Felixstowe Area N Gauge Group
OCTOBER 2023 NEWSLETTER


NEWS FROM MEMBERS

SHOW REPORT – by Trevor
On 30th Sep members from the group supported Colin’s charity show at the Memorial Hall. Sam and George brought along their n gauge layouts and as requested I took along my army modules. The result being that all the n gauge layouts had a military theme. I'm pleased to report that the modified return board and new loop fiddle yard (which I covered in previous newsletters), were ready and performed well. Apart from some LEDs on the panel the electrics were fully completed, and the automatic shuttle on the inner line was also running (needs a small tweak to be 100%). This gives us another option for displaying modules in a straight configuration, which is easier to setup.
Thanks to David Gibson for stepping up to help me throughout the day. Chris Shum, Dave Ransome, Kevin and John popped in to support the event. The good weather looked to have held back the number of visitors, but Colin tells me he has raised around £400 for the Basics charity, which is a very good result.

LIONS CLUB SHOW Sunday 15th October by Trevor
The group will be supporting this event again this year. This time we will be taking along Clifton Creek and a modular layout using the new loop fiddle yards and a couple of scenic modules. The event is at the Leisure Centre and we aim to setup at around 9am, with event running 11-4. Members are very welcome to come along and support us / run trains. We plan to have part of one of the layouts capable of running dcc locos (probably one of the loops on Clifton).

THE INTERNATIONAL N GAUGE SHOW (TINGS) by Chris
On the 10th September, I had a day off and went to this annual N Gauge gathering.
Without doubt, it's the largest show dedicated to just N Gauge.
There were plenty of layouts, traders and also manufacturers (large and small) in attendance.
The layouts ranged from very tiny to very large and all had varying degrees of trains running on them. Like lost people, I do like to see movement on a layout - whether it's just a loco shuttling up and down doing some shunting or intensive train services on a four track main line.
Lots of secondhand items available at good, and some awful high prices, but I was pleased to add five coaches to my rake of two Minitrix blood and custard coaches at £15 each. These coaches are mint condition and I was more than happy at that price.
Farish had their usual well lit and well organised stand there, and always seem happy to candidly answer many questions.
The new 5MT's, 2MT's and Black Fives were all on show as were most of the new coaches they are bringing out.
I asked about the new Austerity 0-6-0's that EFE were bringing out, and although Bachmann distribute them, they didn't know a lot about them and directed me to the Kernow stand who knew all about them and answered my leading question of, "Why none in LNER livery?"
"Fear not", the kind gentleman said, tapping his nose with his finger, "Wait to see what arrives in the next release..." Ok, that answers my question then, had better start saving up again!
All in all, a good day out, would just like to see a few more trains running.....


NEW TOYS
A selection of our member's latest acquisitions.....

Late yesterday evening I read that the long-awaited Revolution Trains Class 128 parcels locos have finally arrived and are being sent out in the coming days. I must have had one on order for at least two years!


I lifted this photo from their Facebook post. From memory, I think mine will be the second one from the back.
The only other thing of note is some MJA wagons. I had been searching for some of these at the right price on eBay, with no joy. New ones are now coming out at £45+ a pair, which I wasn’t prepared to pay. Rails of Sheffield sent out an offer last week of £25 a pair, so I snapped up four – all with different running numbers. This brings my rake to twelve wagons, which is enough, I think. I have ordered some sand loads for them to match my existing wagons. I will be replacing the connecting bars that fit between the pairs with the Hunt couplings that I wrote about last month to make them much easier to set up on the tracks.


* * * *

Well, the Farish 5MT's are out and what cracking models they are!
Smooth runners, no wobbling from side to side and they look the part - a definite 5 star model, but we'd expect nothing else from a modern Farish offering.


Mine were ordered through Smiths Models at Sheringham as James's price matches Rails of Sheffield and all the large retailers, he gets them in at the same time the others do, and it's a good excuse to collect your goodies and have a day on the North Norfolk Railway too!
Usual disclaimer, sadly I'm not on James's payroll, he just delivers what he says he will and I'd rather support the smaller shops, none of us want them to disappear!
 

Whilst in the area, I popped into Buoys Toys in Cromer for a look round and came across two 'Colmans' wagons and two 'Gardner of Norwich' wagons, all discontinued stock, a real scoop!
I've already mentioned the Minitrix rake of blood and custard coaches.