Svanda at Bredgar

 

 Svanda appeared yesterday at what its essentially the final exhibition. This is due to there being nothing else in the book. Really friendly show within the Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway site, and organised by Kerry and Kevin of Invicta Models.

The layouts are not the main attraction, sharing the attention with the main railway and a brace of other steam power on the day. This means that the audience is high on the family scale and quite transient. This means that you don't really get an exhibition 'buzz', but you do get to put the hobby in front of people who are just out for the day. We did this last year and I'll repeat my comment from then - it's clean. No piles of 'we'll get around to that later' scrap, and areas full of sleepers and rusty rail. This is Pro with a capital P. Well worth a visit and just off the M20 Jct 8.

Uckfield show

Excellent weekend.
 

Svanda at Uckfield

 Slightly surprisingly Svanda makes an appearance at the Uckfield show this weekend. Not surprising in its locality being only minutes away, but because it has become a mini Scaleforum of late. This suggests that a foreign layout built using Peco code 100 may not be a perfect fit. However...

Always worth a visit even with the weather that is forecast for the area.

For some reason Blogger is being awkward with photos so a couple from the layout's development that I can retrieve. 

New point for the Rhiw/Svanda fiddle yard

This must be one of the most tweaked fiddle yards in existence. Originally built in 2009 for Rhiw 1, adapted for Svanda, readapted for Rhiw 2 and now..

The pre show set/test for Svanda's showing at Eastbourne last week threw a curveball in a broken tie-bar spring on the No.1 point, i.e. the important one. No time to fix it, and as this would have possibly introduced a load more last minute issues, the decision was taken to do the show with the point being held over by a critically positioned lump of Blu-tak. Never let it be said that I over-think or over-engineer anything. However that was a quick fix and something needed to be done. This comes in two parts: co-incidentally I was due to drop off the 009 layout at Peco, so easy enough to pop next door to the exhibition and blag a replacement spring off of Andrew (he who makes Pecorama run smoothly). 

I'd  found a new Y point so decided to use this, relay tracks 1-4, and do the spring replacement on the bench. This also gave the excuse to replace the short sleeper-less length of track with something more substantial. Having said that, this has never given any trouble and proves that rails can work for at least two inches without sleepers under normal conditions. The track was removed as seen, and included pins, some UHU and still traces of the the Knightian staple gun repair carried out a decade ago at Global Rail.

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Svanda at Eastbourne

Another random appearance here, ostensibly to remind that the old lady of Norway; now in her 13th year, will be making the second of three 2024 showings at the metropolis of Eastbourne on Saturday. Confusingly this is the Pevensey club show which has wandered westward for the day. There is  information about other exhibits below including two favourites of mine. 10-4 at the top end of the 'old town'. Drop in and say hello and watch the temporary point fix in operation (the FY throat point spring expired yesterday).

Exhibitions | Members own Layouts (pevenseybaymodelrailwayclub.com)

 

Wealden Railway Group exhibition 2024

In an unusually rash bout of being organised, a few thoughts on the Steyning show. In short; excellent (no marking as I'm not hitting this from a punter angle). The general thrust is that of small personal layouts and steers away from the usual club epics and box shifters giving a very different feel. It's more about chat and ideas rather than the impressive 'don't touch sonny' that some exhibitions promote. No doubt that Mr. Campbell will provide some photos on his blog to your right in due course, as he was also showing with the gorgeous 009 Hexworthy. For me the highlights were possibly well worn - Giles Barnabe's Shellsea, and Pete Bossom's Bulverhythe (now under Paul Hopkins' stewardship). Both mostly for the buildings; Giles above for probably the best example of how to take a flat piece of thin card print and turn it into a wonderful heavyweight brick warehouse. Among the many chats across the layout was the (below) remarkable 3mm scale GWR brake produced by Mike Davey. Not  a commercial operation and in his words, he is still on the learning curve, but it shows what is possible and how it can open up a whole new vista for the modeller. 

