Oldham Goup

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham/NW Groups meeting 12th March, 2025 cont/d.

Darryl was wondering "why" certain models had been produced and why others lacked a good standard.

He was definitely underwhelmed by some steampunk buildings which he thought had been produced to a low standard.

He'd also acquired an underground model railway set from London Transport Museum. This is battery powered. The track seemed of very cheap construction, the Underground train lacked details yet the station backscene was produced to a much higher standard. Why the compromise on high standards?

Hugh, seeing the Fourdees stand at Narrow Gauge North, was reminded that he had two of their locos languishing at home, so he got them out to continue with one and start work on the other.

The "Whiting" loco is now finished apart from a crew. It sits on a Kato 11-109 chassis. The rear coupling has been replaced with a "wide" Greenwich coupling, and the space in the boiler above the chassis has had plenty of lead strip added.

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The Whiting loco

The newer loco is a "Barog", which is a pleasingly chunky loco, to go on the Kato/Peco England chassis. The large headlamps at front and rear were too much of a temptation, and they have been fitted with nano LEDs. This is a slowly-slowly build and is still on the pending pile.

(Hugh is going to have to re-visit the list of Discworld witches for names for all the "new" locos that have been added to the roster.)

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham/NW Groups meeting 12th March, 2025 cont/d.

Ian updated us on the progress of his Scalescenes box file project. The first building is now complete and the second almost so, bar the roof and some detailing.

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[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham/NW Groups meeting 12th March, 2025 cont/d.

Rob had been busy on several fronts including a Barog loco from Fourdees, weathering a brake van formerly modelled by Garry Whiting (both illustrated), improving the Egger OEG coaches, two gaining roof mounted water tanks for toilets and a new shed for 'Turtle Bay'.

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Barog

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[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham/NW Groups meeting 12th March, 2025 cont/d.

Paul had completed the warehouse on 'Melton Market' and had begun constructing in brass a level crossing gate and yard gate for the layout.

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His attention was now turning to furthering the construction of Clogher station building.

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham/NW Groups meeting 12th March, 2025 cont/d.


The H0e 'El Tortuga' (Charlie and Rob) and 00n3 'Clogher' (Paul T) are booked for exhibition at the North West Narrow Gauge MRE & 009 Society AGM to be held in Rainhill on Saturday 12th April, doors opening at 10.30am. (Entrance fee £10, cash only!)


The next meeting will be held in Grasscroft on Wednesday 9th April, starting at 8.00pm.

The following meeting will be held in Grasscroft on Wednesday 21st May. There will be a meeting at Greenfield Methodist Church on Saturday 28th June starting at 1.30pm 'ish through to 4.30pm.

s.p.t. 17-3-25

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 9th April, 2025.

Seven group members attended the meeting on Wednesday 9th April – Alan, Bob, David E, Hugh, John, Peter, and Paul.
There were apologies from Charlie, David H. Philip and Tony.

It was pleasing to meet in person following the winter Zoom meetings.

Bob brought along the TTn3 Accumulator railcar, A80D and a coach from St-Trojan. He had been busy connecting the rear bogies of the railcars to the motor bogie to improve running – a fiddly job on something so small. We had seen presentations on this re engineering at the Zoom meetings. Both railcars ran much better. The coach ran behind the railcars but the 9" radius curves of the test track caused it to derail – a coupling issue – on this occasion.

Hugh also brought along two locos we had seen at the Zoom meetings – his 'Whiting' tram loco and 'Barog' loco, both from Fourdees. They made a number of circuits of the test track. Both were fitted with reliable chassis from Kato so running was to the standard expected. Additionally he brought one of the Fourdees Clogher Valley Railway style tram coaches, another very smart build. {I also brought the 4-2-2 loco based on the Bachmann (US) "Emily" with a very nice body designed and printed by David Hurst. It pulled the bogie coach with no problems, much to my relief.}

Paul ran his 009 M.E.W. style Peckett that he'd completed recently with a rake of GVT mineral wagons. On the 00n3 section of the test track were his recently returned chassis's for a Branchlines Isle of Man Railway Peacock and the Backwoods CVR Sharp Stewart tram loco. Most modelling had been focused on progressing the Clogher Station building which had curtailed all other projects for the time being.

