The Uckfield show has got a reputation for high-quality layouts, and this year was no exception. All 20 layouts were modelled to a high standard, and they covered a variety of scales and genres. I've included a lot of photos below, but even so, they don't cover all the layouts - just those that aligned to my interests or stood out to me.
Rye Sands (00) by William Lloyd was a layout I was looking out for, having seen it on RM-Web. It's small and very simple - just two points - yet scenically interesting. Not just the jetty for the head shunt, the net store, buildings, and collection of sheds set the scene as Sussex by the sea, reinforced by the distant skyline of Rye on the simple but effective backscene. The pre-grouping SECR stock is unusual, and everything fits together with consistency.
Some of the stock is more colourful than others...
The GER tram looked at home, despite being very far from home! (it was the last hour of the show)
Flintfield (P4) shown by Adrian Colenutt featured in last month's Railway Modeller, and was originally built by Vincent De Bode in the Netherlands around 35 years ago. Despite it's age it looked stunning, a layout where you look across scenery and almost forget it is a model. It's another pre-grouping layout, meaning interesting and colourful GE stock, and it ran faultlessly including auto coupling (which is not a given for P4!).
Ditchling Green (O and O16.5) shown by Rex Davidson and Stephen Williams was another layout I was looking forward to seeing. It was originally built by Gordon Gravett in the 1990s. I remember seeing it in Railway Modeller and being captivated by the detail and atmosphere, the clever use of space, and the narrow-gauge crossing. This was the first time I'd seen it in person, I have to say the village buildings and the (new) backscene set the location perfectly.
East Lynn Quay (S) by Simon Dunkley caught my attention as it is beautifully modelled, including the sailing barge and quayside buildings, as well as being in an unusual scale.
Its operation was also interesting - yes, that is chain shunting! This was used extensively, a prototypical working practice that is rarely modelled. I understand the wagon turntable works too.
Devil's Bridge (009) by Andy Cundick is instantly recognisable for those who know (or have seen pictures of) the prototype. It's modelled in the early years of the line.
St Oswalds (O-16.5) by Tim Crockford is a small but beautifully modelled shunting layout in the style of the Welshpool & Llanfair.
Fryer's Lane (P4) by Mark Forrest - set in the 90's, I'm not sure this can be called "modern image" any more?
Laxfield (P4) by Rod Cameron - another venerable P4 layout, built 40 year ago by John Watson.
Janes' Creek (EM) by Andrew Browne is based on the real place in Strood, Kent, and is another pre-grouping layout set around 1920. There were superbly modelled sailing barges and quayside industrial buildings. The deep foreground with sailing barges did make photography difficult though!
Pwllheli (P4) by Jonathon Buckle - I've seen this layout before, but its high standard of modelling and attention to detail modelling the prototype still impresses.
Todmorden Midland (N) by Ed Purcell is a well presented and attractive yet compact model. This corner reveals an industrial saddle tank beyond a canal, note the submarine...
Roman Road (OO) by Oliver Turner is another simple but atmospheric cameo layout, of which Ollie has made a few, featuring the unusual overhead wire DC in a bleak marshland corner of Kent.
That's just a sample of the layouts. I spent a good three hours at the show, including chatting to a few friends, an excellent day out.
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