And on the 27th. November 1967, Class 37 D6971 derailed at Ystrad Mynach en route from Penallta Colliery. The Canton brake-down crane is undertaking the recovery with Hymek D7050 in charge.
Incredibly, this 37 is still in use, now as 37418 and, as of January 2024, in the Loram Rail red and white livery.
With many thanks once again to Robert Masterman.
COMMENT
This month it’s mostly news of a range of forthcoming club events and activities, but I have to open with a very sad announcement. We heard recently that ex-club member, Gwyn Jones, had passed away. Gwyn had been a member for many years until recently, only resigning his membership because of poor health. He will be remembered by many, not least for his champion raffle ticket selling achievements at our annual shows, and for those who wish to attend his funeral, Gwyn’s wife, Sue, has advised that it will be held on Thursday the 15th. February at 2.00pm in Morriston Crematorium.
STOCK SALES
It seems wrong to follow such sad news with this next item, but a quick reminder that the club’s next stocksale will be held on Thursday 22nd. February at 7.00pm. The venue remains unchanged, the large end room on the top floor.
PLANNED CLUB EVENTS FOR 2024
Quite a few dates here for your diary:
• 18th. February 2024 – ‘Tractorama’ at the Swansea Bus Museum [2 Viking Way Winch Wen SA1 7DA] – 11am -3pm. Adults £8, children free. Tractors old and new, stalls, rides, slot car racing and a model railway.
• 23rd. March 2024 – the club has taken two tables at the Bronwydd Toy and Train Sale [Bronwydd Hall, Bronwydd Arms SA33 6BD]. Organised by the West Wales O Gauge Group and open between 10.30am and 3pm. Entry £2. Come and support the club!
• 28th. March 2024 - SRMG’s annual modelling competition.
• 1st June 2024 – West Wales Model Railway Show - Bronwydd Hall, Bronwydd Arms SA33 6BD. Organised by the West Wales O Gauge Group and open between 10am and 4pm. Adults £5, children £3 and family tickets £12. The club will be represented at this show.
As well as the above [and our own September show!], we are organising a curry night for members on a Tuesday in March. The exact date will be advised soon and a notice put up on the notice board for expressions of interest. Numbers will be limited to around 40 and booking will be on a strictly first come/first served basis. The club will fully subsidise members’ choices from the agreed menu and guests [one per member] may eat at half-price. Further details to follow.
An alternative to the ubiquitous Ratio GWR four wheelers is this hybrid build utilising a Shirescenes etched brass body kit with an adapted Ratio underframe and roof. An inexpensive and attractive alternative which, in this case, is painted in the early ‘30s livery for a GWR workmen’s coach. Such wooden seated coaches typically served collieries in South Wales.
THE 2023 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
A final reminder that this will take place on Thursday the 29th. February at 7.00pm. The venue will be the large end room on the top [Club] floor.
Nomination forms were circulated in the January newsletter and a box for them has been placed in the Club’s library. Nominations will close on Wednesday the 28th. February at 7.30pm.
Members will receive the agenda for the AGM and a copy of the 2022 minutes by separate e-mail within a few days.
THE 2024 SHOW
Booking traders and exhibitors for this event [September 14th & 15th] is now very well advanced and details of some of the layouts will be featured in next month’s newsletter. We are now asking that members please consider whether they can act as volunteer helpers on the Friday before [set up], the Saturday and Sunday [take down] as last year. A list of tasks requiring volunteers help will be placed on the club’s notice board in the near future and your names would be welcomed.
A scene from member Rob Pendry’s large 4mm. layout, ‘Pendragon’. The Layout is based on a fictional preserved line in the South of England, which gives him plenty of scope to bring in visiting locos and stock from regions around the UK.
THE JUNIOR LAYOUT
A plea! Most will have seen the early stages of this build in the large end room, alongside the ‘Box’ storage area. Martin Evans has led on this, with the junior members, but now needs more assistance from others in the club to bring it to fruition. Help will be needed with final track laying and wiring [the plan is not complicated], ballasting and scenery construction. This work need not occupy one person on all of the tasks but would be better suited for several members working with the junior section at various times to complete components of the build. Please do give this request some thought and contact Martin directly if you can give some time to this important project. Many thanks.
One for the weatherers! An extremely unkempt Hymek D7069 standing at a similarly rundown Platform 2 at Cardiff General in the early 1970s, en route to Portsmouth. Another Robert Masterman capture.
And finally, over coming months I shall be sharing photographs taken by member Paul Dally during his engineering career on the railway. Some fascinating shots of accidents and derailments as well as pictures of interesting rolling stock.
That’s it for this month!