Scaleforum 2021 a multi venue event

[Decapod]

Following the cancellation of our intended Scaleforum event in High Wycombe, there will now be a number of local events instead, hosted by our Area Groups, at venues around the country, which will all take place on Saturday 25th September. Entry to these events will be free, but prior booking will be necessary.

 

If you would like to attend any of the events, please e-mail the relevant organiser at: scaleforum@scalefour.org 

 

Event Details by Venue

 

Devon Riviera Area Group (Rod Cameron)

Holcombe Village Hall, Holcombe, DAWLISH EX7 0LF

Times: 11:00 – 16:00. Admission by pre-arranged free ticket

 

Attractions will include:

·        Debut of John Farmer’s new layout Parkend Marsh Sidings

·        The late John Watson’s Laxfield (see MRJ No.0) as a static exhibit prior to ‘rehabilitation’

·        Work in progress of Rod Cameron’s Lewes

·        Demonstrations on semaphore signal construction, wagons, coupling systems and history of finescale (by Iain Rice)

 

It may be necessary to control numbers, so attendance will be by pre-arranged ticket only; please apply to Rod Cameron at: scaleforum@scalefour.org

 

Kent Area Group (Mike Ainsworth)

Old station building, Hampstead Lane, YALDING ME18 6HH

Opening times: 11:00 – 16:00. Admission free. 

 

The station car park is small but it’s free of charge and there is usually plenty of space at weekends.  Or you could come by train !

KAG’s long-in-the-gestation 1950s/60s BR(S) layout, Eridge, will be in operation so if you have any DCC-compatible P4 stock and would like to give it a run, bring it along.  As well as the layout, the Marshlink Finescale Area Group will be joining us and bringing along some displays and demonstrations.  We will also be able to supply you with tea and coffee (we promise) and cake (we hope).

For those concerned about what the Covid position might be by late September, we aren’t asking you to let us know in advance that you’re coming (well, not unless you’re bringing a coach party…)  If numbers on the day should threaten to overwhelm us, we’ll happily point you towards one of the local pubs (we can recommend the Chequers) or the station platform to watch the full-size trains go by until things quieten down.  We hope to see you on 25 September.

 

North Norfolk Area Group (John Chambers)

The Copeman Centre, Hall Street, BRISTON NR24 2LG

Opening times: 10:00 – 16:00.

Light refreshments will be available and for this venue there is no need to pre-book.

 

The following layouts will be present:

North Elmham – Currently under construction by the North Norfolk Area Group, this layout will depict the station on the Wells next the Sea branch with its grain and milk traffic giving some variety from the norm. The layout will be set in the late 50s/early 60s period.

Obbekaer – A Danish independent line connecting Rebe, Gram and Vojens in South Jutland from Geraint Hughes set in the mid 50s. The Model is built to P87 standards.

Wheal Elizabeth – The end of a Cornish China Clay branch set in the late 1970s/early 80s. from Jeremy Good.

We will also have the North Norfolk Area Group’s test track available for those who want to give their stock the chance to stretch its legs.

 

We will have six demonstrations, which are:

Modelling road vehicles – Jim Smith-Wright

Air-braked wagons – Phil Eames

Etched brass carriage construction – Tony Brenchley

Kit-bashing plastic coach kits – Alan Hall

Turnouts with a difference, an approach to building the inter-laced variety – John Geggie

Cavelex Models – will be showing production models and their latest samples for visitors to examine and will be very happy to discuss any aspect of their products 

 

West Yorkshire Area Group (Steve Hall)

St. Marys Church, Main Street, Badsworth, PONTEFRACT WF9 1AJ

Opening times: 12:00 – 17:30. Admission free.

Saturday afternoon workshop

 

The workshop is a chance for group members to bring along their latest modelling projects and work on them in the company of other like-minded modellers so that help and advice can be freely exchanged and we can catch up on the latest modelling gossip.   

Tea/Coffee and cakes are all provided.

 

Shropshire & Herefordshire Area Group (Gavin Clark)

Bishop Mascall Centre, Lower Galdeford, LUDLOW SY8 1RZ

Opening times: 10:00 – 17:00. Admission free.

