Welcome to the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers

"Please read the notices before you leave the shed."

January 2012

January 28th - Get into the Peterborough show for free

If you are able to donate an hour or two of your time to assist with stewarding the show, you can receive your entry ticket for free.

We require stewards to assist in the car parks, ensuring that cars are correctly spaced and directing people to appropriate spaces (a bit like they do at stately homes, although this is a proper car park not a field!). There is a car park co-ordinator so you will be given full guidance.

Stints of 1 - 2 hours are required throughout the day. We would like to be able to provide cover from 7am until 3pm, but we can only do this with your help. If you feel able to assist please contact Helen Gregson 01622 741501 or email stewarding@16mm.org.uk with your details and your preferences so that we can allocate you a slot and arrange for your free admission ticket.

Stewards do not have to be members of the association.

Helen Gregson

January 26th - Membership Renewals

The annual membership rates for the 2012/13 membership year have now been set by the Board. I am pleased to advise that they remain the same as the 2011/12 membership year.

Members who have indicated a preference to renew their Association membership using a cheque or money order will receive their renewal invitations with February SMT.

Members who have indicated a preference to renew electronically can expect to receive renewal invitations in the near future.

Please wait for your invitation to arrive and resist the temptation to renew using the Join Now facility on this web site.

If you have any doubts, please contact the membership secretary via membership@16mm.org.uk

Alan Regan.

January 14th - Could you be the next 'Bulletin' Editor?

After almost eight years as Exchange/Bulletin editor and also as Area Group Co-ordinator I have decided to retire after February 2012 issue.

Whilst I have thoroughly enjoyed these jobs, I am not getting any younger (68 next!) and feel that new and younger blood is now needed. I am sure that there is someone out there who would be prepared to take them on and bring in some fresh ideas.

As far as the job is concerned, it involves the collection and processing of input on a quarterly basis. All that is needed is some time and a reasonable working knowledge of Microsoft Word, or other suitable programme.

The Area Groups co-ordinator job is not at all time consuming and involves maintaining the record and occasional contact with the Area representatives. A computer and software will be provided for the new editor. There would also be a position on the Association Board.

If anyone thinks they would like to have a go or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact me at bulletin.editor@16mm.org.uk or Nigel Town chairman@16mm.org.uk

Ian Shields

December 2011

December 26th - An update from the Membership Secretary

Privacy and the protection of personal data have considerable focus in the UK at present, which reminds us all of the importance of this area to individuals and organisations. We publish some of your personal data to other members each year and have indeed recently given you all an opportunity to review and amend what we publish. In preparation for the publication of the membership lists on the 2012 DVD, we have additionally made a number of changes to protect your privacy and to ensure compliance with UK data protection legislation:

• We will no longer publish any data for UK Affiliate Family members. To do so would require that we capture specific authority from each Affiliate member. Our assessment is that to attempt to do so would be impractical and that failure to publish UK Affiliate Family members will not impact the social side of our hobby - something which we know is important to many members

• We will also no longer publish any data for Junior Members. We do not hold date of birth for all Junior members and the law prohibits publication of contact details of a minor

• Finally, if a member chooses not to publish any data to other members, their membership number will be listed but all other data, including name, will be withheld

We have made a further change primarily affecting members who choose not to publish their address to other members but DO publish other data:

• In the past, members who chose not publish their address to other members were included in the membership list in the applicable county section to the lists

• From 2012 onwards, these members will appear in the list but will not be associated with any specific county, thus increasing location anonymity

For these members, I have created the option to be included in the county section if they wish. This allows, for example, a member who withholds postal address but publishes email address to be visible in the county section of the list, retaining the practice employed in the past. This then allows Area Group Coordinators to invite the member to local Association events. If you have opted to withhold your postal address but publish other data but want to be listed in the applicable county section of the membership list, please contact me at membership@16mm.org.uk and I will make the necessary change. I need to receive your request before 7th January 2012 as I anticipate having to create the membership lists around this time for inclusion in the 2012 DVD

