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MERIONETH MERCURY June 1976
Journal of the Merioneth Railway Society. No. 5
Journal of the Merioneth Railway Society. No. 5
The principal event of Society interest which has occurred since the publication of the last issue of the "Mercury" has been the startling success of our first Open Day, held at Keen House on Saturday, 8th May; so we will start with that. Soon after the beginning of the year Colin Binnie inspected his seething imagination and took a look at all the ideas floating around in his fertile brain. One of them particularly interested him so he examined it more closely. It was: Why not have an Open Day and invite all 16mm scale modellers?
This seemed to him to be a good idea. Another good idea was to pass it on to the other members of the Society, who enthusiastically approved of it. His third idea, the best of all from his point of view, was to get someone else to do the actual work - not that there was a great deal to do.
The main thing was to publicise the meeting and this was done via notices in the Model Press and in certain Railway publications. We received a number of replies, and these included not only people who intended to come but also a few (one from a member of HM Forces abroad) from modellers interested but unable to attend. There is undoubtedly a lot of interest in this scale/gauge combination - far more than we had realised, in fact.
The actual setting-up arrangements were undertaken by CJB and his team of Society helpers. This did not include your Editor, who has to work on Saturday mornings - but I got there as soon as I could, only to find most of the work done. The MRCs 0-gauge test tracks were erected towards one side of the room, chairs were set out, and certain stands were in position ready to receive the static exhibits of which there were, as it turned out, a really splendid number. It must be admitted, in fact, that the provision of enough stands constituted quite a problem - we are inclined to demand more space than do the flea-gauge enthusiasts:
The meeting was advertised to start at 2 p.m., and it was well that all the arrangements were well up to date since visitors had begun to arrive from 1.30 onwards, and continued to do so in ones, twos, and complete parties for some time to come. One such twosome was from Archangel Models,
Page 2.
complete with some of their firm's products, including several steam-driven locomotives, one of which was a model of "Little Wonder". As such it was not a very good representation of that beast, possibly because of the difficulty of fitting everything in. In a steam-driven model one has to compromise, especially in such matters as over scale pressure gauges. However, it was a perfectly good double Fairlie and it worked well, thus causing the Model Railway Club's Chairman, present as a guest, to remark that he had never thought he'd ever have lived to see the day when a model double-Fairlie went by under its own steam.
The other steamer was an 0-4-2T which steamed so vigorously that it ended up off the track, after which its ardour had to be somewhat dampened.
Anyone with models could and did run them, even though the MRC's test tracks had been designed for use with scale clearances suited to 7mm scale rather than ours. This made matters somewhat dodgy, but we got by, mainly by ensuring that trains passed each other on the straight portions of the track; or else followed one another around, using both tracks but without
attempting to overtake; and everyone seemed to be satisfied with the meeting, not least because of the opportunity it afforded for different adherents of this scale, some of whom had considered themselves to be lone hands, to contact others similarly situated.
Although the Society never seeks adherents, being a small band of enthusiasts without, even a Clubroom to meet in, several people expressed a desire to join, so we have offered them associate membership. This means that they will receive copies of all our future publications - drawings, this Journal, and so forth, and will be entitled to purchase any mouldings made by us. There is also no reason why they shouldn't attend meetings, either; but because we meet in different houses they had better ring one of us first to find out where the next meeting, usually held on a Friday, is to take place.
We are really a most undemocratic body! No constitution, no clubroom, no Committee, no elections, and practically no rules. The only three I can call to mind run as follows:‑
Page 3.
The utility of the last rule becomes apparent as soon as preparations for an Exhibition are to being made. However, we have wandered slightly. The Open Day was a huge success and no less than 45 persons attended it. Some of them, as has already been touched upon, had no idea that there was anyone else working in this scale and they - and we - are at last getting to know each other. We have also received a number of appreciative letters (for which, many thanks) coupled with urgent representations to make the Open Day an annual affair and it looks as though we shall have to do just that. In other words, we've Started Something.
Our heartiest thanks are due, and are hereby given, to all those who, often at the cost of a long journey, came to the meeting with their models and made it the success which it undoubtedly was.
D.A. Boreham.
Personal Points
The main line has now progressed beyond the station limits and into the garden. At the time of writing the substructure for a passing station has been completed and tracklaying is about to start (July 1976).
Forthcoming events for your diary.
Exhibition: Saturday and Sunday, 16 and 17 October.
We enclose with this issue a copy of our standards sheet, as used by the original members of the Society. These have been proved workable and we recommend their adoption. We also enclose a list (up to date to July 1976) of all our members and associates; this will help to put people in touch with each other.
The final item in this issue is an article by Stuart Baker; so I will take this opportunity of signing off and of handing you over to Stuart.
D.A. Borcham.
Page 5.
The War Department "D" Class Wagon
by S.L. Baker.
Early in the First World War it became apparent that the conflict was not going to be a war of movement as the Allies had hoped it would be. Instead, the War quickly ground to a halt, with the Allies and the Germans peering intently at one another from their front lines, at times only a few yards apart. A new phrase was to enter the English language - "trench warfare".
