A trip to DEFine Modellers Day

James and I made the trip to Derbyshire for DEFine’s Modellers Day this weekend.

Splott – industrial modelling to a very high standard. We were really taken by this.

It’s not like a normal exhibition, it’s mostly demonstrations with a small number of layouts which gives a chance to chat in a relaxed and friendly environment. And I talk a lot anyway, so it seems an ideal day out for me!

Splott

There are some layouts at shows which get plenty of attention, but it takes a lot for a layout to get a lot of attention when only half of it is displayed and with only a couple of wagons on it. But Splott was just this – we were really taken by it. Steel workings in the Sectorisation period is very much up our street anyway, but when the modelling is this good, it would be hard for anyone not to be engrossed in exploring the layout. It really reminded me of parts of Scunthorpe too – the buildings are superb and really capture the feeling of this sort of location. I can’t wait to see it in its full form!

DEFine Modellers Day

The venue itself was a small village hall which made for a nice, intimate atmosphere. Unlike many village halls, it wasn’t cold or draughty, despite the horrible, murky weather outside. And the sandwiches were good too!

James S helps fund Shawplan’s next skiing trip!

The variety of demonstrations was excellent – I spent most of the day talking to a wide variety of people. All aspects were covered from track to wagons, scenery to coaching stock as well as Ian Penberth from PenBits demonstrating his superb sprung bogies.

Paul Gittins’ lovely 08 built from a Lima body and Crownline chassis – a similar approach to one of my planned 08s.

I was particularity taken by Paul Gittins’ display of his diesel modelling in P4. Paul’s Enigma Engineering is well known on the exhibition circuit – a small shunting layout which visitors can operate – but I’d not scene his mainline stock before. The 08 was based around a Lima body with a Crownline chassis (this chassis will be the basis for one of my locos) and despite the issues of the original Lima model, it looked superb! Oh, and it ran beautifully too.

Similarly his class 22 betrayed its basic origins, using a Hornby class 21/29 body which had been shortened, fitted with new Plastikard sides and roof overlays and running on a much modified Roco chassis. A superb example of diesel modelling!

Paul Gittins’ absolutely lovely Class 22, converted from a Hornby 21/29 body with Plastikard details and running on a much modified Roco chassis. Superb.

We had a lovely time and spoke to plenty of  equally lovely and interesting people! We’ll be going back next year!

A close up of Splott.