Monday, 22 August 2011
13 August 2011, Wiltshire Group 009 Society Members Day and MOMING 11, Pewsey
If you don't know what a proper lardy cake is, then you really need to put the biennial Wiltshire Group bunfight in Pewsey firmly in your diary, for there you will find the stickiest and sweetest example of this Wessex speciality delicacy (I say Wessex because I know at least 3 counties in the region claim it as their own!). In addition to the lardy cake there were 10 009 and 2 HOe layouts, a further 10 MOMING ones (Modelling the Minimum Gauge) in various scales, coordinated by Christopher Payne and no less than 9 traders/society stands, including Brian Guilmant’s 009 Society Sales (of course!) plus Neville Kent with N Drive and Andrew and Rachael Hastie with Parkside Dundas, all the way from Scotland; and Allen Doherty with Worsley Works from Manchester. If traders are prepared to travel up to 500 miles each way to spend a Saturday sitting in a village hall in rural Wiltshire, then there can't be much wrong with the hobby can there? The 150 or so paying visitors and about 50 who participated certainly agreed! I'm not sure if Pewsey was the pioneer of the regular 009 Society Group members day events, but this was their 13th, so 26 years of doing it must mean their recipe works. Another splendid informal and friendly day amongst some top class modellers and their layouts. Great stuff and much appreciation to both the Wiltshire Group and Christopher Payne once again!
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
16 July 2011, Narrow Gauge Midlands & 009 Society EGM, Water Orton
To host only the 3rd Extraordinary General Meeting called in the 009 Society’s long history, the West Midlands Group organised Narrow Gauge Midlands, a super friendly and informal members day at the Water Orton Community Venue near Birmingham and despite the necessary formalities of the EGM, which Chairman / Director General, David Gander kept mercifully short, all 68 or so members who made the effort to travel considerable distances in torrential rain in some cases that I spoke to thought that the venue was good, the refreshments were outsdanding (well done again ladies!) and the friendly ambience amongst some top quality modelling was just the job for a really good little event. I understand that discussions are already under way for a repeat performance (without an EGM) at the same venue sometime next year - see you there!