Saturday afternoon workshop

 

The Shropshire & Herefordshire Area Group () will be holding one of its occasional ‘Modelling Days’ in Ludlow as part of the wider Marches Finescale Group, for those who will be feeling the pain of another Scaleforum-absent year. Normal rules will apply - turn up, claim a table, and spend the day modelling - only interrupted by banter from the rest of the attendees! Numbers are limited not by the dreaded virus, but by the size of the room we have been able to hire, so if you are local and want to come along, please let Gavin know beforehand.

 

Manchester Area Group (Tony Williams)

Dean Hall, 39 Mersey Road, SALE M33 6HL

Opening Times: 10:30 – 17:30. Admission free.

 

The MMRS P4 layout, Slattocks Junction will be operating and the Society Library will be open. In addition, there will be informal demonstrations on laser cutting, model buildings and layout lighting.

 

If you would like to attend any of the events, please e-mail the relevant organiser at: scaleforum@scalefour.org this is not just for Covid safety, but because some of the venues have a limit on numbers in any case.

 

All the Best

Danny

 

Edited September 1, 2021 by Decapod
another update from Norfolk

[Tim Dubya]

Excellent stuff!

 

Looking forward to (please + hopefully) seeing video footage of as many as these as possible.  I'm playing it safe at the moment and staying put.

 

Cheers 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Tim Dubya
Nothing up with me, just a lazy gitt ;)

[Decapod]

This isn't a virtual event, but I'm hoping that plenty of video and still footage will be taken and will be posted on our YouTube channel, website, forum etc.

 

I'm rather less hopeful of any live coverage/streaming as internet connections at the various venues probably won't be good enough, but we'll have to see.

 

All the Best

Danny

[Decapod]

An update posted on behalf of Steve Hall.

 

The West Yorkshire Area Group will be holding a modelling workshop at Badsworth Church Hall (Near Pontefract) starting at 12.00 on Saturday 25th September.
Members will bring along their latest modelling project(s) to work on in the company of fellow modelers and freely exchange advice and assistance with each other.
Tea/coffee and cakes will be freely available.

The attached images show samples of members work from previous workshops:
GNR Goods shed by Steve Hall
A batch of hopper wagons by James Dickie
A pair of Caledonian Railway coaches by Alistair Dickson.

Non members are also welcome to attend.

 

GNR Goods Shed by Steve Hall

 

Hopper Wagons by James Dickie

 

Caledonian Coaches by Alistair Dickson

[dasatcopthorne]

Three of us from the Carshalton & Sutton MRC visited the Kent Area Group today.

 

Many thanks to them for their hospitality and running a Class 24 owned by Graham Broad.

 

Dave.

 

 

[TravisM]

I attended the North Norfolk Area Group’s event and very impressed with what I saw.  Very friendly crowd and happy to discuss modelling projects.

[chrisf]

Me too!

 

Chris

[Re6/6]

A very good day was had at our D.R.A.G S4 mini-show. It was good to see Iain Rice with some of his historic locos.

 

Marsh Sidings. Picture from 10800

 

Picture from 10800

 

The good Captain in charge (as usual!). on the left are 'Ullypug', yours truly supping coffee and 'Taz'.  Picture from 10800

 

Laxfield

 

This layout was built by the late John Watson which was featured in the MRJ 0 in 1985. It was one of the early P4 layouts that was on the circuit in the 1980s and is now in the our care.

The plan is to sympathetically restore it as it is a very finely built layout. The work will mostly be with the scenics that will need refreshing as they are now rather faded and mothy. The plan is also to renew the wiring as it's rather 'old school' and takes some understanding! We've had it up and running, but apart from a few bits that don't work, it's quite remarkable as it's been stored for, I guess, around 30 years.

 

Picture from 10800

 

Picture from 10800

 

Picture from 10800

 

Some beautifully made lever frames and point control.  Picture from 10800

 

More to follow!

