4mm London Road Sidings (formerly Poppy Lane)
- Thread starter Terry
- Start date
Hello John. Thank you for your kind comments. Yes, the layout will be appearing at the WRG show. I hope to see you there.
Terry
WRG March 2026 Personal Layout Show. It will be held in The Steyning Centre on
Sunday March 8 2026. I understand that the venue is in the town centre.
Terry
London Road Sidings appeared at the Beckenham & West Wickham model railway exhibition last Saturday. As usual it performed well, thanks mainly to my co-operator Matt, who not only operated for most of the show, but also found time to engage in conversation with the visitors. As usual, I just wandered off and made a nuisance of myself elsewhere! We had an initial enquiry regarding another exhibition next year. More details in due course if it comes off. I'm currently mulling over some ideas for a new micro-layout, more of which anon in a new thread.
Terry
Terry
Bungus the Fogeyman
New Member
Good to meet you last Saturday at Beckenham Terry (apologies for calling you Tony- thats what my failing eyesight thought your namebadge said!)... Hope you had a shufty at the Microlayouts facebook page. Enjoyed looking at Lokdon Road. Looking forward to seeing the new proj develop.
Disgusting of Market Harborough
Disgusting of Market Harborough
Good to meet you too and good to see your micro-layout once again. I did have a look at the facebook page and have applied to join the group. I just hope that I have got the right group! I had a teacher at comprehensive school who called me Tony for the entire six years that I was a pupil there. I'm still trying to get my head around my next project and hope to have something to report soon.
Terry
A newly acquired vehicle has arrived at London Road Sidings. A quick visit to the weathering department required.
London Road Sidings will be making an appearance at various exhibitions in the South-East during 2026.
First up is the Canterbury Model Railway Exhibition on 17th/18th January at St. Anselm's School, Old Dover Road, Canterbury CT1 3EN.
Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 10am - 4pm. Please use the Dover Road Park and Ride car park.
Please stop by Stand18 and say hello.
Terry
London Road Sidings will be making an appearance at various exhibitions in the South-East during 2026.
First up is the Canterbury Model Railway Exhibition on 17th/18th January at St. Anselm's School, Old Dover Road, Canterbury CT1 3EN.
Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 10am - 4pm. Please use the Dover Road Park and Ride car park.
Please stop by Stand18 and say hello.
Terry
The Canterbury exhibition featured some excellent layouts and London Road Sidings generally performed well. There were some minor issues with wagons deciding to uncouple themselves at will. This is an issue which we are currently addressing. If you want to see London Road Sidings 'in action' at Canterbury, there is a short video on YouTube by 'The Lone Wanderer' and some excellent close-ups in the video by 'Dusty Shelf Collectables'. Or you could come along to the Angel Centre, Tonbridge, on Saturday 21st February, and see it in 'live' action. Do stop by to say hello.
Terry
P.S. This entry was subsequently edited to correct the date.
Terry
P.S. This entry was subsequently edited to correct the date.
Last edited:
Greengiant
Western Thunderer
You may be the only layout at Tonbridge on the 14th Terry!
I will be exhibiting The Yard there on the 21st February.
Martin
76043
Western Thunderer
Funnily enough I thought it was the 14th too, glad it isn't though!
I'll be there with my layout Dublingham, looking forward to seeing the other layouts!
www.tonbridgemrc.com
Tony
I'll be there with my layout Dublingham, looking forward to seeing the other layouts!
Exhibition | Tonbridge Model Railway Club
Details about Tonbridge Model Railway Club annual exhibition
www.tonbridgemrc.com
Apologies to Western Thunderers(?) and the Tonbridge Model Railway Club. And thank you Martin and Tony for correcting me. My oppo Matt also pointed out my mistake when we were exhibiting at Canterbury. Unfortunately, I have previous. I once travelled all the way from Kent to Milton Keynes for a show, only to discover that I was a week early! Mind you, I was first in the queue when the show opened!Funnily enough I thought it was the 14th too, glad it isn't though!
I'll be there with my layout Dublingham, looking forward to seeing the other layouts!
TonyExhibition | Tonbridge Model Railway Club
Details about Tonbridge Model Railway Club annual exhibition
So, just to confirm. See you all at The Angel Centre, Tonbridge, Kent, on Saturday 21st February.
Terry
David Mylchreest
Western Thunderer
As regards the problem with wagons involuntarily uncoupling over the magnets (see beginning of video in post 92 above), I am currently making slight alterations to each item of rolling stock to rectify the issue before the Tonbridge show on 21st February. My co-operator, Matthew, discovered this wheeze when in conversation with another exhibitor at a recent show. Sadly, I don't know the gentleman's name, but my thanks to him all the same.
