George Dent writes:
Having thoroughly enjoyed last year’s exhibition, I made sure to keep the weekend of March 23 ‐24 free and headed for the MIOG 2024 show, held once again at Crewe Heritage Centre and organised by the Modern Image O Gauge group – a friendly bunch of enthusiasts whose aim is to promote modelling of the post-steam era in 7mm scale.
I arrived on the Saturday morning and was treated by the sight of two gleaming Class 20s, 20118/132, showing off fresh new coats of Railfreight ‘red stripe’ livery. The twin ‘Choppers’ had been moved to the venue especially for the event, courtesy of Locomotive Services Group.
They joined the various regular exhibits that include the sole surviving APT ‐P set and a selection of Crewe-built classics such as 87035 Robert Burns and 91120, recently returned to its original InterCity ‘Swallow’ livery, plus a pair of HST power cars.
The model show was held within the exhibition hall, with a fascinating selection of ‘O’ gauge layouts large and small. The 1970s Woodhead-themed ‘Netherwood Sidings’ proved particularly popular, as did ‘Hillport Goods’, ‘Glasshouse Loan’, ‘Ballan Road’, Love Lane’, ‘Norman Colliery’ and ‘New Croft’.
‘Wheal Demelza’ was particularly interesting, being a minimum space ‘O’ gauge layout set somewhere in Cornwall, with a baseboard built completely from cardboard. ‘Lowery Road’ had a familiar name, as it was built partly by Model Rail’
