mm gauge (H0)
1970s Burlington Northern single track American scene by Antony Quinlan & Graeme Wheeler, Middlesex - CM Apr. & Jul. 2022.

Cessy-en-Bois - 3.5mm/ft scale 16.5mm gauge (H0)
French SNCF goods yard layout built by Chris Baker, displayed by Oly Turner & Chris Matthews, Kent - exhibition debut - CM Oct. 2023.

Foxbury - 3mm/ft scale 12mm gauge (TT)
Mid 1950s former GWR terminus layout set in the Cotswolds by Bob Brown, Gloucestershire - RM Apr. 2022.
Banbury - 1:148 scale 9mm gauge (British N)
Present day busy cross country through station by Ian Lampkin, Surrey - RM Railway of the Month Nov. 2014.

Moretonhampstead - 2mm/ft scale 9.42mm gauge (2mm finescale)

Prototypical Devon GWR branch line terminus  by Peter Warren, Suffolk - MRJ 285.

Trade expected at the present time:

C&L Finescale Track Building Systems - suppliers of finescale trackwork and components

Cambrian Model Rail - 4mm wagon kits and 16mmNG parts, stockists of straight wire from Eileen's Emporium

Compass Model Railways - local model shop with very extensive range of accessories and ready to run rolling stock

Dart Castings - miniature figures and model railway vehicle detailing parts

Dingo Servo Mounts - servo mounts and control boards
Golden Arrow Productions - resin kits for Southern prototypes and suppliers of bowpens for lining

Green Scene - all your scenic needs

Matthew Cousins GRA - railway artist, known for his views of the Bluebell Railway

Model Railway Developments - detailing components and accessories

Monk's Gate Models - detailed scenic accessories for 7mm scale

Plus Daughters - N gauge specialist stocking British, Continental and American ready to run
Rail-Books - all the latest books and publications
Roger Jones - second hand ready to run

Roxey Mouldings - etched kits in both 4mm and 7mm scales

Scalefour Stores - supplies for the discerning modeller including 4mm Dingham couplings

Severn Models - etched scenic buildings and accessories in 2mm, 4mm and 7mm scales
Squires Model & Craft Tools - wide range of tools, glues and raw materials for the modeller
South Eastern Finecast - 4mm scale locomotive kits and scenic builders sheets

The Wagon Yard - specialist in N and 00 rolling stock
W.M. Collectables - extensive range of second hand ready to run

Demonstrations:

Roger Sawyer - Soldering For Beginners (Sat & Sun).

Paul Harding-Maggs - 2mm & 4mm scale scenery, buildings and figures (Sat & Sun)
Mike Ainsworth - Converting RTR Locomotives to P4 (Sat am & Sun pm).
Bob Cummings - Building P4 Turnouts, Including Ply & Rivet (Sat am).
James Walters - Moving to P4, Starting in 4mm Finescale (Sat am & Sun pm).
Chris Ellis  - Alex Jackson Couplings (Sat pm).
Ben Mason - Locomotive & Wagon Suspension (Sat pm & Sun pm).
Jeremy Good - Converting RTR Wagons to P4 (Sat pm).
Jeremy Good - Introducing British Finescale P4 Turnout Kits (Sun am).
Roger Barron - Wagon Suspensions and Detailing (Sun am).
David Lowe - CAD and 3D Printing (Sun am).

Displays:

Iain Rice's North Cornwall Stock for Tregarrick - display stand

Uckfield Model Railway Club - membership and information stand

Bentley Miniature Railway - 7.25 inch gauge ground level line in the East Sussex countryside - publicity stand.

Scalefour Society - membership stand and Scalefour Jubilee Layout Challenge display

Public access to the Civic Centre is via either the free High Street car park (Civic Approach), or the Tesco Superstore. The venue is also only three minutes walk away from both the railway and bus stations.

Additional car parking at the station car park - with kind arrangement of Network Rail and APCOA this is also now free over the weekend.

More information and layout pictures at  http://www.uckfieldmrc.co.uk/exhibition.html
 

An alternative is a modified Sprat & Winkle as per an article by Iain Rice, way back when.

