From a pre-War promotional poster celebrating the New York Central Railroad, a remarkable, eye-catching impression of The 20th Century Limited speeding through America’s industrial heartland, showcasing all that was modern and efficient in that country’s development at the time. Both brutal and beautiful at the same time, and so different from British railway art of that era.
COMMENT
This month is mostly given over to dates for forthcoming events and a separate newsletter for December is not planned. Should any important news arise during December however, I’ll e-mail members accordingly.
PLANNED GENERAL RUNNING AND SOCIAL DAY
This was touched upon in last month’s newsletter. It will take place on the Sunday the 8th. December between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm and members are invited to bring in stock in any gauge to run on the club’s layouts. There will also be an illustrated talk in the afternoon, given by Nigel Wassell, on the last days of steam in South Wales. The talk will commence at 2.00pm. We will not be providing refreshments but the club room will be open for tea and coffee. Bring some sandwiches!
THE NEXT STOCK SALE
We will be holding one further general stock sale before Christmas and this will take place on the 12th. of December, commencing around 7.00pm.
I’d also comment that our tables at the recent Toy and Train Fair at Bronwydd Arms were extremely successful and many thanks to those who manned them for the day. For any who would like to support us a little further from home, the club has taken two tables at the Frome Model Railway Exhibition on the 4th and 5th of January 2025 [10.00 am to 4.00pm each day]. This event is managed by the Wessex Association of Model Railway Clubs, of which SRMG is a member.
THE CLUB’S CHRISTMAS EVENING
On the evening of the 19th. of December we are holding our traditional mince pie night. Sufficient mince pies are being sought by John Allnutt [!], but feel free to bring other confections to share also!
NEXT YEAR’S CLUB OUTINGS
Following the success of the two events held in 2024, it has been agreed to hold two in 2025. One is likely to be major, the other minor, in terms of distance travelled and options are currently being explored. A note will go into an early New Year newsletter to confirm proposals. Once again, the club will subsidise the cost of coach travel but we would need a minimum of 25-30 members booked to justify the expense. The possibility of a much smaller club trip to Dapol in North Wales is also being considered.
THE 2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
This will take place in the club on the 20th. February 2025. A notice for Committee nominations and other details will be issued by the secretary in due course [early 2025]. Expressions of interest in the post of Treasurer are still welcome.
RECENT MEMBERS’ CORRESPONDENCE
A note to remind all that Mike Lloyd, Membership Secretary, circulated the Welcome Pack for new members and an urgent note from Martin Evans, Chair, on future financial arrangements for the club. These papers went out during mid-November.
The Welcome Pack will be of more interest to newer members probably but all should look at Martin’s finance note as it affects everyone. Martin is interested in hearing members’ views with regard to the latter paper, so please do take time to read it. For those without e-mail, I shall circulate the finance note with your hardcopy of this newsletter.
THE 2025 MODELLING COMPETITION
The annual modelling competition will be judged on the 3rd of April 2025. Plenty of time to crack on with your projects. The criteria remain the same as always:
kit-build,
scratch-build or radically altered r-t-r [‘radically’ meaning the most fundamental changes, weathering or changing buffers for eg. will not be acceptable],
diorama or micro-layout
and junior section
As last year, entrants should note that for the Diorama / Micro-layout section, the entry must not exceed 3ft x 3ft in size and for the kit-built and scratch-built/radically altered r-t-r sections, the entries must be single free-standing models [ie. a single locomotive or a railway building, but not a rake of wagons or a collection of railway-themed items]. For eg. a modelled crane would be allowed to have a match truck because that would form a complete unit, but a tank engine could not include a Guard’s van or other vehicle or background buildings.
From Martin Evans’ collection, the shape of things to come in 1957. An absolutely mint condition flier, with timetables, etc, for the newly dieselised 3 hour express service between Swansea and Birmingham.
SKILLS WORKSHOPS
We are still aiming to provide training in the use of the club’s lathe although it might take a little longer to arrange as the lathe may need to be moved to a different location within the workshop. It will happen though. Members may also be aware that the club recently purchased a laser cutter. Training in the use of this is planned also. In the near future, a notice will go up to take expressions of interest in both items of equipment in order that the plan may be taken forward.
DAPOL O GAUGE WAGONS
The club recently purchased a small collection of earlier commissioned wagons from the estate pf a deceased member. For those who model in O Gauge, and who may be interested in considering a purchase, the wagons are the Gwendraeth Anthracite Colliery [No. 4 of 46] and Thomas Pascoe [Nos21 and 32 of 54]. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any interest in these limited runs. Images of the wagons may be found on our website at the Products section.
And that’s pretty much all for now.
Oh, before I forget, Christmas period formal opening times will be posted on the noticeboard later in December.
Best wishes