O9 at 'Rails to the Sands', Cleethorpes

In July 2010 the Miniature Railway Museum Trust launched the exhibition 'Rails through the Sands' in conjunction with the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, in a modern exhibition space alongside the railway's Lakeside Station.

The exterior of the 'Rails to the Sands' exhibition - Colin Peake

Inside is a diverse range of miniature railway equipment and a hoard of photos and ephemera.  Of great interest to students of 15" gauge railways is 'Blacolvesley', Bassett-Lowke's steam outline 4-4-4 from 1909.  I would like to think that one day someone will get hold of a Dapol M7 chassis and manage to create this in O9....

'Blacolvesley' (L) is dwarfed by 10 1/4" gauge 'Edmund Hannay (R) - Colin Peake

Of even greater interest to O9 modellers is my own 'Shifting Sands' on display in the station room.  When I offered the layout as a potential exhibit, exhibition curator Tim Dunn jumped at the chance, although it perhaps takes his "anyone can build a miniature railway" theme to an interesting conclusion!

Shifting Sands on display at 'Rails to the Sands' - Colin Peake

The exhibition is open on all CCLR running days and on selected non-running days.  The exhibition is located in the Meridian Point Craft Centre and accessed through the Meridian Line Models shop, which is well stocked with Hornby, Bachmann and Graham Farish ready to run model railways and scenic items.

Of course the downside with the layout being in Cleethorpes is that I don't get to play trains!