KING'S LYNN MRC - FIRST MODEL RAILWAY SHOW 2017

This is the first show from the King's Lynn Model railway club. It's good to see new shows on the calendar which demonstrates that the pastime and genre is in rude health. Taking place on Saturday 24th June in the Gaywood Community Centre. Map and directions follow on below. 

OPENING TIMES:
10am - 4pm

ADMISSION:
Adults £5.00    Children £2.00 

At least sixteen layouts representing all the popular scales have accepted invitations to attend including 'Thomas 2' that can be operated by our younger visitors, as well as layouts set in the local area. There will be several traders offering a wide range of products such as books, new and second hand items for the layout as well as tools and electronics for the discerning modeller. Parking is ample and refreshments will also be available throughout the day. Have fun.

List of Layouts Attending :

Thomas 2 
- Modelled in 00 Gauge by Alan Johnson. 
This is based on “Thomas the Tank Engine” with locos and stock to match. Youngsters are offered the opportunity to operate the layout. 

Trowland 
- Modelled in S Scale Gauge by Trevor Nunn. 

The M&GN never had a small branch terminus, but this is what it might have looked like had it done so. 

Cornard 
- Modelled in 00 Finescale by Sudbury Model Railway Club 
and featured in June 2012 edition of BRM. 

Cornard is set between 1960-68, in what was Great Central territory, although it never existed in real life it is based on a cross country single track branch. The goods yard is still busy with commodities for the surrounding area incoming and local produce departing. A factory complex off scene is still rail served and various wagons can be seen shunting to and fro under the aqueduct.

All of the buildings have been scratch-built by members of the club and the stock is fitted with S&W couplings to allow hands free uncoupling. 

Ben Moor Foot Peat Railway 
 - Modelled in 7mm Narrow Gauge by Graham Morfoot. 
The Ben Moor Foot Peat Company would have been situated in North Lincolnshire. 

Trenance Quay 

 - Modelled in N Gauge by Alan Johnson. 

A fictitious location; A continuous circuit serving a busy quayside and china clay sheds. 

Recently restored after years of neglect was built as a small space exercise this "table top" layout demonstrates how much detail and character can be obtained in a limited space with N gauge.  The model owes a little to Cornwall in its concept.

Fullers Wharf 
 - Modelled in 7mm Scale by Malcolm Hine. 
The layout is set in North Derbyshire and attempts to portray an interchange between the Cromford and High Peak Railway, the Peak Forest Tramway and the Peak Forest Canal. 

Ledsam Street Yard 
 - Modelled in 0 Gauge by Colin French. 
Featured in January 2014 edition of Railway Modeller. 
The layout is a fictional micro shunting layout set somewhere in the UK in the Mid 1930s. 

Lincoln (USA) 
 - Modelled in Z Gauge by Dave Dawes. 
Lincoln is Dave's second foray Into Z Gauge after ‘California Coast'. 

East Beckton 
 - Modelled in EM Gauge by Brian Wakeling. 
The layout is a work in progress and questions are welcomed on anything including construction and the back story. 

Fox Hollow 
 - Modelled in N Gauge by Simon Fox. 
A compact N Gauge layout based in the countryside, built and funded solely by Simon himself. 

Nene Sidings 
 - Modelled in 00 Gauge by March & District MRC. 
Nene Sidings is a small freelance layout designed to form a shunting puzzle giving the operator numerous challenges. The layout is set in a fictitious location in the Fens around the Isle of Ely. Feeder track leads into three sidings, points controlled by push / pull rods. All the buildings have been scratch built by club members.

Fenton St Clare 
 - Modelled in 0 16.5 MM by March & District MRC. 
Featured in August 2016 edition of Railway Modeller. 
Fenton St Clare is set in the flatlands of East Anglia where there were several army and air bases. 

Placerville 
 - Modelled in H0n3 by Neville Doe 
Placerville is a location on the Rio Grande Southern Railroad which was built in the 1890s to serve the silver and gold mines in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, USA. 

Bay City Terminal Railroad Maintenance Facility 
 - Modelled in H0 by Bill Tharp 
The BCTR is a freelance micro-layout based on a small American Maintenance Facility in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1960s/70s. 

Grassland & Wetland Railway 
 - Modelled in G Scale by Glyn Bennett. 
The railway started as a horse-drawn tramway for maintenance and improvement of Fenland washes flood defence and drainage systems. 

Nibley Knoll 
 - Modelled in OO9 by Graham & Caroline Watling.
 -- more images found on this site. 
This layout was designed to show what can be achieved scenically in 4mm scale in the space of a table top.