Svanda performed in its usual near perfect manner, with only operator (mostly me) error causing problems. With two exhibition enquiries forthcoming, the 'different' NSB Nohab powered train rolls onward despite now being noticeably heavier than more recent layouts. 

The WRG shows driven by Andrew Knights (with visitors from Glasgow yesterday) are a bright light proving how how the hobby is not dying, and while the RTR wibblers that hang around the forums complaining may be down in the dumps, there is a real passionate undercurrent of actual modelling just under the surface unencumbered and unaffected by industry comings and goings. Long may this little piece of flag-waving for it continue.

Svanda goods shed fit

The new goods shed for Svanda all fitted and bedded-in. This has made a remarkable difference to this end of the layout by opening it up visually. Which considering that the building is 20% larger than the old one is a surprise. There is a casual refurb underway now with new road surfaces and hopefully the addition of some new trees and newer scenic covering. This is being fitted in around the epic Peco 009 build of which more in due course. In the meantime don't forget that the above will be at the below this Sunday.

 

A new shed for Svanda

 

A final push has seen the new goods shed finished. Rather clean for my liking, but the prototype photos show a very spick and span building - very Scandinavian I suppose. I am as always  on these occasions, only responsible for the final layer and the build is pure Mr. Hill with his liking for not wasting a scrap of plastic. Unusually I can't detect any CD or cassette case material in here, but is does include most other possible bits and pieces. The final coat being a mix of Humbrol and artist acrylics. Fitting will hopefully take place in the next 24 hours in time for the Steyning exhibition on the 10th.

Svanda Gods shed redux

Our Mr. Hill has never been happy with the goods shed on Svanda citing it as non typical. So some thirteen years after the layout was built, a new plasticard structure has emerged from the workbench of the same gentleman.  Based on the extant shed at Mael it is somewhat larger, but lacks the platform of the original. The removal of the platform was somewhat problematic, but once gone it was a fairly simple operation to realign the road surface and get rid of the original flock surface and replace with what I think is chinchilla dust and some static grass.

 

Svanda at Steyning

Great little show with different stuff and lots of chat. Svanda appearing. Do come and say hello. 

Note to Mr Hill: this is four weeks away.

 

Scandinavian filth

A shuffling of trestles and stock boxes saw Svanda set up and run. It needs a little bit of a clean and there was a conversation about upgrading the scenics.  Running wise there were no major issues (or none that we weren't aware of) and it enters its twelfth year; well into secondary education now. The reason for the flurry of activity is that it is lead layout for 2024 and will be appearing at the Steyning show in March (first and not the last plug) so a good looking at is required. The goods shed has been removed and the area is due for some redevelopment. Mr. Hill has never been happy with this so photos have been studies and a new shed is on the way.

Some quick phone shots were taken of the running...

... and then there's this. A clue for possible new projects.

 

Svanda in Continental Modeller

So overwhelmed was I with John Crane's D&HLR article in this month's Continental Modeller that I completely missed the plug for Code 100 track the page before, featuring Svanda. That was until the eagle-eyed Mr. Hill pointed it out. At least Steve Haynes has got the billing at the foot correct. Though with my ex-Peco proof-reader head back on, I think 'clips' should be slips. Another good reason to rush out out and buy a copy.

Just when you think the Norwegian layout is sleeping, it pings up again. It really is due for an upgrade and a relaunch. Show invites for it anyone?

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Resolving fiddle yard issues on Rhiw Mk2

 

Layout testing

Rhiw Mk2 begins. There was a recurring problem with derailments on Mk1 at the mainline entry that we never did get to the bottom of.  As the same fiddle yard is used I'm taking no chances and I'm rigorously testing all the stock (pushing and pulling) through the reverse curves and over the new joint. The fiddle yard has been in use with Svanda for the 11 years since with no obvious problems, save dropping it  at Globalrail in Didcot, so any problems are new ones.

