The Club builds and operates layouts in a variety of scales.
Young MRC – Wagon Workshop
Although Young MRC meetings have had to be suspended, here’s an update from one of our regular attendees Ali and his dad Andy on some work they have had a chance to do at home. One of the projects I have been working on during lockdown and beyond was to sort out all of the …read more.
May 31, 2020
Constructing an Ian Kirk ‘O’ gauge Siphon H – the hard way!
I decided to do things the hard way when building a Siphon H, instead of choosing the quick and easy (and more sensible) option. I soon nicknamed the project ‘Monty Siphon’ as at times it was almost like a Monty Python sketch, where I stumbled from one problem to the next. First a little bit …read more.
May 24, 2020
Building Trapezium Baseboards for Minories
The classic Minories layout is a terminus to fiddle yard design – and that is what we built back in 2007 and how the layout has operated for many years. With a good team of operators we’ve presented a slick service of peak hour trains running in and out of the station’s three platforms at …read more.
May 23, 2020
Lynton and Barnstable – an embryonic “OO8” project
I have always had a soft spot for the Lynton & Barnstable railway: a narrow gauge railway but with standard gauge style. Over the last couple of years we have holidayed a few times in North Devon, visited the area and, of course, the preserved railway itself. A grand little line, that is becoming a …read more.
May 22, 2020
The Etymology of Copenhagen Fields – Part 1
This article was first published in Bulletin 423 – available to download in the members’ section of the website. The observant amongst you will have noticed that there are many shops, factories and vehicles on Copenhagen Fields, some of which carry names. Quite a few of you will realise that many of these names have …read more.
May 9, 2020
A Tale of Two Signal Boxes in 2mm Scale for Copenhagen Fields
The Model Railway Club’s 2FS “Copenhagen Fields” layout requires no less than six signal boxes. Some years ago I made one of them, “Belle Isle Up” [ “BIU” ], and I was asked to then build its opposite number “Belle Isle Down” [ “BID” ]. Well, what with one thing and another proper 2mm modelling …read more.
May 7, 2020
Signalling Orchard Wharf – Updated
Here’s work in progress on a signal controlling the ramp track between the upper and lower levels of our new EM gauge layout “Orchard Wharf”. It’s my first attempt at a signal in brass. This signal is a MSE kit with a 20ft height. I have gone away from prototypical a couple of times for …read more.
May 1, 2020
Bow Junction – Loco erection
Work continues on the Loco erection building for Bow Junction. As you can see from the photo I have screwed the 4 sides of the building together so that I can start building the roof , which is designed so that it can be lifted off. I have placed the piece of foam board so …read more.
Apr 28, 2020
Rolling Roads
Over the last few weeks, we’ve had a number of blogs with models sitting on rolling roads – probably because we can’t get to our test tracks to show the models working. There are a surprising variety out there – here’s a selection, which we’ll update as we find more… Example 1 – The Mazero …read more.
Apr 26, 2020
A new test track – Home working for Orchard Wharf
Converting a lot of OO locos and rolling stock to EM gauge is the sort of job that is best done at home. I’ve had an EM gauge test track for some time, but it’s only a 5ft straight track. This is no good for checking, for example, clearances on curves and points, of which …read more.
Apr 25, 2020
Converting a Dapol Sentinel Shunter to Scale 7
Before the conversion – a quick explanation of ScaleSeven. The models are exactly the same size as O gauge – with a scale of 7mm to 1ft . The difference is in both the gauge of the track – which is 33mm between the rails – and a wheel profile which matches closely the real …read more.
Apr 24, 2020
Quintart Build – Part 2
The bodies all follow the same principle for construction and just to confuse things these pictures aren’t all of the same coach. A reminder, this is how they come: As well as sanding off the pips where the elements are joined in the printing, there was a small amount of filing of some window frames. …read more.
Apr 23, 2020