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For visitors to our site who are not familiar with expoEM ...

expoEM events : Why not come along and meet the traders and specialist manufacturers in relaxed and informal surroundings? Come and talk to the layout operators, see how to construct a layout of your own. Plenty of advice and help. Demonstration stands include track construction techniques, modern image modelling, loco construction, signal construction and architectural modelling. Although featuring only 4mm scale layouts, much of the advice and products on sale are suitable for other gauges and scales. The EMGS does not focus on any particular period of modelling, and layouts can be seen representing pre-grouping as well as 'modern image'.

What is an expoEM?

It is NOT an exhibition, it is NOT a Specialist Group get together, it is NOT a trader show, it is NOT .... In other words, it's something very special. Back in the 1970's the Society wanted to bring to the attention of a much wider audience the benefits of fine scale railway modelling. The Society was formed in 1955 but had until that time only really been a small exhibitor at local shows. An opportunity came about in the Society's 21st Year of staging an event of its own (to become what now is known as expoEM). It was to be a public exhibition of the work of members of the Society. It was to be a 'Thank You' to the traders who had supported the Society in its formative years. It was to be a gathering of members, many whom had never met other than by telephone or post. There was to be no 'profit' motive - everything being self funded from the membership fees and the sale of publications and spare parts etc. This ideal continues to this day.

Being such a huge success, the event has been staged every year since. We have demonstrators, lecturers, working layouts, layouts under construction, a test track for those who like to run their models but don't have a layout of their own and the specialist trader members. To cater for our widespread membership, smaller expoEM events have been subsequently organised.

There is one main expoEM event which has been held for many years in Bletchley (near Milton Keynes) each May. However, due to refurbishment of the Centre it was not possible to use this venue for 2008 and so an alternative at Bracknell, Berkshire was arranged and was used again in 2009. Each year, however, we also have a Northern event which currently is held at Slaithwaite near Huddersfield in September and a Southern event held in November at Portsmouth. For EMGS members there is an additional Members' day which is combined with the Annual General Meeting which in 2007 and 2009 was held in Wakefield, North Yorkshire and in 2008 was held at Bletchley Park (The home of the "Codebreakers"). For 2010 it has been arranged for Chippenham, Wilshire.

We anticipate holding expoEM on the ‘same weekend’ dates over the next two years and have been pleased to note that due to the way in which the calendar falls, there will be a two week gap between our own exhibition and Railex, whose proximity we know has caused some comment.

We do therefore hope to see you all again this year at Bracknell. Planning is already well under way and we are expecting to put on a first class show once more.

So come along - you are all cordially invited.

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We had another great pre-Christmas show at Portsmouth with the usual high quality layouts attending. This particular event was marked by a very large contingent of demonstrators which covered almost 'everything a modeller needed to know' for constructing a scale layout. With a good selection of specialist traders, a quality Bring & Buy, and of course our own Trade stand made this an exhibition not to miss. For 2010 ideas are being considered for a new format to this event, and maybe introducing more 'workshops' where visitors can 'have a go' themselves. Watch this space!

EM layout "Hope under Dinmore" by The South Hants. Model Railway Club won the "Best Layout" award for 2009.

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The EM Gauge Society is holding expoEM at Bracknell for a 3^rd successive year. A new feature for 2010 sees the introduction of a “Guest Layout” that is neither EM gauge nor P4. expoEM showcases the best of EM and P4 modelling but the guest layout concept recognises modelling excellence in other gauges and scales.

2010 is the 64th anniversary of the S Scale Society which of course is significant since it supports 1/64 scale modelling. We are therefore delighted that Trevor Nunn has agreed to exhibit his inspirational and much admired "East Lynn" layout as our first guest layout. He will be supported by the S Scale Society demonstration stand.

This is an advanced information to ensure you can get this into your Exhibition diary. There were a few traders, some new to expoEM who could not attend 2009 but they will be there again in 2010. Similarly we have some new traders lined up. Watch this space.

Iain has traded BR 1970s ECML for a new layout, Broadford, located 72Km north of Melbourne and 216 metres above sea level, in the sheep and cattle district of south central Victoria. The model is 3.5mm scale and features 5ft 3in broad gauge using EM track with prototypical sleeper spacing. So EM track is matched to HO Finescale – another first for expoEM!

Based loosely on Seahouses, the terminus of the North Sunderland Light Railway, Kitehouses an independent light railway taken over by BR around 1949. The layout was entered in the Challenge at Scaleforum 2008 and is a demonstration of how to build a finescale layout with extensive use of kit built buildings and r-t-r locos and stock.

Modelled on the light railway built from the hamlet of Lee Bittern connecting with the LSWR Gosport branch at Fort Brockhurst. Passenger services ceased in 1931 and so ended the dream of a seaside resort to rival Bournemouth served by the branch. The original layout dates from 1979 but was substantially rebuilt and extended by the current owners, the East Hampshire Area Group of the Scalefour Society, during the 1990s.

Set in the early post grouping period this freight only operation assumes that the Brecon and Merthyr Railway built its own station at Merthyr instead of collaboration with the Vale of Neath Railway.

