Welcome to the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers

To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest garden railway event of its kind in the UK. To be held on Saturday April 10th 2010 in Hall 2, Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV8 2LZ

Doors open 10:30am. Show closes 5pm

·   Over an acre of exhibition space, all under one roof, plus restaurant serving hot and cold food and a separate snack point serving hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and cold snacks

·   Ample free parking

·   Return bus service from Coventry Railway Station to Stoneleigh park.

·   71 traders ranging from specialist 16mm products to commercial modellers tools

·   Publicity stands from Ffestiniog, Talyllyn, Fairbourne, Penrhyn and W&LLR railways

·   13 layouts showing live steam (including coal firing) and battery electric locomotives

·   Entrance fee £5 in advance for members, £8 on the door. Accompanied children under 18 free

·   Advanced ticket purchase until early April 2010 for members available using the order form in the February "Bulletin"

·   Member to member sales stand offering the chance to acquire second hand 16mm equipment at highly competitive prices

·   Help & Advice stand manned by friendly and helpful experts on most areas of the hobby

·   Model of the Year (MOTY) Competition recognising the many different talents in 16mm modelling

·   Association AGM to be held at 14:00 (Membership card required to vote)

·   Join the Association on the day (See times below)

·   Collect Association 2010 Publicity leaflets on the day

·   Grand Prize Draw - 22 Super Prizes to be won, including four steam locos. - Tickets available with theFebruary issue of “16mm Today” – as well as on the day.

·   Junior activities – juniors will be given the opportunity to operate trains on the Dixon Green layout, throughout the day

To find out more about the show please click on one of the following links:

2010 Special Attraction: 101 Hunslets

Show Timetable

*** Updated *** What to see at Stoneleigh (New and Interesting releases)

Show Floorplan

Junior Activitiy

Bus Service

Grand Prize Draw

Layouts

Model of the Year (MOTY)

Member to Member Sales

Traders/Suppliers

Catering Arrangements

Other Useful Links

We are proud to announce a very special visitor at the 2010 show – "Edward Sholto".

This full sized quarry Hunslet will be the centrepiece of a display celebrating the fascinating history of this historic locomotive builder. We want to make this history come alive by running and displaying 100 16mm scale Hunslets throughout the day.  'Jack Lane' layout will be located near the full size Hunslet and will be the prime spot to see most of these engines in action. Our target is to see 100 16mm scale Hunslets throughout the day to make a grand total of 101.

...and here is 'Edward Sholto' almost ready to attend the show

To make this wonderful celebration happen, we invite YOU, the membership of the 16mm Association, to bring your model Hunslets to show and run them. So, if YOU have a 16mm scale model of one of Hunslet's finest (whether a quarry Hunslet, a battery powered diesel or one of the larger locos), we'd like you to bring it to the show and steam it up on 'Jack Lane' (or one of the other layouts at the show). We aim to make this an Area Group activity, and we will try to ensure that you are running with people from your area. If you are not a member of an area group don’t let this deter you as we’ll have some general slots too.

To register for this very special event, please click the following link to complete an entry form or see application details by post which will be in February “Bulletin”. Please note that whilst the show is open to the general public, due to insurance restrictions only members of the Association will be able to run locomotives at this event.  

Click here to register to run your 'Hunslet' loco

Junior Activity at the Show

Calling all junior members and junior family members!!  Do you want to help operate one of the layouts at the show?   

You can bring your own loco (gas-fired or battery-electric, 32mm gauge, only) and/or use one of the battery-electric locos (with train) that we will provide. You will be operating Dixon Green. This layout has 2’6” radius curves, so is suitable for smaller locos. Running must take place with the consent of a parent and under the supervision of an adult family member. You can use your own loco only if it is owned by (and operated with the consent of) someone who is a member on the day of the show.  

To book your place in advance of the show, please email: treasurer@16mm.org.uk  Your email should explain what (if any) loco you will be bringing, how long you want to spend operating the layout and the name of the adult family member who will look after you. Bookings on the day of the show may be possible, but only if there are still places available.

Bus service

As the use of the bus is dwindling, the costs are becoming disproportionate to the benefit it gives to the few members who use it. We have therefore decided to offer the service again this year but with a £2 charge to contribute to the cost of providing it.  

The bus will run two trips from Coventry railway station to Stoneleigh in the morning (at 09.45hrs and 10.45hrs) and two trips from Stoneleigh to Coventry railway station (at 14.45 and 16.30hrs) in the afternoon.

Return tickets are available at £2 in advance from Ian Shields via the February issue of "Bulletin". Tickets will also be available for purchase on the bus on the day. This is a return ticket from Coventry railway station to Stoneleigh and back. Tickets will be inspected/sold by a steward who will board the incoming buses at the gatehouse and also on the return journeys. Tickets will also be on sale during the Show at the entry desks. 

