The yearly event Eurospoor was held in Utrecht in October 2013. The Dutch HRCA was invited again to show the O-gauge and the Hornby Dublo 3-rail layout. Since our last exhibition, we renamed the layouts 'British Tinplate Toy Trains'. Although most of the items are of Hornby origin, more and more trains run on the layouts are from other manufacturers from the golden age of tinplate (as Bassett-Lowke and Leeds Model Company) up until modern day representatives like Ace Trains and Darstead. This way 'British Tinplate Toy Trains' can be seen as a joint effort by the Dutch members of the HRCA as well as of the TCS.
As can be seen in the pictures below, we had our biggest layouts ever. The O-gauge layout was about 7 * 7 meters and had the capability to run 5 trains simultaneously. The 3 loops on the inside were all connected, so trains could start on the inner branch line, and after completing nearly a full circle and passing some nifty point work and a reversing loop, could end up running on the innermost track of the 3 main ovals on the outside of the layout. The outermost oval was made with original Hornby steel track, allowing locos with more fine-scale wheels, such as Leeds Model Company ones, to run smoothly too.
The Hornby Dublo layout was designed in advance with Scarm software, and turned out just to be as the design made.
A short video of our Hornby O-gauge layout was made during the days.
On the O-gauge layout we have 2 outer loops without points and no connection with the rest of the layout. These are intended for continuous, trouble-free running during the 3 days of the show. We took pride (especially Niek van Ees) to make a layout with gives us plenty of opportunities to shunt, change and alter trains during the days. Here you can see some of the interesting point work on the layout.
In this way, we could have 2 trains running simultaneously and continuously on the outer tracks for the benefit of the public (visitors like to see trains moving), while different trains could be made up on the inner track work and not only sent along the inner circuit, but could also be despatched to the innermost of the outer 3 tracks. This assured plenty of movement on the whole layout.
The station of the Hornby Dublo 3-rail layout.
Hornby Dublo 3-rail Duchess and A4.
An O-gauge layout gets more lively, when scenery and Dinky Toys are added. Below details can be seen of the Dinky Toys and figures used at the layout.
The O-gauge layout is not restricted to Hornby only. Hans van Dissel found a boxed Bryant (=Japanese Seki intended for the Western market) diesel train set from the Thirties at a sales stand at the show and had to try if it was in running condition: after some oiling and some hesitation, it did.
Peter Zwakhals brought some of his Leeds Model Company items to run. Here you can see a post-war Series II LNER 0-6-0 Tank with a rake of litho LNER Suburban coaches.
The only stall at the Eurospoor show selling vintage toy trains had some interesting items, mostly continental.
The Trix Collectors Club showed some vintage train sets.
A post-war train made of from a No. 40 Tank Locomotive (fitted with a pre-war 20 volt mechanism) with a rake of BR coaches at the Wembley Station Platform.
Details of the Goods Platform.
Hornby loco's on shed: E220 Special Compound, E320 Royal Scot, E220 Special Bramham Moor and a E320 Flying Scotsman.
As can be seen, most of the rolling stock at the show was of the LNER.
With a reversing loop in the inner track and the points set wrongly, some problems can occur with the right of way.
Eurospoor is an international show, held in one of largest exhibition halls of the Netherlands. The benefit of such a large event is that we have a full day to set up the layouts. Most of the layouts present on the show are made up from readymade modules. Our vintage layouts are built on the spot, using old-fashioned handwork. The pictures below give you an idea of the work involved. The layout team this year consisted of Fred Van der Lubbe, Niek van Ees and Peter Zwakhals for the O-gauge layout, while our Dublo layout (size does matter!) was set up by Rob Van Teylingen himself. During the show days Henk Brouwer, Henk Dubbelt, Duco Postmaa, Hans van Dissel and Paul acted as stewards. During the nights, the layouts are covered up, giving the trains a rest after a long day's hard work.
