Bronwydd Arms Signal Box during the inaugural trip to Abergwili Junction, July 2017 - Photo by Richard Grigg.
Tony Richards is a little under the weather this month.He has asked me to write the newsletter. I am reliably informed that normal service will be resumed next month so you can look for the photographic evidence that will confirm his return!
COMMENT
It’s good to be able to report that, following Tony’s comments last month, there has been a good return to the club by many of our stalwarts Mike Brooks,,Alan Burton, Steve Giffard, Richard Hill, Bob James, David Lane, Rob Temple and Paul Wiemers. We are also pleased to welcome Martin Evans, David Francis and Lindon Stone as new members.
As activity increases so too does the quality of what is on show. This is something the committee encourages because we want that Wow! factor to be evident everywhere. This is what will transform the club from a good one to a great one.
STOCK SALE
The club saw a reasonable turnout on 16 October for the sale but, importantly, everything sold with members snapping up those cheap broken locos and proudly exclaiming a few days later how well they had done with all said locos now performing superbly thanks to their repair work.
The sale was a success and contributed almost £1000 to club funds. Also, importantly, it enabled us to empty every corner cupboard, nook and cranny of unwanted items.
Thanks are due to Micheal Ahern, John Allnutt, Niel Clement Gwion Davies, Ted Hylton and Steve Rodwell for their support during the day. This is not to forget Tony Richards who worked for many hours, to ensure it all ran smoothly.
SECURITY
Tony advised us all last month that a new signing-in book would be placed in the building foyer. This will enable ALL who attend to register and make it easier in the event of a fire to be aware of all club members in the building. This will be effective from 1 November so please register your entry and departure when you come to the club.
OUR NEXT WAGON COMMISSION
I have successfully placed an order with Dapol for the next club wagon commission. This will be Thomas. T. Pascoe and will be produced in the 3 regulation gauges – 0, 00 and N. I am presently finalising the artwork with the Dapol studio and expect this to be concluded by the end of this month. Delivery is due in Swansea by the middle of February. Hywel Trick has been commissioned to produce his ever popular limited edition laminated cards enabling distribution to members and collectors to begin by the beginning of March 2022.
Separate correspondence, including payment details, featuring a photo of a finished wagon will be sent to collectors in due course and the website will feature full details and some information about Thomas. T. Pascoe. At that time a sheet will appear on the notice board for members to order their own wagons.
As promised Rob Temple will receive a complimentary finished wagon in his choice of N or 00. His suggestion for the commission arrived first – we hope you enjoy your wagon, Rob.
CLUB PREMISES
The recent stock sale and the return of many members has enabled the committee to look forward to how the club may be improved. Whilst this is an ongoing need (to create the Wow factor) it is not always possible to view improvements. Some examples found within SRMG:
LIBRARY
Fitting out this former N gauge room to become a library has been a long process because the pandemic occurred in the middle of alterations. Nick Kerslake and Steve Giffard were, separately, commissioned to prepare the room and build the shelving and a new carpet was installed, all before March 2020’s lockdown.
Gwydr Upholstery had been commissioned to produce 2 benches, 4 new chairs and 4 re-upholstered chairs but lockdown prevented installation. Now, all the new furniture is in place as is an attractive glass topped table acquired from the new 1st floor premises. Last week Bob Cotton and Tony Richards hung some pictures and yesterday a matching vinyl tablecloth to the second table was added. The result is very good with visitors fulsome in their praise of the room – a real Wow factor.
Of course, all of this would be pointless without the contents displayed properly. To this end thanks go to Bob Cotton who has worked tirelessly to ensure the library looks the business and to Ted Hylton who has helped with the record keeping. Bob has sorted and catalogued our collection of books and magazines leading to an impressive overall appearance. SRMG’s library has been growing steadily over the last few years with donations and the odd key purchase ensuring a collection of which SRMG is justifiably proud. Duplicate copies of editions are retained and disposed at club sales and annual shows.
Please record any books you may choose to borrow in the register provided.
TEST TRACKS
Discerning members will notice an improvement in the overall appearance of the test track area complementing Mal Rowe’s completed re-wiring. Gwion Davies and Steve Rodwell sorted out new hand-held controllers with sensible shortened curly leads, Colin Moore added the controller bases whilst Bob Cotton painted the bases to match the baseboard legs he had painted earlier.
To create a real Wow Factor, consideration is being given to adding a scenic background to run around 3 sides of the test track baseboards. A suggestion to have the Swansea Bay skyline is one view for an upgrade but others are sought before the committee decides on any addition. Ideas are welcome!
BOX STATION / PENNARD HALT
During the summer a Warley MRC representative called at the club and provisionally booked Box Station for the 2022 Warley Show. This is probably the most prestigious annual UK model show and to learn that Box could be a strong contender for Best in Show was a compliment to those who have worked so hard under Ian Stevenson’s leadership.