This is the 3mm original version, with the addition of a phosphor bronze overrider which gives the uncouple and push anywhere functionality - the overrider stopping the hook re-engaging.

The loop is under the buffer centre line and is fixed in place via a piece of copper clad strip behind the buffer beam. The same copper clad provides the mount for the coupling pivot.

The loop is also set slightly behind the buffer line so that when two wagons are pushed together there is a slight gap for the overriders to come up through.

The top chain link is soldered perpendicular to the hook and only the bottom link is ferrous - these mods greatly reduce the incidence of the chain getting intertwined with itself and/or the chain on an adjacent item of stock when over a magnet.

Locomotives just have the loop.

When pushing, contact between items of stock is via the buffers and when pulling its via the couplings - just like the prototype - something I quite like as it just doesn't look right when pushing a train and the buffers don't touch.  

Although more obtrusive than an AJ they do have the benefit of the coupling chain links hanging down - and they do work on quite tight radii.

They also have a certain robustness that once set up they seem to be able to take fairly rough treatment - a good quality to have when being bounced around in a stock box to and from an exhibition!

The pictures show a Rails of Sheffield 3D printed SR van converted to P4 standards and with these modified S&W couplings fitted.

As close as I can get it.

Subscription copy just arrived in the post.

Does anyone have a list of layouts and members of the trade attending?

20 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Compare De Graafstroom, as seen (watched for hours) at the 2019 Uckfield exhibition:

 

 

There's only the stump of a windmill, in which the parents of one of the builders grew up.

Unfortunately the layout's visit to Uckfield in 2019 might be its only one to the UK given the perceived complications of taking a layout across the Channel.

http://www.uckfieldmrc.co.uk/exhib19/degraafstroom.html

I know Vincent had the following shows in the UK lined up before the COVID pandemic and Brexit - Railwells (2020), CMRA Stevenage (2021), Warley NEC (2021) and  a request for expoEM.

On 16/04/2023 at 10:27, NHY 581 said:

There's only one possible candidate....

 

 

 

 

 

This model could be seen at the Uckfield show in 2021.

Slightly out of loading gauge!

The Scalelink wind pump on Leysdown.

Subscription copy arrived in sunny Sussex this morning.

16 minutes ago, Southernfrance said:

A nice number of layouts but where are the N gauge ones. Only one.......it is a popular scale you know!

 

Dave

According to the list there are two - Ripponden and Staly Vegas - plus the superb 2mm finescale York.

There is another photograph of the hotel dated March 1934 of the Exmoor Foxhounds meet.

It is taken from the petrol station forecourt which shows a wall light - evidently the petrol brand was Shell at that time.

Would you be able to share the image of the petrol station? 

32 minutes ago, Jon Baker said:

To be fair, this is an accurate representation of the post card that I think Ian's model is based on, not a customer in sight. I think a trick has been missed though not depicting the little dog (which I assume because I have one is a wire haired fox terrier) looking out of the window on the left 😉 If only there was an oo-scale fox terrier on the market. 

I was going to ask what the source photograph was - I've seen several pictures of the hotel such as the one below but not the petrol station which is bottom left.

Severn Valley Model Railway Weekend?

https://svr.co.uk/event/spring-model-railway-weekend-2023/

As Dave has kindly mentioned, the Uckfield Model Railway Exhibition this year will be including a tribute to Iain Rice who sadly passed away in October 2022.

The Exhibition hopes to feature at least five 4mm/ft finescale layouts which were constructed by him or in which he was a major contributor. Those provisionally booked to attend include Butley Mills, Cades Green, Hepton Wharf, Trerice and Longwood Edge. It is also hoped that there will be on display a selection of Iain's North Cornwall stock, built for his layout Tregarrick.

Further details of the Exhibition which is scheduled for the 21st/22nd October 2023 can be found at:

http://www.uckfieldmrc.co.uk/exhibition.html

The show will also include, for the first time, Scalefour Southeast. 

As Andy has kindly mentioned, the Uckfield Model Railway Exhibition this year will be including a tribute to Iain Rice who sadly passed away in October 2022.

