Report and photos by Bob Leggett
please click on photos for larger image

Once again I find myself driving the 140 miles up the M1 at the crack of dawn for the annual Toy Train show with Christmas lunch organised by Paul Draycott and family.

I arrived at the familiar setting of the Trinity Church Hall on the Narborough Road by 8.45am and as usual found many had arrived before me with all three display areas buzzing with activity.

I will describe the Layouts and Exhibits as one would enter the show.

In the foyer we were warmly greeted by members of Trinity Church who man the entrance all day, thanks to Margaret Bromley and Bob Walton who were on duty in the morning.

Rod Hannah and Tony Standford took turns to man the Club Stand with information to attract new people to the TCS.

The first layout to catch my eye was Andy Heyelman clockwork and battery S and O Gauge plastic trains from the 1970’s-1990’s.

A real mixed bunch from five manufacturers including LYRA, IGRA, Lehmann, HWM and eiTech. Andy had two circuits running and I was taken by a Greek Percy Train Set which was a little too similar to the late Hornby 0 Gauge model in the late 1960s! Andy also showed me a rare HWM Retail catalogue which has been very helpful dating models.

Alongside Andy was his wife Elaine who trades under Elaine’s Trains and had a good selection of UK and Continental stock for sale. Opposite John and Pauline Foreman were still selling off some of John’s collection including several jigsaws.

Hidden away in the Corner was Phil and Toby Goater selling mainly OO gauge including a Dublo clockwork Gresley that was in parts, it had a huge amount of interest but remained unsold at £50.

John Ridley who was selling a good variety of  stock was squeezed in with Chris Ford selling his excellent selection of spares.

Also in the foyer was the TCS Bring and Buy stall which amassed sales of nearly £800, helped by the sale of a Rail King loco for £350. Thanks to David Posslethaite, Peter Wright, David Parry, Eric Wardle and Dave Collins who manned the stall and raised £80 for Club funds.

Opposite were Peter Corley and Albert Chaplin, Peter was  selling early and unusual OO Gauge and early on sold a rare Bond’s 1929  LBCS style tank engine, Albert  had a selection of O gauge including some nice Bing short LNER bogie coaches.

We now enter the main hall and are at one accosted by Chris Smith (who I overheard  was complaining that he never stopped talking!), Chris had a selection of scratch-built  and kit-built 00 gauge locomotive generally from the 1940s and earlier. I noticed a rare Stuart Reidpath Southern Tank and a nice Will’s  SR no 763 ‘Sir Bors de Ganis’.

Michael Foster was promoting the ETS eclectic mechanisms that fit Hornby O gauge locos and was demonstrating an MI tank that had run for over 3 hours non-stop. There were also some 101 and Type 40 locos  fitted with mechs for sale. The 0-4-0 mech with coupling rods cost £125.

Opposite, Simon Goodyear had an interesting collection of mainly O Gauge  trains for sale. I was particularly taken with a MSC Model of a SR T9 for £675

along side and onto the far wall Peter Gurd with help from Chris Bush, Peter had set up a layout to run British HO Gauge trains from the 1970’s. This included Lima and some Playcraft  and the models ran well all day. I did noticed several variations of the Lima Class 33.

 Peter was also selling a good selection of books, ephemera and several 00 gauge trains and accessories.

Opposite Simon and Peter was Steve Knight who was launching his revised and in full colour . ‘Let’s Stick Together’ book. This is a superb follow-up with lots of new information and photographs that  came to light after his first edition was published. Steve sold all those he brought along on the day. It is great value at £27.95.

Steve with help from Ray had his Kitmaster display and was selling a variety of 00 gauge.

Next to Steve was Bob Leggett selling  all sorts of trains from N to O gauge. It was a good day for selling Playcraft as a Night Ferry Set  and a large box of Playcraft including four locos, trucks, coaches and accessories was snapped up..

