Garden Railway Forum

Today, I went to the Model Engineering Exhibition at Alexandra Palace. There were a few layouts featuring steam locos, both coal and gas fired but, as I enjoy LGB, it was good to see two layouts featuring many of the older LGB models I still remember from around twenty years ago.

Apart from G-Scale live steam, there was also an OO gauge steam locomotive. Even though the layout was a large, but simple oval, it still drew a crowd of people. Some of them were fascinated to see an OO gauge steam train, and it was easy to see why. The power generated by the steam was easily enough to send the loco charging around the track hauling a quite a few carriages.

5 inch and 3.5 inch gauge steam and battery locos were also present but, overwhelmingly, whether train, plane of automobile, the quality of the workmanship and modelling skills were visible to all. I will post a link to my 'you-tube' video as soon as I upload it to the site, so you can all see for yourselves.

Hopefully some of the forum members will have been to this exhibition and would like to share their views of their day at the show, which ran for three consecutive days. (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) It's always nice to read other peoples points of view!

All the best!

This is a show I've been meaning to get to for a while.

Now that the Masters Snooker event is being held there, I might make a weekend of it next year!!!

was asked to go with some friends who were also going, but unfortunately exams must come first this weekend, I really wanted to go too after missng it last year, maybe next

I went on Saturday, I do like going to this event. For me it a chance to stock up on a few bits and marvel at the engineering skills of others. What I like most is spending the day there and come away feeling I didn't see everything. I can see why some people go for 2 days, but one is enought for me.

Did you happen to get any pictures of this OO scale live steam engine? I have seen one or two on Youtube, but there isn't very much information on them online.

I know about the Hornby ones, and every now and then you see a OO engine powered by an internally hidden geared oscillating cylinder, but I am interested more in seeing a OO engine with a real fire propelled by fixed cylinders that are mounted in the proper place.

I went on Saterday, spent most of the time going round with andyg from the forum, I was wearing a bright orange fleece so you may have spotted me Gremlin...

I was there all day on the Friday, running on the 16mm scale 'Indian Hill Railway'.
We had a brilliant day, i took a DHR 'B' class & a DHR 'D' class Garratt along with a train of 16 DHR vans.

Both locos performed faultlessly as you'd expect from anything Roundhouse based!

It was nice to hear lots of stories & tales form people who'd lived & worked on the Indian narrow gauge, some had even spent their childhood there!

Also nice to see what goes on in the 5" gauges & above too, there were some lovely models there, but luckily not a 7 & 1/4 gauge 9F or i might have come home with it!!

Chris Moody
16mm Garratt Owners & Operators Association