Glorious NSE Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 There are a couple of other "multi-group" Freemo meets planned for 2016, this one is booked for May, and will take place in the village of Christow, not too far from Exeter in Devon. We've done a couple of one-day meets in Devon already, and this is a logical extension of that.Whilst we're not expecting this to be quite as big as Armitage, we do have strong support from the local group (Western Union) who meet regularly with modules in Plymouth, so with plenty of space in the venue and a good core of local modules we should be able to have a great weekend.Whilst detailed planning of the layout won't start till early next year I've already sent out an initial contact email for this one to folk I think may be interested - if you're not already on my radar and want to come please send me a PM so I can keep you in the loop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 2, 2015 This one also in my diary. Whats the thought on accommodation location - Exeter or somewhere closer? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 Plenty of choice of big chains in Exeter which is about 20-25 mins away, there's a couple of motels at Kennford which are slightly closer, as is the Lord Haldon which isnt far if you don't mind little lanes! Beyond that there are some holiday/guesthouses (and a GWR Toad!) in the Christow area, some of the pubs may do rooms too? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 2, 2015 Thanks Martin My first thoughts is the premier Inn at Exeter St David's which is our normal place to stay when travelling by train. Parking opposite in the station car park. Plenty of good hostelries nearby. However I will investigate the other options you have mentioned as its nice to try places we can't do by train. My brothers place near Exeter isnt big enough for a group of us! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 Down side of St David's is having to go through town to get to it. There's another one at Countess Wear which would be better access-wise, but doesn't have lots of pubs! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 2, 2015 My thinking is to drive part way Friday night such as Sherborne. I know of somewhere to stay there and some nice watering holes. Then continue on to the venue so just one night in or around Exeter. But if we leave early enough we might just drive all the way. Just depends where Fort Myers fits in the set up. I may have rebuilt the juice factory by then but it would need to fit on an end as it wouldn't be a through module (for now). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 3, 2015 Author Share Posted November 3, 2015 Won't start planning the layout till early in the new year, so let me know for sure then of any changes - but I'm sure I can place Fort Myers on an end if it helps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 Quick bump for this - if there's anyone interested in coming along who wasn't on the original email shoot me a PM. Looking like a great lineup of modules with some great support from the local (Plymouth) Western Union group. I can feel a big layout coming... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 23, 2016 Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 I can feel a big layout coming... Something like this... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Waow! I hope somebody will post photos of the layout here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2016 This will be the furthest south west that Fort Myers will have Been. Really looking forward to it.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 24, 2016 Author Share Posted March 24, 2016 Waow! I hope somebody will post photos of the layout here Yep, i'm sure we will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bxmoore Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 roundhouse, on 24 Mar 2016 - 18:31, said: This will be the furthest south west that Fort Myers will have Been. Really looking forward to it.. This will be the furthest north east that Quisling will have been. Looking forward to it too. Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 25, 2016 Author Share Posted March 25, 2016 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mog Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Look forward to seeing pics.. September is still a long way off.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 Well that was a fabulous weekend, lots of layout, lots of trains, lots of fun. And the new venue was brilliant as well, we're already looking at dates for another in 2017.I think folk are gradually uploading images here, this collection will probably get bigger as the week goes on...https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/ModelRailroading-1/2016-05-0708-Devon-Freemo/Florida themed meet - a Tri-Rail commute calls at Rockwood depot whilst a Seminole Gulf geep rolls past with coal empties.The coal train holds the main whilst an eastbound manifest takes the siding, following the Tri-Rail commute.A local rolls across the main line at Emery heading for the industrial parks of Brownville and Trident Park, another local heading for Dale Yard holds the main in the distance waiting for it to clear.Hub of local carload operations, Dale YardDALEEL (Dale Yard to East End Local) holds in Dayton siding to be run around by an Amtrak from Fort Myers. When the Amtrak clears it'll get track and time to switch the industry in the background.Overall shot - Dale Yard in the left distance, Emery in the centre distance, Rockwood Depot in the foreground.And swinging round to the right, Fort Myers on the right in the distance, and Brian Moore's Quisling extending into the stage area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 9, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 9, 2016 We had a brilliant weekend down in Devon helped by great weather (and beer).Having done the two Staffordshire meets and the Surrey one it was good to see familiar and new modules all linked up together. Whilst probably not as many modules as the last Armitage meet (Staffordshire) there were three yards so space for extra complete trains that just ran from one yard to a anther or to a terminal module giving some nice long runs.We even had a speed restriction implemented on one module so slow orders for a while before the CSX MOW train paid a visit to sort it out!My new Rapido Amtrak F40PH had a good run a number of times. It had a fault on it which turned out to be slipping gears due to the gear tower cover clip not quite being in place. Once sorted it ran superbly well.There were also other passenger services unit grain and unit coal trains all stretching the dispatchers nerves. Thanks to those dispatchers otherwise we wouldn't be able to run the trains that we did.Definitely looking forward to taking my slice of Florida back to Devon aswell as the other meets this year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted May 9, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 9, 2016 Thanks for the picture album as I was about 25 years earlier and a few thousand miles away in model terms I see the radios were in use again, did you get a protocol sorted to make them work better or did it just work with a smaller setup? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 9, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 9, 2016 Paul I didn't actually use the radios but they appeared to work better this time. Each train order was printed with the train ID clearly at the top plus a map of all the modules on a clip board. There was also a table with a large sheet of paper where we could check loco numbers off in case there was a duplicate then write down the numbers our proposed locos for the next person to then check. I thought that this was a good simple system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted May 9, 2016 Author Share Posted May 9, 2016 I see the radios were in use again, did you get a protocol sorted to make them work better or did it just work with a smaller setup? They worked fairly well in terms of the equipment, I think folk are still on the learning curve with regard to using them though, things like waiting for the dispatcher to finish dealing with one crew before a second crew starts talking to him, and remembering to push that button before you start talking rather than as you start talking... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 2017 one booked for 6th/7th May - let me know if you're interested in taking part.(Plenty of time to build a module even!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 11, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 11, 2016 2017 one booked for 6th/7th May - let me know if you're interested in taking part. (Plenty of time to build a module even!) Already have some thoughts on new modules but will only be 1 foot long. Might be able to bring the juice factory if we are on the end of an aisle again. By then will only need to build leg extensions and should fit in the car. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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