Train Collectors Society AGM, Trinity Hall
Sat March 16th 2019
This is the third year the TCS has held it's AGM in Leicester and organiser Chairman Bryan Pentland with help from Paul Draycott with his excellent group from Trinty Church ensured another enjoyable show with many regulars and some new faces. Even the blossom was out for the visitors
I will describe the show as one enters the foyer.
Rod Hannah manned the club information stand. The only display in the foyer was Bryan Pentland's lovely Chad Valley 0 Gauge layout complete with a huge Ubilda Castle .
This was a very colourful exhibit which had the full compliment of Chad Valley Locos and rolling stock .The layout even included a tunnel under the Castle.
Traders in the foyer were Cliff and Margaret Maddock who had a Dublo Terminal Station set and St Paddy amongst their items,
Tony 'Steptoe' Penn sold several kit-built models by Millholme, the club Bring and Buy stall was manned by Malcolm Pugh who reported plenty of sales including some excellent Bassett-Lowke track for £100 and quite a few playworn Dinky Toys that sold well. I noticed a Golden Arrow SR Q1 was up for £75.
Malcolm advises the day ended up with a £48 donation to the TCS. Thank you to all who helped on the stall. Phil Goater had an interesting selection of mainly 00 gauge trains. Chris Ford had plenty of spares and Nick Dean trading as Checklines was selling a good quantity of N Gauge
As we enter the main hall on the left hand wall Simon Goodyear had a variety of larger scale models for sale.
Dave White and Les Martin had a Tri-ang Super 4 layout with other makers stock helping them complete a Longmoor Military Railway themed layout,
it's surprising how many manufacturers have produced RTR LMR models and I spotted a Model Rail 0-6-0 USAT. Model Zone 0-6-0 Diesel Shunter and Bachmann 2-8-0 and Bachmann Ambulance cars, the main station track design was based on Liss and this was a excellent idea and enjoyed by visitors. A Great Train Robbery was also happening as I passed with the Police in full pursuit.
Alongside Peter Berry was selling his usual collection of spares for small and lesser known 00 Gauge manufacturers.
Peter Gurd was in his usual place in the corner with a great variety of books and other literature as well as a few models.
In the middle were the main group of traders including Dave Angell who was selling mostly Tri-ang 00 and early Hornby 00, Michael Foster promoting his recent British Trains Book 5 which is on Mettoy and as usual an excellent publication. Yours truly who was selling a variety of trains as well as my recently published Shire Book titled 'Toy Trains 1935-1975' which is a general history of 00 Gauge Trains.
Dixon Upcott had 00 Gauge Trix and other makes. Leon Mills was selling ACE Trains including the Warship Diesel, one of which was running on the stage layout. Bob Hamilton was selling Hornby -Dublo and Wrenn.
On the far wall Bill and Rachel Vyse were running Hornby 0 gauge on their lovely Pudding Norton layout which is based on Fakenham with it's Racecourse. A Totopoly board complete with horses was on display with plenty of Dinky Toys Horse Boxes
Hornby 4-4-2 Locomotives were running while I was passing although I did spot a blue Princess in the sidings.
Alongside James Day with help from Malcolm Pugh had set up his excellent Playcraft Railways and Highways HO Gauge layout.
It is the 50th Anniversary of the end of Playcraft Railways and 60th Anniversary of the formation of Playcraft Highways and James set up a superb layout with road/rail interaction and plenty of operating features including a working Windmill and a watermill with real water!
Jouef who produced Playcraft also used Aurora and Pola buildings in their range so there were many familiar models on this excellent layout.
On the stage David Knighton with Jonathan and Oliver Ward were running a double track O Gauge layout with ACE Trains running on a 1950s Reading themed layout. I spotted a couple of Huntley and Palmer's wagons in the siding.
I was also intrigued to see some ICI and Murgatroyds bogie tank wagons which reminded me of the Tri-ang 00 Gauge tank wagons.
An ACE Trains BR green Warship was passing at full speed when I was taking notes.
Off the main hall is also the dining area where Bob Fleming was selling a few items on the left shelf. The refreshments were up to their usual high standard and we all enjoyed the superb beef casserole and fruit crumble,
a big thank you to the following for the excellent refreshments throughout the day, Janet Tilley, Audrey Foulds, Brenda D’Arcy, Mary Starie, Pav Pall, Diane Johnson, Paul Draycott and Marilyn Draycott.
As we move back to the main hall and to the entrance to the smaller hall we pass the club display stand. This year the theme was 'Homemade Trains'. The challenge was taken on enthusiastically by members and we had a wonderful variety of trains from all gauges.
I was particularly taken with some Metal Art models made in the 1970's by P J Kane from scrap metal.
Opposite the stand was past chairman David Ramsey (Fig 20a)who was selling off some spare items including a collection of original Hornby 0 Gauge price labels.
As we enter the smaller hall, on the right in his usual position is Pat Hammond with a mouth watering display of 'Little and Large' 00 Gauge Train Sets. These included the rare Tri-ang Miniville Set, early Rovex and Gamages Sets.
The largest set ever made by Hornby which included three Locomotives, this apparently was a 'dumping' set, introduced to dispose of old stock. Pat had several US sets with UK stock including AMRO Flying Scotsman
and Dapol for Life-Like GWR set.
Pat also had a Hornby prototype Great Western HST set that never made production, Hornby changed the length of their coaches just as it was about to be produced and they cancelled the project.
David and Peter Peasant were running O Gauge with a variety of stock on Lionel fast track. As usual I loved the scenic detail including the viaduct with various businesses in the arches and the Tri-ang Minic Fire Station.
The ACE Coronation and Darstead A4 were both running as I passed making a very impressive display.
A Bassett-Lowke Goods train was running on the inner circuit. The Cattle Dock helped make an interesting scene in the middle.
Trading in this hall were Mike Molark with a large collection of 00 gauge, our editor Nicholas Oddy was selling Hornby O gauge and Gauge 1, he had a rare French Hornby Onion Van for £420
and Colin Totem selling Darstead and Raylo 0 Gauge,
on display was the lovely Sentinel Centre Engine 0-4-0T in LNER black No 150 which retails at £275. It is available in nine different liveries.
In the corner David Rhodes who as we know is a big James Bond 007 fan, he is also a huge fan of 'The Prisoner ' 1960's TV series and has created an 009 layout depicting various scenes from the programme.
Using Eggerbahnn and Bachmann Locomotives and Rolling stock and buildings made by Port Merion Pottery ( Port Merion is where the show was made) and figures appropriately altered to suit characters from the programme. This was a layout that brought back memories of a very confusing TV series.
The AGM went ahead at 2pm and finished just after 3pm. Full details of the AGM are elsewhere in the collector. Notable points are no Subs increase, July show is well on its way at Stoke Mandeville two other shows Beckenham and Alresford will both have strong TCS involvement. It was however noted that the TCS would like to have shows in other areas of the UK and would love members to contact Bryan if they want to run a show with full support from the TCS
The show finished at 4pm. a slightly higher attendance than last year and a big thank you to Bryan and Paul for a well organized show that was enjoyed by all.
Bob Leggett