There was also much talk on model developments and projects and the up coming Society AGM at Rainhill at the weekend.

The next meeting will be held in Grasscroft on Wednesday 21st May, starting at 8.00pm. PLEASE NOTE the third Wednesday of the month this time.

This will be followed by a meeting at Greenfield Methodist Church on Saturday 28th June starting at 1.30pm 'ish through to 4.30pm.

s.p.t. 23-4-25
(Apologies for any errors and omissions! I am working from memory with no notes ...)

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 21st May, 2025.

Ten group members attended the meeting in May – Alan, Bob, Charlie, David, Hugh, John, Peter, Rob, Tony and Paul.

There were apologies from Andrew, Philip and Ron.

Alan brought along a West Clare Railway Drewry Railcar he his constructing from Worsley Works brass etches and which runs on an own built chassis. The chassis still needs some additional work carrying out on it to improve the slow running of the Railcar.

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[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 21st May, 2025. cont/d.

Bob showed the "Virtual Signalman" he has developed for the (full size) Lynton & Barnstaple, to allow a demonstrator to operate a restored Single Line Tablet Instrument for visitors.  The Virtual Signalman responds to bell codes in the same way a real signalman at the next station would.

Charlie had several items of stock to show us. Firstly two England's, one repainted in light blue to represent Welsh Pony as running on the WHR in the 1930's and the other adapted with frame strengtheners added to Prince in the 1960's.

Other locos also got to run around the track including a Narrow Planet 0-4-0T running on a Minitrains F&C chassis with Fourdees GWR branded Glyn Valley coaches (illustrated below).

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We also saw the new Bachmann curly roof FR van, a very smart model.

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 21st May, 2025. cont/d.

David showed us a 3D printed water tower that he's painted and weathered. He is pondering on how to make the water hose to complete the model.

Hugh ran the single wheel 4-2-2 with directors coach made from an adapted Chivers Innisfail coach. Details included small chairs and a table for the directors saloon.

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John had re motored his Chivers Cackler. Running was excellent in one direction but sadly not in reverse. On inspection by the team it was noticed that the motor moved a little in its mount causing the flywheel to rub against the chassis block. Just some careful modification needed now.

He'd also brought along a Windle Atkinson Walker tractor formerly owned by Garry and the Minitrains Henschel tram loco.

Rob also had a number of items to show us including a Windle 4-8-2T tank based on the Swilly 4-8-4T, also ex Garry; an adaptation of a steam rail motor combining a Krass loco body and Ashover coach as well as a two coach railcar (which didn't get to run as the curves on the layout were too tight).

Tony ran a couple of Model Engine Works Peckett's, a tram version on a Kato 11-100 chassis and the other on a Kato/PECO England chassis. He persuaded Paul to bring down his model of the latter and they trundled around the test track – illustrated (Tony's loco is RAF blue, Paul's black green).

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An item has been submitted to the News on these and David H.'s loco for publication at some point in the future.

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 21st May, 2025. cont/d.

Paul had three etched brass coaches on the 12mm gauge line of the test track. Two needed primer and the third was awaiting painting. Their number was added to by a fourth coach, under construction, the CVR First class coach. Alan had kindly brought along his rollers to help with shaping the brass roofs. The photo shows the coach with clerestory roof completed and installed.

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The station building for Clogher was also displayed on the section of the layout, progress had been made since the Society AGM. There is still much to complete.


The next meeting will be held at Greenfield Methodist Church, OL3 7JJ, on Saturday 28th June starting at 1.30pm 'ish through to 4.30pm.

The following meeting will be in Grasscroft, Wednesday 9th July.

s.p.t. 2-6-25

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 28th June, 2025.

