Train Time...

This weekend is the Chatham Show, the largest model railway exhibition in the South East, which has become an (almost) annual pilgrimage for Rachel and I (we've been four years out five).

Held in a warehouse at the Historic Dockyards, it's large enough to not feel overly crowded or claustrophobic, but doesn't need hideous florescent lighting to illuminate it; so when the weather is as good as it has been recently it's a perfect venue for shows.

While there didn't seem to be as many layouts on display, the majority of those that were there were the usual high standard we've come to expect.

There were old favourites like Foss Landing (the American harbour scene with its waterfront strip club - see above) and a whole host of spectacular new displays.

Common themes this time round were water (lots of boats on show, and one layout depicted the busy freight harbour of New York) and wartime (several layouts had troops heading off for the Second World War and Rowlands Castle had enough troops on it for a medium-sized wargame, which obviously tickled my fancy).

For once we didn't spend a small fortune, Rachel bought a box of miniature N Gauge naturists (she's planning a camp site on the edge of Midale, but we couldn't find any scale tents) and I got an O Gauge workmen's skip from Skytrex, who specialise in O Gauge (which is a reasonable fit for wargames - especially the more 'heroic' 28mm figures such as the GAFDOZ range I so admire).

The skip, once painted, will be perfect for those urban games I keep dreaming about... possibly involving zombies!

Rachel and I met a very pleasant gentleman who ran York Modelmaking Ltd - a fellow wargamer, although his preferred periods were American Civil War and Second World War - who offers, as well as an extensive range of pre-cast and kit buildings (Rachel picked up a garden shed for Midale), a bespoke service which, if I was still in gainful employment, I'd certainly consider investigating, as the buildings he had on display on his stand were very eye-catching.

For a selection of pictures from the day click here.