THINKING OF YOU ON YOUR BIRTHDAY MUM Xxx [25/02]

Always missing you promise not a day goes by now when I don't think of you. Love you loads, you brought us into this world and then had to leave us I have some comfort that you are reunited with Dad and hope that one day soon I will be with you both again. Thinking of you as I make a wish for you on your Birthday Mum. Xxx

You are still very special to me, always will be. Love you x

It saddens me that I don't have many more pictures of you to enjoy, but at least I have some lovely ones from your wedding day to Dad hung on the wall at home which helps me when I am low. I know you didn't like having your photo taken anyway, much like myself, just wished I had a few more x. 

MUM AND DAD WEDDING 1961

Love you so much, always in my heart, so sad that you had to leave us so early, you would have been a great Grandma to Graham's boys and so proud of Sue now enjoying life in Australia with James and Hannah. I will be visiting the Hanworth Crematorium Rose Gardens on the weekend. Xxx

RISBOROUGH & DISTRICT MODEL RAILWAY CLUB - 2019 Model Railway Exhibition

Risborough & District Model Railway Club
 -- Risex 2019 Model Railway Exhibition
 -- Saturday 23rd February 2019

ADDRESS:
Community Centre, Wades Park
Stratton Road, Princes Risborough,
Buckinghamshire HP27 9AX

OPENING TIMES:  10am to 5pm
ADMISSION:    Adults £4.00        Children £2.00

The whole of the Community Centre in Princes Risborough is taken over one day in the spring each year. Allowing local modellers to display their layouts and model making. Large car park adjacent to the Community Centre. Half hourly bus service from Aylesbury or High Wycombe. Ten minute walk from Chiltern Railway station with regular trains from Birmingham, Banbury, Aylesbury or London Marylebone, 25 minutes drive from M40 Junction 6 via B4009. Light refreshments will be available.

One of the layouts that is attending is 'Ealing Road', this was built by the Missenden Modellers for the Channel 5 TV series 'The Great Model Railway Challenge', which you may have seen back in October/November of 2018, the theme of their heat was Movies and the team opted to base theirs on a medley of the Ealing Studios films of the early fifties, regarded by many as the high point in British Cinema.

List of Layouts Attending :

7mm Scale.
Central Works O Gauge, Exhibited by Luton Model Railway Club, the location is based on the intense network of sidings that once existed at Longbridge, Birmingham. This enables us to run a great variety of locos and stock from the late 1950s through to the 1960s.

Beldam Road, Grange West Tramway

Grange West Tramway (left), O-16.5 Gauge, Exhibited by John Dean, the layout isa fictitious narrow gauge system situated in the middle of England. It is modelled in O-16.5 (7mm) and depicts Beldam Road station on a non tramway section.

Canute Road Quay

4mm Scale.
Canute Road Quay (right), OO Gauge, Exhibited by Graham Muz Muspratt, Canute Road Quay is a dock / quayside layout located somewhere around the Canute Road area within Southampton Docks operated primarily by the Southern Railway between 1946 to 1949. Occasionally it can be operated in different eras such as early or late British Railways periods.

Ealing Road, OO Gauge, Exhibited by Missenden Modellers, built For the Channel 5 TV Series 'The Great Model Railway Challenge', the theme of the heat was movies and the team opted to base theirs on a medley of the Ealing Studios Films of the early fifties.

Mount Road Shed, OO Gauge, Mark Bacon, Set in the Late 1960s, almost at the end of steam, see this fictitious shed that has been created based upon Mark's early childhood memories of Leicester.

Norwood Road (above), OO Gauge, Exhibited by Simon Paley, with Norwood Road set in the 21st Century, it remains unchanged since BR days, services are now in the hands of Southern and London Overground, while also seeing some Thameslink services as the route is used as an occasional diversionary route.

Ottilies, OO Gauge, Exhibited by Andrew Hicks. This is a double sided layout set in Yorkshire during the LNER period, with a town station scene on one side and a county station scene on the other, the whole layout folds in half for storage.

