News

High Summer 2012

A running session

On September 15th Nigel scaled a ladder and hacked the invading creepers, clearing the small window, daylight streaming in on twelve modellers and their trains.  Landscaping continued on Cavedale and began on Nailbourne with profiles to the tunnel end.  David had been busy since Telford, assembling the main frames and wheels of a Nelson, plus its […]

Early Summer & Model Show 2012

400scotsman

June 16th.  Layout Session The first of ten members arrived and picnicked with a family of spotted flycatchers nearby, before following Joe up to the layout.  Trestles were completed, baseboard frames surfaced and Nailbourne’s point motors investigated.  John ran his pannier tank and a mogul.  Barry’s King Arthur was on the other track while he […]

Summer 2012

nailbourne400

Working Sessions for Nailbourne David and Colin organised their working day and had the residents supplying them with coffee and cakes! The electrics continued to be tested and platforms were positioned. Ron planned a road bridge for the layout, based on one he knows and a control panel table was made. Alastair conducted his family […]

May 2012

400crab2

Chill rain again featured on 6th May. Robin prepared hot drinks as Alastair demonstrated his latest invention. Control panels, trestles, platform edges and connections were being worked on. Various Jintys appeared on freights, plus a weathered Crab. Ron was running a GER 2-4-2t; a type he remembers footplating. Colin C’s shop fronts were dusted off, […]

April 2012

400jinty

28th April: A quiet meeting today. Roger ran his H class with a short goods train until it decided to run erratically. Roger and Robin had a look at it but had to be retired for works attention later. Robin ran his new Heljan Crompton. He bought it last year but today was the first […]

March 2012

400electric

Ross got things moving at the March 10th meeting in town when he brought a holdall filled with set track, which was soon laid out on tables. His B4 happily trundled round with mineral wagons, though the tight radius limited larger locos! Les supplied us with shortbread biscuits while people looked at restoration projects and […]

February 2012

win400

Seventeen people came to our AGM and Model Competition which finished in the dusk, beating the snow by a few hours. There was a good selection of models on display, plus the 6 foot long Tar Works layout. Barry’s Bulleid pacifics topped the voting for locos. John’s Victorian coach won its class and David’s freight […]

Winter 2011

A team discussion

Fifteen of us battled it out, with bottles of Kentish beer as the prize, in Ross’ Christmas Quiz.  Despite despair and head scratching we had great fun and enjoyed the photo section.  Photos of Garth ’s layout in Australia played while mince pies  were given out.  A refurbished B4 tank trundled on a rolling road […]

Autumn 2011

Nailbourne construction

We’d tucked up the layout for the winter in the gloom of a misty November 5th. The Nailbourne team got their last track fixed down just as our layout season ran out and are planning for the spring. We chatted over lunch in Faversham before our first afternoon meeting of the autumn season.  We began […]

Summer 2011

Cavedale running

By August’s end Nailbourne had gained its first ballasted track.  On the opposite side, an M7 was running on Cavedale while they planned buildings and scenics.  Large drawings of P tanks were poured over, and “Railrider” posters were on display for the twelve members to look at over tea.. August started with a line up […]

Spring 2011

Founder members cutting our 25 year anniversary cake

The highlight of spring was our celebration of 25 Years of modelling. Founder Members Les Gibson, Maurice Baker, Peter Hingley & Ross Shimmon cut our 25 Year cake. [RJM] We celebrated our 25 Years in style. Wine flowed, cakes were cut, by the Founder Members present, and acquaintances renewed. Displays of models old and new, plus […]

Winter 2010

Hesperus

The last trains for the season were run then we covered the layout with its winter protection ready for our return in spring. Curved modules now exactly fit between Nailbourne and Cavedale.  Earlier the team patched a hole through the floor into the workshop below! October’s town meeting featured fascinating footage from LMS film of 1930’s operation, with sections […]

Summer 2010

Picnic

The summer warmth often kept us around the picnic table, but Nailbourne’s base boards took shape.  Cavedale’s approaches were laid while our trains were on the circuit. Our display tracks were in Faversham for Kent’s Garden Railway Show on July 10th.  With a good turn out, setting-up and testing of the banana shaped tracks went well […]

Spring 2010

Model show

After February’s AGM we had our Model Show with more items on display than ever.  Locos in various stages of construction, rakes of wagons and lineside buildings. Certificates were presented to several members. Malcolm Parker, an excellent model maker of the Edwardian era of the South East & Chatham Railway, had died early in the […]