We believe that these changes are in the best interests of all members and trust that you will welcome the changes. However, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me at the address above

Alan

December 18th - 2012 A Festive message from Nigel Town

As we start to round out the calendar year my thoughts start to turn to a bit of modelling respite as I try to squirrel myself away for a few hours of modelling over the Christmas period. That said I am very aware that the kit I received from my family last Christmas is partially painted sitting looking woeful in the corner of my work space. I’m hoping for a crisp but not damp Christmas as there’s a bit of a steam-up planned between Christmas and New Year too which is always good. It’s this steam up when the manually controlled locomotives come to the fore (ever tried holding a transmitter for half an hour with temperatures around the 0degC mark?). Me, a warm weather member surely not........ On that theme our current membership sits at over 3,700 and growth continues. Alan Regan and I have been party to a couple of requests now for “I’d like to buy my Dad/Husband membership for a surprise Christmas present” – what an excellent idea, that’s one of the non-routine membership enrolments which is fun to be party too.

2012 is shaping up to be another cracker of a year. The mailing for February will be two! We’re mailing out SMT and Bulletin as usual, but also a copy of “A Modellers guide to the Penrhyn Quarry Railway”, the show guide, draw tickets (incidentally the list of prizes just got longer....), and the DVD all topped off with our annual report and voting papers for the AGM. It cannot get any better can it? There is still space on the DVD for any clips that you want to submit, to Kev (Contact kevin@nzsteele.com). As Andrew indicated in the Nov SMT he’s looking to a refresh and reformatting of SMT next year. For Bulletin the Feb edition will be Ian Shields last edition as he looks to step aside from this role (and off the Board). I would be keen to hear from any member who would be interested in stepping into the Bulletin Editors hotseat. (Contact chairman@16mm.org.uk). Rob Bennett flushed with success from the New Handbook has now been working with a different team to produce the Modellers guide to the Penrhyn. As I write this he’s all guns blazing to meet publication schedules.

The show is also taking shape nicely – we’ve more traders than 2011, reflecting that continuing growth we’re seeing in the membership. There are a few items we’re just addressing for the first time as we change venue. One key feature is the ability for members to enter into the building before the show as the Atrium area will be open from 9:00, giving access for membership renewals, Moty booking in, Member to Member sales booking in, and the Preservation societies who will also be located in this area, all to a background aroma of Bacon sandwiches and strong Brazilian coffee....... The doors to the show will open at 10:00 as previous years. The star of the show is Linda, and we are grateful to the Ffestiniog Railway for their support of our Penrhyn themed show. The press release on this from Rod last week has gone down well in the modelling and railway press. Rich C and The Peterborough Show team continue to do a good job on your behalf to make this a cracking show.

Phil tells me we’re on course with our spend against the budget we set for 2011, so all’s shaping up well. Saving the best until last (?), well certainly the most frustrating, Tim will be releasing the Christmas Quiz next week which will keep all our little grey cells ticking over, in-between the re-runs of Poirot!

Going full circle then I’ve asked for a Penrhyn themed Christmas from my family, we’ll have to see how that works out. On behalf of your Board of Directors, take care, and have a good Christmas

Nigel

December 15th - 2012 Show Bus Service Announced

The Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers will be running a bus service to the 2012 National Show from Peterborough Railway Station

For further details of the service including pre-booking and prices please visit the National Show page

Phil Thompson

December 13th - Press Release regarding guest locomotive 'Linda' at the 2012 National Garden Railway Show now available

Please click here or on the photograph below to view the Press Release regarding the visit of Ffestiniog locomotive 'Linda' to our 2012 show

December 8th - Guest loco announced for 2012 National Garden Railway Show

The Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers is delighted to announce that the world famous Ffestiniog Railway locomotive “Linda” will be the full size prototype engine appearing at the show on Saturday 31st March 2012 at the East of England Showground, Peterborough

“Linda” was built in 1893 by the Hunslet Engine Co for the Penrhyn Quarry at a cost of £800 and was subsequently purchased by the Ffestiniog Railway in 1963. Although “Linda” has clocked up many thousands of miles, unlike some preserved locomotives these have been almost exclusively on home turf and her appearance at the National Garden Railway Show will, we believe, be only the second time that “Linda” as a complete locomotive has left Wales since she was delivered back in 1893.

