An afternoon special interest group of Liphook & Midhurst U3A’s – sponsored by this website to encourage more adults to take up the model railway hobby
NEW FORMAT
In resurrecting the idea in 2017, I attempted a different format. The sessions were monthly of 2 hours duration. Those attending followed and if they wished to, assisted in the building of a small model railway, through from planning to construction. In between sessions I carried out the majority of the work and explained at each session what had happened and what has to happen next. It looks like I will manage to complete one OO scale diorama and most of an N scale tramway layout by the end of the first year(March 2018) It has been more of a working group, rather than a course.
The drawbacks were- considerable pressure on me and problems with members attendance, such that on one occasion only one member turned up!
So for 2018 at the request of existing members, the format will be much like that of a model railway club. Members can work on their own projects or on group projects. An afternoon model railway club which is not exactly unique, but slightly different and therefore aimed at the retired (U3A members)
We have introduced the following changes in recent months
- The course has been converted into an afternoon model railway club under local U3A’s “umbrella”
- A change of group name to better reflect the group aims (From Building a Model Railway Group to The Milland Valley Railway Modellers)
- Move to Redford Village Hall from our May 2018 meeting, due to introduction of extended hours at the nursery school using Milland Valley Memorial Hall (to meet government 30 hours a week edict.) which meant we could no longer keep our Wednesday slot.
A MESSAGE TO ALL THOSE CONTEMPLATING TAKING UP OR RETURNING TO THE MODEL RAILWAY HOBBY
Building a model railway is often a solitary occupation and some like the hobby for that reason. However if you have taken up the hobby in retirement or after the death of a loved one, you would gain much by joining a club. You could get help on problems with building your layout; you could gain a pal or two in the process and best of all be part of a community that’s enjoying themselves- playing trains.
One last point- if you’re a lady you can still take up model railways as a hobby. Although traditionally it has been seen as a male preserve, increasingly clubs accept, nay encourage, women to join.(No its not a cunning plan to get the teas made and the washing up done)- genuinely women not unsurprisingly,make fine modellers and that’s what its all about!
Please contact one, or more, of your local clubs- there are links to virtually all of them from this site- see RH side bar. Most encourage visitors to visit a regular meeting or two for free to check each other out. You will not regret it.
If we seem to be the group for you,we look forward to hearing from you soon
model.railways1@liphooku3a.org.uk
Milland Valley Railway Modellers (Link to our Facebook Page)
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the group is the cost of the hire of the venue used + cost of small consumables (not layout construction items) – divided by the annual membership.
It looks like we shall have at least 6 members for the coming year. From February 2019 the annual subs will increase to £33 with the move to 3 hour sessions- if our membership numbers haven’t increased
We are still recruiting for additional members We have recently been visited by 2 potential new members from Petersfield and Milland which is promising, but we may loose two existing members due to family commitments or health reasons.
Group members also need to be a paid up members of Liphook U3A or Midhurst U3A or one of several local U3A’s associated with them. (Petersfield, Haslemere, or Woolmer Forest (Whitehill-Bordon area) This is an annual membership fee which covers public liability insurance and central services (general meetings, open day and financial management)
MEETING VENUE, LOCATION,DATES & TIMES
Redford Village Hall, Linch Road, Redford, Midhurst GU29 0QF
https://goo.gl/maps/U7EuV3HjwmG2
Our new location is in the centre of the small village of Redford, also in West Sussex and is a one roomed village hall with small kitchen, most recently extensively refurbished, within 3 miles of of our original home in Milland.
From Liphook About the same distance as to Milland, (3 miles) using a different route (use the road exiting Liphook in the direction of Hollycombe- go past that on the left , ignore the RH turning to Milland and the next turning on the left to Fernhurst and turn left at the War Memorial in the direction of Linch & Redford. The hall is on your left on higher ground approx 100 metres after village sign) From Petersfield you can go via Liphook or the A 272 in the direction of Midhurst turn left on the approach to Midhurst 30 mph limit, sign-posted Woolbeeding, Redford 3, Linch. This is a very narrow winding road, single track for over a mile, so not for the faint hearted.