 

 

 

[Captain Kernow]

We had a very good day yesterday at the 'Mini-Scaleforum' event that our Area Group put on in Devon, as part of the overall Scalefour Society events in lieu of Scaleforum.

 

Here are some images from the main hall, including 10800's superb 'Lewes', which is gradually taking shape:

 

 

 

 

 

I spent most of the day operating Re6/6's 'Parkend Marsh Sidings', so I didn't take any photos in our part of the event until Ian Harrison brought his lovely kit-built '517' 0-4-2T and some area-appropriate private owner coal wagons in, to give us a bit of a 'pre-grouping' feel to the proceedings:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then right at the end of the show, things got a bit silly, when someone opened a time portal:

 

This rather nice Craftsman '02' from David Smith was another welcome visitor:

 

[Captain Kernow]

A bit of footage of the '517':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T1J6HrxmBQ

 

[Re6/6]

A few more pictures.

 

Laxfield

 

 

 This engine is new and needs to be converted to P4 and fitted with a BM 'EasiChas'

 

J15 was the only class of loco in BR times that ever ran on the line........so just what this DJH Crosti 9F was doing there....!

 

The late Colin Park's beautiful 'Tin HAL' on Lewes. For those who don't know Colin's wonderful work his 4mm EMUs were all scratchbuilt in plastic card. I was very fortunate to acquire this from his estate. A true testament to his first rate modelling skills.

 

 

 

 

[dasatcopthorne]

2 hours ago, Re6/6 said:

A few more pictures.

 

Laxfield

 

 

 This engine is new and needs to be converted to P4 and fitted with a BM 'EasiChas'

 

J15 was the only class of loco in BR times that ever ran on the line........so just what this DJH Crosti 9F was doing there....!

 

The late Colin Park's beautiful 'Tin HAL' on Lewes. For those who don't know Colin's wonderful work his 4mm EMUs were all scratchbuilt in plastic card. I was very fortunate to acquire this from his estate. A true testament to his first rate modelling skills.

 

 

 

 

 

I considered Colin as a good mate and kindred spirit. I was able to help him with roof details and others items to facilitate the build. I pleased it's gone to a good home.

 

Dave.

[Re6/6]

Thanks Dave 

 

It's a treasured model built with 'old school' skills that one doesn't see so much of these days. I have a certain affinity to the 'Tin' HALs as I often would choose to travel back from school in one from Waterloo if there was one on the '28' Reading service. They rode so much more comfortably than the old BILs and HALs!

 

We will have to have to introduce a 'blue' service now on Balcombe! I have a blue/grey 5-BEL so Colin's work will be a fine compliment to it.

[bgman]

23 hours ago, Re6/6 said:

A few more pictures.

 

Laxfield

 

 

 This engine is new and needs to be converted to P4 and fitted with a BM 'EasiChas'

 

J15 was the only class of loco in BR times that ever ran on the line........so just what this DJH Crosti 9F was doing there....!

 

The late Colin Park's beautiful 'Tin HAL' on Lewes. For those who don't know Colin's wonderful work his 4mm EMUs were all scratchbuilt in plastic card. I was very fortunate to acquire this from his estate. A true testament to his first rate modelling skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May I add that following my "involvement" last week I did not expect to see Laxfield.

 

I remember seeing it only once at an exhibition many moons ago and also in the first edition 0 MRJ which was all very new to me back then.

Having arrived early with a fellow modeller and helped with some of the setting up I found myself putting Laxfield together whilst other exhibitors were busy.

I was amazed at how easy it was to set up which is testament to its original builder John Watson.

There were some very small issues i.e. signal not working too well ( it did budge a little ) and some minor work to make a couple of the points operate again. I believe it was ply and rivet track construction which has faired extremely well considering its age and with only a couple ( that i could see ) needing soldering there is the basis of a revived layout to be had.  

Lever frames worked very well and positively, so maybe with a careful dusting and revived scenics I think this would be a nice side project.

As owners / custodians I believe that the D.R.A.G. Scalefour chaps could do this layout justice once more and without too much effort.

I for one am pleased to see that it didn't end up in a skip !

 

G