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Leicester 2019

The Autumn Train Collectors Get Together

Trinity Hall Leicester Sat 9th November

Video: 0 Gauge Clockwork Layout

A 2 hour + journey in foggy conditions was made easier by the ever youthful Tony Blackburn and his Sounds of the Sixties programme on Radio Two, arriving at 8.30am I was delighted to see several layouts (set up the previous evening) and after a few hellos started getting my sales tables ready.

By 10am everything was up and running and I will describe the show from the entrance hall which was full as usual.

Sadly a regular Rod  Hannah was unable to run the club stand as he was has recently been taken ill,  and we wish Rod a speedy recovery.

The Club Bring and Buy stand usually a first call for most was manned by Peter Wright, David Parry, Richard Clark and Ben Crossley, all friends of Paul Draycott. They reported excellent sales although it looked like nothing was being sold, this was due to the volume of items to sell which kept filling the spaces of sold items. Of particular note there was a rare Trix Coronation (FIG 1), Tri-ang Pullman sets and a real mixture from all gauges.(FIG 2). Well done to all who help raise over £70 for club funds.

Opposite Leon Mills was selling ACE trains and reported good sales, on display was the superb new Churchward 2-6-0 Locomotive (FIG 3) which will be available early 2020.

Also on display were two prototype live steam Coronation Class and A4 Locomotives (FIG 4) that ACE are contemplating introducing in small numbers, nothing is planned at the moment.

A new exhibitor at the show was Malcolm Foster and his son Stuart with help from Malcolm Pugh showing his 8'x 4' late 1950s early1960s Marklin 3-rail stud layout. Running Swiss and German stock including a few pre-war Locos. A Swiss AE/3 4-6-2 Electric locomotives with a rake of SBB coaches was pulling out of the station as I passed (FIG 5). This was an excellent layout particularly with the automated electric semaphore signals.

Other Traders in the Foyer were Tony Wright and Paul Draycott, Chris Ford, Phil Goater and Dave Bowns.

Video: Märklin H0 and Lionel Standard Gauge

As we enter the main hall we can hear the loud steam sounds and hoots and whistles from the stage. Adam Draycott was running Lionel Standard Gauge and on one of the outer circuits was a Streamline Commodore Vanderbilt (Fig 6) which was responsible for the sounds

and I also spotted a 2-6-2 at speed on the inner circuit (Fig 7). A much admired layout with visitors loving the large Locos and sounds.

In the far corner of the main hall Simon Goodyear with assistance from Jeff Carpenter were running Bing circa 1900-1910 Clockwork O gauge. This can be described as a Nursery Floor layout that would have been found in a well to do house at the turn of the last century with a Marklin Roundhouse in the middle (Fig 8).

It was amazing to see these trains built over 100 years ago including Bing LSWR and MR 0-4-0 locos and Tenders racing round with a full train load over the bridge and through the Rock and Graner ? Cutting (Fig 9). The speed was such that a few mishaps were inevitable.

Jeff was also displaying in the centre of the layout a wonderful early circa 1860 Ezerbirge floor train. This was in remarkably good condition and one of the rarest trains ever seen at the show (Fig 10 and 11)

As a complete contrast alongside was Bryan Pentland with help from Paul Chapman had a  recent Tomy Thomas Layout (Fig 12).

Bryan had been accumulating stock, track and accessories over the last few years and with no plans set up a wonderful layout full of operating accessories including a spiral (Fig 13) on the day. It was mesmerising and sad that we did not have more children visit the show as they would have loved it.

Video: Tomy and TTR

The Traders in the hall included Dixon Upcott, Steve Knight, Mark Carne. Tony 'Steptoe' Penn, Rob Hampton, Peter Gurd who had a very clean Ever Ready set for sale (Fig 14 and 15 with original price tag) and yours truly, most reporting good sales.

As we move into the back hall Malcolm Hughes set up a wonderful display of early post toy and model trains including Trackmaster and Rovex (Fig 16),

an excellent display of Graham Farish (Fig 17),

Anbrico DMU (Fig 18),

Kirdon Railcar (Fig 19) and some early 00 Gauge kits.

In the back room Pat Hammond had set up a fantastic display of mainly Hornby Pullman Multiple units including the Brighton Belle (Fig 20)

and the various Midland Pullmans (Fig 21)

issued by Tri-ang and Tri-ang-Hornby. Pat even had a Blue Pullman umbrella. There were also several sets of Loco hauled Pullman Trains (Fig 22).

Brian Arnold with assistance from John Brown, Robert Wood and Dave Holt were running Trix on Brian's layout. It had a bit of a US theme whilst I was there with US goods and Passenger trains (Fig 23) doing their duty. Always a pleasure to see Brian and his excellent layout.

On the right Dave Peasant and his uncle ….. were running post war smaller 0 gauge by Chad Valley, Mettoy and Brimtoy using Lionel fast track. There was plenty of scenery (Fig 24)

including an attractive Garage scene with Brimtoy vehicles (Fig 25)

and a pair of Brimtoy covered footbridges (Fig 26), A wonderful colourful layout full of action and interest.

Colin Totem of Raylo Exclusives was selling ETS and other models (Fig 27)

and on display was the excellent ETS  prototype Hunslet Saddle Tank with BR livery on one side (Fig 28)

and LNER on the other (Fig 29), just like Bassett-Lowke use to do, this should be available end November.

Paul Brookes advised me he was finishing an updated book on Kemlow and had various items he used in the book on sale including a very rare Dodgem Car which used Crescent figures (Fig 30)

and various Garage accessories (Fig 31).

Nicholas Oddy completed the traders in this room selling an eclectic selection of pre-war items.

The day is not complete unless you have one of the superb three course Christmas lunches (Fig 32) which was up to it's usual high standards.

I was able to enjoy my lunch with some fellow Tri-ang fans and a 'Prisoner' groupie interloper! (Fig 33).

Many thanks to Karen Clements, Daphne Sargent, Mary Starie, Judith Saunders, Diane Johnson, Pav Pall, Adam, Paul and Marilyn Draycott who not only presented the wonderful lunch but had Bacon Butties in the morning and a wonderful selection of cakes in the afternoon as well as drinks all day.

Finally a huge thank you to organiser Paul Draycott who yet again organised a wonderful show with plenty of variety and interest with a selection of traders to suit all tastes.

Bob Leggett