In March last year we were preparing for ‘the Beast from the East’. February this year has already seen heavy snow in the north, but in south Wales we’ve not experienced much like this for quite a while. This photo sees a DMU caught in a blizzard at… — In March last year we were preparing for ‘the Beast from the East’. February this year has already seen heavy snow in the north, but in south Wales we’ve not experienced much like this for quite a while. This photo sees a DMU caught in a blizzard at Carmarthen Station on the 8th. of January 1982. It didn’t move all day. Photo courtesy of Peter James Morris and used with permission

A packed edition this month, with news of more sales, the 2020 wagon commissions, the September show and even this year’s Christmas Do!

Some future stock sale news

Following the recent success of the January members’ personal stock sale, at which organiser Gwion Rhys Davies tells me all who sold did well [and he is planning another in the future], two further sales are on the horizon:

First, a reminder about the forthcoming diecast sale on FRIDAY the 28th. February 2020, 5pm-8pm. This will involve a very large lot of diecast vehicles and other models in various scales, kindly donated to the club by Oxford Diecast. Whilst these are seconds or returned models, many without boxes, the majority are in good condition. This is the second time that Oxford has generously donated stock to us and a donation from the proceeds of the sale will be given to FOYD.

Note: this is for diecast only and no railway stock is involved. Members who have their own diecast models which they wish to sell should wait for the next members’ sale.

Do remember that the above sale is being held on a Friday and not a Thursday.

A further general railway stock sale is scheduled for March the 28th. I have been offered for sale two lots of OO railway equipment but will not see what is involved until next week. I will provide further details on this event in due course.

The 2020 wagon commissions and purchase details

Further to the write-up and photographs in the December 2019 newsletter [qv], we are pleased to be able to show the agreed artwork for the club’s next Dapol wagon commissions.

The first, in the attractive chocolate brown livery of The Swansea Railway Men’s Direct Coal Association, has not to our knowledge been produced by anyone else before, either as a model or a set of transfers. The commission is scheduled for launch at the 11th Swansea 2-day Show at The Orangery. Margam Park, Neath Port Talbot on Saturday 19 September 2020.

As usual, the commission will be produced in 3 gauges at: OO & N £15.00 each and O £45.00 each. Each wagon will be accompanied by a laminated limited-edition card. P&P and insurance will be £5.00 for 1-5 wagons in OO & N and £7.50 for single O gauge wagons. For larger and overseas orders please contact Noel Blows directly.

Demand for this commission is expected to be high following the complete early sellout of the last commission [F&E Poole], which left disappointed visitors at the club’s stand at last year’s show. To avoid future disappointment, we are asking that all pre-show orders are paid in full at the time of ordering. Please either email Noel at: noelblows@btinternet.com, phone on: 01792 368768 or 07775 895054 or write to him at: 38 Summerland Lane, Newton, Swansea SA3 4UJ, enclosing a cheque payable to “Swansea Railway Modellers Group”. Buyers may collect purchases at the club’s stand at the show to avoid postage. You may also choose to pay directly to the club’s bank account [sort code 40-43-31 account number 23813649, adding your name on the payment line]. If you use the bank transfer route please let Noel know so the relevant wagon[s] can be pre-packed and set aside for you. All pre-paid orders will be posted to you w/c 21 September 2020 via the Post Office.

If anyone reading this can provide information on the association that used this wagon I’d be grateful to hear as the association’s history appears to have no internet presence.

The second commission, in the black livery of David Jones of Pencader, a joint venture with the West Wales Gauge O Guild, will be available in O gauge only at the same price as above. This edition is limited also [c.25] and orders have already been taken for much of the stock. There are still a number unsold however and interested parties should waste no time in contacting Noel Blows should they wish to purchase one. It would be sensible to contact Noel directly to express interest rather than simply transferring funds electronically as the edition may have sold out by then. These wagons will available for posting / collection late March or early April.

