John kicked off today’s Skills session by talking about the different materials and tools he had employed in constructing model buildings over the years. Card, plasticard, balsa wood and plywood in different thicknesses had all been used at various times. In the case of card John had often laminated different sheets (at right angles to each other to […]
News
Wednesday 15 June 2022
Yet another busy day at Badlesmere. After setting up the big table Sarre, Lenham and the micro layout were all brought out to be worked on. Roger, Jackie and John B set about installing magnets on Sarre to enable Dingham automatic couplings to be used thus avoiding, in theory at least, having to lean over […]
Wednesday 8 June 2022
Fifteen of us boarded the luxury bus organised by Geoff and left the lowering skies of Kent for the sunnier climes of Essex where sheep were safely grazing and headed off to Mangapps Railway. Greeted on arrival by John Jolly we were given free access to roam the carriage and engine sheds and inspect John’s […]
Wednesday 1 June 2022
Another full house with twenty of us getting together at Badlesmere. The circuit was quickly set up and running commenced with a wide range of stock including, in honour of the Jubilee, Ross’s K&ESR “Royal Train” consisting of a Terrier, a GER brake third and a royal saloon. In support of the bona fides of […]
Saturday 28 May 2022
Today’s Saturday Skills session was led by Richard explaining the dark arts of soldering as we all gathered around the big table. Firstly, Richard stressed the importance of cleanliness when soldering and how it is vital to achieving a good strong bond to ensure that the surfaces you are going to solder are “squeaky” clean. Richard talked […]
Edington Junction Progress
Work has commenced on removing the redundant wiring for the electrically operated uncoupling magnets on Edington. These were replaced by permanent magnets a few years ago and removal of the redundant wiring is hoped will aid clearer fault finding and easier access, particularly to the control panel. Three of the four sections of the layout have been completed, with […]
Sarre Layout Progress
Not much to report on Sarre. It enjoyed good use on 20th April with a number of branch and industrial locos and trains being run. The highlight was the early KESR train that Ross brought along from the Tenterden Museum. One of the points played up again but David Ho will sort this. Scenically, we need to […]
Lenham Junction Progress
The track plan has been finalised, overcoming some tricky problems making it fit with the need to connect easily with the rest of the circuit. Track laying has begun, and should progress reasonably quickly, if members are willing to pitch in and help. We have enough components to make a good start, Paul and I […]
Wednesday 18 May 2022
On a beautiful sunny day seventeen of us forsook the attractions of the great outdoors to congregate in the shade at Badlesmere to discuss all things railways and even do a bit of modelling. Edington was set up and before people started running trains, John B and Jackie adopted their usual positions on the big […]
DMUs, EMUs and Railcars
Today’s focus was on DMUs, EMUs and railcars. The circuit was quickly set up (although possibly the wrong way round) once people had remembered how it all went together. John P then went off message running his reconditioned R1 before various multiple units and railcars appeared. Sean took the opportunity to run his 2EPB set […]
Saturday 23rd April 2022
This was yet another very interesting Saturday Skills session with Roger giving an excellent talk on applying transfers.
Wednesday 20th April 2022
Badlesmere welcomed fourteen of us to focus on Sarre and shunting stock. There was a good supply of goods wagons together with a few four wheel coaches. There was also a good amount of loco power including Roger’s Terrier, my R class and Bill’s M7. In addition to that Ross also brought along some beautiful […]
Wednesday 6th April 2022
Despite a couple of Covid absentees fifteen of us managed to overcome the Kent Lorry Park that was backing up from Dover and find their way to Badlesmere . Early arrivals set up the circuit and hoped that somebody would arrive with something to run on it. Fortunately Fred, Geoff and John B had locos […]
Saturday 26th March 2022
Fred showed us the drafts of the new banner and promotional leaflets that he had been preparing for the Group, these were very well received and after discussion one or two minor tweaks will be considered before final approval at our next meeting. Our Saturday Skills slot then continued with Bill giving an excellent talk on figure painting which […]
Wednesday 16th March 2022
Seventeen members converged on Badlesmere to focus on Edington and RTR stock.Plenty of freight stock was in evidence together with a Pannier tank and David G’s custard and cream GWR railcar along with a tiny SDJR 0 4 0 saddle tank. Roger and others also had a play on Edington which we will offer up […]
Wednesday 2 March 2022
Today’s theme on the circuit was “Overseas and US Stock”. Despite this most people ran British locos although “Overseas” was ably represented by Roger’s lengthy train of aCanadian diesel and several freight cars or goods wagons as we call them in the old country. While that was going on Tim and John P together with […]
Saturday 26th February 2022
We all sat enthralled while Fred expounded on the mysteries of weathering locos and other stock.Fred’s advice was to know before you start what effect it is you want to achieve and to study photographic examples rather than try to make it up as you go along. Fred brought along many of his own models that he had weathered and […]
Wednesday 16 February 2022
After some initial discussion concerning the correct methodology of setting up the circuit we settled down to various modelling tasks Theme of the day on the circuit was “Big Steam”. David G ran his 8 F and Crab 2 6 0 with a rake of Stanier red & cream coaches , I ran my SECR E Class with […]
Wednesday 2 February
Finally after nearly two years of lock downs and Covid restrictions we were able to gather round one big table together to do some model ling , talk about some modelling we had done , talk about some modelling we were going to do and generally while away a few hours. Paul W and Barry […]
Saturday 22nd January
After the usual excellent lunch at the Red Lion, six of us returned to find the rest of the members who came to the AGM, which launched into action at 2.30 pm., with a good attendance. Richard had brought his highly detailed goods yard for us to enjoy, along with John B’s breakdown train and Fred’s Class 107 […]
