The Scunthorpe and District Model Railway Club held the annual show at Sunshine Hall in Ashby over the weekend of 27th & 28th November 2010. The event in its eighteenth year saw numerous layouts of various gauges all painstakingly put together, in some cases, over many years. The largest display was a layout based on a steelworks, named ACME, several of the club members having retired from the local steel industry decided to build a layout based on their old work environment. The layout, a 4mm '00' Gauge, last appeared at the show in 2007 and many modifications have been added to add more interest. The locomotives on the layout were all diesels apart from one which was a steamer named Billy after a group member who had died six years previously. The Highline which feeds the Blastfurnace was built by Terry Black who passed away last year and its two locomotives are named in honour of him. After the show this layout will be dismantled and the group plans a new, bigger and better layout they hope to display in 2013.

   Container Road Layout

Another popular layout was the Container Road by Don Lee, a 4mm '00' layout. It has a working overhead container crane which fascinated the children who crowded around to watch it operate. The layout incorporates movement with sound and though not set in any particular location its operation is self evident. Deepdale is a 2mm 'N' Gauge layout displayed by Mike Annable which is completely freelance and designed to fit on a coffee table but then just grew a little bit. Designed with seven tunnels at different heights gradients varying from 1 in 21 to 1 in 36 it has short wheel based coaches hauled by a 0-6-0 and a 0-40 tender locomotives. The Junior section of the club have also put on a display at his years event having being guided and helped with their layout by Chairman John Creek. New to Scunthorpe was Dave Holmes who's 3.5mm 'HO' Gauge North American Switching Yard dating from the 1950's to 1980's was on display probably for the last time in its current layout for it, along with the stock and controller were up for sale.

   Junior Members Layout

 A layout inspired by the West Country Station of 'Moretonhampstead' on the fringes of Dartmoor was being displayed by Mike Butler. Named Morested, a 4mm '00' GWR and early diesel the track had been modified to give more operating potential. The station of Morested Boasts 2 goods sheds, a paraffin depot cattle pens and a large factory making ceramics and pottery, the raw materials being brought in by the trains. Mike said "the layout had been tucked away unused for the last three years, I got it out cleaned it up and it worked straight away. Based in Scotland's Outer Hebrides was a layout called Inversneckie displayed by Harry Porter, a 4mm '00' Gauge track. Featuring a small station and harbour sidings with a variety of freight stock, the harbour is full of small boats along with the tourist ferry, The Palmyra. The name Inversneckie is that used by Compton Mackenzine in one of his books.

       Inversneckie Layout

A popular layout from last year was Wintertown, this had proved a favourite amongst the children, the award-winning layout, which has a new attraction added every year, featured such legends of the rail as Thomas the Tank Engine, a circus, which included clowns, trapeze artists, elephants and horses, there was also a magic mine run by elves, where an empty tender was driven in only to emerge full of jewels. Unfortuantely, due to unforseen circumstances, it wasn't at this years event, it is hoped it will return next year. The above slideshow is via Youtube. If you're viewing through a workplace PC restrictions inplace may result in a blank screen. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------