A Press Release regarding this exciting visitor from North-West Wales to Peterborough is in preparation and will be available in the near future

Tim Gregson 

November 2011

November 11th - Update from the Membership Secretary

It is the evening before our last Board meeting of 2011 and having prepared a report for tomorrow, I thought I would share some vital statistics with you all tonight.

•  We have 3684 members, including Affiliates

• Of those who were members prior to 1st February 2011, 3332 have renewed

• 375 new members + Affiliates have joined the Association in the current calendar year

The new members include 2 Bills who rejoined the Association in recent weeks. One had been lapsed for 10 years and I was easily able to allocate his original membership number. The other was a little more difficult as he had been lapsed for 21 years. However, with a bit of digging I was able to establish the narrow range into which his original membership number would have fallen. Evidently he still has his original welcome letter which I hope he’ll bring with him to Peterborough next year.

Also of note, and I expect never to write this again, a member has rejoined from beyond the grave! In July I received a mail from the member’s email address, apparently signed by his brother, saying that the member concerned had died. I received another mail a couple of weeks ago from the “dead” member asking where his August SMT was. I’ve restored his membership and sent him his August SMT. Email dialogue since he “rejoined” suggests that one of his sons was playing a prank and I understand the member will “pick his moment” to get even. He knows that I plan to share this unusual and (to me at any rate) amusing tale with the rest of the membership.

I often get asked if we are still growing and will leave you all with a sound-bite. To stay in balance, where lost members are replaced by new members, we need to recruit just shy of 20 members a month. We have been recruiting nearly 35 per month YTD. Or put another way, for every 4 members that we lose, we recruit another 7.

That’s it for now. I’m off to the shed to work on a second hand brass bodied coach which the previous owner had assembled with Araldite. The original manufacturer has been able to supply missing parts even though it is long out of production. That’s the level of service excellence which some of our suppliers achieve. I will be using solder this time!

Alan Regan

October 2011

October 11th - 2012 Annual Prize Draw prizes announced

We are now able to publish the list of the great prizes lined up for next year’s Prize Draw. There will be a book of tickets with November’s and February’s SMT so please support your Association by buying the tickets and giving yourselves a chance to win!

October 9th - The new Association Handbook

Like a map, I believe a picture is a better guide to showing you the way and the new members guide has been revamped into a more pictorial guide into showing you how you can build your garden railway.

I have included different ideas on layout design and construction and shown lines in situ for the builder to decide which way would suit them best.

Your steam loco choice also breaks down into methods of firing and how they work from budget to top of the range engines.

There is a battery power section with examples of cardboard diesel’s all metal construction and a guide to batteries and charging.

Rolling stock has improved over the years and you now have a larger choice between, off the shelf, kits or scratch built rolling stock. I’ve also included tips on building the latest resin kits.

The 16mm Association has come a long way over the years and there is far more available now than the early days when John Wenlock and Peter Jones first collated the original New Members guide of which their texts still ring true today.

I hope you will enjoy the Handbook as much as I did designing and editing it.

Rob Bennett

September 2011

September 18th - Membership Update

My last update on membership was in May – where has the summer gone? Whilst we’ve hosted 2 open days and I’ve extended my line somewhat, new members have continued to roll in. In May I reported that we had just exceeded 3,500 members – today we are at 3,638 members, including Affiliates. 332 new members have joined us in 2011, which is an average of 36 new members per month – more than 1 new member for every day of the year to date.