Fiddle yard

Originally 6-road with Rhiw (4 mainline roads and 2 for the yard) it's been running as the four with the NSB stock. As the MK2 will have the same track plan the yard roads will be reinstated and the isolating toggle switches rewired. Why build it again? Well it worked at a fundamental level despite the scarily anorexic track layout and proved to be popular with the run-down 1980s vibe. This time it can have updated and improved scenics and be without the stupid front operation that made it hard to work.

Onward to the first show.

Eastbourne exhibition knock-down

 'Are you local?' Was the question from a club based not far from here. Another possible invite for the Norwegian wonder as it enters its second decade. Is it looking tired? Yes it is, and the question has been raised as to what to do about this. The original Woodlands Scenics fluff groundcover is fading and now looks old hat. The trees are looking decidedly Autumnal; not as in brown, but a bits have fallen off. Lots to think about.

The show was pretty much as expected: church hall, and a private enterprise, though I note that there wasn't the gnashing of teeth about 'profiteering' that follows a certain person that does this. There was no trade, just a reliance on second hand sales from the 2-3 club layouts that were attending. Masks were mandatory, though the usual 10% declined. Interestingly the event was not advertised in the excepted manner, avoided the model press and concentrated on local papers and radio. This gained a very 'family' audience and I gather this was completely intentional. Again this is the route taken by our much maligned DD. 

Is this the way forward? Probably. The usual 'club show in a school' is a no-no for the time being and it was notable that this was designed to fit the date slot that one of these had left with this club on the exhibitors roster. The day brought lunches, cake mid-afternoon and there was a welcome degree of pack-up insults and banter. We are ducking and diving and it's working.

Svanda at Eastbourne Exhibition

The weekend saw a sliver of activity in sunny Crawley as Svanda was awoken from it's 18 month + slumber and kicked into life, not to mention a light dusting. The reason for this was its only show this year this coming weekend. In fact the only show for the rest of eternity as there's nothing else in the book for it.  Mr. Hill and I are not a little surprised that it is still with us it being a decade old this year. As regular readers will note, things tend not to hang around here, such is the enthusiasm to get on with the next project. There were no real problems and the quality of the mainly Roco items repay the investment. Though I'm convinced that Mr. Hill has a running stream of new Di5s as there always seems to be more than there was last time.

The venue for the old girl's outing is as below. Residents of Wiltshire would regard it as 'small beer' and in this case they may well be right. From what I gather it is a minor affair with I believe no commercial trade. I got the phonecall during the midst of lockdown and was struck by the bravery of trying to organise something from scratch in those trying days. Needless to say things were played 'safe' and it is a fairly local roster of layouts, but  has the advantage of a reasonable town pub just 50 yards outside the door and a model shop at the other end of the road.

Do come and say hello, or mumble though a mask at least.

 

Replacing a Scandinavian model

For no particular reason Svanda was pulled out of its corner and set up. This was before it was twigged that this was its first glimpse of daylight for a year. The last being an outing to Wycrail. A quick wave of the track rubber and all worked perfectly. There are small questions - much as there are about any exhibition layout. Svanda is slightly different in that it has lasted; a quick bit of digging found that it was started in 2010. That's almost unheard of with layouts that I have had a hand in building, but then in a lot of ways it's my favourite to operate. Smooth-running Heljan, Roco, NJM locos and stock with finely tweaked couplings usually see to that. My only thought is that it looks a little tired. Is it time for a complete refurb', or time for a replacement?

 

Fitting a model railway pelmet

Banana pine

Most of Saturday was spent sorting the pelmet for Hopwood. The gallows units from Svanda were pressed into use, being pretty close to the right size. The problem was that the B&Q banana pine that they are made from has 'settled' in one or two places over the  six year period. While this is not unduly noticeable on the host layout, measuring up to them got marginally interesting for a while. There was a decision to be made: measure the mounting points correctly all the way along (@ 3 1/32) from the bottom of the pelmet, or level the pelmet first and mark the mounting points accordingly. Outcomes being the most important thing meant that the second choice was made and you can see the wobble factor. The pelmet is dead level though, along the top front edge So at least outward sanity restored.

