Suffolk & Norfolk Group?

[cnw6847]

A bit late getting the write up done ( still busy doing home improvements!, wish there were more days in the week!).

There were nine people at the meet, three new faces. I hope those who attended enjoyed the evening.

There was a on30, 009 & 009 micro layout and a 009 working diorama on display.
Some kit built 009 locos were brought.


We are learning things as we go along, We need a test track so I am hoping to have a multi scale test track ready for the May meet.


A friendly discussion decided that Norfolk & Suffolk is easier to say and sounds better than the other way round so we will be deciding on exact name at the June Meet! Also in June we will be having a chat to see what else we want to do etc.


The next two meets are booked, Sat May 5th at Wattisfield community centre 10-4 and Mon 2nd June at Barsham 7-10pm


Thanks to those to attended and brought things.

[cnw6847]

The June meeting saw seven members venture into Suffolk with 3 layouts, a variety of rolling stock and some excellent kit built locos on show.

Two of the group members Richard and Jim brought along their new projects. Richard

[cnw6847]

We had a good meeting on the 7th. There were six of us on this occasion.

Various things were brought to show:

Alex brought his newly started 009 layout with included a warehouse that will have a manually operated wagon unloader which will use magnets. He also had a pugbash utilising a Kato chassis in the form of a 0-6-4

Graham had some coaches on show and his latest one of them was a conversion using a Liliput coach as a starting point.

Chris showed us a servo mechanism he is going to use to create a working beam engine for his waterworks layout and also he brought his home made tea strainer type static grass type applicator.

Nick used the test track to us a kit built 0-4-0 tank loco he made many years ago, it ran very nicely.

Richard showed a small amount of progress with his 3d printed side tank loco. One side has been lined using some ancient dry print lining he picked up from Parrs model shop. He was also seeking opinions on some colours for rolling stock.

Alan brought along his latest On30 acquisition which he tested on the test track.



We also had a chat about a few things including dates and other plans for the group:

It was decided to have a Saturday meet at Barsham in October. It was agreed to book the 11th October, 11 am to 3pm. This will give a chance for people to bring a layout and have more time to have it set up. I will be at the hall from about 10.30 if anyone arrives early.

The 009ers thought it would be good to go for Recognised group status with the 009 Society. I will sort this shortly.

We are keen to do a first anniversary Public open meet. I suggested a hall in Beccles as it a fairly good place for visitors to get to by car, bus and train and halls are reasonably priced.

We will hopefully have quite a few layouts in a number of scales which should be interesting for visitors.

More details will be sorted out in due course but early March looks a good time.

Chris has suggested a challenge for members of all scales to get involved with.

The Two Square Foot Challenge!!

"To build a narrow gauge layout with a scenic area of two square foot.
Layout can be any shape as long as it has a scenic area of two square foot.
No limits on any off-scene fiddle yard or run-round areas.
Hopefully this will make it possible to build layouts in a range of scales and allow them to be self contained, end to end, round and round etc. to support the scenic layout.
Aim to show them at an open meeting in spring 2015 and would also be suitable to make a display at exhibitions to promote the group."

This idea was received with quite a lot of enthusiasm and I think if we confirm whether to go ahead at the August meet will give people quite a bit of time to have a go.

If anyone has any suggestion or thoughts on the challenge please let me know.

I was in Southwold last week and popped into the Southwold Railway shop. There is a very nice 2015 calendar out now featuring the excellent layouts of the Southwold Railway by Stewart Green. Well worth Buying a copy!

The next meet is Monday August 4th 7.00-10.00pm

Barsham & Shipmeadow Village Hall,
Bungay Road,
Barsham,
Suffolk,
NR34 8HA

Follow B1062 from Beccles or Bungay
Turn into hall car park by phone box.

Please feel free to bring works in progress or items to show etc.

All scales welcome

any questions please feel free to ask

 

[cnw6847]

We had another enjoyable evening with six people in attendance, I  thought we were going to have a new person but he was looking for local AA meeting!!