Nearest Railway Stations :
King's Lynn [1.16 miles] 
Watlington [6.17 miles] 
Downham Market [10.85 miles] 

Local Map:
(Driving Navigation use PE30 4EL)

PUBLIC TRAIN SERVICE TO LINK SWANAGE HERITAGE RAILWAY WITH THE MAIN LINE AT WAREHAM

PUBLIC TRAIN SERVICE TO LINK SWANAGE & CORFE CASTLE WITH THE MAIN LINE AT WAREHAM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1972

History is to be made in June 2017 with the return of a public diesel train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham – for the first time in 45 years. The volunteer-led Swanage Railway plans to run its first diesel-hauled passenger train into Wareham station on Tuesday, 13 June, 2017.

That will be the achievement of a long-held aim by determined railway campaigners dating back to 1972 when the Purbeck branch line was controversially closed and demolished by British Rail.

The special first train will mark the start of a two-year trial public service using diesel trains operating on 60 selected days during this summer – with four trains a day in each direction between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage.

The trial public service of four return trains a day between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays until Sunday, 3 September, 2017, inclusive.

On the first day of the public service – Tuesday, 13 June, 2017 – the first public train will be the 2.23pm from Swanage that will form the 3.15pm train from Wareham.

The last train of the day will be the 4.23pm from Swanage and the 5.15pm from Wareham.

The first two trains from Swanage to Wareham and return on that day will be for Swanage Railway guests, stakeholders, volunteers, staff and supporters. Main line train operator West Coast Railways is supplying two diesel locomotives and train crews to operate the Swanage Railway's trial train service between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Wareham on 60 selected days during the summer.

With a diesel locomotive at each end, the four-carriage trains will run four times a day – in each direction – between Wareham, Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage with the ten mile journey taking 45 minutes.

Train times and fares for the Wareham service can be viewed at http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/wareham-timetableandfares

Swanage Railway Company chairman Trevor Parsons said: "This is the culmination of a far-sighted investment by our stakeholders of £5.5 million to re-connect Swanage and Corfe Castle with the main line at Wareham. "We're working very closely with our partners at Network Rail and South West Trains to finalise arrangements for what is a complex operation. "The trial public service will be historic because it has been the Swanage Railway's ambition to return passenger trains to Wareham for more than 40 years – with several generations of volunteers working to achieve this," added the Swanage Railway volunteer signalman and train guard.

After the last public British Rail train ran to Corfe Castle and Swanage in January, 1972, – leaving a three-mile stub from the main line to Furzebrook for clay and later Wytch Farm oil field trains – few people thought that passenger trains from Swanage and Corfe Castle would ever return to Wareham.

It took seven short weeks to demolish Purbeck's 87-year old rail link to the main line at Wareham but 40 long years for the Swanage Railway to rebuild it. Swanage Railway Trust chairman Gavin Johns explained: "This is the culmination of a huge amount of hard work by our dedicated volunteers and the support of our valued stakeholders.

"It shows just what can be achieved thanks to a strong vision, determination and working together in partnership.

"My thanks go to the Purbeck Community Rail Partnership, the Government's Coastal Communities Fund for its £1.8 million grant, Purbeck District Council, Dorset County Council, Network Rail, South West Trains and the Department for Transport for their help in reaching this historic milestone for Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck," he added.

To enable regular passenger trains to again run to Wareham, three miles of former Network Rail line – from south of Worgret Junction to half a mile east of Furzebrook –has been restored and upgraded over a two-year period.

That challenging work has seen 1,200 wooden track sleepers replaced, half a mile of new track laid, a quarter-mile-long embankment upgraded as well as undergrowth and drainage ditches cleared along three miles of railway line.

Linking the Swanage Railway with the national railway system, a unique and trail-blazing signalling system has been installed, tested and commissioned between Corfe Castle and Wareham in what was a four-year project.

Thanks to a £500,000 legacy donation from BP, the Swanage Railway has built a new level crossing west of Norden station – on the access road to Perenco's Wytch Farm oilfield – so that regular passenger trains can run to Wareham.

Tickets will be £15 for an adult or senior citizen day-return between Swanage and Wareham and £9 for an adult or senior citizen single.

Children, aged 5 to 15, will be £10 for a return and £6 for a single. Swanage Railway Purbeck resident's discount card holders will receive a 33 per cent discount while National Railcards will not be accepted.

