HILLINGDON RAILWAY MODELLERS 2020 OPEN DAYS -- OFF TILL FURTHER NOTICE

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

Hello everyone, would have been promoting the next Open Day of this year at Hillingdon Railway Modellers. Sadly due to the current climate and circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus Outbreak these regular events scheduled for 4th April and 6th June have had to be postponed. Our apologies to anyone who was planning to attend. As further news develops we will of course update later in the year with information about future Open Days and other events. 

Click the image for video of test track

Location

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. 

While it's disappointing for us enthusiasts, collectors and modelling experts there are much bigger issues at stake during these worrying times. So please keep following NHS advice, stay safe, be nice, don't panic and I'm sure we'll be back to some sort of normality in the near future. Take care, 'Back Stronger'.

SPA VALLEY RAILWAY - SPRING DIESEL AND BEER WEEKEND [CANCELLED]

Spring Diesel & Beer Weekend
Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd March 2020
COVID-19 UPDATE

Please note, in line with what many other heritage railways and similar organisations have done, the Spa Valley Railway has suspended all train operations until 25th April at the present time.

We hope to re-open for our Peter Rabbit event on the 25th & 26th April, in the event we have to remain closed this event will be moved to a date later in the year and all customers re-booked automatically and contacted by email. 

Cancelled Events/Running Days:

• Spring Diesel Weekend 21st & 22nd March 2020.
• Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th March, including the High Weald Belle.
• Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th, Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th April, including all Dining Trains.
• Easter Specials 10th to 13th April. 
• 15th, 16th, 18th (Class 31 Running Day) & 19th April, including all Dining Trains.
• Transport Film Festival 11th & 12th May (due to older volunteers unable to dedicate time to organise due to COVID-19)
• 35th Anniversary of Line Closure Event 11th & 12th July (to allow our volunteers to concentrate on the Summer Diesel Gala). 

This would have been the railways first enthusiast event of the 2020 season where our heritage diesels, including visiting Class 20 D8188, take to the stage for two days of diesel filled action. Our resident fleet will be joined, subject to successful test runs following lengthy maintenance and a period of traffic by Class 20 D8188 courtesy of the Somerset & Dorset Loco Co. Ltd. The 1000Hp BR Green Bo-Bo will arrive by road from the Midlands and will be the 5th member of the class to operate on the Spa Valley Railway, others being 20118, 20110, D8098 and D8059, the latter also owned by the Somerset & Dorset Loco Co. Ltd.

Our popular two train service at 45-minute intervals will be in action, including a brake van ride to Eridge on the Saturday morning, plus a selection of beers and ciders will be available for you to enjoy from our award winning bar car 'Kate' and at Eridge, whilst stocks last! Day Rover tickets are valid ALL day so if you travel on the Saturday you can ride the trains from the start to the end which includes travelling on the evening Fish & Chip/Ales on Rails trains for no extra cost, the only catch is food and drink aren't included!

Locomotives:
Drewry 2591 'Southerham' (Saturday Only)
Class 10 D3489 'Colonel Tomline' (Saturday Only)
Class 20 D8188 – Courtesy of the Somerset & Dorset Loco Co. Ltd.
Class 31/4 31430 'Sister Dora'
Class 33/0 33063 'R.J.Mitchell'
Class 73/1 73140
Class 207 DEMU 1317 (Saturday Only)
BR Standard 4MT No. 80078 (Sunday Only, Mother's Day)
All of the locomotives and units listed above are subject to availability and the Spa Valley Railway reserves the right make changes to the locos/units line up without prior warning however we will always endeavour where possible to communicate in advance any changes.

Coaches:
Rake of 4 MK1s with Bar Car 'Kate'.
CIG: Class 421 3CIG 1497. 
(pictured below just outside Groombridge)

Real Ales and Ciders:
There will be a range of Beers and Ciders available on board the train with 'Kate' shown as Set A in the timetable and in the Waiting Room at Eridge.

Real Ales in Kate:
High Weald Brewery - Chronicle 3.8%
High Weald Brewery - Comet Pale 4.2%
Kent Brewery - Bounty Hunter 5.5%
Kent Brewery - Twelfth Night 7.4%
Mad Cat Brewery - Red Ale 3.9%
Mad Cat Brewery - Ninth Life 5.9%
Old Dairy Brewery - Spring Top 4.0%
Old Dairy Brewery - Mosaic IPA 5.3%

Ciders in Kate:
Dudda's Tun - Cherry 4.0%
Dudda's Tun - Salted Caramel 4.0%
Dudda's Tun - Apricot 4.0%
Dudda's Tun - Sweet Apple 5.3%

Real Ales at Eridge:
Harvey's - 1859 Porter 4.8%
Harvey's - IPA 3.5%
Westerham Brewery - Spirit of Kent 4.0%
Westerham Brewery - Family Stout 4.5%

Ciders at Eridge:
Dudda's Tun - Blackcurrant 4.0%
Dudda's Tun - Spiced 4.0%
Please note, this is not the same scale as the CAMRA Real Ale & Cider Festival in October and there will be no bars at Tunbridge Wells West, Groombridge or on Set CIG.