Graham brought his 2001 A3 competition winning 'Grumblewick Coombe'. The layout features a pub in a valley that's really only accessible by rail. The railway brings people, beer and supplies to the pub.

Chris brought along his micro shunting puzzle layout 'Abbots Yard'. It kept us amused and challenged trying to shunt the wagons into the correct spots.

Alex had his latest projects on show and a couple of his dioramas including one with narrow gauge working unloader into standard gauge wagons. Alex's Pugbash is complete and looks very good with the Kato chassis. His newly scratchbuilt diesel looks excellent on a kato chassis.

Richard had a loco and rolling stock painted in his final choice of livery.

Alan brought something completely different! a Heljan OO standard gauge Garrett. A superb model.



We have decided to definitely go ahead with the 'Two Square Foot Challenge' so please feel free to join in, details below.

"To build a narrow gauge layout with a scenic area of two square foot.
Layout can be any shape as long as it has a scenic area of two square foot.
No limits on any off-scene fiddle yard or run-round areas.
Hopefully this will make it possible to build layouts in a range of scales and allow them to be self contained, end to end, round and round etc. to support the scenic layout.

Aim to show them at an open meeting in spring 2015 and would also be suitable to make a display at exhibitions to promote the group."




1st Anniversary Open Day.

I have provisionally Booked the St Johns Ambulance hall in Beccles for Saturday 7th March for our 1st Anniversary Open Day

[cnw6847]

The next meet is on:

Monday September 1st 7.00pm-10.00pm.

Barsham & Shipmeadow Village Hall,
Bungay Road,
Barsham,
Suffolk,
NR34 8HA

Follow B1062 from Beccles or Bungay
Turn into hall car park by phone box.

Please feel free to bring works in progress or items to show etc.

All scales welcome

any questions please feel free to ask

[cnw6847]

September saw a very enjoyable meet and time just flew by!

Alan, Alex, Graham, Chris, James, Jim, Phil and myself attended.

Chris showed plans for his two square foot challenge.

Alex was showing his progress with his two square foot challenge and brought along some rolling stock and a diorama.

Jim brought his 'Hubbards' layout showing progress.

Phil had a cardboard constructed prototype station building for his layout.

Richard brought along some rolling stock that I have been working on.
 

1st Anniversary open day.

I have confirmed the booking for the St Johns Ambulance hall in Beccles on Saturday March 7th 2015.

More information will be announced in due course.

The next meet is Saturday October 11th 11am - 3pm.
We are planning a fish and chip lunch.

Barsham & Shipmeadow Village Hall,
Bungay Road,
Barsham,
Suffolk,
NR34 8HA

Follow B1062 from Beccles or Bungay
Turn into hall car park by phone box.

Please feel free to bring works in progress or items to show etc.

All scales welcome

any questions please feel free to ask

[cnw6847]

We decided to have a Saturday meet this time to allow for a bit more time to bring and set up layouts.

We had finished layouts and some under construction plus items of stock to show.
Our weekday meets don't always allow enough time for this.

We had very nice fish n chips and lemon meringue roulade for lunch!

There were a few new faces this time too.

Stewart Green was able to make a meet for the first time and he brought his 'Birds Folly' 009 layout

Chris Seago brought along his 009 'Reeds Beck Waterworks'

Graham and Caroline Watling had 'Nibley Knoll', their 009 layout on show.

Jim brought 'Hubbards' his 009 layout under construction

I had my 009 'Shipmeadow' layout showing some scenery progress.

Some rolling stock items were brought to show.

Alex brought his scratch built loco on kato chassis.
Neville brought a long a Con Cor Hon3 Galloping Goose

[cnw6847]

Seven attended the November meet.

It was a busy evening with quite a bit of time spent looking at the plan of the open day hall and moving bits of paper representing the layouts around it trying to fit them in!

We did get around to looking at some items people brought along.

Graham was showing his very smart newly built Peckett saddle tank tram loco built by Paul Windle.

Alex had some of his 009 dioramas on show with some stock.

