The Double O Gauge Association Exhibition reports

The Double O Gauge Association

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Pictures at an Exhibition

16 to 17 September 2006 - Woking

Woking is a good regional show with a sensible mix of layouts, traders and displays.

The big 00 layout was Alton, a large Southern Region affair with long trains travelling big distances. Local push-pulls trundled up and down and the Bournemouth Belle put in an appearance too. The cricket field scene, which was partly incorporated into the back-scene, was a very clever and convincing piece of art — proof maybe that one can get a pint into a quart pot. The P4 Mostyn served to entertain fans of the 1970s diesels on the North Wales coast. Harton Gill, also in P4, was an intriguing mainly freight based layout, with plenty of close detail. It portrays a location in the North East of England and includes overhead electric industrial locomotives.

Among the traders was one selling a big range of Hornby spares and a couple of second hand motors were purchased for a future project!

Activity on the DOGA stand was busy through the two days and many thanks to all who assisted and made the time enjoyable.

7 to 8 October 2006 Croydon

I am glad I brought the test track to this show! Being able to run things on the stand attracts the public’s attention especially when we put on 12 mineral wagons headed by Cohn’s Jvatt 2-6-0. Often at smaller shows like this you can find good bargains on the club stall and I picked up a nice inexpensive Pullman car that I have seen going for a lot more at other places.

4mm and continental. The rather nice Nettlecombe in 009 was a good example of quality scenic work and ran well too.

I returned on the Sunday morning to find that Brian Roper and Alvar York had converted the test track to DCC! How did you do this chaps?

Easy! Pull out the trackwires from the DC controller and replace them with the wires from the DCC controller. No need to worry about section switches - just switch them all on. One very big advantage of DCC.

The sound fitted class 25 went down very well, and particularly facinated the children. It was nice to see them jump when the two tone horn was operated! I had intended to fit a chip to one of my locos (hard wiring), but the day went so quick, I didn’t have time. Alvar brought along his pug loco for an airing, which again was liked by the younger generation. After come fiddling with the CVs (the adjustments one can make to the chip), the pug began to run at a more realistic speed.

21 and 22 October 2006 Beckenham and West Wickham

This year, those manning the stand had an extra responsibility, namely taking turns to operate DOGA member Peter Rumbelow’s newly constructed Empingham layout. Those involved had an enjoyable time that passed quickly. Peter shall, no doubt, give full details of his new creation in great detail over future issues of the Journal. Empingham’s next outing will be the Dartford show in January.

The show itself was the usual good mixture of layouts, traders and demonstrators. My personal favourite exhibit was the model of a large chunk of central Croydon that featured working trains in among prototypically correct streets and buildings. Activity on the stand was steady throughout both days and once again Brian Roper brought his DCC locomotives along on the Sunday to show the public the possibilities of the new technology.

At the end of the second day the club stall had a clearout and I was given, for nothing, a large box containing a lot of buildings in various states of decay. Most were unsalvageable but there were some that I have rescued, and in some cases have already restored without too much effort, for the Rusper Model Railway Club of which some of us South East London DOGA people are members. In a similar way Colin Snowdon left the show with a box of free track. Whoever said there was no such thing as a free lunch!