Rodney Hall – Newport Model Railway Society

Open Day 2025

16 November 2025 / Open Day 25

16th November was the day chosen for, what now appears to be, our annual Open Day.

We had eight layouts on show, in various states of progress and covering a wide range of prototypes, produced both in-house and by guests.

Abergavenny Blackbrook – our P4 club layout portraying a WR branchline terminus in the early 1950s.

*Abergavenny Blackbrook as shown in the March 2023 BRM photo by Phil Parker*

Morgan and Ed looking after ABB

Hogwash & Baloney – Mike Edmunds’ 0 scale work-in-progress based on American short line practice.

Ripple Road – a 00 light railway terminus brought along by our friends at the Cardiff club.

Albyn operating Ripple Road and discussing it with Wizard-in-Waiting, Cory

Project Kevin – a work-in-progress shunting layout in16mm narrow gauge.

Kevin’s creator, Stephen and below in discussion with Morgan.

Melinau’r Abaty – Chris Featherstone’s 7mm narrow gauge layout based on slate workings in North Wales such as the Corris/Talyllyn.

Melinau’r Abaty, with it’s creator Chris, blue shirt, with Luke and Cory

Cwm Carno – our submission for the Scalefour Society’s Jubilee Layout Challenge, also a work-in-progress, got attention from the visiting S4 cognoscenti.

An unexpected layout, but so welcome was another work-in-progess, Neath, Vale of Neath station (later to be known as Neath Riverside) in 2mm finescale mixed gauge from Andrew Smith of PHF Models.

And unexpectedly available was Queen’s Wharf, Luke’s excellent entry for the Peco Rail200 completion, based on the well-known Talyllyn terminus at Tywyn.

The local trade was well represented by Taff Vale Models, Modelau Bryngaer Models, Connoisseur Models and PHF Models.

And we all had a chance for a good natter

And the opportunity to sample some fine home-made food.

Let’s do it all again next year!

Open Day 2025 Read More »

Sectorisation comes to Cwmcarno

27 October 2025 / Cwm Carno

The Cwmcarno exchange sidings fiddle yard board, with its sector plate, has been assembled and put in place, albeit with a temporary leg.

On Tuesday it was erected again with a different leg and temporary track tried in place to get the full effect.

Further into the layout the final piece of track has been laid, making the connection into the colliery. The sharp-eyed might spot a slight misalignment. Plastic sleepered flexitrack is not perfect and some extra support will have to be fitted.

The rise into the colliery is visible in the last shot along with the change from bullhead to flat bottom track at the company boundary.

Sectorisation comes to Cwmcarno Read More »

On the move

21 October 2025 / Cwm Carno

TAFKATYS’s hard work with the electrics and servos has borne fruit and on 21th October the first loco movement took place on Cwmcarno with a 94xx pannier tank successfully traversing all the trackwork so far laid.

Such an event naturally prompted the club’s usual response and we broke out the cold tea. With variable reactions from the members.

On the move Read More »

Competition Time!

17 October 2025 / Cwm Carno, Toads, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

Steady progress on Cwncarno and Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae but not so much in front of the camera.

Spot the difference! Wagonman has built two brake vans that are similar, but not identical. How many differences can you spot? The prize for the best entry will be Free Admission to our up-coming open day.

And TAFKATYS has been working on the servos and control system for the turnouts on Cwmcarno.

The servos and control gear are mounted on the tops of the baseboard and will be accessible via a removable side panel.

Competition Time! Read More »

Under the Harvest Moon

10 October 2025 / B&MR Usk, Toad

Perhaps the super moon kept few of us away, but nevertheless five of us attended.

Wagonman has completed this AA16 Toad using the WEP kit.

Fred is making good progress on Usk and here we see the prototype Dome and Safety Valve covers for fit. Both look right so they’ll now be cast in brass.

Under the Harvest Moon Read More »

October Zoom

7 October 2025 / Zoom

The first Tuesday of the month is when we hold our Zoom meetings and this one covered more on Clee Hill and the Dhu stone quarry railways with Mike E making sense of the images LBH showed last time, the Cambrian Railways in the GWR period from Stephen B, and a miscellany from LBH with un-sheeted wagon loads (including sheep!), PO wagons, coal mines and industrial railways.

October Zoom Read More »

Cwm Carno Progress

6 October 2025 / Cwm Carno

Monday’s meeting was well attended, with work going on on Cwm Carno and Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae but the only photo we have is this of the Cwm Carno station building, which is yet to bedded-in, that Andrew N has just finished.

Cwm Carno Progress Read More »

Monday 8th September

8 September 2025 / B&MR 45, B&MR Usk, Cwm Carno, Frecclesham, Riding Van

Monday saw five of us at the club, Andrew J working on Lyne Road scenics, Paul W on his BR Mogul and Mr C on Cwm Carno.

AlsoThe Wizard continues work on Usk and boiler and firebox are now fixed, allowing the temporary new safety valve cover and dome to be tried out in position for fit.

Meanwhile LBH did a little fettling on a new dome for B&MR 45 to replace the 3D-printed resin one.

Here is the narrower trackbed for the bridge girders on Cwm Carno. Whilst this position in the centre of the layout is scenically correct, it makes it very difficult to reach in and cut away the excess material.

Tuesday. In preparation for the Stafford Show The Wizard has weathered the P class built by TAFKATYS. Its shown posed on Frecclesham in th Bay road.

On Cwm Carno the next pointwork – the crossing in the reception sidings – has been laid in along with the headshunt. The red pin is there to locate that end in the correct position.

Wagonman has progressed with the tool van for his breakdown train.

Much of Friday’s energies went towards practicing operation on Frecclesham prior to its trip to Stafford.

But LBH did fine a few moments to apply some lettering to a S7 dead-buffered Gloucester five-plank wagon. This is what it should look like.

Monday 8th September Read More »

Two’s company

15 July 2025 / ABB, COT Trackwork, Hogwash and Balony, Peco Rail200

With the holiday season in full swing and other commitments only two of us made it the the clubrooms tonight.

Mike E has replaced the capping on the Depot roof with Tomato Purée tube foil, which is easier to form into the cap shape.

And LBH started the ballasting in the on the CoT (Chair on Timber 3d printed) turnout.

Friday was not exactly busy either. Andrew J decided on using card for the coping stones for Lyne Road’s bridge wall, our Wizard did more work on the 4-wheel tender before leaving for his third job as Dad’s Taxis. Robert cleaned the wheels on a Warship and Cl 37 whilst Wagonman got on with his project. Also he brought along some spare vehicle bits, so Mr C. cleaned them up and started to mock up the work/junk area for outside the workshop on ABB.