2024 Exeter Model Railway Exhibition

It's been a very long time since I attended at model railway show, but it was certainly great fun to see such a superb collection of detailed layouts at the 2024 Exeter Model Railway Exhibition in Marsh Barton!

I wasn't able to film all the exhibits, but the one's I did film I shall give a brief overview below in order of appearance:

0:00 - Introduction

0:36 - Nucor Sub
My personal favourite of the day, hence the amount of footage, this is a modern image layout of the American railroad system in southern Montana, featuring all manner of freight and passenger locomotives working for the BNSF and the Montana Raillink, as well as run-through power from the Norfolk Southern and Amtrak.

04:33 - Tidworth
Set in the late 1980s to early 1990s, this layout conjures images of the former Network Southeast system around Ashford, including diesel-powered Speedlink freight trains hauled by Class 47s and the once ubiquitous Class 205 Thumper units.

05:31 - Woolbridge
Harkening back to a pre-war scenario, this small layout covers a rural Great Western Railway branch terminus deep in the heart of the West Country, as served by a functional goods yard and a single-platform train station operated by an Autocoach service.

06:09 - Durston
Again themed around the Great Western during the pre-war era, this route envisages a larger mainline station and goods yard that is served by express trains hauled by Star-class 4-6-0s, while the expansive sidings are worked by the once common GWR 0-6-0PT.

07:15 - Lydford Road
Similar to Tidworth but on a smaller scale, this depicts another late 1980s to early 1990s scene of the Network Southeast sector, this time on the electrified network to include a 2EPB unit as well as various Southern Region diesels on Speedlink trains.

08:13 - Bridport Town
Another personal favourite, this exceptionally detailed little layout depicts a historic narrow gauge railway with a varied selection of goods and passenger services going about their duties on a sweet little diorama.

10:38 - Cheffley
Depicting a classic pre-war Southern Railway scene, this route shows a branch line in similar vein to the likes of the Swanage Branch, with a small goods yard and a single-platform station served by a rudimentary tank engine passenger train.

12:21 - Wedmore
Again based upon the former Great Western Railway, this time it depicts a post-war scenario of a branch terminus deep in the heart of the West Country, as served by a functional goods yard and a single-platform train station operated by an Autocoach service.

14:34 - Gara Bridge
Based on a real-life station, Gara Bridge was once situated upon the Kingsbridge branch of south Devon between Brent and Kingsbridge, and is here revived in the form of a British Railways era scenario featuring early diesel hydraulics, a first-generation DMU set and an abundance of steam.

16:59 - Newvaddon Parkway
A modern image depiction of the railways around southern England, this scene shows a variety of contemporary traction amidst a modular yard and station layout, with Class 66s, Class 800s and various DMUs all in evidence.

18:47 - Southgate Park
Once again depicting the former Network Southeast region, this route is set firmly in south London, as attested to by the presence of functioning Underground tube stock rumbling past in the background, while Class 442, Class 455 and slam-door Southern Region stock jostle for position on the mainline alongside freight trains.

22:12 - Upwey Junction
Once again, another depiction of a now-closed station on the former Western Region, this time being a post-war image of Upwey Junction station near Weymouth during the British Railways era, where various plucky tank engines ply their trade around the station and yard, interrupted occasionally by mixed-traffic 4-6-0s and alike passing through with mainline freight trains - note also the trainspotter taking flash photography at the end of the halt platform.

Enjoy! :D