16mm Association - G-Rail 2009

As part of a continuing co-operation, the G Scale Society kindly invited us to G-Rail 2009, their annual Show in Nottingham. I went as part of the Association's team, operating "Dixon Green", whilst the Bedfordshire Group brought "Ridgemont".

"Hello, I'm Paul Felton, the Chairman of the G Scale Society. Welcome to our Show."

"It's going to be a long day - good job I've got a good book"............

My first bit of running was with "MISS TICK"...............

 

The jazz band train made some noise, but not as much as the other railways!

 

The train was useful as a "fill in" but having a geared loco made it difficult to run with it - we couldn't go as slow as he could!

 

Ian trying hard to listen to gas filling..............

........... and talking to the punters.............

 

............ something that Phil did............

 

........ as did Nigel............

 

........... more than once!

 

Alan selling the vitues of membership................

........... in between running trains!

We were next to a railway from Scotland, where they seem to have a liking for Routemaster buses!

A study in concentration on Ridgemont.

Not all the stock was out of Big Red Boxes - there was some good stuff, like this rake of coaches........

............ and this railcar.

 

When you run on 45mm, what do you do with Accucraft 32mm gauge wheelsets? Here's one idea..........

 

It still seems odd to me to see standard gauge and narrow gauge prototypes sharing the same track...........

 

Some of the 45mm gauge lines even ran live steam!

The Thames Valley Group set up a shunting puzzle - apparently it gets interesting when you use the 3-way point!

There were a couple of American-themed layouts........

.............. inclding this quayside themed one...........

......... where the bollards for tying ships to actually operate the points..........

 

and a genuine floating ferry to load and unload!

 

They've caught on to the the American idea of "oddly" named fictional companies......

......... with a bawdy house offering all sorts of services..........

........... an offshoot of a British concern........

......... a rather dodgy publishers..........

DFS it ain't!

Wile E Coyote is this company's best customer........

What a pair! (Sorry, pear!)

"There will be a corner of Dixon Green which will be forever MDLR.........."

 

 

"It WAS a good book - glad I brought it!"