Page 9 - November December 2009

REPORT ON THE SWINDON CONVENTION
When we had to go and meet with the fifth – yes the fifth – new Events Manager at the Hilton Hotel during the 18 months in which we had been planning the Convention, and only four weeks before the event, even we began to wonder how it was ever going to run smoothly. However, judging by the feedback we have received and the emails people have sent, it seems that it was a great success.
Good food, good company and good staff all added to the great atmosphere which seemed to prevail throughout the weekend. The Quiz after dinner on Friday evening was met with great enthusiasm, and all but a handful of people stayed to take part, which resulted in a really good social gathering following dinner. Sorry about the incorrect answer to one of the questions; I was surprised there were not more, given that I was writing them at 1 am on Wednesday morning!
We had some excellent layouts and some new traders as well as some old favourites, which all added to people’s enjoyment. Many thanks to all those who agreed to come and take part this year.
Tim’s and Terry Wynne’s constant reminders in Roundhouse to enter something in the contests obviously worked, as we had a good number of entries this year. Our thanks to Terry Wynne for all of his hard work and efforts in ensuring that the contests could take place.
Sue Wynne and Noleen Parks did a great job of looking after the Ladies’ Parlour Room, making everyone feel welcome, managing the Tombola and looking after our visiting traders. The Ladies’ Tea Party on Saturday afternoon was particularly well attended
Kay Rudge
and was very successful thanks to the lovely cakes provided by Jan Lee, Betty Fenton and Dot Foster. The ladies’ trip to Bath on Saturday was enjoyed by 14 ladies despite the weather being wet and windy, the coach turning up late and the driver asking me for a postcode for Bath Abbey so he could put it into his satnav in order to know where he was going!
John Spratley and his team of helpers did a great job of running the Bring & Buy tables, and business in the Bring & Buy room was brisk throughout Saturday as always.
Seventeen people went on our trip to Pendon Museum, which included a guided tour of the Vale of White Horse by Chris Webber (ex-Chairman of the Museum), lunch at the local pub and a special opening of Pendon just for our members. It was apparently a marvellous trip greatly enjoyed by all.
Thanks to Iain Rice, Mike Arnold, Richard Brooks and Jacqui Perratt, we were able to offer a variety of clinics and demonstrations which ran throughout Saturday. The handouts for Mike’s clinic will be placed on the website for anyone who was unable to attend it.
I also want to say a special thank you to Carol Woodland, who spent her entire weekend sitting on the registration desk, and without whom I would have not been able to run around as much as I did making sure everything was going to plan and that people were happy, and to David Brown and Steve Clements who also did stints on the doors.
So, another year has almost passed and another Convention is over, and we are looking forward at last to having some time to do some modelling!
Team Track Trading American Railway Models and Accessories of all Scales
The only retail store specialising in American railroad models of all gauges in West Cornwall – Mail Order welcome
HO Gauge
We have good stocks of Athearn locos & rolling stock (inc. Blue Box kits), Walthers (P2K & P1K) locos and rolling stock, Athearn Containers and chassis, Walthers Cornerstone kits
N Gauge
We have good stocks of Micro-trains (rolling stock and couplings), Athearn (locos and rolling stock). We also have KATO and Atlas locos and Walthers Cornerstone kits (and built ups)
Shop News
We have good stocks of TCS decoders, Kadee couplings, wheels and accessories for HO and Micro-trains items for N gauge. We now stock KATO track (N and HO), SPV DVDs and Atlases, Peco (code 100/83/75/80/55) and Atlas track
We offer 10% discount to NMRA members on cash/cheque purchases and 5% on Paypal (sorry no cards at the moment)
Store: Unit 9 Market Way, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 2AS (near to Clock Tower)
Tel: 07544 765937 or 01209 213554 (evenings only please) www.teamtracktrading.co.uk accounts@teamtracktrading.co.uk Ebay Store: Redruth Model Rail
If we haven’t got it we’ll try and get it!
Shop Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 – 4 (closed Wednesday)
Belfast CABOOSE
20 PRIORY MANOR, HOLYWOOD, CO. DOWN BT18 0LD
Tel/Fax: (028) 9042 5110. From Southern Ireland (048) 9042 5110 e-mail: browne151@btinternet.com
IRELAND’S ONLY SPECIALIST IN
AMERICAN STYLE MODEL TRAINS
FEATURING SUPPLIES OF THE FOLLOWING WORLD RENOWNED MANUFACTURERS WALTHERS – BACHMANN – PECO – KADEE – GAUGEMASTER – M.R.C – AND MANY OTHERS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN SWAPS OF BRITISH OUTLINE FOR NEW AMERICAN
WALTHERS MODEL RAILROAD REFERENCE BOOKS Now IN – 2010 HO @ £12 + £5 UK post, N&Z £12 + £2 UK post
S = 1/64th scale – BIG BUT PRACTICAL AMERICAN MODELS Catalogue £5 incl post to UK
“American Flyer” Compatible AC or DC and “Scale” DC
All with Smoke and Exhaust sound and in LOTS of RR names. Amtrak F40, Baldwin S12, GG1, Alco PA, FA, FB & RS3, EDM FP7, F7, E8, GP9/18, GP35, SD60, F-M H-24-66, GE 25B Amtrak Superliners, Budd Streamlined Cars, Heavyweight Cars – all with lights – Lots of Names AAR 40’ Box Cars (42 names!) AAR 40’ Reefers (21) 50’ ACF Box Cars (19) Tank Cars (21) 2, 3 & 4 Bay Hoppers (36) 3 Bay Covered Hoppers (12) Flat cars (28) 52’ Gons (36) Cabooses Bay (20) & Wood Cupola (30) “American Flyer” and Scale compatible Set and Flex Track, Lots of Accessories, Figures etc
WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT? PERHAPS
TOMALCO S-scale Track
Nickel Silver rail, plain or weathered code 100/83/70
Flex track, Nickel Silver on urethane Ties with tie plate, spike head and wood grain detail. Turnouts and Crossings with Laser cut, stained wood ties – virtually hand-built with extra superdetail kits Available from #4 to # 10 plus Y’s, 3-way, curved and single and double slips to order.
For new product, allow $0.9 = £1.00 to allow for VAT & freight. Existing prices will hold while stocks last.
5% discount to NMRA members (excludes books) Post Paid UK orders over £100, otherwise UK £2.00 p&p Credit card facility available through PayPal
4-8-4, 4-6-4 & 4-6-2 Locos
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