Eleven group members attended the meeting in June – Alan G., Bob, David E., David H., Mark, Ron, Tony and Paul. We were pleased that Alistair, Barry and Ian were able to make it to their first meeting of the group.
There were apologies from Alan C., Andrew, Charlie, Hugh Paul M., Peter and Philip.

Alan G brought along eight County Donegal Railway steam locomotives that he has made over several years to show the progression in locomotive development from a tiny CDR Class 1 2-4-0T to a gigantic class 5A 2-6-4T. Discussions centred on the methods of construction whether totally kit built, modified commercial kit, or totally scratch built. [Ed: each loco had a short printed description to help as well]
He also brought along his West Clare Railway Drewry railcar to run on the test track. This still needs further work on the chassis to improve the running particularly in reverse.

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Class 3 4-4-4T Hercules

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Class 4 4-6-4T Erne

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[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 28th June, 2025 cont/d.

Bob had been busy working on his 3mm scale PPF Fives Lille 0-6-0T (0-3-0) for use on his St-Trojan layout.

The body is built from nickel and brass with the dome turned from brass. [N.B. Dome and chimney are just resting in position.]

The loco has been modelled with its two styles of cab protection.

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David E had been inspired by the recent articles on point work in the News by John Wilkes and decided to give one example a go. This is the early stage, some isolators (or gaps) need to be organised, the points tested and selected sleepers removed before use.

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[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 28th June, 2025 cont/d.

David H brought several new projects over including a whimsical take on Wallace and Gromit and Penguin from 'The Wrong Trousers'.

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Another projects he's brought along included a revised County Donegal coach bogie (12mm gauge) and a mock up for the Walker Railcars (also for 4 mm scale, 12 mm gauge) used on the County Donegal, Isle or Man and West Clare railways.

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[Ed: This could prove to be a very popular model. It had been printed in different colour plastics similar to the livery on the County Donegal and Isle of Man Railways]

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 28th June, 2025 cont/d.

Ron showed his small layout built onto a coffee tale top (it doesn't have a name) which is due to be replaced by a larger layout in the very near future. It was a small circular layout with a loop at the rear so that different stock could be easily run.

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Tony's Matthew & Son layout is being revitalised for the Romiley Methodist Club exhibition on 14 September.

The layout has been stored for some years and consequently requires a little TLC - especially to the wiring where there is a dead spot at one end of the passing loop. Tony was busy with soldering iron and voltmeter!

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Paul T had set up Wood Brook (00n3) in its entirety [three boards, each 254mm x 755mm].

There were a couple of trains on the tracks for running, one a CVR Sharp Stewart with a couple of CVR coaches, the other a Hudswell inspired loco with 3 R&ER 1st Class coaches (yes, there was actually only one ...).

Alan G's Drewry railcar also had running rights (see photo on page 2. Also in this photo, on the left, are the CWR steam tram locos which are presently on free-wheeling chassis's).


The next meeting will be held in Grasscroft on Wednesday 9th July starting at 8.00pm.

There will be a Zoom meeting in August, the date will be finalised at the next meeting.

Hopefully another get together in the church hall can be organised for the autumn.

s.p.t. 29-6-25

[Hugh Norwood]

Oldham Group meeting 9th July, 2025.

Three group members attended the meeting – David E., Peter & Paul – it was very reminiscent of the early days of the group.

There were apologies from Alan G., Andrew, Bob, David H., Hugh, and Tony.

The test track was out – there was only a minimum of Paul's stock to run; the Chivers 'Skylark' and a Mike's Models Corris coach, Stenning brake van and scratch built Corris coal wagon.
Clogher station was also on display – it had made some progress since the last meeting.

There was plenty of chat and discussion on matters 009 (and 00n3) including the future of kits and availability – this also covered 3D printed items, some of which are proving to have a short life in the market place. Also (and probably obviously) building construction techniques.

A photo of Clogher station building:

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