The 2020 Christmas Do

2019 saw the club celebrating Christmas at Norton House in Newton, an extremely successful and well-attended event with an excellent venue, food and entertainment. A number of members expressed disappointment at not being able to attend because of prior commitments however, and to avoid that risk occurring again, our 2020 event has been booked already to give the maximum amount of notice to all.

We will be at Norton House once more on Friday the 20th November 2020. 40 places have been booked but a larger number could be accommodated within reason. Once again, the event will be free of charge for members and their wives or partners will benefit from a generous club-subsidised discount. Further details will follow closer to the event, but please note the date in your diaries now.

It does seem too early to say ‘Happy Christmas’ however, so I won’t….!

The club library and other developments

Steve G has just about completed the work building the shelves for our new library in the old Cwmfelin room and the results are really good. Bob Cotton, our librarian, will begin to transfer the books once the shelves have been painted. We are considering suitable furniture for the room. The new library will also function as a quiet room for members and will be a valuable addition to our facilities.

But what to do with the room which held the old library? Poorly lit and with access issues, its use must be limited. The Treasurer wishes to keep his gloomy, cobwebridden corner [!] but the rest of the space has not been allocated. One suggestion has been to use it to provide lockers for members to store private property [tools, for eg]. Other suggestions are sought however and if you have an idea for its use that you’d like to propose, please put it into the suggestion box by the signing-in book. You have until the end of March to do this. I’ll summarise what has been suggested in the April newsletter and a decision will follow.

Another club development should have involved the replacement of the very leaky skylight in St David’s Wells. Whatever repairs were undertaken have not been effective and Noel Blows and I will be discussing this with FOYD management once again shortly. We will be looking for a replacement unit to be fitted before the layout under the window is completely destroyed. Recent storms have shown that two other skylights are leaky also and we are determined that the work undertaken to improve large areas of the club [at a cost] is not spoiled. A further update on this will appear in the March newsletter.

The 2020 modelling competition

A quick reminder that the date for the 2020 competition has been moved back to the 9th. April. Simon Durrer has placed entry forms in the club and remember, cash prizes!!!

The 2020 show

Planning for our 2020 show is proceeding well with the show committee meeting monthly and working hard in between. Around 15 layouts and half-a-dozen traders will be present and the Orangery will be full to bursting! Once all of the exhibitors have confirmed their attendance, the website will be updated to show exactly who will be attending. We are grateful too that Oxford Diecast has once again agreed to be the show sponsor.

For the first time we will also be selling family tickets: £10 for two adults and two children under-16, a saving of £6. Otherwise, the tickets will be adults £6 and children under-16 £2. Parking will be free-of-charge.

This year, we will need a larger number of marshalls to help over the weekend, particularly in assisting with the free car parking. A request for help with this will go out in due course but please, as club members, be prepared to help if only for a couple of hours: remember, this is your show.

The Orangery is a really prestigious venue for us, one which, with its light and airy interior, is sure to impress visiting traders and exhibitors: there are no dark corners and everything will be on one floor and within one room. We really hope that all members can contribute a little to ensuring a great 2020 success.

The Orangery at Margam Park. The impressive venue for the club’s 2020 show.

Finally, the 2109 / 2020 AGM and election of committee members

The club’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday the 12th. March at 7.15pm. The agenda will be circulated to all members shortly.

Agreement was reached at an EGM last year that committee officers [Chair, Secretary and Treasurer] would be replaced on a rolling basis to ensure continuity in process. Neither the Chair nor the Secretary will be standing down thus. The Treasurer will however, although he has indicated a willingness to stand again: his post will need to be subject to election consequently. Ordinary committee members are replaced on a rolling basis also [for the same reason] and, consequently, only one [Mal Rowe] will be standing down and he will not be seeking re-election. A vacancy for an ordinary member will exist thus. Nomination forms for both posts will be sent as an additional attachment with this newsletter. They need to be completed and placed into the box on the Treasurer’s table no later than close-of-play on Thursday the 5th. March 2020