Yesterday I took Hexworthy to Wycrail, held (for the first time) in the old 1854 Brunel broad gauge station in High Wycombe. It was an impressive structure, which has been nicely restored (and extended), as seen here shortly before opening.
David Lane had made this nice model showing how the building would have looked in its broad-gauge days.
The show was opened by Tim Dunn, who was very nice when he came around shortly before opening. It was busy right through until around an hour before closing, so hopefully a success for the organisers, although it did mean the aisles were a bit crowded at times. Nice to see lots of families too. There were around 20 layouts covering a variety of scales and themes and a good mix of traders too.
Hexworthy wasn't the only narrow gauge. Brooks Bridge (O16.5) is a characterful freelance tramway terminus, just electrified and with both electric and steam trams.
Some of the details were worthy of closer attention.
Blackmoor (009) is a lovely model of the real station on the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway.
Again, some nice detailing can be seen if you look carefully.
Next to me was Sutton Bank TMD (OO). A popular genre for small layouts, I liked the understated and uncrowded look of this one, and the split levels is a neat idea.
Slightly less modern image, Leatown (OO) is a small Cameo with a simple, single platform terminus and a couple of sidings, and has a subtle atmospheric finish. I thought it had the feel of a James Hilton layout, and checking the program description I see James has had a hand it it.
Dounreay (HO, yes, British HO) also packs atmosphere in a small space.
Shadwell East (OO) - a large, busy terminus layout from the junior section of the High Wycombe club, who seemed to be doing a great job operating it.
Leadenhall (N) represents a secondary London terminus in Network South East period. It's nicely detailed and the arches plus city background work well, as does the lighting of the station lamps and trains. I know it is meant to represent dusk or moonlight, but the blue layout lighting really doesn't work for me - it just looked odd.
Providence Colliery (OO)
Kamiack Falls (HO American) - nicely modelled in autumn (I mean, fall...)
Hexworthy ran well apart from a couple of coupling issues, a brief mysteriously dead fiddle yard, and a power outage that affected the whole row. The layouts behind us still had power, so we plugged into one of the underfloor sockets a little further back and we were away. Thanks to Edward for helping me out with operating.
Biggest surprise of the day, and a real honour, was being awarded the "Best Layout in show" plaque for Hexworthy!
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