I would expect (hope?) that all of the later renewals have now happened, which means that 166 of those who were members prior to 1st Feb 2011 have failed to renew. This is a very low attrition rate (circa 6%) and one with which we can be quietly satisfied. We also continue to welcome long lapsed members back into the Association. I was able to find the original membership number for the most recent such rejoining member, earlier this week. He had lapsed between 1992 and 1998 (I have paper lists for these and a few other years). He’ll be surprised how SMT has changed since he received his last copy!

Feedback from some of you tells me that I am becoming known for my “data” sound bites. Well here’s another. Did you know that 52% of the current membership has joined the Association since the beginning of 2006. We sometimes overlook the fact that around half of our membership has fewer than 5 years experience in this scale. Nigel announced last week that we had refreshed the Guide To Modelling in 16mm Scale under Rob Bennett’s leadership and that all existing members will receive a copy along with November SMT. I don’t think you can receive enough advice and encouragement when you’ve recently entered a new field, so hopefully the new guide will provide stimulation for modelling in the dark winter nights ahead. We look forward to a bumper number of entries to MOTY as a result!

Alan Regan

September 10th - News from the Chair

There were recent mutterings in the Town household about turning the central heating back on as it was dropping cold at night. Fortunately I managed to intervene – the system had been drained down for the Summer, and besides I was on business in Texas where the temperature was 30+ degrees. My current twice monthly visits overseas have seriously hampered any modelling this year. I’ve just about managed to cut enough planks to get 4 sides on my current brake van project – little else. Fortunately Board business is largely transacted via e-mail so my Blackberry is seeing plenty of use.

Recently a significant amount of effort has gone into the re-creation of the New Members Guide, this activity has been headed up by Rob Bennett, with contributions from a range of sources. The result is a tribute to team work and those who pulled out the stops to get his document over the line and to the printers. The look and feel of the new guide is very different to any previous version and we have decided to distribute this all members with the November mailing.

As I look back over the summer two significant events dominate my thoughts – firstly I was fortunate to help assist our SMT Editor in lighting up, cleaning and then riding the footplate on the WLLR. Fascinating – the similarities to firing my coal fired engines were all present – along with a whole load of other complications. I take my hat off to you Andrew – it’s a challenging job which you made look easy, I don’t know how you remember all that stuff.

Second was scale trains; I took two locos and all my L&B rolling stock to Ian & Anne Shields open day and ran both engines double headed with all my L&B stock, marshalled roughly in prototypical order. It was a fantastic sight Daniel had one transmitter for the Accucraft "Lyn" I had the other for my Pearse "Lew", with a spot of wheel spin we made it up the bank – coming back through the tunnel, picking up speed to the corner near the patio was a bit nerve racking but good fun. It wasn’t until we were half way through the run that I realised everyone else had stopped running. I asked Ian later on why everyone had stopped, Ian assured me it was just the spectacle that the other visitors wanted to enjoy......

So I’m in an airport departure hall (again) as I write this update but I hope that you’ve got some memorable moments from this summer and maybe the odd photograph? Please share those with Andrew and Tim as we’ll all like to see them appear in SMT and on the Web.

If you’ve got any questions or ideas about the direction or ideas/opportunities for the Association please get in touch.

Nigel
chairman@16mm.org.uk

August 2011

August 18th - SMT is on the way

You will be pleased to hear that the August issue of SMT has come off the printing line and should be dispatched in the next day or two.

Particular thanks are due to all those who have contributed articles or pictures to the magazine, I've had some really nice stuff in recent times. It all makes the Editor's life more fun! More is always welcome of course.

Rumour has it that I might even be doing some work on the trackbed for my garden line soon, but you know how rumours are.... !

All the best

Andrew C
16mm Today

June 2011

Talyllyn Railway Have A Go Gala
 Llechfan Garden Railway Open. July 2nd/3rd. 10-5pm 

Gard

en railway open for running as part of the Talyllyn Railway's Have A Go Gala weekend.

Trade Stands will be with us - contact Steve Warrington at back 2 bay 6 for details of traders.