3.5mm Scale.
Lemmington Park (below), HO Gauge, Exhibited by Western Model Railway Society, a station in the outskirts of Chicago, on what was once a through line but now truncated to serving as an outer-suburban terminus receiving push-pull trains as used by Metra.

Salinas Valley, HO Gauge, Exhibited by John Baggaley, This is a small US switching layout, with relatively modern rail served industries. It is assumed to be situated on the outskirts of a city in the 1960/70s.

1:148 Scale.
Whitmoor, N Gauge, Exhibited by Astolat Model Railway Circle , the layout has a continuous run, via a fiddle yard, on a double main line through the station. Additional terminal platforms at one end of the station are intended for branch line traffic and suburban traffic to the 'Big City'. The layout includes a goods yard and locomotive depot.

Directions to the Exhibition

By Train
Princes Risborough is served by a fast, frequent Chiltern Railways service from London Marylebone in the south to Birmingham Snow Hill or Banbury in the North and from Aylesbury via the branch. Taxis are available from the station forecourt. From the station, go down Station Approach, turn right into Station Road, then immediately turn left into Manor Park Avenue, then take the second left into Stratton Road follow this until you reach the Community Centre.

By Bus from Aylesbury/Wycombe Bus Stations
Catch the 300/X30 service bus and alight at the Market Square in Princes Risborough, then it's just a 5 minute walk, down Church Street and into Stratton Road, follow the path round the Mount Carpark and the Community Centre is the first on the right.

Nearest Railway Stations:
Princes Risborough [0.47 miles]
Monks Risborough [0.73 miles]
Little Kimble [2.31 miles]
Saunderton [3.42 miles]

MAP:

HILLINGDON RAILWAY MODELLERS 2019 OPEN DAYS -- SATURDAY 16th FEBRUARY

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

Welcome again, it's time for the first Open Day of this year at Hillingdon Railway Modellers, these regular events are very popular and the next one will be held on Saturday 16th February 2019.

Haven't attended here for a little while so this is a good opportunity to get myself over there and give a few of my Dads O Gauge models a bit of a run out since I've no room for a layout at home and I don't want them to live in boxes forever. I aim to hopefully get there for the afternoon with a few items in my bag to try out and also update a few pictures too. It's always a popular day and doors open to the public at 10:00am. 

Address 

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. 

Club Events For 2019

Date	Description
12/13 January	Grindley Brook to Chiltern Model Railway Association (CMRA) Exhibition, Stevenage
7 February	AGM (members only)
16 February	Test Track Open Day
6 April	Test Track Open Day
8 June	Test Track Open Day
24 August	Test Track Open Day
19 October	Test Track Open Day
14 December	Test Track Open Day

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 truly incredible.

Everyone will get their turn to run on each of the test tracks I  promise but it is popular and a queue system will usually operate.

I hope that these pictures give a good indication of the size of the O Gauge test track, you can give your models a really good work out here. This formation can also transform into an exhibition layout called Grindley Brook a scenic section replaces the long straight down the back.

This layout was shown at the Warley show at the NEC Birmingham in November 2017 and will have recently been making an appearance at the Wigan Show in October 2018 so well done to all concerned getting this large layout out there to be enjoyed by people far and wide. 

Grindley Brook station approach

Grindley Brook Station

A few more pictures from some of the previous 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. 

Couple of Dads models (right) , Jersey and Caen simple looking Class B4 0-4-0 engines but plenty of detail and most of all I really like them. 

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]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD, MISSING YOU ALWAYS, LOVE YOU LOADS Xx

        Love and miss you Dad Xx






My wonderful Dad should have been celebrating his 85th birthday today, I miss him so much every day. Our families lives were changed forever in a way I couldn't imagine when you were taken from us, I so wish you were here now to advise me, admonish me, and keep us safe.

