• Z Scale Index •
Home •
N Scale Index •
>>>>> Exhibitions Index • BREITENFURT DIARY <<<<<
Breitenfurt – Ost and the
>>>>> Exhibitions Index • BREITENFURT DIARY <<<<<
Breitenfurt – Ost and the
ZEDEX 2012 MODEL RAILWAY CONVENTION
— Organised by the
Oxford Model Railway Club, 2012/10/14 —
NB. Javascript is required to view images.
)
This was my first, and last, time attending the Oxford club's annual Zedez convention and exhibition being
held in the Kingston Bagpuize and Southmoor village hall. ("First" because it was but "last" because it
really was too far to go from home, requiring a 1200 mile (2000km) round trip and some 23 hours on the
road.) In spite of that it was well worth the effort and cost and I enjoyed what little I was able to see
of the exhibition.
As the name implies, Zedex is mainly a Z scale exhibition but also represented were Nm and 2mm scales
(see below). Included among the exhibits were three layouts based on British outline. Hopefully some of
the stock used will be on the market in the near future which could increase interest in Z scale in the UK.
)
Because of a mix-up with my SatNav I didn't arrive at the hall until shortly before the convention
opened. This resulted in a massive under population of trains on the layout which, because of the number of
visitors (far more than I had been led to believe!) who were showing an interest in Breitenfurt –
Ost. As a result several of my more interesting trains and locos never got out of their boxes although my
recently repaired Henschel-Wegmann did make an appearance.
I was delighted to meet one hitherto e-mail only friend and Piers Milne, who very kindly covered for me
while I had lunch and dashed round the rest of the exhibits, camera to hand. I just wish I had had more
time as there were many questions I needed to ask but didn't get the opportunity.
I would like to thank the organisers for inviting me to attend and Piers for putting them up to it.
SCALES
Z scale standard gauge is 1:220 (1.4mm/ft) scale running on 6.5mm (1/4 inch) gauge track.
Nm metre gauge scale is 1:160 (2.1mm/ft) scale running on 6.5mm (1/4 inch) gauge track.
2mm metre gauge is 1:152 (2mm/ft) scale running on 6.5mm* (1/4 inch) gauge track.
*This could be slightly out; a scale 1 metre gauge would give 6.58mm
The layouts are listed below in alphabetical order.
Most of the images will fit within a 1024 wide screen.
Z scale standard gauge is 1:220 (1.4mm/ft) scale running on 6.5mm (1/4 inch) gauge track.
Nm metre gauge scale is 1:160 (2.1mm/ft) scale running on 6.5mm (1/4 inch) gauge track.
2mm metre gauge is 1:152 (2mm/ft) scale running on 6.5mm* (1/4 inch) gauge track.
*This could be slightly out; a scale 1 metre gauge would give 6.58mm
The layouts are listed below in alphabetical order.
Most of the images will fit within a 1024 wide screen.
Bahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost – Z scale by Chris Manvell. (Click on thumbnail images to see them full size.)
Breitenfurt – Ost is a fictitious Bavarian mainline station in the early 20th century.
As well as carrying through traffic, the station is the junction for a small branch line which disappears into
the hinterland. The trains themselves come from several of the old Länderbahnen (state railways) as well as
the later DRG (Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesselschaft). The loco shed is home to a number of very early Bavarian
locomotives. The 6'x2' board has enough room for a six road hidden yard, holding a variety of trains.
Due to my late arrival, and hurry to get round the other layouts, not only did I fail to put out many of the rare items I had taken, but I only took two photograph of Breitenfurt at the exhibition so I have included a few pre-exhibition images to go with them.
Due to my late arrival, and hurry to get round the other layouts, not only did I fail to put out many of the rare items I had taken, but I only took two photograph of Breitenfurt at the exhibition so I have included a few pre-exhibition images to go with them.
)
)
)
)
)
California Coast – Z scale by Eric Jones
A simple single track mainline, with a spur, running up a typical length of Californian coast between Los Angeles and San
Francisco. The bleak desert environment is punctuated by a small group of 'get-away-from-it-all' residences.
The trains are typical of the area apart from one interloper - a heavily modified LNER Class A3 Pacific
locomotive, No. 4472 (originally 1472), the Flying Scotsman, which visited the area on tour in 1968-9.
The layout is 8ft long by 18in from front to back and presents mixed eras.
Featured in Continental Modeller, October 2009 and Ztrack, March/April 2010.
)
)
)
)
Falsdorf – Z scale by Anthony Waltzman
Modelled in a guitar case, Falsdorf is situated on the Swiss/German border among spectacular mountain scenery.
A variety of modern era stock could be seen running on the single track mainline and through the town's modest
station with its small freight yard.
)
)
)
Güglingen – Z scale by Dave Burbidge
Güglingen is a small rural township served by a wee terminus station boasting limited freight facilities that
are still in use. From there the line, which is served mainly by railcars and railbuses, climes through a
figure of eight to climb up the valley eventually to join the main line to München (Munich). Guess where the
train will emerge next!
)
)
)
)
)
Kendorf – Z scale by Ken Jones.
A simple single track emerges briefly from a rock tunnel to spread out to three tracks as it passes through
the small station serving a few local houses and a village somewhere off scene, before, returning to single
track, it plunges into another tunnel to return to the hidden sidings behind the spectacular rock scenery.
The whole 1230mm x 500mm layout is enclosed in a transparent case which, sadly, interfered with the camera's
ability to get sharp images. Well, that's my story.
