M5-M50 Narrow Gauge Modellers – report 29 February 2016
Next meeting: Monday 28 March (Easter Monday).
Our Leap Day meeting leapt into the record books with a total of 37 people attending, including one junior. Nevertheless there was enough cake and coffee to keep everyone happy, despite Bob Ayers not being able to attend with his usual cherry cake. It was good to learn that Richard S continues to make a good recovery from his stroke, though he is not well enough yet to return to our meetings.
More details of the plans for the proposed show on 07 October 2017 in Tewkesbury were revealed, including a dedicated website for the show being set up shortly. Provisional invitations will soon be sent to layout exhibitors, traders and societies. Please contact Nicolas if you would like to attend but have not been approached already. We are seeking layouts in a variety of narrow gauge scales, not just 009, and more traders or sponsors would be particularly welcome. Many group members attended the NGSW show in Shepton Mallet recently and we hope to make the Tewkesbury show at least as good as that event.
On the 009 test track Adrian Ponting was running a 25 year old Baldwin, built from a GEM kit, hauling a short rake of new PECO four-wheel coaches based on the Glyn Valley prototypes, and a fine sight they made. Various larger scale trains were running on our other test tracks. Martyn Davies brought along a selection of 009 items from Hereford Model Centre and many people were able to purchase desired items.
You are assured of a warm welcome at our meetings, in the company of like-minded narrow-gauge enthusiasts. We meet on the last Monday of the month, our next meetings being on 28 March and 25 April, starting at 19.30 hours at Twyning village hall near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 6DF. Contact Nicolas by email nicolaswheatley@m5m50ngm.co.uk.
Nicolas Wheatley