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Thanks to everyone who came along, visitors, exhibitors and traders. We got a lot of very positive feedback from visitors as they left and numbers were up 10% on last year, itself a recent record for us. Some of you may have seen or bought a ticket for the raffle for the N gauge layout built for the occasion by club members. This was in aid of Woodlarks, a local charity, and raised about £1400 for which they were very grateful. The young winner was apparently rushing round the house in delight when told! Thanks again. Julian Farnham & District MRC

We will have 20 quality layouts and 25 traders and societies at this year's Farnham & District MRC exhibition in Aldershot this coming weekend, 13th and 14th October. The location is the usual place, Alderwood Leisure Centre, Tongham Road, Aldershot, GU12 4AS – formerly called the Connaught Leisure Centre. Opening times and prices are: Saturday 13th 10:00 to 17:00. Sunday 14th October 10:00 to 16:30. All on one level for easy disabled access. Adult £6.00, Child £2.00, Family (2 adults and up to 4 children) £15.00 Show guide included in price. Free car parking Tea and coffee will be available in the restaurant from about 9.30 both days. If you want to know more, plese go to our website: http://farnhammrc.org.uk/?page_id=158 Julian

Just a reminder that this takes place tomorrow (Monday). Julian

On Bank Holiday Monday, 7th May, our annual 0 gauge Open Day at our Clubrooms on the south side of Farnham will feature the Test Track, 'Round the Bend', guest layout 'Figges Yard' club layout 'Haydon Square' and member's layout 'St. Mary's' (0-16.5). The 0 Gauge Guild will also have its stand present. Please feel free to bring your 2 rail finescale 0 gauge locos and stock with you to run on the test track - both DC and DCC. Refreshments will be available. The address is: Wrecclesham Community Centre, Greenfield Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8TJ Open times are 10 am to 4pm and admission is £2.

I really enjoyed bringing St. Mary's to the Basingstoke show. There were lots of people to talk with - both enthusiasts and families - pleasing layouts and some tempting trade. I don't think there should be any concerns about Lower Exbury winning the prize - a delightfully tranquil layout. Back next year with Haydon Square! Julian

I will be there with my 0-16.5 layout 'St. Mary's', the terminus of an imaginary extension of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway.in mid Wales set in the summer of 1930. Passenger ttraffic is still running and the local quarry has running rights in to the station to exchange traffic. Here are a couple of photos which will show you what to expect. Photo courtesy of Alan Rolfe I look forward to the show as it is normally very enjoyable. Julian

This probably won't be much help, but there are a couple of good side-on views of these locos in 'North London Railway - A Pictorial Record', published in 1979 by HMSO. There are also some rear three quarter shots of other, cabless, classes which may help. The quality of the photos vary from extraordinary to pretty ropey, but you might be able to infer enough to make an educated guess. Julian

All set up and ready to go! Here we are half we through: Brixcombe to the right, Wickwar to the left, the 00/P4/HOm test track in the middle and Aldermouth in the distance. We have added a small second hand stall for items donated ot the club. If you are interested in old Triang, this might be the place t find something. Hope to see you there. Julian

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

I agree with the frequently expressed view here that winning prizes is not why I exhibit my layout. Interaction with the public, other enthusiasts and a good weekend away with friends are my motivations. My layouts have never won a 'Best in Show', nor do I expect it, but a a 5 year old shyly telling me that mine is their favourite can make a whole weekend worthwhile. My own club organsises a 'Most Appealing Layout' vote for the public on the first day. I like this because it is so subjective and there is no sense of ticking boxes of what a model railway 'should' look be. From the club's point of view there are two benefits. Firstly, it gives a focal point for a very informal get together at the venue after the show closes on Saturday night to say thank you and announce the outcome (normally the top 3 votes). Secondly, it gives us feedback on what visitors like to see at the exhibition. I should also say that normally every layout will get at least some votes from the public. Julian

Farnham Model Railway Club – Annual Open Day Sunday 19th November 2017 10am to 4pm An informal day to: Meet Club members (gauges: N, 00, P4, 0, 009, etc.) See our facilities and some of our layouts Seek/share help & advice; learn about how to build layouts and rolling stock; talk railways WHERE? Wrecclesham Community Centre, Greenfield Road, Farnham, GU9 8TJ Entrance: £1 each, Under-12s FREE. Layouts on display: Club: Wickwar (N), Brixcombe (P4), Test Track (00) Members: Aldermouth (0), Whimsy (009), Kinlochlaggen (N) Bring & Test-run your loco on a layout or rolling-road Refreshments available We hope to see you there, Julian

Thanks every one for your appreciative comments. As members of all clubs know, it is hard work putting on an exhibition, but one which is generally enjoyable. For the fourth year in a row we saw an increase in the number of visitors. We were concerned that a modest increase in admission (to £6 for adults) would put people off, but apparently not and we were able to use the extra income to invite layouts from further away. We think signage is very important in attracting local people and layout choice is very important for attracting enthusiasts - the exhibition team (of which I am not a member) try hard to get both right (along with a mass of other things including having good trade support), The modest surplus from the show was about the same as last year and gets invested in to new layouts for the Club, which should include one for our newly formed 009 section. Any other comments (good or bad) are most welcome. Julian

David, Thank you for the kind words - it is great when people take the trouble to express their appreciation. Obviously I am biased, but our exhibition manager, Noel Leaver, seems to have struck gold this year. Julian

Thanks very much for the kind comments. I hope we live up to expectations this year! Julian

The Farnham & DIstrict MRC will be holding its annual exhibition this coming weekend - 14th and 15th October 2017 - in Aldershot. Click here. The layouts on show are: Ackthorpe (00) Addison Road (0) An Clar and the Pizza (Nm and 2mm FS) Arigna Town (0-36.75) Brixham Bay (N) Burnham-on-Sea (2mm FS) Dentdale (N) Denton Brook (0-14 and 0) Diano Marina (H0) Frecclesham (0) Hospital Gates (0) Kirkmellington (EM) Lighterman's Yard (2mm FS) Merstone and Ventor West (00 FS) Parkside (00) St. Mary's (0-16.5) Tanners Hill (N) Wadebridge (2mm FS) Weydon Road (0) Whitecross Street (00) Ynysybwl (EM) Details of all the layouts here: List of Layouts There will also be approximately 25 traders present: List of Traders The exhibition will be held in the usual place, but note the change of name: Alderwood Leisure Centre, Tongham Road, Aldershot, GU12 4AS – formerly called the Connaught Leisure Centre. Opening times are Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4.30pm. Tea and coffee will be available from 9.30am. Admission: Adults £6.00, Children £2.00, Family £15.00. Julian

Bump..

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

Giles, Another coming from references on NGRM. I am following with interest, not to say trepidation, as to what horrors you uncover next! There was an article in the May 2013 Gauge 0 Guild Gazette building one of these kits. If you would like me to scan and send you a copy let me know. Julian

Just got home and checked. The vehicle I saw at Fort William was 1705 - one of the Thompson vehicles. I have corrected my original post. Julian

I think you are probably right....the number rings a bell even after all this time! Julian