READING SOCIETY OF MODEL ENGINEERS

READING SOCIETY of MODEL ENGINEERS

OPEN DAY

29th JUNE 2002

Malcolm Stride

It does not seem like a year since the Reading S.M.E. 7 ¼” gauge track was officially opened but another open day has come around.

In the year past some improvements have been made to the site. These include a new container now equipped as a metal and general store. This has freed up some much needed space in the raised track carriage shed. It also came in useful as "The Grotto" for the Santa Specials last year.

Some point re-alignment has taken place on the 7 ¼” track to ease entry into the station area, together with some general track alignment and fitting of expansion joints now things have settled a bit. The track has certainly earned its keep during public running over the last year, usually with two or three locos on in addition to those running on the raised track.

New warning lights have been fitted to the entrance road to protect cars from the attentions of locos. Motorised points and signals are in the pipeline.

So to the open day itself, the day started off with more cloud than we had seen in the previous few days but the threatened rain did not materialise and the day stayed at a comfortable temperature.

The day was not started very well because of the discovery that the rear door and frame to the small garage used for coal and other storage had been wrenched completely out of the wall. This meant that some members had to spend the day doing repairs. A good advertisement for the town and some of its inhabitants!

As usual the early gang busied themselves with erecting various gazebos to protect the officials and visitors. The erection of the largest speeded up after about two hours when somebody found the instructions! The early entertainment was provided by the sight of several members trying to work out which pole went where.

Very soon locomotives and their owners started to arrive and soon built up into a very good turnout. The clubs that attended this year included Hayes and Harlington; Gravesend; Oxford; Ascot; Bracknell; Andover and the very local Amnerfield Railway.

The raised track was soon busy with locomotives of all shapes and sizes with just a couple running on the ground level track. Later in the day several visitors moved onto the ground level track and this soon became busy.

The early runners on the ground level included a very fine 7 ¼” Black Five from Oxford and an unfinished BR Class 2, also 7 ¼” gauge, which showed excellent workmanship and ran well. The other 7 ¼” loco was the G.W.R. Prairie run by local man Richard Cox.

On the raised track locos included several L.B.S.C. "Maid of Kent" designs, a very nice "Britannia" and a superb G.W.R. "King" from Hayes & Harlington and a collection of non steam locos including a Metropolitan, a class 20 diesel and another diesel No. 8327.

For me, the loco that stood out was a superbly finished Caledonian Railway 4-6-0 with an eight wheeled tender driven by Mr. Plummer. This loco ran as well as it looked and spent some time on the raised track.

The other attraction outside was the part finished "N" gauge layout set up under the gazebo. A bit of a contrast to the 7 ¼” gauge monsters!

As usual on these occasions, things would not happen without the band of helpers including the track marshals but particularly those responsible for the catering who worked non-stop throughout the day providing tea, ploughman's lunches for all and rolls and other "bits" to go with the burgers and sausages being burnt on the barbecue by Tony Giles as things came to a close in the late afternoon. Many thanks to Jim and Jan, Heather and Colin and Liz and Tracey for all the hard work.

Also many thanks to all the visitors who braved motorways and traffic to bring their locos, without you all it would not happen.

Judging from comments heard during the day, a good time was had by all, so I think it counts as a successful day.

Malcolm Stride.

OPEN DAY 2002 PHOTO 'GALLERY'

('Click' on photo to enlarge)

3½" Gauge Locomotives.