For Llechfan Garden Railway details contact Kes Jones studiocommer@yahoo.co.uk 

22nd June – Board back to full power!

I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors is now coming back to its full compliment. First off we have co-opted Rod Nipper as Publicity Director, I am delighted to welcome Rod into this role as his experience gets us back on track with publicising the Association.

Secondly we are looking to co-opt Gareth Jones as our new company secretary. Unfortunately Gareth had a pervious commitment and could not attend the board meeting on the 11th June. However we have a show planning meeting on the 25th June and we are planning to formally co-opt him at this point.

I am sure you will join me in welcoming both Gareth and Rod onto the board. Rod can be contacted at publicity.officer@16mm.org.uk when we have completed the co-opting process Gareth can be contacted at company.secretary@16mm.org.uk

Both Rod and Gareth will stand for formal election at the 2012 AGM.

Nigel Town

May 2011

28th May – A report on some unusual happenings underground!!!

"Extreme 16mm steam"

The basic principle… Taking 16mm garden railways from their usual confinements out into the wild and natural (or heavily industrial) landscape.

The most recent adventure to involve acting on this principle was to involve carrying a circuit of Mamod track with an internally fired Mamod, a battery powered Ruston and a rubbish wagon down through the vast network of workings into the depths of Cwmorthin slate mine near Tan Y Grisiau. The journey to one of the lower chambers involved much scrambling and immersion in cold water to reach the compressor chamber which lies 400ft under the mountain. The last few slates to be mined at Cwmorthin was taken from the chamber walls and placed in the rubbish wagon – steam was raised and laps were successfully completed on the Mamod circuit which fitted beautifully on the concrete floor. The Ruston then took over wagon hauling duties.

Other places have been added to the extreme steam hitlist by various patrons of the art which include a Kenversions Mamod run on Egypt level at Dinorwic quarries, a GVT loco and Train on the GVT trackbed, Regner ‘Peter Jones’ on the summit of Snowdon and coal firing a Jack at Trefrane Colliery – the Pembrokeshire cliff top coal seam that served Queen Victoria’s household. We can now vouch that Victorian coal has lost its calorific value!

One example, which did not involve steam for what will be obvious reasons, was to involve the ‘Compton Nymph’ – a Graham Stowell battery creation which ran on a section of track laid up the aisle of a transatlantic flight by Peter & Don Jones. As far as I am aware it still holds the altitude and speed records for 16mm running, but look forward to being stood corrected.

Please click on any of the photos above for a higher resolution view

Kes Jones

20th May – Membership Update

I didn’t expect to be writing this so early in the new membership year, but in the past couple of days we have again breeched the 3,500 current member barrier and as I write sit at 3,505 members.

Another great piece of news, equally unexpected at this stage in the membership year, is that renewals have exceeded our expectations and that at the moment, fewer than 200 people who were members in 2010 are still to renew. As a result, we will have sent out 100 more copies of May SMT than we anticipated when we made our plans in April. There is still a recession but it’s very pleasing for the team which runs the Association to see that most who were members in 2010 have rejoined the Association.

The Association also continues to attract new members. We have welcomed a staggering 228 members to the Association year to date. On average, we are enrolling a member per day, which has pretty much been the enrolment rate since August last year, excluding the spike which we experience at and immediately after our annual show. This continued interest in the hobby will be reassuring to suppliers and hopefully will encourage them to keep tempting us with new locos and stock.

My final comment concerns SMT, or more specifically its address carrier sheet, both of which plus Bulletin will start dropping onto the doormat during next (W/C 23rd May) week. On the back of the carrier sheet is a short letter from me, in which I have confirmed how you paid your membership this year. If you want a different renewal method, e.g. PayPal next year instead of a cheque or money order this year, please let me know. The letter advises how. Also, for those who have one, I have provided your email address at the same time. Email addresses are the piece of member data which changes most often, so please do verify that what is stored in the Association database is current and accurate. I sent renewal reminders by email this year, a new process for 2011, which increased the renewal rate at no cost to the Association.