From Midhurst leave the town centre via the A 272 in the direction of Petersfield- turn right soon after leaving 30 mph limit, past Half Moon public house on right. Signposted Woolbeeding, Redford 3, Linch-unsuitable for HGV’s
Alternatively go via Fernhurst A 286-turn left in centre of village into Vann Road keep on this road following Milland or Liphook signs. When you get to T junction near to large electricity substation (Right To Liphook Left to Linch- turn left and next Left by Linch War Memorial, then as for Liphook To Redford –Please check there are long term electricity cable works on this road which is subject to long closure periods
Meeting Dates The schedule of meetings for 2019- all 3rd Wednesday in the month are as follows – 16th January; 20th February ; 20th March; 17th April; 15th May; 19th June; July & August- no meetings*; 18th September; 16th October; 20th November; December- no meeting*
Meeting Times– 2019 The January meeting is of 2 hours duration starting at 14.00 hrs. For the remaining meetings they will be 3 hours long and start at either 13.00 or 14.00 hrs and end at 16.00 hrs or 17.00 hrs dependant on season. (Earlier start in winter months)
*Additional meetings- subject to demand we may have additional “workshops” in December 2018, July, August,and December 2019 of 2 hours duration each, 3rd Wednesday (except July- 3rd Friday) and held in the Committee Room of the Milland Valley Memorial Hall. Iping Road, Milland GU30 7NA. There will be an additional charge of £2 per head towards the cost of these sessions, which will be subsidised by this website. Please check out for further info soon
Additional meetings location https://sites.google.com/site/millandvillagehall/location
LAYOUTS
The layout constructions being followed by the group in our first year were chosen from the following list. Click on the highlighted names for more detailed information including sizes.
Those marked ** are the chosen projects for the first year (up to March 2018)
Danger- Border Ahead++ German outline 1:87 scale (HO) Tramway operational diorama set around Friedrichstrasse station at the border of East & West Berlin in the early 1960’s
Not being progressed currently
“East Hants Link” ** will cover up to 5 scenes along the line showing how light rail systems merge easily into residential and commercial areas. Although a scheme for light rail is not to proceed for Bordon/Whitehill, this layout will show how such a scheme might have looked.
As most modern trams are of fairly similar designs throughout the world, I have chosen Japanese outline trams in N scale, as they are easily available at relatively low cost. The scale (1:150) is slightly different to the British N standard (1:148) but is closer than to the international standard of 1:160.
As a trial I shall be using Ikea type toy boxes as the baseboard for most scenes. Work is well underway
Construction photos are being added progressively- see East Hants Link section of this website and Facebook Page
Suggested layout list for 2018/9- CHOICE FROM
“Soltendieck“++, German outline 1:45 scale (O) a very minimalist track layout but with interesting shunting. Set on the inner border between East & West Germany
Warehouse District ++ American outline 1:87 scale (HO) a switching (shunting) layout set in Milwaukee Wis. DCC operated
This layout is partially completed with baseboard built, track layout completed and wiring well advanced. Some buildings have been completed.
Idylton Vale ++ British outline 1:76 (OO) tram layout set in South west London- using Bachmann OO scale RTR Hong Kong trams, prototypes UK designed and built originally, so little work to Anglicise them. Street scene in area around New Malden/Kingston By Pass area immediate post war.
