USER FRIENDLY
DONCASTER 2016 (1)

Well, the move to Doncaster racecourse by the National Model Engineering and Modelling Exhibition, was rated a good one by exhibition manager, Gavin Rex and endorsed by patriarch, Lou Rex, who started it all off 23 years ago. Both agreed: “it’s a super space to work with.”

It certainly is an excellent space, wide for a racecourse grandstand, and which is large enough to contain almost the entire show, with a second space upstairs to house some of the club displays next to an excellent food hall. It was a popular move with visitors.

The main hall was certainly filled to capacity with trade, club and competition model stands, yet there was space to move around without being too crowded. The organizers seem set to make this the new home for years to come.

Doncaster has been home to the oldest classic horse race, the St Ledger, since 1776 with winners including Leading Light, Oh So Sharp, Bustino, Nijinski (and half a dozen others ridden by Lester Piggott), and the fillies, Never Say Die and (inspiration for a headline) User Friendly. Now it is also the home of some of the greatest model engineers of the age.

One of them, Mike Sayers, showed off his Bentley blower engine, now looking very much on the road to completion. Perhaps to be finished and running by the time of the next Doncaster show?

There were a number of excellent models shown in competition, some familiar, and others making their debut. And many gems on the club stands. Here is our impression of models that might be new to MEWS readers. This second part covers non-railway railway items. Railway models here.

Click on a picture to enlarge, or download for larger still. Or play slideshow.

See part 1 here