Fish & Chip Supper
On Saturday 21st March, we're running one of our popular Fish & Chip Supper trains, this is either a separate stand alone ticket, valid from 19:00 on the day or you can buy a combined Day Rover and Fish & Chip Supper ticket. It is just £25 to buy a combined ticket which is all day travel plus an evening meal delivered to you at a selected table! It is otherwise if purchased as a stand alone product £15 so a saving of £5 when combining the two tickets otherwise.

Evening services will be hauled by Class 20 D8188 at the Tunbridge Wells end and Class 31/4 31430 'Sister Dora' at the Eridge end.

Ales on Rails
It wouldn't be a Diesel event without the evening beer trains, the visiting Class 20 and resident Class 31 are the two locos to power the trains into the evening and you can join us on board for just £10 and enjoy the fine selection of real ales (and ciders!) we have on offer and your first pint is free!
Driver for a Tenner
Take a driver for just a Tenner on some of our locomotives at Eridge and Tunbridge Wells West! You can have a go at driving one of these powerful machines a short distance, you never know, it might just be the drive you need to get your volunteering started at the Spa Valley Railway.

Brake Van Rides
You can take a ride behind Drewry 2591 'Southerham', Class 10 D3489 'Colonel Tomline' and Class 20 D8188 at 09:30 from Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge and return, just £3 extra on top of a Rover ticket (so £18 total) with all takings going towards the railways upkeep!

Timetable
Tunbridge Wells West Departures:
Saturday 09:30 (pre-booked Brake Van ride), 10:00 and then every 45 minutes until 21:15. Sunday 10:00 and then every 45 minutes until 16:45.
Eridge Departures:
Saturday 10:00 and then every 45 minutes until 21:15 and then the last departure is 21:50. Sunday 10:45 and then every 45 minutes until 16:45 and then last departure is 17:20.

MIDLAND RAILWAY BUTTERLEY - TEDDY BEARS WEEKEND 29th MARCH 2020

Teddy Bears’ Event
“If you go down to the woods today……”, well not the woods exactly, in fact your big surprise is actually at the Midland Railway – Butterley. Throughout the year they will be hosting a number of very special Teddy Bears’ Weekends. You will be greeted by the larger than life Butterley Bear and there will be special Teddy Bears’ displays around the railway, featuring about 200 bears of all shapes and sizes. New for 2020, in Deeley’s Tearoom there will be an interactive display and colouring competition.  There is a themed children’s competition with a small prize for every completed entry and all entries will go into  a prize draw with the winner receiving a special railway bear. Special offer: Any child brought in by their own Teddy Bear will be able to travel free of charge.

The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway with a difference.
You can ride through the Derbyshire countryside behind on of a fascinating collection of locomotives in a restored carriage and you can explore a huge museum complex and a country park.

SWANWICK JUNCTION SIGNAL BOX

The Museum Complex includes a large railway museum, the West Shed Experience, Midland Road Transport Group, Stationary Power Gallery , National Fork Truck Heritage Centre, Golden Valley Light Railway, Butterley Park Miniature Railway, Swanwick Junction Model Railway, Demonstration Signal Box, and even a Victorian Railwayman's Church The main building has been moved and rebuilt from Syston in Leicestershire. Back at Butterley Station, the building was moved from Whitwell in North Derbyshire and there is the Garden Railway and the Alfreton Model Railway display.

The narrow gauge Golden Valley Light Railway uses stock collected from local industry, and even from as far away as Poland. The star item in its collection is the Ashover Light Railway coach that is under restoration after being rescued from use as a bowling clubroom for 50 years.

Garden Railway
The Garden Railway Layout is to be found in the former goods yard, opposite the signal box, it is operated by the Butterley Garden Railway Association (BGRA) and live steam trains are usually in action on Sundays. Both 32 and 45mm gauge trains can operate on the layout.

Model Railway
Butterley Station is the home of a large model railway layout run by the Alfreton Model Railway Society (AMRS) on the platform just past the Buffet. The 4mm/00 gauge layout, called Midland Road, is usually open at weekends and on seasonal peak days. The layout features a variety of scenes including stations, tunnels, goods yards, farm yards and much more besides.  Children of all ages, including those “over 21”, love watching the model trains on the move and hunting for the hidden gems amongst the scenery.