Basingstoke MRS Expo 2025

Three layouts sparked my interest.

Tellindalloch in Autumn (00)

An unusual Scottish autumnal scene of a small branch line terminus where the trees steal the show. The layout was set in a 'box' framed in black with an off stage fiddle yard. 

This reminded me of my own Swanage loco yard model as it is about the same size, set in a black framed box and is an autumnal scene. There are issues with mine though in so far as the box has warped and operating potential is limited, since train movements focus on the single track shed and turntable. Tellindalloch inspires me to revisit mine to see if improvement can be made.

Market Bosworth (P4)

I am always excited to see finely detailed and authentic looking model railways. 'P4' is the clue here as to what can be expected.

Set in the early 1900's this layout is based on a real place. It is not a period that is often modelled. The locomotives, rolling stock and road vehicles spark interest due to their 'old world' character.

Of course, being P4 the modelling is to a very high standard. The building interiors even have lighting and finely detailed furniture.

Old Elm Park (0)

Simply, a locomotive yard but beyond the shed façade in the photo is the interior of a large roundhouse with turntable. A lot of details in both areas adds authenticity to the scene, further enhanced by the deep depth of the layout.

There is a multitude of BR period locomotives on display. I thought they were all RTR manufacture and totted up the potential value to be around £20,000. I subsequently read that the owner is a locomotive builder so, if he had built the lot then a skilled modeller indeed.

This layout was my personal Best in Show.

A Card Kit for March

 

SR Art Deco Signal Box.

View the card kit here.

Once Bitten Twice Shy

This is the distant signal at the west end of my Battledown Flyover Model Railway. The signal is made from a Ratio LNER upper quadrant signal pack UQ/80 with a customised platform. The lattice pole style and upper quadrant signal arm of the LNER signal is reasonably close in style to a Southern signal. 

On the other side of the embankment is the Basingstoke to Salisbury main line and two storage sidings. When needing access to that area my arm passes over the signal. (you know what is coming).

Unbeknown to me my woolly cardigan sleeve caught and locked onto the finial and signal arm. It was carried across the room where it dropped off onto the floor, closely followed by my foot which crushed it beyond repair!

I  gathered up the bits that I could see but nowhere could I find the signal arm. Now, I do have spare parts from the kit but not another lattice post. Time to design a post and fire up my resin 3D printer to make it. 

I'll recover detailed parts from the crushed signal and use a spare signal arm from the kit.

I use FreeCad for design and Lychee Slicer to create the 3D print file using its auto support creation feature. My printer is a Creality Halot Mage with Anycubic water washable resin.

The lattice network came out well but both ends were distorted and there was a bit of warping. The latter can be corrected during the UV curing process but the end distortions were considered too bad. 

The simple solution was to manually add extra supports to the ends and print again. By the way, print time for this model is 1 hour 12 minutes.

If I need to make another one in the future I think I can get away with the lattice spars being 0.5 mm wide instead of 0.7 mm that I had designed as this will give improved definition, especially at the top of the pole.

For me, semaphore signal assembly is the most difficult job on the model railway. It is so fiddly to achieve an operational signal arm.

Here is the new signal (photo right). In future, when leaning over it to reach the other side of the embankment, I must remember to remove it first - once bitten twice shy!

Postscript

Lost signal arm found. Well, only half of it. Weirdly, in the front passenger floor well of my car! Can only assume it was stuck in my sleeve and dropped off when I changed gear. But where is the other half?

A Real Gem for Denny Fans

From 1983 and recently published on YouTube. This grainy video starts off with a visit to a Great Central Heritage Railway. Stick with it because most of the video is Peter Deny explaining his modelling motivation, philosophy and techniques, interspersed with images of his model railways.

Also see Peter and pals operating his layout here.