Steve and Bob were selling from the front of their stalls as behind them James Day and Malcolm Pugh with gadgets from John Rogers had taken over the centre of the hall with James’s G scale layout laid out on the floor. This was a real treat for visitors with 3 circuits, continuous running including a passing loops with trains alternating  plus a shuttle  (set up using John’s black box). One circuit had fully operating Coloured Lights, Stock included Playmobile, LGB, Bachmann (Thomas and James), Aristo, PIKO  and Nequida. I was impressed with the Wild West Playmobile train with Buffalos  close by. Stations  by Playmobile on the inside and Pola on the outer circuit added to the busy scene.

Back on the far side Bill Vyse and family had Continental Marklin running on Bill’s 3-rail Dublo layout. A Marklin RS 800 was about to start when I passed, most of the buildings were Continental style. Bill informed me the collection was started when he was 14 and 55 years later he is still collecting!

Next was Peter Berry who had a display  of 00 Gauge RTR Locomotives that had been modified and repainted . A TRIX Meteor 3-car set looked rather fetching in BR black and I also spotted a Dublo Atholl that was now a Coronation. Peter was also selling his ecletic mix of  00 spares.

Ray Brooks had a selection of mainly O gauge accessories  and in front of the stage Mick Aylott was selling a collection of trains from 00 to O Gauge from his brother’s estate and included a Williams Big Boy  for £600.

On the stage David Knighton, John Boyd  and Jonathan Ward had set up an LNER O Gauge layout named Ravenrodd Central based loosely on a fictious place near  Hull. Using a mixture of Middleton, Hornby and Lionel 3-rail track stock running included a Hornby ‘Bramham Moor’, and an ACE ‘Flying Scotsman’. In the siding I spotted a couple of uncommon locos by Walker Fenn 4-6-0T and Millbro 4-4-0T with a Leeds Sentinel Rail car. A large ACE  Canopy Station was an impressive sight.

As we move towards the back hall the Club Stand set up by David Ramsey delights me with a collection of Southern locomotives and stock. I took a special liking to a Leeds 0-4-4  tank and a Hamblings OO gauge Guards van.

The back hall was full to the brim. Colin Toten was selling modern O Gauge and sold well all day and in particular the new Darstead B1.

Alongside David Johnson with help from David Holt was selling TRIX and other OO gauge . As for Trix, Brian Arnold with help from John Brown and others were operating Brian’s excellent layout. While I was passing a Southern train was running on the inside circuit while a TRIX Express German Pacific with four DB coaches was performing on the outer circuit.

 The ever enthusiastic Paul Brookes was very keen to show me his Hugar Constructional Village. This is a delightful set of wooden buildings with ‘beer mat’ sections made in 1938 and will feature in Paul’s new Hugar book which should be published next year. Paul also had on display the rare Hugar SR EMU sets

and stations and was selling some surplus items.. The main layout in the back hall was by Richard Bingham who had set up his impressive Lionel Standard Gauge layout with help from ………….. A 2-4-0 was pulling a timber train on the outer circuit and a 2-4-2 with a rake of blue Pullmans was on the inner three loop circuit using ‘non-derailing points’. Richard was keen to point out the new electric Bill Boards which changed every three seconds!. I also liked the two Oil wells with the realistic flames.

Lastly but by no means least and  because of my Tri-ang inclinations one of my favourite exhibits was Pat Hammonds Canadian, Australian and New Zealand, Tri-ang, Tri-ang Hornby and Hornby 00 Sets. It was a mouth-watering display, the large Canadian set with the line drawing illustration is just so perfect and of its time. The New Zealand Tri-ang Hornby sets were put together at a time stock levels were low so anything that was available was used. In one set a maroon Princess Royal replaced a Diesel and tissue paper was used to fill in the inserts.

The show is also the first Christmas Lunch of the season!. This again is one of the features that make the show so special. With fellow enthusiasts I was able to enjoy a superb three course Christmas lunch with all the trimmings for just £6 and that included home made Christmas pudding.

Thank you to Janet Tilly, Daphe Sargent, Audrey Foulds, Mary Starie,Margaret Walter, Brenda D’Arcy, Karen Clements,Pav Pall, Ian Draycott, Carol Ireland and Marilyn Draycott for the lunch and other excellent refreshments throughout the day.

Finally a huge thank you to Paul Draycott, his family, friends and members of the TCS who helped make this such a excellent and  friendly show.

Sorry if I have missed anyone

Bob Leggett