TCS 17^th Annual Show Sat 11^th July 2015

A pleasant summer day with a hint of rain was the perfect weather for yet another excellent show organised by Bryan Pentland and members of the TCS.

Despite the lure of the Ladies final at Wimbledon, the numbers were up this year and so were the number of families thanks to the big banners and local advertising.

Visitors were given a feast of wonderful layouts from TT to Gauge 1.

As we enter Tony Stanford and Gordon Reed were manning the entrance with Rod Hannah doing sterling work on the TCS Stand, opposite were David and Marion Embling manning the HRCA stand.

Also in the foyer was Tony Penn ‘Steptoe’s Yard’ selling plenty of spares and accessories.

Next was Malcolm Pugh aided by Paul  Chapman running the club bring and buy stall. This was a new feature for the show (usually  at the Spring and Christmas events only) and it was very successful with over £750  sold during the day (raising nearly £90 for club funds) Malcolm was amazed as the table kept refilling as members arrived throughout the day. Malcolm advised that French HO sold well, a pair of Acho signal gantries for £50, an attractively boxed GeGe station for £30, and a boxed Jouef BB diesel for £25. A lovely 3 car set of maroon OO Exleys went for £77, along with 8 kit-built wagons for a similar amount. A nice Tri-ang catenary set plus half as much again tempted both stall operators at £30, but this quickly sold to a visitor. Two large trays of O gauge tinplate wagons and coaches sold well through the day, at £3 or £4 each, ideal for spares or even runners. An excellent boxed Paya Jacobs van sold for £15, as did a Lima coach for £10, and a Rivarossi DB diesel for £45. A pair of Bachmann G gauge wagons sold for £65.

The first room on the left was a delight for Tri-ang fans, Eric Large had his excellent Tri-ang two level TT layout, full of scenic detail including plenty of Model Land buildings and the TT Cattle dock and stock was running superbly all day. Dave and Elspeth Coddington had a fantastic display of Tri-ang 00 Gauge Transcontinental Trains for the Australian and New Zealand Market. Full of rare and in my case never seen before items, this was a popular display , I also noted John Robertson from Australia who was also impressed!

Amongst the display I noted a very interesting Frontiersman Set that was prepared in the Tri-ang factory for reps to show retail shops. Consisting of Davy Crockett and one coach it must have hit the right button as it was eventually produced for the export market (shame it had such a plain lid when eventually produced).  Also in the room Mike Delaney  and Michael Bond were selling a variety of trains.

Back to the foyer and straight across we have two more rooms. The first had a mouth-watering display of Carette Trains by David and Amalia Ramsey. These trains were made principally for Bassett-Lowke for the British Market mainly between 1909-1914. I was particularly impressed with the Richmond Station. David used the club display stand which was full to overflowing of just about everything produced for the UK market. Opposite Peter Berry was running Graham Farish 00 Gauge produced in the 1950s  and had an excellent loco yard full of  Farish Locomotives: Also in the room was Dixon Upcott selling Trix and other models, I noted a pre-war Hamblings overlaid articulated Southern two coach set for only £15

In the second room Pat Hammond was displaying Trains that had a connection with India. Of particular interest was Crown Railways who were given moulds by Tri-ang in the 60s which included the TC Luggage coach and EMU Centre Car (hence why New Zealand never produced it). Another first for me was the ex Tri-ang Saddle Tank produced by ETI (Electric Trains of India ) and called  Leo Express and titled The Chook Chook Train. Powered by batteries this would have been an interesting feature in the UK. Pat also had on display sets by Bachmann and Hornby for the American Market.. Rachel and Bill Vyse had a large O gauge layout with the theme ‘Holiday and Excursions’ and were running the type of trains sent from the large Cities to the seaside resorts around the country. With various Railway Posters and even a jigsaw depicting the seaside destinations and stock from Hornby, Ace, Darstaad and Lionel running this was a popular layout. Also in the room was Bill Bourne with a selection of Railway Accessories for sale.