Baseboard completed- track partially laid, No wiring completed
Cartersland Camp ++ British outline 1:76 (OO-9) DC narrow gauge military camp layout set in the UK, in the First World War. The baseboard is constructed but no other work other than selecting a track layout has been undertaken
“Bennett Mews“ ++ British outline 1:76 scale (OO). Industrial layout with a small main line content set in Blackfriars South London Originally on the list for 2017/18 but only planning work done
DIORAMAS & MICRO LAYOUTS
“If the railway had come to the Milland Valley” **– Small diorama in OO scale showing Linch & Redford on Midhurst to Haslemere line- proposed and although receiving parliamentary approval- never built (Link is to Facebook Page) – work well advanced-completion work into 2018/9 season Very relevant to our Redford location
“Halte Terres de moulin” ++ cross roads with level crossing and a railway halt- with a game of petanque in progress on the terrain near the bar. Sunflower field or vineyard nearby? A small diorama of rural liberated France a couple of months after D-Day . HO Scale
Anywhere in liberated France. The locals are returning home from celebrating liberation & have stopped off to have a drink and a game with their pals. Usually an all men pursuit, especially in the era (late 1944) when this is set. A few British soldiers on and around a tank, are watching . Work started- baseboard available
This diorama is also envisaged to be used as an advert for the Milland Boule Group who meet at the Milland Sports Ground every Friday afternoon
“Tugaske” ++ (Scale to be decided) A small Saskatchewan settlement in 1914 at the railway station. The small town in which my Dad was born. A recreation of a possible scene at the railway station as Godfrey and Gertrude-( his parents), set off with him on a long journey back to the UK by rail and ship –No work started
A further two micro tram/bus layouts are under consideration
Danger- Border Ahead++ German outline 1:87 scale (HO) Tramway operational diorama set around Friedrichstrasse station at the border of East & West Berlin in the early 1960’s
Not being progressed currently
Unnamed micro layout of trams and buses in a Hong Kong street. H-K uses British style double decker trams which have not changed in style since their introduction many years ago, but have modern engineering and controls..H-K also have bought and continue to do so, British manufactured double decker buses which are either adaptions of British designs or are designs specially manufactured to meet Hong Kong requirements(larger passenger accommodation/bigger bodies; air conditioning and 6-wheeled). Luckily H-K modellers of both modes of transport, model in 1:76 scale (00) -a scale usually only associated with the UK. There is a wide range of models available for this market and they are readily available from local suppliers via the internet. Coupled with the fact that they are RH drive vehicles with road signs and markings, traffic lights, street lights etc also British type, makes it a good choice for British modellers
Planning in early stages
GENERAL
The new group was launched at the 2017 Liphook U3A Open Day. Details of the group were also sent to Petersfield, Midhurst, Alton, Haslemere & Woolmer Forest U3A’s .The name of the group remained as Building a Model Railway but was changed in March 2018 to MILLAND VALLEY RAILWAY MODELLERS
Full details are on the group pages of the Liphook U3A website* www.liphooku3a.org.uk and of the Midhurst U3A website* https://u3asites.org.uk/midhurst/home . The local area Milland News and the Liphook Community Magazine are kept regularly informed of our activities. Facebook local community boards for Fernhurst, Midhurst and Haslemere etc are being used to publicise the club, sometimes in conjunction with L&DMRC.
I also have a Facebook page covering the activities of the group – Milland Valley Railway Modellers and there are regular reports on RM web.
CONTACTS
If you wish to contact me about joining the “Milland Valley Railway Modellers” -please do so via the Liphook U3A contact form http://u3asites.org.uk/liphook/contact or via a similar facility on the Midhurst U3A website site or e-mail me at model.railways1@liphooku3a.org.uk
A leaflet giving basic details is available from me at the contact e-mail address above or can be downloaded via the Midhurst U3A site- Building a Model Railway Group page. (may not be updated info yet)
If you wish to come along to one of our meetings you are very welcome. All that I ask is to contact me before coming giving at least a weeks notice- The first session is free but if you want a couple of further sessions before deciding to join these will be charged at £2 per session- Thanks
DONATIONS TO CHARITY
EXHIBITION EXPENSES
Proposed that half of any expenses received from exhibiting group layouts will be donated to Railway Children, an international charity working with homeless children found near major railway stations in India, East Africa and the UK. www.railwaychildren.org.uk
REFRESHMENTS
We are also requesting donations (£1 per member per session) for unlimited tea/coffee & chocolate biscuits consumed at each session. The donations will form the basis of a regular donation to the Railway Children charity .We recently donated £30 (October 2018)
FACEBOOK PAGE
You can follow progress on the groups projects on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LiphookBAMRG/ or on this website
Late March 2017/ April 2017- Details brought fully up to date- image added/May 2017- updated/July 2017 -updated September 2017/ Updated late October 2017/Updated December 2017 to include 2018 layout/diorama choices/ updated 22nd January / February 2018 updated to latest proposals/ March 2018 General Update =new venue. April 2018 Full revision to cover move to Redford Village Hall; April 9th minor tidying; September 2018- exhibition details and proposed change to 3 hour sessions;October 2018- Improvements in directions. Update on arrangements/Fees for 2019/20 November- Removal of duplication of meeting times and fees, Addition of workshops in Milland