Report by Bob Leggett

photos and video, Dave McCarthy

additional photos Keith Bone

Movies 2007

 

Almost perfect weather, overcast with only a couple of early showers (between 11am -1 pm) ensured a record attendance at this years show. Approximately 1000 visitors were rewarded with another splendid selection of 22 working layouts, several displays and 90 sales tables.

 

In the assembly hall were the smaller gauges.
 

 John and Sue Ablett had their fantastic Wrenn/ Hornby Dublo layout with heaps of rare accessories from other makes such as Master Models and Minix. Rare engines were also displayed in an original shop cabinet.
 

please click on the photos for full size image
              
 

Alongside was Tri-ang Super 4 layout. Les Martin with help from Neil Bowsher and accessories by Bob Leggett had improved on the layout from last year. Neil had added a high level Minic Motorway to be the same height as the high level station which was served by a shuttle and Les had re designed the layout to incorporate more loops. A super super 4 layout!

     

 

 Chris Cheney with fellow Round Tablers had set up his Dublo 3 Rail layout for the public to operate including a working TPO. I notice a couple of collisions however it was great to see the kids big and small enjoy running the trains.

 

  
 

David Holmes with help from Brian Arnold and their partners ran a superb Trix layout with a Southern and early BR theme. At the time I was viewing an early Southern EMU was doing the rounds. A working conveyor belt was in operation throughout the day.

 

       

 

Derek Smith with help from Ron McCaskie and friends brought his Dublo 2 rail Layout for the first time to Alresford. A truly magnificent 3 rail layout with several neverwassas blending in perfectly with some long trains of super detailed Dublo.

     

 

Ashley Barton had his superb Kitmaster/ Airfix layout, running beautifully all day with a whole host of working accessories including a burning bungalow! Will he be allowed to do this after July 1^st!!

  

 

Steve Knight who runs the Kitmaster Club had a display of made up models and was selling a variety of items.

 

Peter Gurd had a display of Unusual 00 which included a Hugar Southern Electric Set and a Mint Ever Ready Underground Set. Peter also had a great collection of books etc for sale and did good business all day.
 

 

Bob Boekhout from the Netherlands brought along two layouts. He has made an excellent new Tri-ang 00 Standard track layout which ran beautifully all day and to celebrate 50 years of British TT had a neat Tri-ang TT layout.Many thanks to Malcolm Pugh who helped Bob.

       

Alongside was Eric Large who has displayed at every Alresford show and really did excel as he had two superb 6x4' displays celebrating 50 years of British/ Tri-ang TT. This excellent display will also be at Sandy and Warley. He also ran his lovely Tri-ang TT Layout.

               

 

Also in the hall was the Aldershot and District Bus group who operated a vintage Double Decker between Alresford Station, the Show and Bramdean Fete.
 
Andrew and Elaine Hyelman who are new joint membership secretaries of the TCS were manning the TCS stand and also selling some stock.

 

 

On the stage it was a kid’s paradise. Gary Williams and his sons had set up a 14x 9' TOMY layout. With seven trains running at any one time this was a huge attraction to our younger friends and it was a delight to see their faces as they stopped and started the trains and chased around to meet James or Thomas.

    
 

A small Brio layout donated by Brio was also available for the younger generation.
 

I’m not sure what generation Nick Gillman belongs to but with his Tri-ang Excentricita (That’s Nick’s spelling!)layout he was also able to keep the Big Boys and small boys happy with a host of Tri-ang operating items including a Giraffe car and Helicopter. Thanks also to his able assistant Ray.

 

Also on the stage Clive Gehle had set up his excellent original Lone Star Treble O lectric pre-formed layout with a variety of colourful stock running. His also had a full table of push along Lone Star. Clive also displayed a collection of Linda and Blue Box toys made in Hong Kong with some very interesting copies of Dublo Signal boxes, Tri-ang  Signal Gantries and Lesney cars.

 

The stage was completed with a  small Lego display of items from the sixties set up by yours truly and a fully scenic Hornby 00 gauge layout  made in the Hornby factory kindly loaned by Hornby for visitors to operate. With Scaledale buildings including a farm this was much admired.