)
)
)
)
Mini Missoula – Z scale by Gareth Rees.
Inspired by the Montana Rail link (which runs between central Montana near Billings to eastern Washington
State at Spokane), this switching layout is quite capable of fitting on a normal book shelf. The simple
blue sky background gives an impression of immense space in spite of the it boxing in the small layout which,
for the exhibition was mounted on an ironing board! The layout had been developed considerably since last
year's Zedex.
)
)
)
Osterburken – Z scale by John Baines
Two layouts-in-a-box. Osterburken is a village adjacent to a mainline. A railbus served rural branch passes
round the edge of the village and into a cutting. In reality the track plan consists of two loops with facing
and trailing crossovers joining them. The layout can be run in either day- or night-time modes as it is fully
lit.
The second layout is a folded figure of eight line in a snowy winter landscape. Very simple and picturesque.
The second layout is a folded figure of eight line in a snowy winter landscape. Very simple and picturesque.
)
)
)
RheingauZ – Z scale by David and Iris Guscott
David writes "The layout is meant to be at Ruedesheim/Bingen. The Rhein should be over a metre wide to scale,
the towns much bigger, no bridges and the river Nahe is missing." What makes this model different is the live
river traffic with Rhine barges fighting against and running with the strong Rhine current. This is of special
interest to me as I stayed in the area back in the late 50s and visited both Rüdesheim and Bingen (where I
bought a Fleischmann wagon).
Featured in Continental Modeller, October 2012, p. 654
)
)
)
)
)
St Frazaled sur Mer – 2mm metre gauge by Simon Newitt
St Frazaled sur Mer is a small Atlantic coast resort and fishing village and is served by a 1 metre gauge
rural railway typical of so many rural areas in France. The trains are all drawn by the ubiquitous
Autorails used in the Reseau Breton and Côtes du Nord regions. The station name, St
Frazaled le Chateau, hints of a local chateau somewhere nearby. (Previously shown as "Somewhere in France".)
Featured in Continental Modeller (date not known).
)
)
)
)
St Tugdual – N scale metre gauge by Roger Main
Like St Frazaled, St Tugdual is on the Côtes du Nord. Again, we have the rural metre gauge line with
it's Autorails handling all the traffic.
)
)
Samstadt – Z scale by David Dash
In a fictitious location somewhere in modern day Bavaria, Samstadt is a small walled town in the base of a
steep valley with a main line station which is also the start for a preserved line that wends its way up
through the hills to its far terminus at Vikdorf (image 3).
)
)
)
)
Sankei City – Z scale by Peter McConnell
This a is a freelance model of a Japanese station serving the off-scene Sankei city. Unlike the ubiquitous
Märklin this layout uses pre-ballasted Microtrains track. It also feature all three types of traction: steam,
diesel and electric. The buildings are all built from card kits.
)
)
)
)
)
Schwabbeln Bauermaister – Z scale by Stephen Cranford
This has to be my favourite layout and I would dearly love to own it! The massive Alpine scenery is host to
three separate lines. At the base level is a standard oval shaped layout with the usual style hidden sidings.
The two other layers appear to be out-and-back-again patterns. All the layers plunge in and out of tunnels
which is fascinating for children. The modelling is superb.
Featured in Continental Modeller, October 2012, p. 678.
)
)
)
Shasta – Z scale by Kevin Smith
Based on the Shasta section of the Sacramento Valley which runs between Redding and San Francisco,
California, where the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads compete with each other back in the 1990's.
The layout was running a selection of impressive trains that dwarf their European equivalents.
)
)
)
)
)
Smaldeburgh – UK Z scale by Brian Yallop.
Unusual in depicting British outline trains, Smaldeburgh is modelled on the old pre-Beeching Great Eastern
branch line to Aldburgh. All the buildings and rolling stock were scratch built and the points were modified
to use wire in tube operation, thereby being divested of the intrusive Märklin point motors. The bucolic
atmosphere of the rural line is portrayed to a 'T'.
)
)
)
)
Standen Watchett – British Z scale by Graham Jones
Pre-nationalisation LNER in a fictitious location on the East Coast main line, Standen Watchett was possibly
the longest layout of the exhibition with the station at one end and a viaduct leading into a tunnel at the
other and a far length of mainline between. The rolling stock and locos were all built to a professional
standard using CAD with a 3-D printer and transfers to detail the models locos and coaches. Sadly I was not
able to talk with the owner to find out more about his models as he was very much in demand!
Note. The final image 1400 pixels wide so will probably be scaled down by your browser if your screen is narrower.
Did you spot the pun?
Note. The final image 1400 pixels wide so will probably be scaled down by your browser if your screen is narrower.
)
)
)
)
)
Swizerland on the Move – Z scale by Chris Atkinson.
A simple layout plan representing a main line through a Swiss tourist area. (Is anywhere not a tourist area?)
The simple layout enabled smooth running of trains through the environment. All forms of transport are
represented including a manually operated funicular railway at the right hand end; very popular with children.
)
)
)
WLSR – 2mm narrow gauge by Brian Denton.
A British 2mm narrow gauge railway under construction. All the track was constructed by the owner and one
can only guess at how it will look once it has been clothed by the imagined countryside that will be served
by it.
)
)
)
More photographs, by Kevin Smith, can be seen on
Trainboard. Also,
he has posted a 10 minute video of Zedex 2012 on Youtube. (Please note: the layout shown as "Breitenfurt" is, in fact, "Switzerland on the Move". Breitenfurt Ost is not on the film.