Category: Diary

Modelling Diary-proves I do(did) some modelling sometime + modelling visits/events

Layout construction sessions

We had a successful trial ” layout construction” session in my garage on the 4th September 2019, although only 3 members were present. The area was rearranged so that the “East Hants Link” layout could be set up on trestles with working space all round.
It looks as though as currently arranged there will only be enough working space for a maximum of four members, but this might increase with a bit more tweaking of the room layout.

I will continue with track laying/scenic works over the next 2 weeks with the layout boards left in position.

The first post holiday session at Redford Village Hall on the 18th September will concentrate on work on buildings for the layout plus any personal projects- The layout boards will not be transported to any planned Redford meetings
At this session we hope to confirm the arrangements for another layout construction session on Wednesday 25th September.
Regular layout construction sessions will commence on Wednesday 9th October.
The 16th October meeting at Redford will again concentrate on buildings Additional layout construction sessions will be arranged up to the L&DMRC Open Day in the Milland Valley Memorial Hall on the 27th October

Local club layout in September issue of Railway Modeller magazine

Congratulations to our local colleagues at Liphook & District Model Railway Club,who meet every Friday evening in Milland Valley Memorial Hall on their layout “Titherleigh” being featured in the September issue of Railway Modeller which will have been received by subscribers today.. 
I believe this is a first for them in RM although they have had a number of articles on club and personal layouts in the sister publication Continental Modeller covering Japanese and Italian layouts

Railway Room tidy-up and re-arrangement gets underway

To enable the trial of the “additional meetings” of the Milland Valley Railway Modellers to be held in my railway room in September/October, it needs re-arranging and tidying. Work on this stated in earnest yesterday and will continue for a few days.

It is basically clearing enough area for East Hants Link to be worked on simultaneously by several people. In fact at the moment there is insufficient clear space for me to work on it alone!

Visit to Liss Model Railway Group

As usual a warm welcome with coffee and biscuit received from the Liss group when I made my now regular monthly visit to deliver the latest(July) edition of the Railway Magazine Guide to Modelling. The kitchen was not in action due to being hit by a car parking in the adjacent pub car park!.

As usual I also left copies of the same magazine for the Liphook & District MRC at the then empty Milland Valley Memorial Hall for their meeting later this evening

Milland Valley Railway Modellers Future Developments

We have started to think how the group might develop in the future. 
Building a layout in two places- me doing that here at home and all members at our Redford meetings, is perhaps not the easiest way. Considerable time and effort is wasted each time in loading a car, unloading at the other end and doing the reverse after the meeting, with increase risk of damage plus reduction in time for modelling involving gluing or plasterwork.
At our last group meeting, I suggested that perhaps we should confine layout building to my home, but with members present and use our meetings at Redford for small self contained personal or group modelling projects.
Although most members were at our last meeting, further discussions are required., but I have warned Redford Hall of the possibility of change in 2020.
Meanwhile I will be looking at ways of rearranging my railway room, to accomodate members and layout building easily, whist we are on our current two month break. A trial session in September is a possibility.
Obviously if we have a mix of meeting venues, we could have more meetings per year at no extra cost to members, as meetings at my home will be free of hire charges.
Provisionally it looks possible to have up to say 20 sessions a year made up of 8 at Redford (third Wednesday in the month except January,July, August and December) and the balance at home on another Wednesday afternoon -possibly 2nd in every month.
Additionally we would have the flexibility to hold extra (or less) home meetings as required, if members aren’t available or if no or more work on the layout is required, without financial penalty or re-arranging bookings. On the current membership of 8 and similar support from Liphook U3A for hire charges, the new group subs for 2020/21 would decrease by £10 to £23 per annum.Expanding the group numbers will have to take into account the home sessions space accommodation.

Milland Valley Railway Modellers June Meeting

The final meeting before the group’s Summer break is on Wednesday 19th June at Redford Village Hall, Linch Road, Redford GU29 0QF commencing at 14.00hrs

We shall be continuing tracklaying on East Hants Link and members are welcome to bring along their personal project to work on.

Visitors who are already members of the Liphook, Midhurst, Petersfield, Haslemere or Wollmer Forest U3A’s are welcome to attend

Meetings resume on Wednesday 18th September at the same location and starting time

Lots of Fun at Milland Valley Railway Modellers -April 2019 meeting

We were back to our old stamping ground with the meeting held at Milland Valley Memorial Hall due to kitchen work at Redford Village Hall

In a well attended session- 5 members and 2 visitors, we were able to get underway with laying track AND a test run of a tram.

Many were taken back to first time they got to see a Christmas or Birthday present train set run. Seven grey haired or balding 8 year old kids having lots of fun!!

We hope that the visitors return and in due course turn into regular members. This would take membership to 9