I was delighted to be invited, once again, to show Bahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost at the Elgin MRC's
Modelfair. This was my 4th year at this event and during that time visitors to the modelfair have seen the
layout progress from an embryonic form through childhood and adolescence to be nearly in its final form.
There were 46 stands at the fair, of which 13 were layouts varying in scale from Z to 0.
Bahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost drew a lot of attention and positive comment from the visitors, and
the other exhibitors, many of whom said that they would vote for it as best of show. (It didn't win.) Also,
apart from a few problems with derailments, mostly near the end of the exhibition, the layout and trains were
very well behaved throughout. The layout was situated in a side room but that
didn't seem to affect the number visitors.
I would like to thank the organisers of the event for inviting me and for their support throughout the exhibition. Also I would like to thank Gerry Coogan for filming the layout. (Click here to see his videos.)
Z scale. Representing a fictitious Bavarian mainline station and junction circa 1905, the layout is slowly reaching its planned final form, with just a few more details to be sorted out.
Image 1: A Prussian freight train waits on track 3* while, at track 4 passengers get on and off a Bavarian express. Meanwhile
mixed traffic and branch line trains sit on tracks 1 and 5.
Image2 & 3: The same scenario from the front and the left end.
Image 4: A detail from Image 1
Image 5: A Bavarian S
3/
6 is being turned while the loco shed houses a rare selection of early locomotives
Der Adler (first loco to run commercially) poses with a gaggle of Bavarian locos, including B VIs, a C II, a D VI & a
PtL 2/2 'Glaskasten'. The peat burning B VI is coupled to a high pressure sleeper impregnation wagon. A B VI can
be seen entering the station on the down main line track 2.
Image 6: The B VI from image 4 has arrived on track 2 pulling a replica of King Ludwig II's royal train (Hofzug).
Image 7: Another detail, from the previous image, showing the newly fitted footbridge, yet to be fixed in place.
Image 8: The end of the (branch) line with a Bavarian Gt 2x4/4 Mallet with a short freight.
* German railways use track, not platform, numbers, the mainline tracks are numbered 1 (nearest to the station building) to 4 and
the remaining tracks numbered 5 (branch line platform) to 7.
Other model railway layouts at the exhibition.
Stand E04. Harry Clyne – Scratch built models
A collection of scratch built large scale model locomotives and rolling stock.
Stand E5. Banff Terminus – Ian Noble.
Sorry, I didn't get to see this layout while dashing round the exhibition.
Some photos can be seen here. (Use "Back" to return to this page.
Stand E8.Teesside Steel – Jeff Wetherell.
Stand E9.Cragganmore – Elgin MRC.
O scale DCC. (I'm not sure if the last two images belong here.)
Stand E11.Rockfield Road – Inverness and District MRC.
N scale DCC. A layout based on Scottish west coast mainline working.
Stand E21. Thomas the Tank Engine – Elgin MRC.
OO scale. With two public controllers, families and friends can drive Thomas and one of his friends round the layout.
Stand E22. Tram City – Fred Dilley.
N scale. An example of how modern trams could run in a traditional city. It is NOT a model of the Edinburgh tram system!
Stand E24. Pagoda Bay – Rolf Schmidt.
T Scale. A depiction of imaginary town on the east coast of Japan, set against the dramatic backdrop of Mt. Fuji.
Stand E25. Cramdin – Joe Skinner. Winner of Best of Show shield.
OO Scale. Fully automated compact layout, based on Southern practice, with train, barge and Minic car.
Stand E31. Melburgh – Graham Crawford.
OO Scale. A fictitious LNER station in the Scottish Borders handling a range of goods for a wool mill and local town.
Stand E32. Craigellachie – Moray MRG.
Craigellachie is, as far as is practicable, a true to scale replica of the Speyside station of that name
as it was in the 1950/60s.
Stand E34. Farrist – Sean Thomson (young modeller from Mosstodloch).
It's three tracks carry a number of steam and diesel hauled trains.
Stand S9. DCC Train Automation
A layout demonstrating the advantages of DCC operation and sounds.