Events in 2022

Ted Polet

Valkenburg show, 27/28 August 2022

Three years after the last show at Valkenburg, finally we had another one, following several disruptive years. The Valkenburg show is a small model railway show that manages to attract a great deal of interest. In addition, it functions as a meeting point for many Dutch Group members - we were happy to see Bert van Rhijn and Jan van Mourik. Dutch Group layouts featured were Jaap Stuurman's industrial riverside layout, Peter Soonius' Pierre de la Haye market garden layout in 0e, Lucien Eijdems' Zweifelsfall, Dick Schuurman's interpretation of a German island railway, and my own Nixnie and Creag Dhubh Summit.

A busy time in front of the layouts

Cloppenburger Kleinbahn H0e (Helmut Heinert)

Train by the late Reinier Hendriksen crossing a bridge on Nixnie

Dirk Schuurman's interpretation of a German island railway

Jaap Stuurman and Hans Kamps discussing Jaap's industrial layout scene along the river near Alblasserdam

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Dutch Group meeting, 17 June 2022

The June meeting was rather a curious affair. Due to extensive roadworks at Peter Soonius' place, his house had been nigh on inaccessible for months, so the meeting was delayed for a long time. In addition, two members were absent due to illness: Jan van Mourik and Bert van Rhijn. I visited Jan at his home last Wednesday to fit a replacement motor in one of his steam tram locomotives, then took him down to Lex Hoogesteger's place to see their joint project Sluis with my own eyes. Sluis features in Jan's project pages, but I made a few photos of my own. The layout looks absolutely stunning and has already featured in national and regional newspapers. Jan has done a great deal of detail work, including building interiors, lights and rolling stock.

Then on Friday we met at Peter's place. There were six of us present, and our new member Michel van Peenen had brought a large selection of his rolling stock, which already featured on the NGRM forum under his username Carrotteer. We were much impressed by his fine workmanship. I myself had brought a selection of models including the GER steam tram look-alike, the new railcar no. 6, and Bert van Rhijn's scratchbuilt Tralee & Dingle horsebox. Upstairs, Peter showed us his 0n30 layout Henniger Lumber Co, a tribute to John Henniger, a deceased artist and modeller, whose locomotives he obtained from his estate.

Due to the unexpected absence of Bert at the meeting, once returned home I decided to run an extra service over my layout, railcar 6 hauling Bert's horsebox, which accounts for the final photos.

Goods train arriving at Sluis - Jan van Mourik & Lex Hoogesteger.

009 models on the table as we met at Peter Soonius' place.

Peter Soonius' mutinous 0n30 layout!

Bert van Rhijn's Tralee & Dingle horsebox on a special working behind Ted's new railcar 6, on the C&DR.

Photos