Scottish National Scale Model Show 2026

[Martin H]

Very true in both cases 

[Rheged]

I'm thinking of heading up for this. Just been looking at transport options. Shocking! A 10.5 hr train ride from Rugby to Perth is £135 one way, the same as a return flight from Brum to Edinburgh, with no luggage..... Looks like driving is the only option in rip-off Britain once again. But at least it means I can brings some stuff for the table with me.

For all those who more regularly traverse the joy that is the M6, what's the best time to think about driving up to Scotland on a Friday afternoon? And don't say the morning.....

Past experiance tells me there is no real "good" time for the M6 south of Lancaster. Its very much luck of the draw.............
traffic normaly eases off north of lancaster most of the time. Traffic does pick up in places, mainly around Penrith and Carlisle. but nothing compared to Brum or greater Manchester. One word of advice. Keep an eye on your speed through Cumbria. The local speed camera vans love sitting on motorway bridges snapping away at those who forget the speed limit. its quite easy for your speed to creep up when theres sod all in front of you traffic wise. Tebay services are worth checking out enroute.......the farm shop and butchers are stunning but beware they aint cheap. I sometimes stop there on the way back south and stock up on local produce for the freezer back home. The food in the cafe is usaully very good as well

Once north of the border the motorway becomes the A74(M) which in the three lane sections (a good chunk of it) is no different than the M6 through cumbria in terms of traffic (normaly). The two lane sections can slow down when you get idiot HGV and/or Coach drivers who think its ok to try and over take up hill while forgetting their speed limiters are active................traffic again builds up the nearer you get to Glasgow, as you would expect. The rest from Glasgow past Sterling towards Perth is ok for the most part. The odd bottle neck here and there but nothing to worry about out side the usual peak times. oh. and watch out for the Specs average speed cameras once you hit the A9 past Dunblane......that whole section to Perth is covered in them.

As one who regularly uses the M6 from junction 20A northwards, I'd completely agree with Martin that there's no "good" time any day of the week  to use the road south of Lancaster.  North of that it's a reasonably pleasant drive. Tebay services  (both North and Southbound) are an example of what a motorway services should be! Cairn Lodge on the M74 is now one of theirs too.

[scautomoton]

Well, I managed to find a reasonably priced room for the weekend, and not far from the event either.

Now I just need to try to get the TS-140 done. Which I don't think will be too much trouble. The question is whether I can get the P.376 done too...

[PR19_Kit]

Tebay services  (both North and Southbound) are an example of what a motorway services should be! Cairn Lodge on the M74 is now one of theirs too.

Gloucester Services, both ways, are part of that group too, and I'd agree they're VERY good, albeit somewhat pricey.

But they're an obvious target for the 'Summer Holidays in Devon/Cornwall' crowd and are always PACKED southbound on Summer Fridays and Saturdays.

[Weaver]

Tebay services  (both North and Southbound) are an example of what a motorway services should be! Cairn Lodge on the M74 is now one of theirs too.

Gloucester Services, both ways, are part of that group too, and I'd agree they're VERY good, albeit somewhat pricey.

But they're an obvious target for the 'Summer Holidays in Devon/Cornwall' crowd and are always PACKED southbound on Summer Fridays and Saturdays.

Tebay always were good. When we went on holiday in Scotland when I was a kid we always used to make a point of stopping there both ways, and it was a highlight of the trip. Once my dad retired from the buses, we also used to go on the day trips for retired staff that the company organised, and any of those that went north also used to stop at Tebay.

[scautomoton]

So with this show looming, who else is attending? And is there space for a couple of half-arsed attempts on the table?

[Martin H]

So with this show looming, who else is attending? And is there space for a couple of half-arsed attempts on the table?

Im sure we will be able to make room..    

I will be there some time Friday pm to start setting the stand up. When depends on the journey up.

[PR19_Kit]

I wish, but not this year, no thanks to house moving etc.

[Gondor]

So with this show looming, who else is attending? And is there space for a couple of half-arsed attempts on the table?

I am sure you will be able to use the space that Young Nick would normally fill.


I intend to bring cake this year, to bribe the punters with, and of course for our own consumption.

[scautomoton]

Right, I am packing the car and leaving imminently. Let's hope the M6 is kind to me..... Google reckons 6.5 hrs at the moment, I'm sure its all lies....

[Gondor]

I have been too busy to make cake, so I have other consumables to take with me.

I had a message from TsrJoe early this morning; his mother-in-law-to-be is not well, so he will miss setting up. This also means that he might not make it at all, depending on the severity of her illness.

[PR19_Kit]

Let's hope the M6 is kind to me.....

The M6 is NEVER kind, to anyone! 

[Old Wombat]

Have fun, everyone who's going, & don't forget the photo's!   

[scautomoton]

After the joy of passing near Stoke, and the enjoyable M56 interchange, I am now scoffing a pretty reasonable dinner at Tebay services. As Services go, it's a pretty good one. I'd also forgotten how pretty this part of our small collection of islands is.

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, Tebay is one of THE best services in the country.

The same company run Gloucester Services, and one other somewhere else, well worth delaying a stop to go to one of them rather than the so very boring Moto sites!