M5-M50 Narrow Gauge Modellers – report 28 August 2017

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed an absence of a report about July’s meeting which your reporter missed as he was taking in the delights of various narrow gauge railways -and trams- on the Isle of Man. If you’ve never been there you’re missing the greatest concentration of NG railways in the British Isles, each well worth a visit.

Our normal monthly meeting took place again on August Bank Holiday Monday which, with some unusually warm and sunny weather, depleted our numbers to only 18. Those attending, however, still enjoyed our friendly mix of chat, coffee and cake.

Having missed the last meeting too, Martyn Davies brought an ever expanding range of 009 items from Hereford Model Centre for sale, including much Peco track and rolling stock, together with locos and rolling stock from the Minitrains range. Various items were running on our several test tracks, including some 00 scale trams brought along by Steve Mann. Simon Coward brought along a small layout which impressed us all.

Much of your reporter’s evening was spent doing some important planning for our exhibition on Saturday 07th October at Tewkesbury School, see the details elsewhere in this issue or online in the Exhibition Diary. This will be the largest and best NG exhibition in the South West since the demise of Shepton Mallet, and if successful will become a regular fixture in the exhibition calendar, though it may time-shift to February from 2019 onwards. Check out the website www.narrowgaugetewkesbury.co.uk for the latest information and details of which layouts, traders (including the 009 Society Sales Stand) and societies are attending. This show will be unmissable, I promise!

You are assured of a warm welcome at our meetings, with cake and coffee, in the company of like-minded narrow-gauge enthusiasts. We meet on the last Monday of the month, our next meetings being on 25 September and 30 October starting at 19.30 hours at Twyning village hall near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 6DF. Contact Nicolas by email nicwheatley53@gmail.com.

Nicolas Wheatley