HILLINGDON RAILWAY MODELLERS OPEN DAY -- SATURDAY 10th JUNE

http://www.hillingdonrailwaymodellers.co.uk/

Soon to be looking forward to the third open day of the year at Hillingdon Railway Modellers which is being held on Saturday 10th June 2017.

Feels like a long time since I paid them a visit so want to be bringing along a few of Dads models for a run, I will hopefully get there for the afternoon with a few items in my bag to try out and given them a run as it's always a popular day and doors open to the public at 10:00am. 

10 June	Test Track Open Day (confirmed)
26 August	Test Track Open Day (confirmed)
28 October	Test Track Open Day (to be confirmed)

Yiewsley Baptist Church
74 Colham Avenue
West Drayton
UB7 8HF

* the entrance is at the side of the church down a path and the doors at the end should be open, don't try and enter the main doors of the church. 

Owing to rental costs of the hall there is a cover charge of £4 but there will be two extensive O Gauge and OO Gauge Test Tracks available and have recently added a three track N Gauge circuit too (Pic Below) all up and running so if you have anything you wish to see get a good run do please come along.

N GAUGE TEST TRACK 

There are always plenty of refreshments available, Tea, Coffee and cold drinks for the youngster, in addition the freshly made bacon rolls are highly recommended. (just don't scoff them all before I get there!!)

It should be stressed that these ARE NOT exhibitions, so please bring your own locos and rolling stock to run. At busy times we may have to introduce time slots so that everyone can get a chance to operate their stock. Here's a short clip of one of the earlier open days YouTube LINK

Below you can see a busy picture of their 8 road yard in O Gauge it's a very extensive track and will give your models a very good run. A few photo's taken from the previous open days are below, if you read back to some of the earlier postings in this blog I have tried to show the variety of excellent models on show, these guys are truly experts in their craft I only wish I had some of their talents and skills.

People will bring a wide variety of stock to run, nearly all are kit built though and the skills / detail is incredible.

Everyone will get their turn I promise.

Exhibitions

Confirmed Exhibition Bookings for Grindley Brook

Date	Location
25/26 November 2017	The Warley National Model Railway Exhibition 2017 - NEC Birmingham

This picture gives a good idea of the size of the O Gauge test track, you can give your models a really good work out here. This can also transform into an exhibition layout called Grindley Brook a scenic section replaces the long straight down the back.

This layout will be making an appearance at the NEC Birmingham as above. 

A few more pictures from some of last years Open Days, though they mostly focus on the O Gauge track there are also Test Tracks available for OO and N Gauge too. There are many society members on hand who are both extremely friendly and knowledgeable too so if you have any problems with modelling or questions they will be more than happy to try and help i am sure. 

THE BUSY OO GAUGE TEST TRACK

LONDON UNDERGROUND STOCK MAKE A WELCOME APPEARANCE

N GAUGE TEST TRACK

BRIGHTON BELLE IN "N". SOON TO REAPPEAR ON MAINLINE TOO

HOW TO GET THERE:

If you are Travelling by Car

Check here for Parking Options.

Nearest Railway Stations :

West Drayton [0.34 miles]

SHILDON OPEN DAY SAT 3rd JUNE - SUN 4th JUNE

Sat 3rd June 2017  -  Sun 4th June 2017

ADDRESS;
Locomotion NRM Museum, 
Off Dale Road, Shildon, 
Durham DL4 2RE


OPENING TIMES:  
10am TILL 5pm BOTH DAYS

ADMISSION / PARKING - FREE

Shildon Model Railway Club is holding its 8th Open Day exhibition at the Locomotion Museum at Shildon. There will be Layouts from the Shildon club and 12+ guest layouts, these will be supported by 25 + traders, local groups and special model railway stands. Special attraction will be Steam train rides (A small charge applied) Admission is FREE, Free parking, disabled access, refreshments available.

Come along, see the show plus the locomotion exhibits, meet friends old and new, bring the family and have great day out for free.

List of Layouts Attending :

Shildon OO (Club layout, above) 
Norwood Yard OO 
East Thickley HO 
Tomy Toy 

Beamish EM 

Penna Lane OO (below)

Penna Lane TMD is a servicing centre for locomotives and diesel multiple units.

West Pinfold OO 
Etherly Moor OO 
Wynyard Junction G 
Northeastfield OO 
Dans Town N 
Barnstoneworth OO 
Langholme OO 
Memory Lane OO 
Hortness OO 
Peak Forest OO 
Pick Purse Goods O 
Westward HO