Narrow Gauge South 2026

On Saturday I took Hexworthy to Narrow Gauge South - which I believe is the biggest NG show in the UK. 

I'm pleased to say it performed well, with the tweaks made over the last couple of weeks seeming beneficial. Thanks to Edward Malorie for assisting throughout the day. 

The big news from the show was the announcement of a new ready-to-run loco from Rapido - a Cranmore class Peckett, which is already at engineering prototype stage. Towards the end of the day I was asked if I'd like the prototype model to take a test run on the layout - well of course I would!

So here it is, along with a few prototype Rapido wagons too. It's a small loco, about the size of a quarry Hunslet, and very attractive. They're an ideal loco for many 009 layouts and I'm sure they will sell well. 

I can also confirm that it runs as well as it looks!

On to the rest of the show, but don't worry, I didn't photo all 30ish layouts. Hexworthy seemed to be next to the "Devon" end of the hall, which as well as a miniature railway 7 1/4" gauge Lynton & Barnstaple Manning-Wardle and the L&B preservation society, had a couple of L&B layouts. 

SHADOWS OF EXMOOR – Paul Steedman (O-16.5)

BLACKMOOR – Ian Lampkin  (009)

LONG SIBFORD – Oxford Group 009 Society (009). This modular layout has boards built by different group members, and included some characterful scenes. 

MYNYDD Y DDRAIG – Alan Monk (009)

A BYGONES WEEKED AT TAN-Y-BWLCH STATION – Richard Holder (009)

The Peco 009 layout built by Chris Ford as serialised in Railway Modeller.

BRIDPORT – Dave Taylor (O-16.5)

LLANFAIR RHYD – Aaron Matthews  (009)

PORTKINGSLEY – David Marshall (009) - this looks like it will be a characterful layout!

PORCUPINE CREEK – John Murrell (HOn30)

WISSEY CREEK – Stuart Reeve (009)

BOWCOMBE – Nic Arthur (009)

5.5 SCALE MODULAR GROUP - 5.5 (5.5mm scale on 16.5mm gauge) 

NETHERCOMBE QUARRY – Adrian Ponting  (O-16.5)

KEINDORF – Tim Tincknell (HOe)

DEVILS BRIDGE c.1904 – Andy Cundick (009)

TAN-Y-LLYN – Steve Flay (009)

KNAFF HALL – Toby Hollins-Jones  (Gn15)

FEÒRAG – Chris Odell (009)

TARRANT VALLEY RAILWAY – Stuart Webb   Layout  009

 An excellent day that passed too quickly.

Narrow Gauge South 27 April 2024

Yesterday was Narrow Gauge South, which these days is the biggest narrow-gauge show in the South of England. I was helping John Crane with his superb Darjeeling 009 layout, Kurseong. 

Kurseong uses DCC, which the rest of us Sussex Downs group members have no experience of. John provided instruction and the operating schedule included details of which loco address to call up, but we still found quirks of DCC could catch us out!

The sequence made operation interesting. Kurseong station is on a spur off the through line, so down trains must reverse in, while the locos of up trains go to the shed for coal and water before reversing their trains out. 

I was pleased to see Portpyn by Christopher Payne (1:34 on 9mm track) on what Christopher says will be it's last outing. I was inspired by seeing this layout in Railway Modeller 30 years ago, it's subdued simplicity and atmosphere still feels fresh. 

Sandy Shores (009) by Jamie Warne is as delightful as ever. The signboard advertises the show the layout is at!

Crossways wagon works (O and O9) by John Cavell uses an 15" gauge (O9) line to move standard gauge (O) wagons around the works, including over this multi-gauge traverser.

Nic Arthur has a gift for scenery and I like his latest layout, Bowcombe Bridge (009). 

Gweithdy Dyffryn (O14) by Derek Harris depicts a slate quarry, with working stub points. Its setting surrounded by quarry faces looked impressive, but didn't make for easy photography!

Newton Heath Works (O and O-16.2) by Mike Baker is instantly recognisable as the Dorset clay industry, superbly modelled and great to watch.

Bryn-Y-Felin (009) by Matthew Kean is an evocative model inspired by the Welsh Highland Railway.

That's just a selection of the layouts, there's a bigger selection of photos here. An enjoyable day.