The problem appears to be that when being pulled, free-rolling stock has the ability to catch up with the wagon in front, thereby disengaging the coupling hooks from the bars (Bachmann NEM hook and bar couplings). When going over the permanent magnets buried beneath the track, this allows the hooks to lift and the wagons uncouple. The solution appears to be to introduce some drag to slow down each wagon so it is not running away, and the couplings remain taut. To this end, a small rectangle of foam is fixed in place between one axle and the floor of the wagon. In the case of Bachmann wagons, this actually means attaching the foam to the coupling housing beneath the axle. The distance involved only amounts to about 2.5mm. The search was on for foam of suitable thickness and after a perusal of the local Poundland, I came across a packet of four shoe insoles for £1. Bargain! Not only are they of the correct thickness, but they are also the right colour - black. I trimmed a pair to the wife's petite shoesize and gifted those to her, keeping the remaining offcuts, there being enough left for dozens of wagons. If your missus has large 'plates of meat' (sorry, I'm a Cockney!) then you are in trouble! I attached each small foam rectangle with an acrylic adhesive called 'Cosmic Shimmer'. I use this adhesive for all manner of jobs around the railway, finding it particularly useful for making card buildings.
I initially converted four wagons and tested them on the layout. Not one wagon uncoupled unexpectedly. I am now converting the rest of the rolling stock for London Road Sidings. It is a matter of a few minutes to cut the foam to size and glue it in place. I attach a couple of photos to clarify the foregoing.
See you at Tonbridge.
Terry
The problem appears to be that when being pulled, free-rolling stock has the ability to catch up with the wagon in front, thereby disengaging the coupling hooks from the bars (Bachmann NEM hook and bar couplings). When going over the permanent magnets buried beneath the track, this allows the hooks to lift and the wagons uncouple. The solution appears to be to introduce some drag to slow down each wagon so it is not running away, and the couplings remain taut. To this end, a small rectangle of foam is fixed in place between one axle and the floor of the wagon. In the case of Bachmann wagons, this actually means attaching the foam to the coupling housing beneath the axle. The distance involved only amounts to about 2.5mm. The search was on for foam of suitable thickness and after a perusal of the local Poundland, I came across a packet of four shoe insoles for £1. Bargain! Not only are they of the correct thickness, but they are also the right colour - black. I trimmed a pair to the wife's petite shoesize and gifted those to her, keeping the remaining offcuts, there being enough left for dozens of wagons. If your missus has large 'plates of meat' (sorry, I'm a Cockney!) then you are in trouble! I attached each small foam rectangle with an acrylic adhesive called 'Cosmic Shimmer'. I use this adhesive for all manner of jobs around the railway, finding it particularly useful for making card buildings.
I initially converted four wagons and tested them on the layout. Not one wagon uncoupled unexpectedly. I am now converting the rest of the rolling stock for London Road Sidings. It is a matter of a few minutes to cut the foam to size and glue it in place. I attach a couple of photos to clarify the foregoing.
See you at Tonbridge.
Terry
Greengiant
Western Thunderer
I trust you got the £1 from your wife for the insoles Terry?
Martin
Martin
Well, the Tonbridge Exhibition was a well organised treat. London Road Sidings was well received by many visitors and exhibitors were well looked after by the Tonbridge Model Railway Club. Thanks to the Exhibition Manager, Colin, and all concerned. It was very nice to meet some of the esteemed Western Thunderers of this parish. I particularly enjoyed a lively conversation with Simon. Thanks to all who dropped by to say hello.
The next outing is to The Wealden Railway Group's Personal Layout Show on Sunday March 8th, at the Steyning Centre in Steyning, West Sussex. See you there.
Terry
The next outing is to The Wealden Railway Group's Personal Layout Show on Sunday March 8th, at the Steyning Centre in Steyning, West Sussex. See you there.
Terry
What a wonderful little show organised by The Wealden Railway Group yesterday. Some great layouts and very friendly people. The show was absolutely buzzing for most of the day, and my co-operator Matthew, and myself had a very enjoyable day. Great to see some of you Western Thunderers again. Special mention to Ken. Much to my surprise the show resulted in a further three expressions of interest in exhibiting London Road Sidings. Having exhibited mainly in Kent so far, with a brief dip into Surrey, we appear to have wandered on to a completely different exhibition circuit covering Sussex. Another surprise was a conversation with Chris Ford, of Railway Modeller fame, who kindly suggested that we consider submitting an article for possible publication. He was also kind enough to offer a number of suggestions as to what form any forthcoming article might take. Exciting days ahead! I was so taken with the show that I even joined the Wealden Railway Group!
Next outing on June 16th in Ashford, Kent.
Terry
Next outing on June 16th in Ashford, Kent.
Terry