Chris was showing revised pans for his 2 Sq ft challenge.

Stewart had his Southwold railway based 2 sq ft challenge with him showing excellent progress.

I brought along a Chris Ward 3d printed WD loco body and a caramel motor bogie

[cnw6847]

The next meet is on:

Monday December 1st 7.00pm-10.00pm.

Barsham & Shipmeadow Village Hall,
Bungay Road,
Barsham,
Suffolk,
NR34 8HA

Follow B1062 from Beccles or Bungay
Turn into hall car park by phone box.

Please feel free to bring works in progress or items to show etc.

All scales welcome

any questions please feel free to ask

[cnw6847]

We had an enjoyable December meet with 10 attending.

Alex was showing his next 009 loco project, a RT Models Lister kit which will use a Kato Portram for motorising. He also had some locos and rolling stock to give a run.

Jim was showing more scenic progress with his 009 Hubbards Halt layout.

Peter was able to visit for the first time in a while and brought some very nicely kit built and painted 009 locos. I believe the locos were constructed from Backwoods Miniatures and Meridian models.
Graham has put some photos on the website.

Neville brought along a couple of holiday photo albums with photographs from the Cumbres & Toltec and Durango & Silverton railroads.

Graham was taking some photos to update the website.

Chris brought along some 009 Greenwich couplings with a view to demonstrate their assembly but unfortunately we ran out of time (for the 2nd month running). We will aim to fit it in next time!

Richard had some 009 rolling stock he has been painting and decaling. He was also showing a Chris Ward 3d printed WD steam loco body and Narrow planet RNAD 99hp Baguley-Drewry loco 3d printed kit.

Stewart updated us with some more details on his Southwold Railway themed Nn3 2sq ft challenge.


 

[cnw6847]

The next meet is during the day on Saturday January 3rd and if you would like a trial run to find out where our March open day will be held please come along and join us from 9.00am- 2.00pm



St John Ambulance Hall,

Blyburgate,

Beccles,

Suffolk,

NR34 9TF.

Please feel free to bring works in progress or items to show etc.

All scales welcome

any questions please feel free to ask

[cnw6847]

we met at the St Johns Ambulance hall in Beccles (venue for the open day) for the Jan meet.

The time mostly consisted of brainstorming over the plan for fitting everything in the hall for the open day!

I think we are just about there. There should be nine layouts plus the 2sq ft challenge layouts, the 009 society sales stall and the Southwold Railway trust's stall. Ladies from the Gt Yarmouth Brass Band will be doing light refreshments.



In the remaining time we admired Chris's 2 sg ft challenge baseboard construction, very neatly done indeed.

Stewart brought along his Bridge over the Blyth layout.

Alex was test running his latest purchase, a Jouef steam loco.

Neville showed some laser wood buildings he is constructing.

Phil brought with him a Minitrains controller which we hooked up to the test track.

Richard had some more rolling stock progress and one of Rod Allcock's Ruston LA diesel locos.

[cnw6847]

The next meet is on:

Saturday 7th February



10am - 2pm

Barsham & Shipmeadow Village Hall,
Bungay Road,
Barsham,
Suffolk,
NR34 8HA

Follow B1062 from Beccles or Bungay
Turn into hall car park by phone box.

Please feel free to bring a layout, works in progress or items to show etc.

All scales welcome

any questions please feel free to ask

[cnw6847]

Graham Watling has been very busy putting Photos on our website of the Open Day layouts and challenge layouts.

Please see them in the Gallery section

http://nsngm.org.uk/

[cnw6847]

To avoid the Bank Holiday our next meet is on:

Wednesday 1st April (seriously!)

19.00 - 22.00

Barsham & Shipmeadow Village Hall,
Bungay Road,
Barsham,
Suffolk,
NR34 8HA

Follow B1062 from Beccles or Bungay
Turn into hall car park by phone box.
 

We are hoping to have some of the 2sq ft challenge layouts on display and running.

Please feel free to bring a layout, works in progress or items to show etc.

All scales welcome

any questions please feel free to ask