Narrow Gauge South (Part 2)

 Onward with more photos from NGS...

Clyre Valley Railway (009) by Tim Couling

This is a large U-shaped layout set in North Cornwall, but I seemed most attracted to this viaduct! The locos and stock are attractively modelled too. 

Bridport Town (O-16.5) by David Taylor - an old favourite of mine.

So no apologies for lots of photos, although they are not the sharpest!

Turtle Bay (009) by Rob Rossington - big trains in an exotic location

Pyn Valley Railway (O9) by Christopher Payne. What an evocative scene in a really compact space. 

Tony's Forest (O14) by Robin Edwards. It really is set in a forest which is impressive (from a modelling perspective) and atmospheric. Peering through the trees reveals delightful details.

However, catching a good photo of a train is challenging - at least with a standard camera by hand given limited time! This is one of many layouts I'd have liked more time to study, so I hope to see it again. Maybe next time that logging crew will have cleared a few more trees...

Gideon Postlethwaite (O9) by Steve Green. 

I did like this detail scene. Maybe these chaps will be wiring in that transformer?

 

Fintonagh (O21) by David Holman is a beautifully modelled portrayal of the Clogher Valley Railway in Ireland, albeit an imaginary branch. I've admired this layout before, so didn't spend long looking at it. 

Slindon Vale (O16.5) by James Edwards.

I'll admit these aren't the best photos I've ever taken, and there were many more layouts I either didn't get time for a good look at, or my photos were too rubbish to use. I didn't even look at the trade stands at all, except for a brief scout of the 009 sales shortly before the show opened. The day was a bit of a blur to be honest, and while I spoke to lots of people I'm sure there are people I missed, or couldn't stop to talk to. It was, of course, a great day...

Narrow Gauge South 2022 (Part 1)

Last Saturday both Loctern Quay and Slugworth & Co. were at Narrow Gauge South, having been delayed a couple of years! It was good to be back at a large narrow gauge show for the first time since 2019, and see lots of familiar and meet new faces. NGS is always an excellent show, and large with around 25 layouts, although when showing a layout (or two) it is hard to spare time for a good look round. I did take some photos, though being rather rushed many of them didn't come out too well. 

Just before the show opened my son tests his layout, with the sweets ready for the kids (young and older) who can spot all the details. We had many comments on how much bigger/older Joshua looked compared to his photo when building the layout almost 4 years ago! On the left Phil Savage practices operating Loctern Quay - he did get the hang of the shunting puzzle eventually. A big thanks to Phil. Tim Sanderson, and Simon Wilson who helped us out at different times of the day. 

It was nice to see my old layout Awngate being shown by its new owner James Edwards. He has spruced up the scenery in places but otherwise it is unchanged. 

Fellow Sussex Downs group member Martin Collins was showing his fabulous 009 layout Llandecwyn, and using most of the club members to help out. 

I was pleased to see Nic Arthur's new layout, Hazelcombe (009). Nic has a real talent for scenery. I took these photos during set-up and had meant to take some more later...

Nic also has a sense of humour it seems!

The Dovey Valley railway (009) by Dick Wyatt is a true classic from 30 years ago, even featuring in a Two Ronnies sketch. It incorporates a long run of track and two stations in a moderate space, while allowing long trains. 

This was said to be Dovey Valley's last showing and despite its age, it deservedly won best in show. 

The Dovey Valley was an inspiration to me as a young 009 modeller, thanks to featuring in an old Model Railway Constructor annual. 

It was good to see Jamie Warne with his atmospheric Sandy Shores layout (009).

It's such an original imaginative layout, and nicely modelled. 

I liked Woody Green Basin (009) by Phil Russel, which shows what can be done in a compact space with both operational and scenic interest. 

Charles Insley's Ulvaryd (Stand) (009) is based on Swedish narrow gauge, and makes another attractive and unusual layout. 

This attractive scene is Tan-Y-Llyn (009) by Steve Flay. 

Next to Loctern Quay was Garreg Wen (009) by Matthew Kean. It's become a well-known and popular layout thanks to its superbly modelled locos and stock based on Welsh railway prototypes, as well as the Welsh-inspired scenery. 

I'll follow this up with a part 2 covering more layouts...