GMRC Series 2 – Heat Three
Heat three of the Great Model Railway Challenge Series 2 on Friday 27th September saw three more enthusiastic teams tussle for a coveted place in the semi-finals of the competition; Loco Ladies, The Cambrian Coasters and The Railmen of Kent tackled the week’s ‘Best of British’ theme with suitably patriotic verve and great inventiveness that might have made Brunel beam with pride.
In common with the other heats, the Proses HO/OO Ballast Spreader (PBS-HO-01) was put to very good use again, with some especially convincing looking track. Developing into something of a habit, the 25 piece Modelmaker Essential Tool Set (MM014) defended its 100% appearance record this week.
Woodland Scenics Inclines (WST1411) were in use on Railmen of Kent’s ‘Boadicea Park,’ which also sported a respectable copse of Classic Sun-kissed, Early Light and Apple Trees (WTR3506, WTR3507, WTR3512, WTR3513 & WTR3591); their heroic festival of Britain was suitably hosted in formal parkland drawing from a truly comprehensive range of products including Grass Roll (WRG5134, WRG5121) the full range of Woodlands Ready Grass can be seen here, Foliage, Bushes, Underbrush, (WF51, WFC57, WFC134, WFC144, WFC145 & WFC182) Lichen (WL167) and Blended Turf (WT1345, WT1346 & WT1349).
Loco Ladies’ ‘Bucolic Britain’ used Inclines too (WST1412) although their extensive foliage took the rather different form of psychedelic impressionism – via the medium of crochet! The first all-female contestants also deployed Realistic Water and effects from the extensive Woodland Scenics range (WC1211 & WC1212, WCW4531, WCW4532 & WCW4535); make sure you seal your riverbed before pouring, or it’s a bit like eating a bowl of soup in a downpour!
Cambrian Coasters debuted the technique of forced perspective using an N gauge viaduct at the rear of their layout ‘A Festival of British Food,’ creating a living backscene, home to a DMU shuttle formed of a Graham Farish Class 108 2-car DMU in BR Blue & Grey livery (371-877A).
Their festival was attended by a number of Pocketbond’s range of Classix vehicles from the period, with Austin A30s (PKEM76658, PKEM76849 & PKEM76858), Morris Minors (PKEM76634 & PKEM76832) and Ford Thames (PKEM76681) in evidence, adding to the well evoked sixties ambience.
Traction & Rolling Stock Watch (heat three) saw the delightful Midland Railway 1F Tank (31-434) for the second week running, this time operating for the Cambrian Coasters, whose stud also featured Webb Coal Tank 1054 in LNWR black (35-050), Midland Railway 4F 3845 with Johnson Tender in MR Black (31-883) and a pair of 14T Benzene Tanks (38-775) – presumably carrying haggis or pasty ingredients!
Meanwhile, Boadicea Park had Branchline GWR 57XX Pannier Tank L92 in London Transport Lined Maroon (32-217A) doing the honours on the low-level lines, prompting Kathy to comment how the winners had chosen different eras to represent the Best of British trains; clever stuff – well done!
Excellent work from all three teams!!! Congratulations from Bachmann to heat three’s victors, the family team Railmen of Kent. What feats of model railway building await us in heat four on Friday 4th October, we wonder???
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