Making An Exhibition Of Ourselves

Well, Saturday came and went and the Mickleover Modelling Day was a resounding success. After the uncertainties of the pandemic, it was great to get back to some semblance of normality and we were rewarded by what I believe is our biggest attendance yet. 

Having the layout there made for a different experience to usual, one much busier and so I hadn’t noticed the crowd build up so that when I looked round from the corner I was in half an hour after opening time to find the hall heaving with people it was a nice surprise. It was great to meet some people who I’d only interacted with online before and some who’d been following progress on the blog and the forums.

The layout ran well and was useful experience having not shown my own layout before. The experience was suitable motivation to get on with the scenic work. In particular as I’ve had enquiries about taking it to two local shows, which was a nice surprise and something I wasn’t expecting. I want to get the scenery completed and more stock built before I take Wheal Ponder out again. 

The layout is now set back up at home and we have had a de-brief and noted things to improve for next year so we don’t forget. With four of us from the Trent Valley Group with our own layouts, plus the start of a group layout, it will be interesting to see what we take next year.

Being rather busy, I didn’t take too many photos, what I did take is shown below. My Dad came along and was briefed to bring his camera with him and he was able to get round when the day quietened down later on to get some photos too which combined give a flavour of the day. 

All set up with the essential bacon cob and brew ahead of opening time. 

Boadicea shunts the Dry.

Caught in the act.

Paul Martin with EDM Models, a turnout building demo and part of his Brimstone layout. Multitasking at its best!

422 Modelmaking with their wares. 

Simon discussing the finer points of his King Edward Street layout and potato clamps with a visitor. 

Simon had this rather nice Ransome & Rapier loco on his layout. 

A blue loco and a tractor made King Edward Street a hit with Annabel. 

Association Sales and Chairman Komrade Nitpickin’s slate waggon building demo. 

Neil Blair with Elsbridge, justifiably proud of his scenic work having been burning the midnight oil. 

Iconic Rail and the Corris chaps. Whilst Phil Traxson operates Black Drake Wharf below. 

The West Midlands Group came armed with two excellent layouts, Whiteoak Light Railway and The Basin. The latter built by the same person as Black Drake Wharf. It was good to see these fine layouts together. 

We also had a couple of the boards recently delivered for our new group layout Hopton (for Carsington), the latest chapter in the Henmore Dale Saga on display in the corner with Wheal Ponder. Not sure why Chris is looking so miserable. Maybe it’s because Liz has come to tell us they’d sold out of cake just as he was contemplating having another slice?!!

And finally… put 27th January in your 2024 diaries now for our next Modelling Day.