 

As we enter the Sports Hall we are met with the aroma of live steam from the Bowman Circle who were operating their locos on a double track. They kept going all day and fascinated  visitors were given an insight into this interesting system.

 

 

Bryan Pentland had an excellent display of Marx and also had several Monorails . Two of monorail sets were made by Winfield to be sold in Woolworths in the sixties, presumably quite cheap toys in their time these have lasted remarkably well. Also Bryan was running other makes and as I passed a superb Japanese two car EMU was doing the rounds.

 

     

 

The Draycott family came down en masse and presented their fantastic Dublo 3 rail layout which is just awesome, This is one of the largest 3 rail layouts on the circuit and was completed with Dinky toys and other similar accessories.

 

        

 

John Ovenden and friends from the HRCA put on an excellent Hornby O gauge layout running Hornby , Ace and Bassett Lowke with electrically lit accessories. Several themes developed throughout the day but my favourite time was late on when I was able to run my own recently restored Eton for the first time.

 

     

 

Four more layouts completed the displays, Adam Heely assisted by Bruce Coleman ran a neat French Hornby O gauge layout with a lovely selection of accessories from this system that outlasted British Hornby by several years.

 

   

 

John and Briony Hollands had a lovely display of MO size Clockwork and Battery O gauge. A Mettoy Safety Electric Train was running when I passed by as well as  Hornby MO Clockwork loco with no less than seven coaches. It amazed me how the engine stayed on the tracks when it first took off.

 

 

Mike Clarke was flying the flag for Tri-ang Big Big and had a super layout with many accessories and a wonderful back drop sign that presented the layout so well.

 

 

Alongside Peter Steyning was running Timpo from the 70’s. Peter had set up a fantastic battlefield skirmish between the Union and Confederates which of course compliments the Wild West trains.

 

 

The rest of the sports hall was dedicated to nearly 90 sales tables selling a huge variety of toy and model trains . Several dealers were delighted with the day and probably helped buck a  trend of poor sales at recent toy fairs.

 

 

Outside Martin Edwards had set up a 5inch live steam railway which he was testing for a display later in the year, sadly the early rain curtailed his running but later in the afternoon was able to operate satisfactory.

Richard Precious had his LGB set up outside, a large oval with a passing loop, and a central running siding. The outer loop had several trains running with Digitrax DCC controlling the LGB MTS chips, no need for special track isolating sections. Amongst the trains seen running on the oval was a blue LGB RhB Crocodile with realistic sounds hauling a lengthy rake of Pullman coaches, and a Swiss BoBo loco hauling RhB obvservation cars. The central line was conventionally DC powered, via a radio control remote system. Locos seen on this line we mainly US outline, a Budd railcar, and some large US diesels,  including a GP9 and SD40.
Luckily, the operators were underneath a gazebo, so kept dry in the heavy showers. But the LGB got wet....and it kept running, as it is designed to work in these conditions.

 

          

 

 

     

 

 

Several people gave me great support to make this show a success. My wife Fiona with friends Claire and Jo took on the catering when on Tuesday Morning I was informed the school caterer’s husband had died in the night. They did a splendid job at very short notice. Hillary and Wendy also helped in the afternoon session on behalf of the Elizabeth foundation. Alresford Rotary did and excellent job running  their BBQ with probably the best quality burger you will find.

 

 

Perin’s School Rugby team sold raffle tickets to raise money for their forthcoming tour.

Matt Hepenstal ran the Real Ale bar with a lovely beer from Itchen Valley Brewery. The local branch of the Save the Children manned the doors all day and Four Marks Scout troop organised the car parking.

A record attendance ensures that I will be able to donate a £1000 to the groups mentioned above despite ever increasing costs.

Many thanks to all those who came, to the exhibitors for their layouts and displays and the traders with their stock. Without all of you this event would not be possible. Sorry to go on so long my apologies if I have missed anyone out
 

Bob Leggett.

  Movies 2007