Events:

Blythburgh Station Open Day

On “Suffolk Day” (June 21st), part of the Festival of Suffolk, Blythburgh Station site was open to visitors, which is being restored by the Halesworth to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway Society.  They invited our Group to display some layouts in the nearby village hall where they were showing some films from dvd’s of the Southwold Railway and the Mid Suffolk Light Railway.  Four of our Group attended, three of us showing 009 layouts and one O9.  The event was well-attended considering it was a weekday, and it gave us a chance to display other layouts again.

SHIPMEADOW (009), Richard Doe.
PRIORY WATERWORKS (009), Chris Seago

 

RAVEN HILL (O9), Graham & Caroline Watling
HUBBARDS HALT (009), Jim Bamber
CHAPEL MILLS (009), Chris Seago

Open Day & Exhibition – Saturday 4th June 2022

At last, a chance to run a little exhibition of our own again following the restrictions, various cancelled and moved dates, and doubts about venues. Where better to hold it than at our base, Barsham Village Hall, near Beccles. It may be smallish, and Victorian, but it’s been recently improved with a new kitchen, and new toilet extension. In total, 60 visitors attended including one person from the United States, and another from Merseyside. A great day, which allowed us to get back to more like “normal”. With special thanks to Sarah who baked the great cakes, Carol, Zane and Ann who served us and the visitors with lovely food and tea. And also of course to Lee, who brought the 009 Society Sales stand all the way from the south coast.

Above two photos: Our Group Display stand, displaying some of the many narrow gauge scales that members have modelled: 16mm, O-16.5, 009, O9, H0n30, and H0 trams.
“Reeds Beck Waterworks” (009) by Chris Seago. “Glem” has just delivered a rake of coal wagons to the boiler house.
“Reeds Beck Waterworks” (009) by Chris Seago. Here “Lark” is seen about to leave with empty coal wagons and soiled sand from the filter beds.
Malcolm Cudmore displayed a 16mm scale remote WiFi control Simplex and skips, figure painting, and hedgerow making demonstration.
“Little Ease” (1:16 scale) by Bill Knight. Always a difficult one to photograph, but superbly made by scratch building, a shunting layout using battery-powered locomotives.
“Little Ease” (1:16 scale) by Bill Knight. Overall photo.
The monster arriving at “Hubbards Halt” (009) is a scratch-built Beyer Garratt by Jim Bamber.
“Hubbards Halt” (009) overall photo.
Bagnall Saddle Tank “Willow” starts the climb to Shortwaite Village on Graham & Caroline Watling’s “Shortwaite Hill” (009).
“Shortwaite Hill” (009), overall photo.
Great to see progress on Alan Fullers war time shunting layout named “W.D40 War Department Area 4012mm” at 1/2″ to the foot scale. A chance to run his scratch-built “Tin Turtle” armoured Simplexes.
“W.D40 War Department Area 4012mm”, overall photo.
The 009 Society Sales Stand, (plus in the foreground, one end of Barry Weston’s “Mopsies Peat Bog” (O9).
“Mopsies Peat Bog” (O9), Barry Weston. Horwich Works locomotives and tram engines are being used here on the old peat bog railway, now a nature reserve, and tourists visit the line for an afternoon out.

“Mopsies Peat Bog” (O9), overall photo.
“New Walmington Pier” (009), Dave Carson. A stalwart exhibit is the Edwardian pier layout by Dave, the service operated by a 1890 Southend Pier toast-rack car.
“New Walmington Pier” (009), overall photo.
A work-in-progress is David Churchyard’s Coffee Table Layout. The layout baseboard rises from the coffee table operated by a motor in each corner. There will be a station in the east and “Magic Mountain” in the west, and in the loops trains await their turn to proceed through the tunnel. A loco works will also feature. The layout makes use of many 3D printed locos, some designed and printed by David.
Coffee Table layout (009), overall photo.