Olney Model Railway Club

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Olney Model Railway Club - News and Events

News and Local Events.

The club exhibited its Bridge End Layout at a recent exhibition in Newport Pagnell, to help with fund raising for the Methodist Church, which we regularly support. In addition this year a club member also exhibited their personal layout, Witts End, which was four feet by one foot and took the form of a shunting puzzle where wagons have to be marshalled in a randomly defined order.

The photo shows the range of types and scales of the models running on the club test track at the last club meeting. These varied from utility locos from the second world war era in O gauge through historic steam locos in OO and modern diesel passenger trains in OO and N gauge.

Please click on the picture to enlarge

The Home Size N gauge layout has now been tested for electrical and mechanical function. This was all satisfactory and the work of scenic detailing is progressing well. The photograph below shows a club members hand as he arranges the rolling stock on part of the layout to help in deciding the background appearance and building positions. With a scale of 2mm to the foot, there is plenty of room for extensive scenic work. A member has shown a novel way of modelling the "grass" using a home made electrostatic applicator.

Please click on the picture to enlarge

The club had its annual general meeting during January. The club officials were all unanimously re-elected, showing the members complete satisfaction with the running of the club during the past year. Work is continuing on the club layouts and the photo below shows progress on the N gauge, particularly the very convincing "electrostatic grass" mentioned earlier.

Please click on the picture to enlarge

Planning has already started for the 2011 exhibition in September, with several layouts in TT, OO, O gauges and commercial organisations booked to appear. There are lengthy discussions ongoing to decide on the next club layout to be built when the current home N gauge has been completed.

There is also another interesting project in its early days, based on an American Railroad around the 1960's. See the link to "Project Progress" in the left hand margin.

The additional room in the club room has now been fitted out as a modelling room with tables and chairs.

The club had a special meeting at the end of March to discuss what the club layout should be. The plan is to continue developing the N and OO gauge layouts until the club exhibition in September, after which a new layout will be started. A decision was made to investigate fully the possibility of modelling Olney Station, as it was at some time during it's working life. Clearly this is a large undertaking, as even in N gauge the scenic area would be about 14 feet (four metres) long. Club members have some information on the actual station and sidings and it is expected that more can be found on the web. It was felt however , that local people might have recollections, or indeed, photographs that would prove useful in the development of this idea. If any readers feel that they could help with information please contact us by clicking on the e mail link
malcolm@olneymrc.org.uk.

In the meantime work is continuing on the club layouts.

The N gauge layout has been named "Market Cross" and is in the final stages of construction, ready for the exhibition on 10 September. More details can be found by navigating to Exhibition 2011.

The request for information about Olney Station has brought some very useful replies and offers of further help. We now have access to a large range of photographs and plans. We also have one person who actually drove trains on the line. A visit to Piddington Station, now a private residence, took place on 7 July. A members thoughts on the visit are as follows:
"I found it strange that the station is between Horton and Denton, miles from Piddington, which is West of Hackleton. Perhaps someone knows the reason for the name? The rain held off for most of the evening, allowing a walk down the old track bed and some photography, the old photographs we were shown by the owner of the property were fascinating, some one should write a book. Many thanks to the organisers. We should probably do some more outings."

The club OO gauge Layout "Bridge End" was taken to the Northampton Model railway show on Saturday 23 July. It was as well that the lighting had been fitted, as our allocated spot was on a stage with no overhead lighting. There were lots of visitors, most of whom showed great interest in the fine scale track used. Ten Members put in an appearance over the day, with everyone enjoying the exhibition, which was much larger than most of us had expected.

The annual Olney Model Railway Club exhibition was held on Saturday 10th September at the Carlton House Club. We had more visitors than last years successful show. The photos show the Club N gauge layout Market Cross which ran a proper operating schedule during the exhibition and two of the visitors of all ages taking a close interest in the layouts.

Please click on the picture to enlarge

The exhibits varied from an O gauge layout constructed within the confines of two A4 file boxes to an eighteen foot long OO model of a country terminus. We must now start planning for next years show and make a start on the clubs new layout.

Several new members have joined recently, but we are still seeking more new members of any level of skill and experience, from beginners to experts, to assist in building the exhibition layouts or just to run their trains on a much larger track than most people have available at home.

The news article has been composed from extracts of articles written by a club member for the local area magazine "Phonebox", published and distributed by Orchard Press. See their web site, click here for a look.

The Club has been notified of the following forthcoming events in the area.

18 February - Milton Keynes Model Railway Society
Milton Keynes College, Sherwood Drive, Bletchley, Milton Keynes. MK3 6DR.
For full details, visit their web site, click here

A full diary of events can be seen at The Chiltern Model Railway Association
web site, click here for details.
The club is affiliated to the CMRA - the Chiltern Model Railway Association. For their Home Page, click here.

MODEL WORLD

3 London Road

Newport Pagnell

Bucks

MK16 0HA

Tel: 01908 612983

Only 1 mile from jnct 14 of the M1

Stockist of Hornby, Bachmann, Peco etc.

mickoxley@aol.com.

Northampton and District

Model Railway Club

Exhibition

Saturday 21 July 2012

Weston Favell School

Booth Lane South

Northampton

NN3 3EZ

British, Continental and American layouts in all gauges and types.

click here for more details.

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