Milland Valley Railway

It looks certain that the Petersfield Post will cover our attendance at the Wickham show this coming weekend in today’s issue and probably in next weeks as well if we can get photos to them.

UPDATE

Unfortunately the Post didn’t run the story in either issue despite sending a photographer to Wickham! (but did put the picture and a piece in the following week….)

A good time was had by all and the layout attracted a fair amount of attention, with the “DCC with sound ” and “Japanese stock” interludes helping.

The T gauge demo with a circle of track on an A3 sheet of card  also created considerable interest.

Our membership leaflet which had been updated to include the wider range of  members interests including T gauge was

displayed and about 8 were taken on each day.

The Fareham club put on a good show and it appears we may get an invite for one or other of the club’s or member’s layouts in 2009. Other interest was shown by the Andover club.

With the Japanese theme continuing in the N gauge group, Nick brought along on Friday night, a sample of the latest in Japanese model railway technology T SCALE.

This is considerably smaller than Z with a track gauge of 3mm, that’s about 1/8″. The model of a suburban overhead electric unit runs on about a 150mm (6″) dia circle of track with no points. There is a magnetic device that assists track adhesion. It seems unlikely that it is aimed at the model railway market, more likely an executive toy with the leaflet showing the track in a scale diorama mounted on a small coffee table.

The team expect to show it running above the tunnels sections of Coppleston, when it is at the FarehamMRC show on the 4th/5th October.

Scenic work continues on the 00 layout Weyford on Sea with the goods shed located

Coppleston has been undergoing a make-over with Ben taking a one section a week back home and returning it the following Friday. He’s been tidying/tweaking the wiring and refreshing the scenery with his new electrostatic grass applicator. Seems to work a treat!

Lots of Japanese bullet trains of various types have been appearing of late, brought along by John and Nick, together with suburban stock. I think it’s been agreed that Tony will have the Coppleston layout in store, after the Fareham show and that a new layout will be constructed set in Japan!

David G is also bringing along the odd American item and hopes to construct an American module that uses the Japanese layout’s fiddle yard.

Weyford on Sea remains stoutly British - The engine shed area has been receiving some scenic work by Eric and Andrew-walls,fencing etc as has the cutting and embankment leading to the dock and fiddle yard. I’ve started forming an area that includes a road and over-bridge that will lead out of the docks. I’m intending to use Scalescenes warehouses and terraced houses in this area together with a scratch-built bomb site and a Hornby pill-box.

Plans are being hatched to have a flying boat/liner terminal at the dock to enhance the potential rail traffic perhaps including special Pullman trains.

It’s been good to see Alf back at our Friday sessions after a bit of a gap.

Attendance continues to be good, with  9 or 10 most weeks

Back in 2004 we exhibited an N gauge layout at the Cranleigh Rotary Club’s model Railway Exhibition.

This was the first model railway exhibition in the town for 20 years, was extremely successful and raised £1000 for a local charity.

We have received a preliminary invite for a similar event to be organised in 2009.?

Watch this space!

Vierbrucken, member Ben Russ’s N gauge German alpine layout has been invited to the 2009 Railway Enthusiasts Club (REC - Farnborough) Annual Show now held in Aldershot.

The AGM was held on Friday 2nd May 2008

Main points

• Current committee and chairman returned unopposed

• Alf Rolph was made the club’s first honorary life member in recognition of his membership and support of the club and it’s activities over many years.

• Return to a permanent clubroom adjacent to our former site is still unresolved. It is anticipated that some formal proposals may be available to the committee later in the month. If so a special meeting will be called to discuss.

• No change in the subscription is envisaged until the clubroom situation is further advanced. Financial situation is satisfactory.

• No open day this year, but yes for 2009 possibly in September or October. Possible venues to be reviewed

• New member John welcomed formally.

We regularly submit pieces to local newspapers-Petersfield Post, Liphook Herald & Midhurst & Petworth Observer and over the years have achieved a good “hit rate”.

Recently we have used additionally  local community papers - Milland News and the Liphook Community Magazine and in the former have virtually a regular column!

Posters in local libraries (Liphook, Grayshott and Midhurst also help to keep our club known, together with the news section of the Liphook community web site.

The club’s N gauge layout has received and accepted invites to the following further shows in 2008

31st May/ 1st June 2008 -Hollycombe Steam Collection Railway Weekend

We expect to be in the new educational block and look forward to seeing many local railway and model railway enthusiasts.

Please note there is also the Milland Rural Fair on  Sunday 1st June, which is a couple of miles away and also worth a visit. Lots to interest those who love animals and rural activities.

4th/5th October 2008- Fareham MRC Model Railway Exhibition at Wickham Community Centre

This is a new two day show and we wish the Fareham MRC every success in what we hope is the first of many annual shows
Please come along and see  ours and the many other layouts on display.

The club got good coverage during week commencing 18th February for itself, Ben’s layout Vierbrucken and for the Midhurst Modellers Show, with items printed in the Petersfield Post and The Midhurst & Petworth Observer.

The latter included a picture contributed  by Ben

An item has been sent to the Petersfield Post with photograph, regarding our successful outing to Midhurst and forthcoming Cottleston outing to the South Hants Show on the 1st March.

New posters have been placed in the Liphook & Grayshott libraries under the title “Liphhook & District MRC has been making a bit of an exhibition of itself-for over 40 years” A similar poster will go the Petersfield library soon.

A revised membership leaflet was also available for visitors to the Midhurst Show.

Liphook and District MRC achieves another milestone, when it’s N Gauge layout Cottleston Park, makes it’s third exhibition appearance of the 2007/8 season,  at the Worthing MRC show on Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th September 2008.

The exhibition will be held at the Boundstone Community College, Upper Boundstone Lane, Sompting. Lancing BN15 9QZ

For full details of the exhibition, including location and entry prices, go to www.worthingmrc.co.uk and follow the links to exhibition 2008

This is the first time the L&DMRC has exhibited at this annual show and we look forward to showing our N Gauge layout to a new audience. It might be worth coming along on both days, as on each day there will be different era stock running.

Unfortunately the writer will be not be part of the exhibition team, as he is playing boule in France on these dates; perhaps the operation will be improved as a result.