We now move back via the foyer to the main hall where the rest of the layouts are around the walls with the majority of Traders in the middle. As we turn left Mark Carne is selling a O gauge trains and Paul Brookes has plenty of Master Models and other Wardie items for sale as well as remaining copies of his two recent books, The Kemlow Story and Hugar. The refreshments were next to Paul and were busy all day. Food was excellent and produced much quicker this year, well done to ………

In front of the left wall Neil Smith and his brother had set up a wonderful loose lay Tri-ang TC Standard 00 Gauge Track layout, on two levels with four running tracks and three with operating catenary. This was a great effort, as I was passing a double header Steeple Cab train was running, I also spotted two Red Rattler sets and a maroon Baltic, the track was incredibly  shiny and Neil explained he had sought out only the polystyrene based grey track and every piece had been stripped and cleaned.

Alongside was the local branch of the Locomotive Club of Great Britain, who have regular meets and excursions.

Bob Field and other traders were also along this wall. The far wall had three equal size large layouts but all very different. Steve Smith and Joshua Thompson were running Tri-ang Big Big with a triple loop layout that enabled plenty of variety of running. Trains from all the various periods of Big Big were on show as well as two bright blue girder bridges.

In the middle David and Peter Peasant had one of my favourite layouts, O Gauge with a huge amount of scenic detail, including Tri-ang Minic with a collection of Tri-ang Cabbies awaiting the next train.  Britains Soldiers, a Triple Hornby station  and many other items for the visitor to spot. Running were a variety of stock from Hornby, ACE , Darstaad and other makers, An ACE ‘Eton’ with Darstaad SR Coaches was doing it’s duty when I was passing. I also noted a Bassett Lowke Cattle dock.

At the end was David Knighton and friends with a Pre and Post WW1 Gauge 1 layout using Marklin track with stock from Bassett Lowke, Bing and Carette for B/L as well as some Gauge 2 Locomotives on display. A wonderful B/L 1930’s wooden station full of Station Staff and passengers took pride of place.

We now moved round to the left wall. John and Pauline Forman who always produced an interesting display had a two level Lego layout. In the centre was a Monorail Airport Shuttle with three running tracks around the outside. I was particularly taken with a Hornby Style Signal Box John had built as well as the third Cattle Dock of the day which he had also constructed, with trains running well all day this was a very popular layout.

Next was Val and Tony Scott with their ‘Psychedelic 1970’s layout  by Faller including Hit Train and Mini-Playtrains, these trains have to be seen to be believe and seem like they were inspired by someone on a trip but not a train trip! I love the querky Engine Shed and the Adler type Mini-trains Locomotives. This layout just makes you smile.

Roger and Barbara Burnish had the scenic Dublo 3-Rail set which is certainly not for the purists, using Master Model accessories and a  repainted 0-6-2T in Thomas colours, I even spotted a 3-rail Hornby Toby the Tram Engine pulling a train. This was very popular with the many children who came to the show.

Bryan Pentland Chairman and Organiser with Paul Williams had a Tinplates Trains Wonders of the World layout and display. Set up on two large shelf units Bryan had an amazing display of from the 1930s onwards. A display of Wells Floor trains was also fascinating as well a Wolverine Funicular Railway set which operated when a marble was placed in one of the Cabs. A Brimtoy Tank engine with correct tender! was pulling a rake of Brimtoy Coaches on the O gauge circuit amongst the display. I was also impressed with a colourful battery operated ALPS Stephenson’s Rocket on the inside circuit.

Mike Foster was selling the last few of  Part 1 of his series of Books’ British Toy Trains’ Mike is hoping Part 2 will be available at the Leicester Christmas Meeting. I can’t wait as the first book is excellent and a must for all train collectors.

Steve Knight and members of the Kitmaster club had a small display including a rare Lord of the Isles produced (Loco only) by French Nescafe and a nice conversion from a Sterling Single to a Crampton

Amongst the Traders was Elaine Harvey trading as Elaine’s Trains and Dave Angell Trains who both helped sponsor the show as well as Robert Jackson. Many thanks to all three for their generosity. Colin Totem was selling the latest ETS 0 Gauge USA Tank for under £350, other traders included Cliff Maddock, Dave Pink, Simon Goodyear, Brian Baker, Chris Ford, Graham Coleman, Bob Leggett, Andrew Kwasnieski, Beckenham and West Wickham MRC and Peter Dunk.

Well done to Bryan Pentland and  everyone who helped at the show . These large shows take a huge amount of  time and energy as well as organisation to run well and apart from an invisible caretaker for part of the time it went very well with attendance up on last year.

Bob Leggett