Poor design

This is all a bit of a lash up and very much a secondary fit. The trouble with retro fitting what is really a home layout design into an exhibition piece, is that everything becomes a work-around, not a design in from the start. In many ways it's a fail - though the positive comments at Warley would suggest the contrary. Much of the build worked against learned wisdom and techniques in order to fit the article design brief, not for where it is going now. That doesn't make it a bad layout, just that it bothers me. 

Wycrail model railway exhibition

The final Svanda outing this year. Wycrail in Bucks. Split over two floors it's quite a sizable show and the quality is generally high with a few reservations. We got the staircase unload, into the upstairs sports hall which wasn't as bad as expected. Now normally we are the 'different' layout in the room as there aren't too many Norwegian layouts about, but now there are two with Norge set up a few feet away. It has to be said that this is a very different approach to Svanda with DCC, catenary, mooing cows and pecking chickens so it gains ummm…. a different  audience. We did consider putting a sign up  saying 'can you spot the SWB Land Rover' but this failed to materialise.

Two enquires flooded in and as usual I got the full panoply of people's Scandinavian holiday snaps while Nigel got questions about the rock faces. Phil Parker rocked up and chatted for a while and it has to be said that I spent most of the day talking rather than operating. 

My favourite other exhibit was this. Compact and done just right. Bigger and it wouldn't have improved, smaller and it would be cramped. Although it underlined my previous comments on front operation with a too acute angle of vision making it hard to shunt.
Loser of the day was a Bristol Goods shed layout in BG 0. Stunning stock which would have been lovely to look at if you could see it. Pure prototype situations are good, but... if the stock is either in the fiddle yard or under  a large overall roof that you have to crouch down or look around the back to see inside, then it doesn't work as an exhibition piece.. OK if you were 3'6" high or had an L shaped neck I suppose, but a complete exhibition fail which was a real shame as the modelling work was superb. Stuff that good needs to be presented in its full glory.
Exhibition 9
Lunch 9 (Chilli spuds and gateaux very nice)
Rucksacks (family audience and a fairly low 3)

Svanda at Wycrail

This morning some upgrading of things on Hopwood for it's debut later next month - mostly on the woodworking front. Then across the county line post lunch for a check on Svanda which has its final showing this year at Wycrail on Saturday - we're hoping for an empty-road drive as people get up and watch the rugby before they hit the motorway. Aside for a lost wing nut, all went reasonably well and we decamped to the fixed Southern branch line in another room - running, but scenically unfinished. Wycrail is an unknown quantity either as a punter or exhibitor , but the reputation is good. All I know is that there are stairs to get up.

Wycrail website here

Poole model railway exhibition

 To Poole. Which we found after a short search. I'd never been before either as an exhibitor or a punter. Fairly traditional club show aimed at a general family audience, with a mix of styles from 2mm FS to a Paul Lunn trainset plan with multiple Metcalfe kits and very tight radii in 3'x4' - guess which was my favourite out of these two? Only 3mm was missing from the roster.

Svanda (with new LED lightling) behaved well as usual with only an odd back-feed fault on the points in the FY which disappeared as quickly as it arrived. Above is yet another Di5 that's un-weathered produced from Nigel's Mary Poppins handbag. I thought I'd done them all, but they keep appearing. As suggested by a couple of people, Svanda now has a page here .

We were set up next to Matthew Keen's exquisitely finished Garreg Wen 009 layout (below) which shows everyone else's modelling up. Don't you just hate clever kids? There was a range of box -shifters, but with a lot of things that had disappeared from the market - there was a whole box of P-P fitted M7s @ £75 each, one of which found its way into Nigel's boot on the way home. Well it seemed rude not to.

The catering was a bit basic, but there was a river of tea and the team were friendly and helpful.We may return next year.