Both sides realised that a major factor in the winning of the war was communication with, and along, the front line. As roads were nonexistent, light railways proved to be the only reliable answer. The Germans had already accumulated a stockpile of 60 cm the Army, and later a standard pattern of 1-ton push-truck was designed and built for front-line trench tramways.
Meanwhile, the development of true locomotive-hauled light railways was going ahead. Standard classes of wagons were built for these lines ranging from the class "A" 4-wheeled wagons to large bogie ambulance cars, and well and tank-wagons.
The most widely used of these wagon classes was the bogie "D" class, the subject of the accompanying drawing. Designed for high-density loads up to 10 tons, they were built both with steel channel and with wooden underframes. Bach body-side consisted of two drop-down doors with a removable centre post. The body was mounted on 4-wheel bogies haring a 3'0" wheelbase, pillar hand-brakes at their outer ends, and laminated spring axle boxes.
Taken into the stocks of many light railways after the war, notably the famous Ashover Light Railway, some are still in operation. Locally to London, they can still be seen at the sandpits of Arnold's and Garside's at Leighton Buzzard.
This seemed to him to be a good idea. Another good idea was to pass it on to the other members of the Society, who enthusiastically approved of it. His third idea, the best of all from his point of view, was to get someone else to do the actual work - not that there was a great deal to do.
The main thing was to publicise the meeting and this was done via notices in the Model Press and in certain Railway publications. We received a number of replies, and these included not only people who intended to come but also a few (one from a member of HM Forces abroad) from modellers interested but unable to attend. There is undoubtedly a lot of interest in this scale/gauge combination - far more than we had realised, in fact.
The actual setting-up arrangements were undertaken by CJB and his team of Society helpers. This did not include your Editor, who has to work on Saturday mornings - but I got there as soon as I could, only to find most of the work done. The MRCs 0-gauge test tracks were erected towards one side of the room, chairs were set out, and certain stands were in position ready to receive the static exhibits of which there were, as it turned out, a really splendid number. It must be admitted, in fact, that the provision of enough stands constituted quite a problem - we are inclined to demand more space than do the flea-gauge enthusiasts:
The meeting was advertised to start at 2 p.m., and it was well that all the arrangements were well up to date since visitors had begun to arrive from 1.30 onwards, and continued to do so in ones, twos, and complete parties for some time to come. One such twosome was from Archangel Models,
Page 2.
complete with some of their firm's products, including several steam-driven locomotives, one of which was a model of "Little Wonder". As such it was not a very good representation of that beast, possibly because of the difficulty of fitting everything in. In a steam-driven model one has to compromise, especially in such matters as over scale pressure gauges. However, it was a perfectly good double Fairlie and it worked well, thus causing the Model Railway Club's Chairman, present as a guest, to remark that he had never thought he'd ever have lived to see the day when a model double-Fairlie went by under its own steam.
The other steamer was an 0-4-2T which steamed so vigorously that it ended up off the track, after which its ardour had to be somewhat dampened.
Anyone with models could and did run them, even though the MRC's test tracks had been designed for use with scale clearances suited to 7mm scale rather than ours. This made matters somewhat dodgy, but we got by, mainly by ensuring that trains passed each other on the straight portions of the track; or else followed one another around, using both tracks but without
attempting to overtake; and everyone seemed to be satisfied with the meeting, not least because of the opportunity it afforded for different adherents of this scale, some of whom had considered themselves to be lone hands, to contact others similarly situated.
Although the Society never seeks adherents, being a small band of enthusiasts without, even a Clubroom to meet in, several people expressed a desire to join, so we have offered them associate membership. This means that they will receive copies of all our future publications - drawings, this Journal, and so forth, and will be entitled to purchase any mouldings made by us. There is also no reason why they shouldn't attend meetings, either; but because we meet in different houses they had better ring one of us first to find out where the next meeting, usually held on a Friday, is to take place.
We are really a most undemocratic body! No constitution, no clubroom, no Committee, no elections, and practically no rules. The only three I can call to mind run as follows:‑
- The name of the Society is the MERIONETH RAILWAY SOCIETY and it exists in order to build and operate the Merioneth Railway Company, in model form.
- Members should be interested in the 16mm/32mm scale/gauge combination and no person not an active modeller and who has not constructed at least one model, is eligible for membership.
- Any member who buys a car should, whenever possible, purchase an Estate model.
Page 3.
The utility of the last rule becomes apparent as soon as preparations for an Exhibition are to being made. However, we have wandered slightly. The Open Day was a huge success and no less than 45 persons attended it. Some of them, as has already been touched upon, had no idea that there was anyone else working in this scale and they - and we - are at last getting to know each other. We have also received a number of appreciative letters (for which, many thanks) coupled with urgent representations to make the Open Day an annual affair and it looks as though we shall have to do just that. In other words, we've Started Something.
Our heartiest thanks are due, and are hereby given, to all those who, often at the cost of a long journey, came to the meeting with their models and made it the success which it undoubtedly was.
D.A. Boreham.