The Exhibition hopes to feature at least five 4mm/ft finescale layouts which were constructed by him or in which he was a major contributor. Those provisionally booked to attend include Butley Mills, Cades Green, Hepton Wharf, Trerice and Longwood Edge. It is also hoped that there will be on display a selection of Iain's North Cornwall stock, built for his layout Tregarrick.

Further details of the Exhibition which is scheduled for the 21st/22nd October 2023 can be found at:

http://www.uckfieldmrc.co.uk/exhibition.html

The show will also include, for the first time, Scalefour Southeast. 

On 23/02/2023 at 20:46, Gilbert said:

I know one of his layouts is being actively conserved....this turned up at a Missenden weekend..and is due to return this Spring IIRC.

Chris Hopper

 

Yes - this is Butley Mills.

If things go to plan, the layout will be at Uckfield this year along with Cades Green, Trerice, Hepton Wharf and Longwood Edge.

Also hope to have some of Iain's North Cornwall stock on show from Tregarrick.

http://www.uckfieldmrc.co.uk/exhibition.html

Will be there.

Hi John,

Do you have a pdf of this year's exhibition flyer that you could post?

Interestingly now that the Witham show date has passed, the entry on ukmodelshops now has it listed as being run by Dakota Dibben Exhibitions.

https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/24659-DakotaDibbenExhibitions_Exhibition

the old link still works

https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/24659-MidKentModelRailwayGroup_Exhibition

From a leaflet picked up at the weekend there is to be an Isle of Purbeck Model Railway Exhibition on the 12th/13th of August.

No information on who is organising the show except that the mobile number to ring for more information is Dakota's.

Nothing on their website - however I did pick up this at a recent show:

:

According to ukmodelshops the Witham Exhibition is being organised by the Mid Kent Model Railway Group.

https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/24659-MidKentModelRailwayGroup_Exhibition

Although I cannot speak for the CMRA Board, I do have a certain involvement in that I administer the CMRA website.

The situation regarding the CMRA exhibition that has been held in January each year, firstly in St Albans and then in Stevenage, is I believe as follows:

Our long standing Exhibition Manager, David Crossley, has stood down from that role due to ill health, and as has been mentioned on this thread nobody has come forward from the CMRA Associates to take on the leadership role that David ably fulfilled for over 35 years, supported by a strong team behind the scenes who assisted whether it be on the electrical side, doing programme track plans or just turning up on the day to shift several tons of barriers, David undertook much of the pre weekend planning, inviting layouts, liaising with the trade etc. and without someone to take on that responsibility then future shows cannot be held. Yes, maybe an organizing team could be put together with a more even share of responsibilities, but without a figure head to lead that team things would be difficult.

The area around our venue for the last four shows, The Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre, is currently subject to major infrastructure works. Although I believe the Centre is unchanged, several 'features' of the development make it difficult to continue to use it as a model railway exhibition venue. As has been mentioned, the car park hired by the CMRA to use as an exhibitors car park on the Saturday & Sunday of the show is now the new Bus Interchange. Yes an alternative could be found but it would possibly be further away and more expensive. More importantly, due to the Bus Interchange design, the unhindered southern access road to the main hall has been built on. The only access is now via the northern access road which if you wish to reach the Main Hall access doors means passing under a concrete concourse, which has a severe height restriction precluding anything other than cars and small vans. Again items could be unloaded into the Bowls Hall and pushed through the venue reception corridors to the Main Hall but again width and height restrictions apply. So nothing is impossible just more difficult - and time consuming.

So the Board is looking for a new Exhibition Manager and a new venue - with the former the priority. Any volunteers?

Until this is resolved there will unfortunately be no CMRA Exhibitions going forward - which is a shame.

To that end, all references to the exhibition have been taken off the published CMRA website.

However the show retrospective pages are still there. If one wishes to see some of what was planned by David for 2021 - of course cancelled due to the pandemic - then please go to https://www.cmra.org.uk/exhibition.html

From there you will see links to photographic retrospectives from 2002 till 2020 - enjoy! 

Just now, Grovenor said:

Highlighted many pages back.

Thanks - did a search but couldn't find it.