Looking for suitable photographs for this month’s newsletter, I stumbled across this one. It shows the Cwmfelin Steel Works and the ‘Three Sisters’ together with our club premises – the old Cwmfelin Works offices – in front. One wonders if they had leaky skylights back then, as well….
**The photograph is undated but it would have been taken before 1957 when the works closed.**

MEMBERS’ CAR-PARKING ARRANGEMENTS WHILST VISITING THE CLUB ON THURSDAYS

A reminder that the new car-parking arrangements for Thursdays will be in force from the 7th. July. For full details please see the June newsletter and please do follow the requirements. Thank you.

A FORTCOMING STOCK SALE

We have very recently taken in a large and mixed collection of OO stock comprising [mostly] steam engines, some diesels and a small number of coaches and freight stock. The majority of the locos are GWR types but there are also a number of LMS and LNER examples, too. Within the collection are a pair of A4s, a reasonably priced Wrenn Cardiff Castle, half-a-dozen Terriers in various liveries [including LB&SCR and EKR], a number of Lima and Hornby GWR and BR Railcars, four Bachmann limited editions in wooden presentation boxes, 20 [!] ‘Emlyn’ coal wagons and many other interesting items. That list doesn’t even scratch the surface! As always, the locos have been tested, found to be good runners and are priced to sell. As a taster, here are some of the more spectacular examples:

A mint Bachmann Fairburn Tank in Caledonian livery, No 169 of 504 produced for the Collectors’ Club.

These are highly collectable, not often seen and the sale will provide a good opportunity to buy this scarce model.

Another numbered Bachmann edition complete with its wooden presentation case and [unfitted] etched number and name-plates – A4 ‘The Dominion of Canada’. We have four good ‘wooden case’ models in the sale, and they are affordable, too.

Next, my favourite, a numbered Hornby Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific in an unusual photographic grey livery.

‘Fighter Command’ comes with etched plates waiting to be fitted by its new owner and it runs beautifully.

Finally, yet another scarce Bachmann Club model [No 386 of 504], an Ivatt 2MT in crimson. Again, this attractive model runs beautifully.

There are far too many others to list here [four pages in my note-book!] but the sale will provide a good opportunity to acquire some interesting and sensibly-priced stock from across three pre-Grouping companies as well as BR, alongside more-general rolling stock. And I haven’t even mentioned the good quality N gauge stock which will be on sale either!

We will be holding a stock sale during our Open day on the 18th September. This will be open to all-comers but, to give club members an earlier opportunity to purchase, a small sale of mixed OO and N gauge stock will take place on Thursday the 14th. July at 7.30pm. The mini-sale will be held, as before, in the small room adjacent to ‘Pennard Halt’ on the first floor.

THIS YEAR’S WAGON COMMISSION

An update to advise that ‘Thomas T Pascoe’ is selling well with 31 of 55 O gauge models, 119 of 144 OO gauge models and 90 of 140 N gauge models now sold: that’s 70% of the original commission now in others’ collections. Noel Blows has advised that some models have gone as far as Tasmania and other parts of Australia, as well as Washington DC and various parts of Europe. This is set to be another successful commission and many thanks to Noel Blows for managing it once again. If you want any of the above, you know where to go……

THE FORTHCOMING OPEN DAY

For this event, being held on Sunday the 18th September [10.00am to 4.00pm], planning is well advanced and members will now have seen the fliers prepared for it. It is not a members-only event and all will be welcome to attend, so please feel free to spread the news. We will have use of the entire building and it will provide a valuable opportunity to showcase and promote the club beyond, simply, Swansea.

Gwion Davies, organising, has advised that a small number of traders will be present as well as other societies [particularly the regional group of the 009 Society and, we hope, the West Wales branch of the Gauge O Guild]. We are awaiting confirmation from a number of other potential attendees and layouts.

Clearly, it is important that all of our various layout builds are ready to be exhibited. The Club is so much more than our one fully-complete layout, the library and the Test Tracks, so please do ensure that we will be in a position to flaunt everything! Opportunities to showcase ourselves in this way do not occur that often and we are looking forward to a really successful day. Updates will follow in the August newsletter.

PENNARD HALT AND KINGSTON

Most members will know that ‘Pennard Halt’ received its official opening by Martin Trainer, its donor, on the 10th June 2022, a hugely successful event followed by an equally well-received [but rather late!] Club Christmas Dinner at Norton House. This superb DCC model is now up-and-running and ready for use by club members. As noted before however, there are some small complexities to the set-up and, consequently, those who wish to run stock on the system will first need to attend a brief induction session to understand what is and is not possible. The first of these sessions will take place on the 14th. July from around 7.30pm.

‘Pennard Halt’ is your layout, so do take the opportunity to attend this or further induction sessions so that you can get the best out of this asset.

‘Kingston’ is also open for business, but on a slightly more limited basis for the time being. Mal Shore has asked me to remind members that the upper circuit is available for running OO or On30 stock on any Wednesday or Thursday from 6.00pm onwards. The entire O gauge set-up will be available for use in the near future. Mal and his team will be delighted to see more members using ‘Kingston’ and have promised a warm welcome!

