Page 10 - January February 2017

layout or as a conventional switching layout operated by sequential switching lists designed on a spreadsheet as recently described in the March 2016 Model Railroader.
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REGION LIBRARY
As many of you know, the Region Library service is suspended currently and the library books that remain are now held in self storage owned by a member so we are no longer incurring third party storage charges. The BOD has been advised that a member is willing to take on the post of Librarian but not until he retires which was hoped to be this year but...... The BOD understands that as soon as the member has made the appropriate adjustments in his railroad room, he will be taking the library. We will report further when we have news. Many thanks to Steve Dennison who continues to store the library for us. Any books still out on loan should be returned to Steve Dennison.
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From Nick Whitmarsh-Everiss (Chairman - South Shore.)
I just wanted to voice my pleasure in receiving a Certificate of Appreciation in the post, with a note from Robin Swan. I was unable to receive it in person at the AGM as I was on the Coastal Starlight at the time. It also meant I dodged the Mike Hughes photo bullet. Once again many thanks.
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Member John Tuckey would like to hear from anyone who has rolling stock in Gorre & Daphetid or its Devil's Gulch branch liveries to dispose of. See John's address in Directory.
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Mike Ford mentions that Richard Brooks (photo in Railex report in last issue) is a DC stalwart, not DCC. Richard has over the years been a staunch advocate of all things analogue - not for him the ways of modern digital train control. "We were lucky to catch him trying out one of the Digitrax controllers on Dave Bush’s/Mike Hewitt’s HOn3 modular narrow gauge set-up. Such an event needed to be recorded for posterity and brought to the attention of the wider railroading
fraternity."
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NMRA 2022 Convention Update
This is just a quick update as it is early days yet but the Committee are continuing to plan the convention. We tried our first Skype committee meeting which went surprisingly well and included attendees from all over the UK and New Zealand. We've been working on those things that we can do now such as detailed action plans, budgets, a marketing plan and understanding when we need to complete tasks. The National team has been very helpful in answering all our questions.
At this point, our main areas of concentration are social media, (check us out at: https://www.facebook.com/NMRA2022/), IT, such as a website, and early thoughts about layout tours.
We’ve already had loads of volunteers of help so thank you! This convention is only going to succeed with the generosity of all of you. We are looking for expert assistance in some areas. If you are interested in helping with the IT side of things then we need a webmaster and someone to set up a database of interested attendees. It should be fairly quiet for the next couple of years but we do need to get the web presence started. .
We also need to create a logo and all the associated artwork such as stands, clothing, etc. If you are a graphic designer and interested then please let us know.
That's it for now but I'll be at Benson if you have any questions.
Kathy Millat
BEANERY
Wanted: HO scale Pennsylvania Railroad L-5 Electric. Contact Brian Dawson 0176 813066
2018 CONVENTION (and beyond)
The BOD would now like to hear from any group of members wishing to put on the Convention in 2018 and beyond at a venue of your choice. Please contact the BOD (or the Events Co-ordinator when that post is filled) for guidance on how to proceed - or ask any of those who have organised recent Conventions. Rai Fenton has been updating the Region Convention Organisers Guide - please contact him for an updated version.
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SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIGS)
SIGs have been set up for the following:
Layout Design; Operations; Logging; 1/48th scale Narrow Gauge; Other Narrow Gauge; HO Modules; and N scale. Each has an area set up for it on the Region website and you can post to it once you have logged in as a member. Click here: http://www.nmrabr.org.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=62&sid=04005a6e 0f6db1151ec16d604ea8f88f
HO Modular SIG: There are at least two HO FreeMo events planned for 2017: 5/6 March - Merstham Village Hall, Merstham, Surrey. Contact Dan Spalding/Feoff Tiller for details. 6/7 May 2017 - Christow, Devon. Contact Martyn Read
Operations SIG (OPSIG)
Peter Lloyd-Jones has produced newsletters for the Operations SIG and circulated to known members by e-mail. You find copies on the Region website at: http://www.nmrabr.org.uk/opsig-newsletters . If you would like more information please contact Peter
(e-mail: peteralloydjones@gmail.com
On30 SIG News
John Levesley reported last time that there was a very active On30 group, though non-NMRA, in the South East, The Surrey & Sussex Black Sheep Frem0n30 Group.
S Gauge
Nigel Bowyer and Des Browne would like to start an S Gauge SIG. If you are interested in this gauge and would like to share know-how, please contact Nigel on nigelbowyer@googlemail.com
Steel Mill Modelling SIG
The July issue of the NMRA Magazine details the activities of the newly founded SIG (officially recognised by the NMRA in 2013) for this important sector of US industry. It might be of particular interest to one Martyn Read who is building a steel mill as a new industry on his HO FreeMo set up! They have a website at www.smmsig.org .
******* On30 SIG News John Levesley reports:
The big news is that two areas of England now support On30 module groups each with ambitions to have 100’ of On30 modules - about 25 modules per group? Groups are in the South East of England and the Central and Eastern Midlands.
Links have been maintained with the Slim Gauge Circle’s OTT modular group, I attend their Newbury meetings and I understand that the group is going to be at Benson at the Winter Meet.
I’ve attempted to keep a flow of On30 material into Roundhouse and eNews, the most recent a build article in the October 2016 issue. I’m planning a couple of articles on building and operating a small On30 layout (7’x 12”) that can be shelf mounted, used on the dining room table or the patio. It can be folded up and stored with a foot print of 12” x 9” and a height of 3’6”. It can be operated as a simple “Inglenook”
10 ROUNDHOUSE February 2017