Exhibits | Admission | How to get there | Leaflet PDF | Show Report
One Day Vintage Toy Train Show 2014
St John's Church, Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3JN.
South London's Premier Vintage Toy Train Show with around 7 different working layouts, trade stands, collectors clubs stands and light refreshments. Trains from around 1920 to 1980.
Saturday 5th April 2014 10am - 5pm
Layouts
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Bassett Lowke 0 Gauge - our main feature this year. Adrian Capon and Mark Carne’s trains date mostly from 1925 to mid 1960 with a mix of mass produced (some of which were obtained via cigarette coupons) and special scale model rich man’s toys. Bassett Lowke was very much the top mass produced range compared with Hornby and others. This layout is a ‘loose lay’, assembled this morning just for this show.
Lionel American O Gauge – mass-produced and America’s equivalent to Hornby and still in production today. Adam Heeley has put together this loose layout this morning which shows the range and the play value built in, something that is sadly lacking in today’s modern plastic but expensive 00 model trains from Horny and Bachmann.
Big Big Train by Tri-ang – in the Sixties Triang branched out from their ‘normal’ 00/H0 trains to produce this battery powered automated operation 0 gauge range which they labelled as “Big Big Trains”. Steve Smith puts this layout together to show their full operational capability and great play value. These trains have been ignored for many years, although for many years 0-Gauge scale modellers adapted some of the excellent moulded rolling stock, for their layouts. But now “Big Big” attracts a lot of interest in its own right.
Hornby Dublo 3 Rail – Martin Wood’s small but excellent layout shows off the predominant quality range of toy trains of the 1950’s. Hornby Dublo took over from Hornby’s O gauge range as their main seller after the war as houses got smaller. Hornby Dublo produced diecast metal locos which were superior in their day to most scale models.
Wrenn – Chiltern Hills Group HRCA – when Hornby went bankrupt in 1964 the range was taken over by their main rivals Triang. After some years the Dublo models and tools to make them were sold off to Wrenn who continued to produce for many years the locos, plastic coaches and wagons from the Dublo range. Wrenn also produced some unique locos and a Brighton Belle electric train of their own. Wrenn was also the first to realise that if you made the locos with different names and numbers you would sell a lot more. Wrenn trains are much sort after today.
Triang 00 – the use of lower cost plastics and simplified manufacturing saw Triang take over from Hornby towards the end of the 1950’s. Neil Smith and Les Martin are running the early Triang 00 trains. Although ‘cruder’ than Dublo their significantly lower cost and greater play value ensured their success. Once more a loose lay layout put together specifically for our show.
Triang BattleSpace and Minic Motorway – Dave White is running Triang’s high play value ‘BattlepSpace’ trains combined with Triang’s slot car range ‘Minic Motorways’. Triang provided much play value in these trains with rocket and missile launchers that worked (so watch out in case you have to duck!!), exploding wagons and helicopter launchers. But their very success meant that most were played with to destruction and not many survive intact. Minic Motorway was designed to fit in with the trains although to avoid the cars crashing into the trains at the level crossings some modern electronics have been added.
Trix Twin - the first really successful 00 Gauge range from the 1930’s although subsequently over shadowed by Hornby Dublo. These are Peter Tewkesbury’s own trains from the early ‘50’s. His layout is largely based on Southern Railway rolling stock and does include some repaints into Southern Models that Trix did not produce themselves. Trix Twin was unique in that long before the advent of modern DCC, you could operate two trains independently on the same track, hence the name Trix Twin.
Marklin Continental H0 – Roger White has previously exhibited his scenic Marklin layout at Beckenham. Today he has put together a loose lay Marklin layout that shows the play value of these superb trains.
Traders
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Mike Delaney
Cliff Maddock
WM Collectibles
Elaine's Trains
Brian Baker
Bexley Models
B&WWMRC Club Shop
Collectors Clubs
Light Refreshments
Club Shop
The above list of exhibitors is correct at the time of going to press. The Beckenham and West Wickham Model Railway Club reserve the right to substitute or cancel any entries.
Admission
£4.00 per Adult, Children (under 16) accompanied by an adult free.
How to get there
Click HERE for a map.
By Train: South
Eastern Mid Kent (Hayes) Line to Eden Park from Elmers End
(for Tramlink),
Clock House, Lewisham (for DLR),
London Bridge- 10 minute walk.
By Bus:
Nearest stops are about 10 minutes walk from St John's Church.
Click here for bus maps.
Route 194 (Sydenham - Penge - Beckenham - West Wickham - Shirley - Croydon) to Eden Park
Route 352 (Bromley - West Wickham - Beckenham - Lower Sydenham) to Crease Park
Route 356 (Shirley - Elmers End - Anerley - Forest Hill - Upper Sydenham) to Eden Park
Route 358 (Orpington - Bromley - Beckenham - Penge - Crystal Palace) to Eden Park
Route 367 (Bromley - Beckenham - Elmers End - Shirley - Croydon) to Crease Park
By Car:
Only limited disabled parking on site.
Further:
From the West, Junction 6 of the M25, then A22, A2022 Sanderstead,
Selsdon, Addington, Coney Hall, A232 West Wickham, A214 Beckenham OR
From the South East or Dartford Crossing, Junction 4 of the M25,
then A21 Bromley, A232 West Wickham, A214 Beckenham.
Local: From Beckenham, Elmers End and West
Wickham. The Church is in Eden Park Avenue, off Upper Elmers End Road.
Please speak to a steward if you have special requirements such as requiring
wheelchair, parking or access.
Why not come along and see our layouts for yourself ?
Please Contact Us for further details.