expoEM Summer 2025

[Leander]

Steeple Bumpleigh,by Norman Raven, is a small essay in EM gauge depicting a small station and yard in the Western Region of BR sometime in the 1960s. A small cement facility provides some extra traffic.

 

[Leander]

Our penultimate layout at expoEM Summer next weekend is set in North Liverpool. Swan Street Goods was built by Chris Hewitt in the final decade of the twentieth century. The track plan and general idea was adapted by Mike Turner from a design by Iain Rice and was featured in British Railway Modelling in November 1997. It is now making a reappearance on the exhibition circuit.

 

[Leander]

The final layout to preview is this P4 model of the Wantage Tramway in the early 1920s, built by Robin Gay when there was a passenger service between the GWR’s Wantage Road Station and the Wantage Town terminus. The Wantage Tramway Company also held the contract with the GWR to deliver and pick up goods throughout the town and local area. This resulted in at least three return goods trains along the tramway each day. On market days extra passenger trains and even a cattle train were often run. To increase running variety at exhibition, every day on the Wantage Tramway layout is on a market day schedule.

 

[Dave F.]

As an aside to all the great layouts I'm hoping to see this weekend is the news that Chris Gibbon of High Level has agreed to take on the production and sales of the etched items formally available from Lanarkshire Models & Supplies so the EM/P4 tender chassis and Coupling Rods will continue with HighLevel.
Chris will have some stocks available at EXPO EM this weekend from around twelve o'clock Saturday when I deliver.

The buffers and other castings are in the process of transfer to a new supplier who does have experience and his own casting machines so hopefully it won't be too long a wait.

Dave Franks
Lanarkshire Models.

 

[RonnieS]

Layouts:
Barnard Castle (EM) - Richard Nice
Chop Gate (EM) - Paul & Nicola Gallon
Elidir Fach (009 Guest Layout) – Ian Bowker
Halifax King Cross (P4) - Steve Hall
Hartley Bank Screens (EM) - John Burgess
Merthyr Riverside (EM) - Rob Kelsey ROB KINSEY
Minories (EM) - Tom Cunnington & members of The Model Railway Club
Orfe Quay (EM) - Bernie Baker
Steeple Bumpleigh (EM) - Norman Raven
Swan Street Goods (EM) - Chris Hewitt
The Wantage Tramway (P4) - Robin Gay
plus the EMGS Test Track - both EM & P4 circuits, analogue and DCC, plus OO test facility

SP

 

[Leander]

Corrected on OP

 

[Leander]

Finally and perhaps most importantly, we are delighted that catering facilities (lunches and hot drinks mainly) will be in the most capable hands of the Crocodile Sisters. Freshly prepared cold and hot food will be available (sandwiches, pie & peas, curry etc.) plus teas, coffee and cold drinks.

We just hope the rain stays off, particularly for setting-up which is from 4.00pm this afternoon.

See you there!

 

[Dai88D]

Excellent show: lovely layouts and comprehensive sales. Great food, and great ‘show you how’ demos.

 

[Herb Garden]

Really excellent show, really enjoyed it and good to meet up with so many friends and acquaintances.

Worth coming all the way down from Newcastle for. Even if none of the trains ran smoothly (full size ones)

 

[Joe Keegan]

 

[Joe Keegan]

Overall view from the three exhibition rooms

 

[RonnieS]

What Did you think of Merthyr Riverside ? (a Tony Wright photo)

 

[Dai88D]

What Did you think of Merthyr Riverside ? (a Tony Wright photo)View attachment 246781

I like it, but I might be biased because I’m from Merthyr. The sky could have been darker and wetter, but I’m prepared for compromises to be made to make the location even more attractive

 

[Ian N]

What Did you think of Merthyr Riverside ? (a Tony Wright photo)

I really, really liked it., and I've never been to Merthyr!
To me the layout lighting helped to perfectly captured the dark foreboding immediately before a torrential downpour.
imho, Tony Wrights photo is over-lit and doesn't do the layout justice

Overall, a great event with no bad layouts and an impossible choice to identify, let alone choose who to vote for the best one, so much so, I didn't bother.

Thanks to the organisers and all the participants for providing a superb event.

 

[daifly]

It's moved on a little bit since I last saw it in Sept 2011.




Dave

 

[Leander]

Here's the promised photos of the Trophy winners last weekend:

The Vice-President’s Trophy for the best layout in show, by public vote.
Winner Halifax King Cross - Steve Hall (photo by Karl Crowther)


The JFC Johnson Rose Bowl for the layout operated in the most authentic manner.
Winner: Chop Gate - Paul Gallon (Photo by Karl Crowther)


The Malcolm Crawley Award for the best scratchbuilt or kitbuilt locomotive on a layout or demonstration stand.
Winner: NER No 1333 0-6-0 Scratchbuilt - Paul Gallon (Photo by Steve Young)