Personal Points
- The bad news first I'm afraid. We much regret to announce the passing of Charles Spilman("Charlie" to one and all) who died rather suddenly in March. Charlie had recently retired and left Watford, his abode for many years, to live with relatives in South London and his abrupt passing was a great shock to all. He was our oldest member and had had a layout in our scale before anyone else had even heard of such a size. He was a popular, gentle person, and he will be greatly missed.
- The good news is that Stuart Baker finally succeeded in marrying his Heather, also in March. To do this he, plus a goodly MRS contingent, repaired to Banchory, in the wilds or Aberdeenshire, where the ceremony took place. A good, if chilly, time was had by all, with the added excitement of snowbound mountain roads, ice, skidding-all-over-the-place fun on the way back. We offer Stuart our congratulations, not only on having persuaded anyone at all to take him on (surprising in itself) but also on having wooed and won his Heather who has the dual advantages of being a lovely Scots lassie and a trained nurse into the bargain. Congratulations, Stuart.
- The Norlholt branch of the Company is coming on nicely and at the time of writing the point motor controls have been' completed. This means that no longer will it be necessary to fiddle about under the baseboard, disturbing the wiring, every time it becomes necessary to change a point. From now on an electric panel will do the job.
The main line has now progressed beyond the station limits and into the garden. At the time of writing the substructure for a passing station has been completed and tracklaying is about to start (July 1976).
Forthcoming events for your diary.
- There was an Exhibition last year at the Community Centre, Hanwell, which is situated at the top of Cuckoo Avenue, a turning off Ruislip Road East, on the South side, just under ¼ mile west of the point at which the Greenford branch of W.R. crosses that road. We exhibited our layout there and have been invited again this year. Particulars are as follows:‑
Exhibition: Saturday and Sunday, 16 and 17 October.
- Now, make a particular note of this one. Thursday, October 28th Keen House, Calshot Street, London, N1, at 7 p.m. on. The Model Railway Club runs Track nights and has a habit of inviting affiliated Clubs and societies to take charge of various of these meetings. We are such an affiliated Society and have been invited to run the Track Night on October 28th, so roll up on that date in your thousands, complete with the most delicious and mouth-watering models, both railway and female, and show the members of the M.R.C., most of whom are devoted to the smaller, or flea-sized, standard gauges what we can do. Visitors, not members of either club, are nevertheless very welcome so do not hesitate to bring your friends; and note the date in your diary now, folks.
- We have received a letter from our Associate Member, Mr. G.M. Lamb. The Welsh Highland Light Railway (1964) Ltd., Salisbury Branch, is holding an Exhibition on Feb 26th at the "Youth Festival hall" Wilton Road, Salisbury, and we are invited to exhibit. Setting up on Friday evening, 25th Feb, between 7 pm and 10 pm. Further particulars may be obtained from Mr. Lamb at the address given.
We enclose with this issue a copy of our standards sheet, as used by the original members of the Society. These have been proved workable and we recommend their adoption. We also enclose a list (up to date to July 1976) of all our members and associates; this will help to put people in touch with each other.
The final item in this issue is an article by Stuart Baker; so I will take this opportunity of signing off and of handing you over to Stuart.
D.A. Borcham.
Page 5.
The War Department "D" Class Wagon
by S.L. Baker.
Early in the First World War it became apparent that the conflict was not going to be a war of movement as the Allies had hoped it would be. Instead, the War quickly ground to a halt, with the Allies and the Germans peering intently at one another from their front lines, at times only a few yards apart. A new phrase was to enter the English language - "trench warfare".
Both sides realised that a major factor in the winning of the war was communication with, and along, the front line. As roads were nonexistent, light railways proved to be the only reliable answer. The Germans had already accumulated a stockpile of 60 cm the Army, and later a standard pattern of 1-ton push-truck was designed and built for front-line trench tramways.
Meanwhile, the development of true locomotive-hauled light railways was going ahead. Standard classes of wagons were built for these lines ranging from the class "A" 4-wheeled wagons to large bogie ambulance cars, and well and tank-wagons.
The most widely used of these wagon classes was the bogie "D" class, the subject of the accompanying drawing. Designed for high-density loads up to 10 tons, they were built both with steel channel and with wooden underframes. Bach body-side consisted of two drop-down doors with a removable centre post. The body was mounted on 4-wheel bogies haring a 3'0" wheelbase, pillar hand-brakes at their outer ends, and laminated spring axle boxes.
Taken into the stocks of many light railways after the war, notably the famous Ashover Light Railway, some are still in operation. Locally to London, they can still be seen at the sandpits of Arnold's and Garside's at Leighton Buzzard.
Page 6.
The drawing accompanying this article shows the body of the wagon. In the next issue of the "Mercury" I hope to be able to bring you the detail of the bogies, shown in the photograph. For anyone not wishing to fabricate their own bogie sideframes a white metal kit for them may be obtained from the Greenwich Narrow-Gauge Railway Society.
The drawing accompanying this article shows the body of the wagon. In the next issue of the "Mercury" I hope to be able to bring you the detail of the bogies, shown in the photograph. For anyone not wishing to fabricate their own bogie sideframes a white metal kit for them may be obtained from the Greenwich Narrow-Gauge Railway Society.
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