This will be SRMG’s first real club entry at Warley and members are determined that Box should be shown in its best light. Although the show is many months away, it was decided that simplifying and tiding up the wiring was necessary before repairs to some of the light damage done over the layout’s last outing could be carried out.
The opportunity to receive such a quality layout as Pennard Halt arrived shortly after the Box revamp had started. To bring PH into the club’s building required it to be dismantled something not planned by the layout builder. This has resulted in PH languishing in the club’s new 1st floor premises whilst work on Box could proceed. Now that the electrical work under Box has been completed the time has come to start work re-assembling PH. The team led by Tony Richards of John Allnutt, Gwion Davies, Ted Hylton, Mal Rowe and Steve Rodwell will shortly start work on putting PH back together once more.
This is set to be a prominent feature within SRMG and an opportunity for those not skilled in DCC to operate a layout built with DCC in mind.
STORAGE / WORKSHOP
SRMG acquired additional space when it secured premises for Pennard Halt. This required some remedial work but this has now been completed. Approximately half the space will be used for the storage of collections prior to sale and this room has been kitted out with strong shelving and large plastic boxes to hold stock. This makes moving heavy boxes in and out a much easier exercise than struggling on all fours in the high level Clock Cupboard.
The remaining 1st floor space will be used as a storage and operating space for some large power tools. The committee has replaced the worn-out lathe donated to the club some years ago and is now actively pursuing a good milling machine. These machines are not toys and instruction in, and competency of, these machines will first need to be demonstrated before members will be allowed access to them. Steve Rodwell has a working knowledge of the machines purchased by the club. He is willing to supervise trainees in their use. The committee voted in favour of expanding the range of power tools so as to be in a good position to attract more experienced club members.
Use of these 2 new 1st floor rooms has freed up space on the top floor. The clock tower cupboard will shortly be emptied of the remaining junk, cleaned out and then re-used. We’ll be storing all the show items– banners, stands and electrical items to name but a few. Additionally, there will some storage space made available for members to deposit home made layouts and dioramas for a fee. This is in response to multiple calls for space from members with private storage in mind. Please register your interest with me.
The top floor workshop will be cleaned out and then used for general storage. This can include heaters and fans when not in use, book set for the next show where they’ll be sold at a club stand. The present status with a roof joist complicating entry would not pass any Health and Safety check so that its use as a workshop needs to be discontinued ASAP.
WEBSITE
John Gray built the original site many years ago and Gwion Davies modernised it several years ago. Now, it needs to be further developed to become more of a marketing tool for the club yet still retain all that has made it a popular entry point to SRMG.
Fortunately, club member, Richard Hill has, as his day job, the construction and maintenance of websites. He has been looking at our site for some months and will be presenting his findings to the committee on 9 November. Meanwhile he’ll be talking and listening to members requests and comments in the days ahead.
MEMBERSHIP
It is worth remembering the format and various membership categories as the club seeks to cover all contingencies amongst those living in and around Swansea. Fees are payable by bank standing order on 15th of each month.
Full Membership – £15.00 per month. This is the category applicable to most members.
Family Membership - £20.00 per month. This is aimed at the Husband / Wife, Father/Son, Mother / Son categories.
Financially Impaired / Out of town Members. £10.00 per month. This is intended for those on very low incomes or who live more than 20 miles from the club and expend a lot of time and money travelling to and from SRMG.
Children / Student Membership - £7.50 per month for those who are naturally in this category.
Finally, the club notes that individuals’ circumstances can change both financially and domestically during the time they are at SRMG creating hardship situations. We recognise the important part the club can occupy in members’ lives. To help in such situations the club will waive or reduce subscription fees after a one-to-one confidential discussion with myself as chair. So, the message is: join the club in the appropriate subscription category and if you have a problem come and talk to me about it.
ANNUAL DINNER
By now club members and potential members should have received a written letter advising everyone that the next Annual Dinner will take place at Norton House Hotel on Saturday 29 January 2022 at 7.00 pm for a sit-down at 7.30pm. The evening is expected to finish no later than 10.30pm.
The dinner is free to members and £16.25 (half price) to partners, wives, children) etc. You may bring one person for each membership you hold.
The dinner is again free to all those who have paid subscription fees for November, December and January or longer.
The complimentary meal refers to food but not drinks although tea / coffee are included.
The committee may decide to invite some guests.
There is likely to be a lady’s and a gent’s raffle prize per table.
AND FINALLY….
The SRMG committee are aware of other requests for the club to implement new ideas. Please keep such suggestions coming, don’t get frustrated if your request isn’t mentioned. Understand that after a long period shut down there are many items up for discussion at each month’s 2.5hour committee meeting.
As a guide we haven’t forgotten lectures, trips and excursions but feel still constrained by Covid. We are not ignoring curry evenings, and we know an AGM is due soon as well as the appropriate signing-off of the accounts for 2020.
Best Wishes
Noel