Events in 2013

Ted Polet

009 Society Convention, Kegworth, 27/28/29 September 2013

(text by Mick Thornton, abbreviated)

In September, Brian Guilmant and a dedicated organising team had planned a weekend convention to mark the 40th anniversary of the 009 Society in 2013. A suitable centrally located venue was found in Kegworth, near Loughborough. 200 stayed the weekend and attended the dinner and over 300 signed in as visitors between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. Although conventions are not unique, there has certainly never been an event of this nature before in the 40 years history of the 009 Society and what a resounding success it was!

A delegation of the Dutch Group attended the Convention, but others had travelled from as far as Australia (John Watts & John White) and the United States (Jeff Bissonnette).

In all about 40 layouts were attending either the whole weekend or one day. Added to all that was a continuous round of clinics covering many aspects of railway modelling running from Friday evening through to Sunday lunchtime with breaks only for sleep, food and the Saturday dinner night! Specialist Traders and 009 Society Sales were in operation until 11pm on the Friday and on both Saturday and Sunday were up and running from 8 in the morning.

An extraordinary visiting layout was part of the Craig & Mertonford Railway, the late Philip (PD) Hancock’s masterpiece, that appeared in articles in MRN initially, from November 1950 and then in RM regularly right through the 1950’s into the early 60’s and then at irregular intervals right up to February 1993. Many will have read opening paragraphs to layout descriptions that listed PDH and the CMR as their inspiration to take up NG modelling. Most of the original CMR was broken up but one part, Dundreich, survived and Malcolm MacLeod, with the support of the Edinburgh & Lothians MRC that now owns it, has painstakingly worked to restore it and managed to borrow much of the surviving CMR NG stock from the current owner, Lee Marsh, just for the Convention. Dundreich at the Convention was a very special event indeed.

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Smalspoormodeldagen, Valkenburg, Nationaal Smalspoormuseum 28/29 September 2013

In view of the unfortunate 'double booking' of the Valkenburg show in the same weekend as the 009 Convention at Kegworth, attentance at Valkenburg of the Dutch Group was low. Fortunately Lucien Eijdems managed to get a few photos as he was exhibiting the Yurze Ore Mine layout.

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Dutch Group meeting, Nationaal Smalspoormuseum 6th July 2013

On July 6th we had a long-awaited meeting at the narrow gauge museum in Valkenburg with a huge turn-out, and Bart van Gool bringing his family. Regrettably one or two members had to call it off due to illness or other circumstances, and others were on holiday. Jan van Mourik and Dick van Beek brought their latest models to run on my demo layout Nixnie, and Otto Schouwstra (who we were glad to see again after a long time) brought his new sound system with under-baseboard sound for small layouts (see video). Dick also brought his Auhagen factory building conversions. Jaap Stuurman had brought Hans Kamps, a possible new member who is planning a narrow gauge layout representing a 1920s radio transmission station.

In the afternoon we made a tour of the Museum, the workshops and the station area, and rode the train round the lake. Four of us ended the day with a Chinese dinner which has become a tradition.

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Chatham show, Chatham & District Model Railway Club, 15th-16th June, 2013

Jaap Stuurman and Jan van Mourik took part in the Chatham show of 15th and 16th June, 2013. Their layouts Mae'n ddrwg gen i and Mouburg roused considerable interest, and in addition they were able to meet with several old friends from Britain.

Ontraxs Utrecht, 8/9/10 March 2013