THE NEXT CLUB ‘SOCIAL’

John Allnutt is exploring options for a curry night [with a parallel British menu] towards the end of September. This will not be a subsidised event but shouldn’t be a bank-breaker either. Historically, these have always been extremely popular and he will be looking at returning to the last venue [Adelina’s – the ex-Patti Raj] where we can take the entire top floor once again. There’ll be an update in the August newsletter.

THE SKYLIGHT SAGA

Most will have noticed the continuing leaks in the modelling room, rendering it completely unusable. What most might not know about is the continuing, regular debate between ourselves and FOYD in an attempt to remedy the situation. None of us can understand why the contractor has, seemingly, been so completely disinterested in rectifying the defects although we have a view. It would be potentially libellous to publish it however! Cllr Chris Holley has advised that he is asking for a meeting with the owner of the company this week to seek a solution: we shall then, hopefully, be in a better position to advise on the planned remedy. Just to repeat once more, SRMG can do little itself to rectify the issue as we were not the contract placer.

NEW BLINDS FOR THE SKYLIGHTS

Gwion Davies has now taken delivery of new sun-blinds for all of our skylights [with the exception of the top-floor toilets] and the first was installed by John Allnutt and Gwion in the ‘Downton’ room. Others will be fitted in due course and will help control both top-floor heat generally and the impact of it on the Test Tracks during the summer months. Blinds have also been sourced for the large windows in ‘Pennard Halt’.

The one skylight which was not replaced is that above the left-hand area of the Test Tracks. That was relatively new and found to be quite sound. Bob Cotton has recently spent time preparing it for painting to match – as far as possible – the new one adjacent to it. For which, thanks Bob.

These new blinds were paid for by the club [with a small donation from FOYD – for which, again, many thanks]. Our ability to finance club improvements ourselves is one of the reasons why stock sales and the annual wagon commission are just so important and members’ support of both is genuinely appreciated.

THE FUTURE OF THE CLUB

The recent membership-wide consultation over options for the future was a disappointing event which resulted in just seven members – around 10% of the membership – bothering to respond. Those who did respond raised such wide-ranging issues that providing a concise summary is difficult. These issues were discussed in Committee however and the following are those main themes which we felt deserved support:

A real need to remind all members that they can use all of the facilities/layouts within the club on reasonable demand – they need not wait to be invited.
‘Elsbridge’ and ‘St David’s Wells’ will continue as Club layouts and should be renovated for use. Again, all members must have access to them once repairs are completed. It was acknowledged though that, eventually, their continued existence will need to be re-examined as nothing can remain in place for ever. In fairness, this would be some years away however.
The notion of a plan to introduce modular layout builds was accepted. The ‘how’ has yet to be worked up, but this was seen as a way of providing a continuing opportunity for building and modelling once the current large builds have been completed and of also introducing new members to modelling. The room adjacent to ‘Pennard Halt’ might be suitable for this development, although the number which are under construction at any one time will need to be controlled. Modular builds would be subject to requirements re. size / footprint and style in order that they could be exhibited as a coherent, assembled whole.
Younger modellers are under-represented within the membership, as are women modellers and those from ethnic-minority communities. The Club needs an aggressive recruitment strategy to attract greater diversity, rather than simply waiting for potential new members to find us via the website.
Space is seen as an issue. This will continue to be so in some ways as we are where we are, and moving away into new premises may well be financially impossible. We have to be realistic about this, given commercial rents, rates and the cost of services. Options for change will always be considered by the Committee however, and fed back to the membership for views.
Members should remember that access to the Club is available seven day a week and they are free to visit when they wish [within reason!].
The Club should promoted itself more aggressively and on a wider basis.
Thought might be given towards the development of a web-shop for sales.

The above is as close a summary of the points raised as is possible and further discussion will be needed to deliver on them. Thanks also to those who took the time to respond.

IDENTIFYING MEMBERS OLD AND NEW

Given the size of our membership [c.70], a number of members have recently commented that faces and names are becoming difficult to match! I concur! Ted Hylton has volunteered to resurrect the old photo name board to help individuals identify each other. This will not involve individual mug shots but, rather, a number of photos of five or six members standing together with a footnote identifying each. These photos will be placed in a convenient location for viewing in due course. Please do assist Ted with this project when you are asked to be photographed.

CLUB CLEANING

Last month, Mrs. Eileen Grigg advised on a couple of matters that needed attention. One was the state of the hand towels, with some having to be thrown because they were covered in paint and the other was that the toilet cleaning equipment was being used elsewhere in the club and it shouldn’t be.

We will consider these issues, and cleaning tools and brushes in particular, further but please would members not use these items inappropriately in future.

009 SOCIETY VISIT

Gwion Davies has advised that the regional group of the 009 Society will be visiting the Club again on Sunday the 24th. July between 2.00pm - 6.00pm.

Anyone wishing to bring 009 stock to run alongside [or just visit and watch what is going on] is welcome to attend. Please let Gwion know if you would like to attend.