Tonight is the first blog post of a series, showing some of the Model layouts that could be seen Solent Model Railway Group’s Exhibition held on the 23rd and 24 February 2013.  Unfortunately I was only there for a short time due to other commitments, but I hope these blog posts give a flavour of what there was to be seen.

Soberton – 4mm scale, 00 gauge – Fareham & District Model Railway Club

This is a Southern layout depicting what may have been if the if some of the railways of the Meon Valley had been developed.  It is a large and impressive layout and a credit to the Fareham & District Model Railway Club.  Club member Geoff of nictun.co.uk fame was part of the busy team on the day, who operated a variety of Southern steam locomotive models that were a pleasure to watch.

Camlas – 4mm scale, 00 gauge – Chris Thomas, Hampshire

Camlas is based on a welsh GWR branch line in Carmarthenshire in it’s heyday with plenty of goods and livestock traffic.  It is very well-executed and worth looking out for, especially if you are of a western persuasion!

Forton Hill – 1/160 scale, N gauge – Chris Churchus, Gosport American Model Railroad Group

This is a large layout that really makes the most of it’s N gauge scale by being epic in proportions!  It start’s in Water Street Yard, with local industries, has “Solent Power” – a coal powered Power Station (complete with smoke generator!), passes a large waterfall before terminating in the Indian coal mine.  It covers a distance of two scale miles and I have to confess it was one of my favourites of the day!

Victoria Ridge Street Car Museum USA – G gauge – Andy and Ryan Lamb, Southampton

An interesting large scale working tram layout, this based on North Carolina in 1960.

More Blog Posts will be published on the exhibition in due course.  As ever, watch this space!