As with so many smaller clubs nowadays, we no longer have a permanent club room, which means that layouts need to be set up and packed away during an evening. Have a couple of fairly large layouts, this means that time is taken up with this, thereby reducing the amount of time we have to play model.

Part of our way to deal with this are occasional working days, where a couple of layouts are set up, and we have a day to work on the scenery, or check electrics, or just to run things. Today was aimed a preparation for our next two exhibition appearances.

First up is a very nice model of Hawkhurst. This is a pretty accurate model of the rather rural branch terminus and is privately owned by a couple of club members. They needed to do some gremlin hunting, as well as have a familiarisation session for the rest of us prior to its appearance at the Midhurst show on 19th February.

Here are a few pictures of the layout:

Also showing at Midhurst will be another member's US outline N gauge layout. Still a little bit of work to go on this, but it should be ready for the show...

Finally, Yamanouchi Oshika was having some tidying up in item for its appearance at Eurotrack the following weekend. Didn't get round to taking many pictures...in fact only the one, of a newly arrived Tomix DF50 testing out some rewiring on the branch line.

Going to be a busy month!

In addition to all the shows, we have had the normal changes that all groups go through from time to time. Now armed with a new chairman and treasurer, we start 2012 with some fresh ideas. Already plans are being formulated for our next project...something with 16.5 track gauge and probably urban...