The chance to see an enormously diverse range of locomotives and rolling stock at work

1. Dixon Green Light Railway - Yorkshire Area Group
2. Birches Barn extension - Dave Watkins
3. Phurcombe Hall (Vintage Loco Layout and Display) including the Don Boreham Collection
4. Merioneth Town - part of the Don Boreham Collection featuring vintage locos
5. Ttarrag Shed - 16mm Garratt Operators Association
6. Ridgmont - Bedfordshire Area Group
7. Nant Mawr - Huddersfield Railway Modellers
8. Indian Hill - John Sowerby
9. G-Scale Society Publicity Stand demonstration layout
10. County Donegal Railways (45mm) – John Campbell
11. Timpdon Lakes (32mm) – Chris Mackenzie
12. Mount Dowd (32mm) – Yorkshire Area Group
13. Port Able (45mm) - Nick Midgley

Model of the Year (MOTY)

The annual Model of the Year (MOTY) competition takes place at the show. This long-established and prestigious competition allows members to showcase their modelling and engineering skills in the construction of locomotives, rolling stock and lineside structures.

MOTY 2010 - Information for entrants

General Rules

Models should be 14 – 22mm/ft scale, and of a narrow gauge nature. They can be of any gauge. (This is a change from the rules published in November 2009 SMT). All models must be the entrant’s work. Any purchased items used must be declared on the entry form. There is no restriction on the use of such components, however they will be taken into account by the judges during marking.

Classes

Steam Locomotives

There are three categories principally for steam locomotives although if someone were to enter a petrol electric in the Allcomers’ we would not turn it away!

The ALLCOMERS’ LOCOMOTIVE CUP is intended to show off the very best locomotive models. Previous winners of the Jack Wheldon Trophy and equivalent or professionally built models are the quality expected.

The JACK WHELDON MEMORIAL TROPHY is the class for fully or partly scratch-built locomotives.

The ROUNDHOUSE TROPHY is the home for steam locomotives built principally using Roundhouse proprietary components. If three or more items from boiler, frame, cylinders and valve gear and superstructure are used, either as bought or modified, then an entry will fall into the Roundhouse class. The organisers’ decision is final on the subject!    

Non Steam Locomotives

If your model is specifically of internal combustion engined outline with battery power, then it qualifies for the BUTTERLEY TROPHY, otherwise if it is of steam outline, a model of an electric, or air-powered locomotive or something else, then it falls into the ANDREW NEALE CHALLENGE CUP classification.

Lineside items, buildings, bridges, signals, railway track itself, railway related road vehicles naturally compete for the LINESIDE TROPHY.

Other Classes

In recent years, the most popular MOTY class has been for rolling stock. Mick and Janet Mobley have very kindly donated the Imp Models Shield to the Association, and we have decided to award it to the best entry of passenger vehicles as the IMP PASSENGER STOCK SHIELD

Goods, or more strictly, non-passenger, vehicles will now contest the ROLLING STOCK TROPHY.

In either of these last two classes, please bring along no more than 12 axles per entry, unless you can find a single vehicle with more than 12……

The GORDON DIPLOCK TROPHY is for unusual, imaginative or whimsical models, which in general will not be a replica of anything that really existed!

Members aged under 18 are eligible for the JUNIOR CUP, regardless of the nature of their model. In addition their models will be entered in the appropriate main category.

In the case of  younger members, a degree of adult assistance is acceptable.

The quality of some of our Junior entries is such that I expect one to win a senior category soon.

If that ultimate 16mm gas turbine-electric locomotive is not quite ready in time for Stoneleigh, or you have any other model. finished or not. that you think other modellers would like to see, please bring it along and show it off in the LOAN SECTION. There are no entry formalities or awards for this group.

Remember that there is now no restriction on the gauge of entries.

Administration

If your proposed entry is particularly large or heavy, please let me know in advance.

There will be facilities at the side of the building for the early entry of models to save you from having to queue before 10:30 clutching your handiwork. However, unless you have accreditation as a steward, or exhibitor or as a layout operator, you MUST have an advance entry ticket.

To allow more time for photography, judging and the displaying of entries, the closing time for entering models is 11:30.

Additional written or photographic details of your model will be welcome. It helps the judges and the Editor of SMT who will be on the lookout for magazine material.

To speed up the process on the day you can download an entry form for the competition by clicking the link below, filling it in and bringing it with you on the day.

Download a MOTY Entry Form

If you have any queries, comment or want to volunteer to help at all, please contact me at the Company Secretary’s address company.secretary@16mm.org.uk

Neil Bowden

• Friday - 3 vending machines serving hot drinks, cold drinks and snacks (chocolate, crisps, muffins, a few sandwiches). The machines will be available all day.

• Saturday breakfast - hot drinks and breakfast baps available to traders and others inside the hall from 8.00. Same available to those queueing, to be sold from a stand at one of the restaurant firedoors, from about 9.30. Breakfast to close at 11.00.

• Lunch in the Strollers restaurant - carvery with 2 alternative meat choices + veg (£6.95); vegetarian option (£6.50); chicken & leek pie + veg (or similar) (£6.50); also soup, sandwiches, hot drinks, cold drinks etc. Open 12.00 until about 3.00. The precise menu will be decided by the chef closer to the date of the show, based on the availability of produce - all of which is sourced locally.

• Coffee pod - open 11.00 until 4.00. Selling hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and snacks with a small seating area.

Read about the 2009 National Show