I'll never forget what you did for me, Dad you should be happy and so proud knowing that Graham and Susan turned out so well and have each brought up an amazing family, Sue especially as she enjoys her life in Australia with James and Hannah I regret not having the mental strength to follow their example and to also have made you proud. I will raise a glass to your memory, and have never stopped missing you, loving you and wishing you were here now. 

Love you loads, missing you, but wishing you were here to celebrate your birthday with us xXx

RAILTOUR -- THE LOOE BRUSH (Branch Line Society)

The Branch Line Society presents "The Looe Brush" Tour. This tour will take place in early February 2019 and is a story in two parts, first of which is known as 'The Positioning Move' which will be held on Saturday 2nd February 2019, followed by the 'The Looe Brush' tour itself on the Sunday. 

The Positioning Move - Saturday 2nd February 2019

Approaching Craven Arms via the Marches route.

This single journey forms the first part of a rather special weekend of loco-hauled rail touring with West Coast Railways (WCR) in partnership with Brush Type 4 Fund, featuring two Class 47 locomotives to Bristol via The Marches. Our route highlights include Oxley Chord, Shrewsbury Curve, Maindee Curve as well as Craven Arms goods loop and Pilning loop. 

There are a wide range of hotels (and bars!) in Bristol making this an easy social day out with some unusual routing along the way, and an ideal 'positioning move' for Sunday! The charter will be raising money for St John's Hospice in Lancaster and Railway Benefit Fund. A Buffet Car will serve drinks and light refreshments and a number of photo stops are planned along the way. 

Timings and routing are provisional but validated by WCR and bid to Network Rail as follows: 

Lancaster d11.16 - Preston 11.52 - Crewe 13.27 - Stafford 14.29 - Oxley Chord - Abbey Foregate Curve (Shrewsbury) - Craven Arms Down Goods Loop - Maindee Curve (Hereford Loop) - East Usk Reception Road No2 (requested) - Bishton Flyover - Pilning UPL - Bristol Temple Meads a19.01. 

The Looe Brush - Sunday 3rd February 2019
This charter is the second part of a rather special weekend of loco-hauled rail touring with West Coast Railways (WCR) in partnership with Brush Type 4 Fund, featuring two Class 47 locomotives operating top 'n tail from Bristol Temple Meads to lovely Looe and return. This can only be done during the winter Sunday timetable when there is no branch service. 

Our route highlights include Fairwater Goods Reception, Exeter Riverside Yard, Tarmac Moorswater, Looe branch loco hauled, South Devon Railway connection, Westbury avoider and Heywood Jn crossover. 

St John's Hospice Lancaster

The charter will be raising money for St John's Hospice, Lancaster and Railway Benefit Fund. A Buffet Car will be available serving drinks and light refreshments, and a number of photo stops are planned along the way. We are extremely grateful to Tarmac Moorswater and South Devon Railway for their support with this charity project. There are also options to alight at Totnes or Plymouth for those seeking a longer off-train break. As many are aware, passenger use of the significant 'strategic connection' between the main line and the branch at Liskeard is not normally permitted and an approach has been made to Network Rail to clarify the current position. 

Both timings and routing are provisional and subject to confirmation but are validated by WCR and bid to Network Rail as follows: 

Bristol Temple Meads d08.10 - Taunton 08.59 - Fairwater Yard Goods Reception - Tiverton Parkway 09.37 - Exeter Riverside Yard Down Goods (on the Up side) - Exeter St Davids 10.14 - Newton Abbot - Totnes 10.51 - Plymouth 11.25 - Liskeard (rev) - Tarmac Moorswater (rev) - Looe (1 hour break/rev) - Coombe Jn (rev) - Liskeard (rev) - Plymouth P8 (photo stop) PU 17.07 - Totnes 17.40 - South Devon Railway RM - Totnes RM - Newton Abbot - Exeter St Davids 20.04 - Tiverton Parkway 20.25 - Taunton 20.41 - Castle Cary - Westbury Avoider - Heywood Jn (rev) trailing crossover - Hawkeridge Curve - Bath Spa 21.59 - Bristol Temple Meads 22.16.