The line through New Hey is what is now known as the "Oldham Loop", the line that runs from Manchester Victoria, up Werneth Bank to Oldham, then on to Rochdale and back to Victoria.
Andy’s representation is set roughly in the period from 1960 - 1968, and it is always the last two weeks of June. Why? Come to expoEM and find out.

This is Colin’s venture into P4 modelling begging the question whether there is any gauge or scale in which he has not dabbled! Rixworth is set in the 1920s and located in the Surrey/Sussex border. It has a strong LBSCR influence.

A GWR “might have been” branchline based on proposals by the West Somerset Railway in 1857. Operation during expoEM will be set in the 1950s.

The year is 1966 and Saxlingham represents a station on an imaginary line from Fakenham to Sheringham via Blakeney. Main traffic is coal, sugar beet and various agricultural shipments.

It was 1,370ft above sea level, had three passenger trains each way daily but for more than a century this stretch of railway carried a staggering volume of mineral traffic feeding the steel industry on both sides of the Pennines. This is an evocative portrayal of one of the most isolated spots on the rail network.

How many people have a dream one night about a possible layout and then decide to build it for an exhibition 8 months later? Well that is precisely what Tony has done and dragged Ken into the project too. It is a dock setting doubtless somewhere on the east coast.

Traders: About 40 Specialist traders will be attending and include a few new names who have not attended an expoEM event previously. We are delighted to welcome for the first time: Dave Heswell from "The Engine Shed"; Nick Gilham "Realistic Models"; Mike Whitchurch "Shawplan"; Mike Radfford "MARC Models" and Tony Eastwood "Wealistic Models". Since last year there have also been changes in ownership of various businesses and we welcome Martin Breakspear who has taken over Blacksmith Models and Derek Russan who has taken over "Eileen's Emporium". We welcome back Charles Petty from dc kits who was unable to attend last year's show.

List of other traders confirmed: Radley Models, Brilliant Baseboards, Brassmasters, Southwark Bridge Models, Wild Swan Publications, abs Models, Dart Castings/Monty/MJT, Exactoscale/P4 Track Co.,Wizard 51L, Comet Models, GW Models, Dave Newband, Alan Gibson, South Eastern Finecast, London Road Models, Roxey Mouldings, Sunningwell Command Control, Branchlines, Steam Age, Mike King, Michael L Thorp, Hobby Holidays, Isinglass Models, High Level, Model Railway Developments, Roger Carpenter, C+L Finescale, Timber Tracks (with a demonstration), Ambis Engineering and S Kits.

As you can see a really excellent line up. A full programme will be available to download free of charge nearer the date.

This will be our 31st expoEM North, and we welcome members, guests, friends and all those who were interested in railway modelling irrespective of scale, gauge and period they model.

Layouts are being finalised for the 2010 show but in 2009 we saw EM Layouts attending: "Bonchester Bridge" A Scottish Borders layout set in the 1950s by Brian Sunman; "Lapford Road", Ken Gibbon presented his interpretation of the station on the Exeter to Barnstaple line around 1978; "Liverpool - Crown Street" by the Liverpool Model Railway Society; "Mansfield GN", a layout out of retirement by Tony Gee and Ken Hill; "Port Penman" In essence this was a micro-layout built by Ken Gibbon to test locos and stock. Very much a BR Blue era layout based on East Scotland; "Upton" by Dave Griffin was is inspired by prototypes in Worcestershire. P4 was represented by "Halifax King Cross" by Steve Hall, a typical urban West Riding scene.

The layout voted "Best Layout at Show" was "Westcliff" by Richard Butler. The layout was a worthy winner some 18ft x 3ft and incorporated a startling backscene. The sound of the beach (beach huts were also modelled) could so easily be imagined (in fact a very gentle sound from hidden speakers!). Photographs are currently being prepared and will be shown as soon as possible.

For those who wanted to "see how it was done", there were a variety of modelling demonstrations which continued to be the theme with any of our expoEM events.

Quite a comprehensive range of traders attended including the EMGS Trade stand, 247 Developments, High Level kits, Modelex, Alan Gibson, London Road Models, Bill Hudson Transport Books, Model Signal Engineering (inc. Wizard 51L), Ambis (Engineering Divn.) Comet Models, David Geen Models, Milnsbridge Models and Hobby Holidays and we expect a similar lineup for 2010.

Each year there is an Evening Buffet to round off the Saturday. Here in the informal atmosphere there is plenty to chat about. In 2005 there was a guest speaker who presented some rare footage of East Anglian branches originally taken on 8mm cine film and now converted to digital DVD. In 2006 a speaker gave a very fascinating insight to the development of Bus Tickets and Ticketing systems and for 2007 we saw the link between railways and philately and this illustrated talk covered the mail of the Travelling Post Offices etc. In 2008 some of the history of EMGS trade was presented along with general modelling trends over the past 50 years with examples of models and components being passed around. The guest speaker in 2009 gave a review of how technology has changed and how this has impacted the Society's publications. Examples of old posters, cut and paste methods, punched cards for recording membership and original printing plates were all illustrated and examples passed around the audience.