ExpoEM Spring 2017

[Jol Wilkinson]

A bit late in the day - as the ExpoEM Spring (note new title for what was formerly simply ExpoEM) took place on 13th and 14th May at Bracknell, but I felt that this excellent show should not have gone unnoticed in these annals.

P4 layouts were present in the form of Sandford and Banwell, based on the Cheddar Valley Line in North Somerset, and London Road , based on the LNWR in 1907. London Road took the Best Layout Award, to the delight of the operating team.

LR at ExpoEM Spring 2017.jpg

Tim V took several photos which appear on RMweb:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... 017/page-3

London Road is in the foreground (several of the operators seem to be enjoying themselves, something we need to deal with) while the excellent Sandford and Banwel is at the back left. I thought this was extremely well modelled and personnally thought that it was likely to win best in show.

[John Palmer]

Congratulations to the London Road team on the Best Layout award!

I had a splendid day out at Expo and pummelled the plastic harder than I'd intended. Indulged myself with a copy of Harry Knox's new work on West Lothian railways – at last a fairly good picture of a sleepered tandem at Bo'ness! - and replenished stocks of embossed brick sheet for the Burnham townscape.

Someone expressed the opinion that this year's clutch of layouts wasn't as good as it has been, but I disagree. Highlights included Swaynton - for me, a trip down memory lane to the LSW line into Bournemouth in pre-electrification days, the last of which I caught whilst still at school. Then there was Pwllheli in RETB days. Normally I'm not much attracted to models of the post-steam traction scene, but such fine work has been done on this depiction of the setting that I took a couple of pictures.

[stevecarr]

I agree John. Marvellous day out.

Always a good, friendly show. A credit to the organisers.