That’s it for now. I have a new loco waiting outside, gassed, watered and oiled in preparation for a run before dinner. On a pleasant evening like we have here tonight, what better way can there be to end the day.

Alan Regan

April 2011

24th April - Easter Message

For me Easter marks an opportunity to clear the trackbed of winter debris and get the trains running again. I know that there are some who brave the cold and the damp creating great atmospheric photographs along the way – I admire you. If it’s cold and damp however I’ll prefer to be inside working away on my latest project.

The Easter period is the ideal opportunity to chance the British weather and run a train or two. I was pleased to get along to the Butterley Garden Railway at Ripley in Derbyshire on last Sunday afternoon.

One strength of the Association is the local group network. There are primarily two different types of local groups. The group at Butterley represents a growing number of permanent “club” tracks that are becoming established at both Heritage Railways and Model Engineering Society sites across the UK. The other opportunity is the local meetings which take place at fellow members’ homes throughout the year.

While some of the more courageous members maintain these throughout the year, most 16millers come out of hibernation around now to enjoy running their locomotives and stock in the spring and summer sun. If you’re interested in narrow gauge modelling then now is the best time of year to check out the local group section of the website and our Bulletin journal to find out when and where there are activities in your area. These gatherings of are excellent opportunities to learn new techniques, admire the modelling of others, and have others admire your modelling too!

On behalf of the Board of Directors I wish you a good Easter. Why not give your favourite locomotive a good oil round and take it out for a run.

Nigel Town

17th April - Membership Update

It’s been some time since my last update, mainly because we’ve been (that’s Mrs. Deputy Membership Secretary and me) in the midst of the annual renewal process. I am writing tonight because we have hit a major milestone with over 3,270 members renewed and fewer than 400 still to renew. We are ahead in terms of the percentage of members who have renewed by comparison with 2010. Here are some other highlights:

• Last year just under 1000 members renewed using PayPal – this year the number is nearly 1300

• I’ve adopted a couple of new techniques this year:

  • I sent email reminders to those who had initially received an PayPal renewal invitation and hadn’t renewed – this resulted in another 50+ renewals

  • I recently sent emails to all who had not elected to use PayPal – the renewals resulting from this exercise are still arriving

The result of these new techniques has been a late resurgence in renewals and for us as members, this reduces the postage cost associated with the final renewal reminders which will be posted later this month.

So what if you’re reading this and haven’t yet renewed your membership? I’d ask you to do one of the following:

• If you’re not going to renew, please send me an email to membership@16mm.org.uk which will avoid me bothering you further

• If you would like to renew via PayPal, send me an email with your current email address and I will send you an invitation

• If you’re wondering why you didn’t receive an email reminding you to renew, it’s almost certainly because I do not have your current email address – email me the right one ASAP!

• Finally, if you do intend to renew but have not yet got round to it, Do It Now!

Remember, if your membership isn’t current by the end of this month, you risk not receiving May SMT. Also, if you run your engine(s) at public events or other member’s open days, you will not be covered by the Association’s Public Liability insurance. Whilst I smiled at the late renewal today where the affected member confessed that “his only O-level at school was in procrastination”, please do either renew or let me know you’re resigning – it helps us all in the end.

Finally, thanks to all those who have recorded the appreciation on the renewal form for the membership team’s efforts and that of the wider Board. It’s greatly appreciated. Keep those renewals rolling in!

Alan Regan
Membership Secretary

10th April - Colin Gregory

It was with sadness that we note the death of Colin Gregory earlier last month.

Colin was one of the founders of the Surrey Group and it was due to his influence and links as a teacher at the school that we have the Annual Merstham Show.

I was personally staggered to find that the footfall for the show is now at the 3,000 mark.

Having read the tributes to Colin collated in the latest issue of 'The Oily Rag' it is clear to see the universal theme reflecting his gentle and friendly manner.

Our sympathies are passed on to his wife and family.

Nigel Town
Chairman