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I take your point. But the beauty of this layout is the use of a lot of models that were made around the same time the layout is set. I had 4 Lima class 33s in the 1980s. Not only is it nostalgia for the real thing but also playing trains at home. This layout shows that 40 year old tooled models can still stand on their own merit compared to modern hyper detailed (and eye wateringly expensive) versions with a bit of detailing and careful painting.

@@andyhoward1001 Many of those Models were not available in the 1970-80's ! In those days Hornby simply churned out junk toys, not Models. Since the late 1980's you can thank Sandakan Hong Kong, and since the late 1990's PIKO (ex East German company with a new plant in Canton China) for Hornby's current locomotive Range. Roco (Austria) for Hornby's absurd Code 100 track, (which Roco would never use themselves) and it seems also Roco (Vietnam plant) for some of the other accessories ! So I'm fully aware of who makes what all across the Planet. As I also used to be a European Major Importer, Wholesaler & Retailer of all the Japanese main ranges ! There's nothing wrong with your exhibition layout. If I had to be really "nit picky" I'd say minimum radii on your layout is too low, so will cause one or two minor operational issues. What I'm pointing out is simply that the best current "British Outline" from any manufacturer is effectively a "Dumbed Down" version of what's available in other markets. So Japanese Outline "N" Gauge ranges 30years ago, had technologies included in their models then, that the British are still totally unaware of. Such as "Illuminated rotating destination blinds; High grade 5 pole skew armature motors, with double flywheel drives; "Clip Out Quick Clean" motor bogies; Real life scale working couplings (Buckeye & Scharfenburg); Interior Seating that changed with the direction of the train as per real Japanese trains. And on steam locos, proper "Reversing Valve gear". To name just a few ! And their models usually retail at between 25 & 40% of current British prices ! The Model Railway Market size in Japan, as I had to explain to the Directors of Marklin 20 years ago. Is bigger than the whole of the rest of the World put together, 3.4 times over. Indeed TOMIX the Worlds biggest producer (a subsiduary of TOMY TEC), has an annual turnover in BILLIONS of US$ Dollars. Something that flabbergasted the Marklin Directors at their annual Model & Hobby Tradefair in Nurnberg at that time. (The Marklin family run that tradefair annually which is the Worlds Biggest with over 13,000 Manufacturers present). Indeed I used to gleefully take a handful of ignorant British Model shop owners to that show, annually, to wake them up to the fact they were all playing "Island Monkey" !

​@@andyhoward1001, well said , nice layout and LIMA 33s

Ha ha. Thanks for the sarcastic comment. Very funny Mrs Howard (my wife). You enjoyed it really… at least Rodney being named Dave (made my day as well).

Thanks for watching. We bought a ticket intending to ride some late afternoon trains but didn’t use it as it all went to pot in the afternoon and we didn’t want to get stuck!

Thank you

Thank you. It was very atmospheric.

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it. Tonbridge is a popular spot to watch trains. Pity there wasn’t a lot going on this day. Cheers Andy

Thanks 👍

Glad you enjoyed it

Thanks Phil. I was probably there 6 or 7 hours so not massively busy. By the way, I know all about Preston Summers - I grew up there. That’s why I moved “down South”

Thank you

Thank you. Not quite as good over here compared to the monster locos you get to see every day though.

Hola. Gracias.

Thank you

Thank you Wojciech. Yes, class 66 dominates freight here, but I believe some Freightliner ones escaped to 🇵🇱

@@andyhoward1001 Thanks for the answer. There are presumably approx. 40 Class 66 locos in Poland: Freightliner PL and DB Cargo Polska.

​@@wojciechzalewski6648 cool gbrf are putting 66 engines in 56s to make the 69 lol so they have more things of the strength without buying more

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you. The 70 is running from British Steel Redcar to a recycling facility at Longport (recycled into road stone I guess). I saw the same train the day before and it took the Birmingham line.

@@andyhoward1001 Thanks Andy for the info. Regards Les

Thank you. The stored 60s have been there for years. Who knows what the plans for them are.

So much stock of 60s looks like grave yard 😢 can’t believe how big the site is and very full up not much going on a lot of static locomotives everywhere thanks for sharing really good mixture of freight trains 👍

Sure was.

Hi there. Yes, all views taken from public access land. The views later on are from the Brian Clough Way over bridge. There’s a lay-by on the Derby bound carriageway and you can walk up to the bridge.

@@andyhoward1001 Many thanks, I'd discounted the road so I've been racking my brains as to where for example people take shots similar to this on Flickr and tried walking along a track 90 degrees from the canal towpath where the A52 crosses the canal and battled through undergrowth to try to find a way up the embankment which lead me nowhere lol.

@@andyhoward1001 Hiya Andy, hope all is well with you.... Do me a massive favour though bud... Don't park in the middle of the lay-by though please.... Its where I park my articulated truck, if I'm up that way and wander down the road to the bridge with notebook, pen and binoculars at the ready.... Thank you so much...

Many thanks!

Thank you very much!

Was good to see pros in action.

Thank you. Was a great few hours.

Hello James. As far as I know they’ve all gone (or are in their way) to Longport for modifications. Cheers Andy

You’re not wrong 😊

Thank you

Hope you like your vid. It’s another Andy Howard who has the excellent Two Bridges I’m afraid - wish it was me as that’s my favourite region/era.