A New 009 Section at the Farnham & District MRC

[jbe]

At the Farnham & District Model Railway Club we see growing interest amongst our existing club members in narrow gauge modelling, particularly 009, probably as a result of increased trade support and hence exposure in main stream magazines. The Farnham club already has very active N, 00, P4 and 0 sections with exhibition layouts and test tracks. If we can attract new members to the club we would like to start an 009 section and build a club layout.

 

Farnham is on the Surrey/Hampshire border where we have a permanent club room and storage at Wrecclesham Community Centre, Greenfield Road, Farnham, GU9 8TJ. We have use of the main hall on Wednesday afternoons and evenings, plus other times by arrangement. There are about 45 members ranging in age from 25 to 80 with a wide variety of skills and experience. We run a popular two day annual exhibition in Aldershot and numerous club open days. Days out to places of interest also feature, recent ones being to the Peco factory, the GCR Model Railway weekend and Swanage. The club website is here: http://farnhammrc.or...=0&wppa-occur=1

 

If you are interested in possibly joining the new 009 section, please PM me here, or send an e-mail to 009@farnhammrc.org.uk which will come to me (Julian Evison) and David Harrington (club chairman).

 

I should add that any potential members for any of the other sections would also be extremely welcome!

 

Julian

[jbe]

Bump..

[jbe]

I thought I would give you an update on what has been happening with the new 009 section of the Farnham club.

 

There seem to be eight of us interested (more are always welcome - just PM me) and we have spent some time considering all of the input given above.

 

The proposed way forward is to buy standard 4 ft by 18 ins modules (or metric equivalent) from an existing baseboard supplier with designed in capability of being joined together using alignment dowels, etc. Track joining will be by placing a piece of set track across the boards, mating with tracks on the modules set back half the length of the set track. The tracks will cross 6 inches from the front of the board (making them non-reversible and allowing backscenes). A jig will be develped to ensure accuracy of track laying in this regard. We also hope to purchase a few spare board ends in order to make non-standard boards, like corner pieces,

 

The boards will have short legs giving a height of 12 inches above the kinds of tables often available in halls. Electrics will be DC and follow the Fremo HOe methods (which will have been an enormous help so far). There is quite a lot more, but these are the essentials.

 

Our plan is that modules, made of one or more boards, will be owned by individuals who are free to make what they want, but corner boards and perhaps end boards will be club property. We are not planning to make a single unified design for exhibition, but rather to stimulate 009 modelling in club members (new and exisiting) and have the fun of running a large layout together from time to time for our own pleasure.

 

Julian