Open Day 2025

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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 »

Open Day coming up

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With the Open Day coming up next Sunday we continue with preparations. The exchange sidings sector plate has had a sealing coat of varnish and emery paper and graphite used to get a smooth movement through its arc. The track is stuck to the plate and the diverging sidings have their sleepers interlaced.

And on Friday Mr C continued the good work, laying the sector plate track work, so hopefully we’ll see some movement here at the Open Day

Preparations for the Open Day continue.

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Week ending 09 Nov

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This Monday preparation started for the platform on Cwm Carno. The support blocks for the platform face have been stuck in place carefully positioned using the modified track gauge. (Its been readjusted after use) The platform facing itself is ready along with the station building off-scene, and a test coach is waiting.

Tuesday evening was a zoom session. We had a little more on the Clee Hill, even more on the Cambrian from Steve B, 4-4-0s and 0-4-4s from Mr. C, and varied scenes from LBH including Lydney Harbour, some Col Stephens and lesser-known country lines.

On Friday someone sensible decided to check the platform clearances for an outside cylinder loco. The clearance is 1mm, which could be close. We don’t intend to run a 28xx normally but its a good test engine. Also the workman’s train was posed in the station to check its appearance.

At the Missenden Modellers’ weekend Mr C tackled the chassis for his S7 Taff Vale V class. Progress was made though crank pins didn’t get fitted to test the coupling rods.

Week ending 09 Nov Read More »

Sectorisation comes to Cwmcarno

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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

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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!

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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

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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.

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October Zoom

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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

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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 »

September / October

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The week started with tidying up after the return from Stafford, storing Frecclesham and moving on to more work on Cwm Carno and Ty’n y Coedcae. Also Luke brought down Queen’s Wharf in its completed form as submitted to the PECO Rail200 Competition.

The components for the Cwm Carno exchange sidings sector plate turned up and a quick pre-assembly revealed that while a couple will need to be remade the overall structure is satisfactory.

September / October Read More »

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