COMMENT
Richard Waborn Law - 20.06.1928 – 10.08.2022
The funeral service for our late Hon. Life President, ‘Jim’ Law, took place on the First of September 2022. Just six years short of his century, Jim was the founder of the club which eventually became the Swansea Railway Modellers’ Group and its humble beginnings in two dark and cramped rooms in Slate St, Morriston, were a far cry from the premises which we now occupy. Only two club members are left to remember those early days, Mal Rowe and myself!
Whilst Jim’s main interest lay in North American N Gauge, and his smaller portable layout was exhibited in one of our Waterfront Museum shows, he was a prolific and diverse modeller whose other interests included scratch-building an O Gauge GWR Centenary coach and a large scale Consolidated Catalina flying boat. He and his late wife also collected models of Southdown buses.
More recently, although poor health prevented Jim from visiting the club, he continued to follow our developments with interest and supported us generously. A number of club members were able to attend Jim’s funeral service and our condolences are extended towards Jim’s family and friends.
THE CLUB’S CAR-PARKING ARRANGEMENTS
This situation has developed somewhat since the last note advising that on Thursdays, only Blue Badge holders should park directly in front of the building. Following a recent meeting with the Chair of FOYD [Cllr. Chris Holley], Noel Blows and I agreed that in future that area would be permanently reserved for Blue Badge holders, this being the easiest and most sensible way of resolving some of the conflict which has arisen over parking in recent weeks. FOYD has also experienced a growth in building users over the past few months, many of whom experience a degree of limited mobility, and that number is likely to increase due to new projects being developed.
Consequently, whenever you visit [and from the 8th September 2022] SRMG non-Blue Badge holding members should park in the larger car park within the gates or use the pharmacy car park. We are advised that the larger car park is reserved for our use exclusively on Thursdays, the day when most members attend. It has also been agreed that the minibus and skip which occupy that car park will be moved shortly to provide extra space.
Thank you all for your help and patience with this: in many ways, we are all victims of our own success, but any inconvenience which this may cause will be negligible and it will ensure that members may continue to enjoy access to our premises seven days a week, if they wish, without further conflict.
Yet another interesting Robert Masterman photograph: his photo library is truly impressive, capturing unusual railway moments across South Wales over many years.
This is his only capture of a Peak [45077 – never named, and scrapped in ‘88] in South Wales. It is seen here exiting Lon Las Tunnel on a Feb. ’82 rugby excursion from Carmarthen to Cardiff for that year’s home Wales – France game [22-12 to Wales!].
THE SEPTEMBER OPEN DAY
Planning for our 18th. September Open Day is now very well advanced but a couple of items still need club member support. The request for help with various duties has been well responded to [for which many thanks] but ‘loose ends’ include:
• Distribution of fliers – we need to get to the day with absolutely none left to give out! Please take a handful when you next attend and distribute them wherever you can to encourage wide attendance. It has also been suggested that sticking one in your car window would ensure a very wide advertisement. Local libraries often have notice-board facilities, as do super markets. Please do help here wherever you can.
• Car parking on the day – to avoid difficult congestion, the internal FOYD car parks are now reserved for traders vans and blue badge holders only. Please use the surgery / pharmacy car park on the day.
• Duties – if any more members could be available on the Saturday late afternoon / early evening and on the day itself from 8.00am to assist with set-up, it would be greatly appreciated. Please either put your name up on the upstairs foyer noticeboard or advise Gwion Davies directly.
Many thanks all for your continuing help.
THE TEST TRACKS
Just a reminder that whilst electrical improvements to the Test Tracks are in hand [and will follow after the Open Day has passed], it is advised that those with TTS-equipped DCC stock should continue to refrain from running it for the immediate future. This problem will be resolved but it may yet take a few weeks to action and at some cost also. There will be an update in the October newsletter.
If anything characterised the precarious nature of an under-capitalised and ramshackle South Wales short line, it had to be the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway. Seen here is ‘Mountaineer’, a Fairlie Patent 0-4-4-0T, originally destined for use in Sweden. It soldiered on in use for nearly 20 years on the BP&GVR before being scrapped in the late 1880s.
That’s it for this month!
Best wishes all. Tony.