Newport Model Railway Society

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Not all of our members can get to the club for every meeting so here we keep everyone, current as well as prospective members, abreast of what's happening at the club - if you'd like to join in the chaos there's a list of contacts on our Contacts page.


Currently the clubrooms are locked up due to the COVID19 pandemic, however we continue meet on-line and are also working on a series of individual cameo layouts to keep us amused during our incarceration - see the Coronalayout page.


To see what we did in previous periods look here: Early 2021, Late 2020, Early 2020, Late 2019, Early 2019,  Late 2018, Early 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015or 2014


Next Exhibition: Frecclesham, Nailsea, March 26th & 27th, 2022

Week-ending 22nd January 2022

Friday we returned to the clubrooms now that the infection rates are dropping. More work was done on point rodding where a compensator has been part connected. In front of the signalbox the boardwalk is nearing a finish.

Also Al has started on yet another small coach while at home Luke's cottage is having the chimneys installed and SteveN progresses with his Garrett.


The Tuesday talk featured two of the short(er) talk format. First was from me, Mr Chairman, about "The Muck Hole", the branch from Crumlin Jct down into Llanhilleth where the signal box was reputedly painted only brown as the coal dust from the pits masked any other colour. This was followed by Stephen B with an account of the Pechot-Bourdon sort-of-Fairlie locomotives extensively used by the French Military on 600 mm track. This was before during and after WW1.

Week-ending 15th January 2022

This Tuesday's talk came from Albyn and revealed the origins of railways, or perhaps guided vehicles, from the 17th century onwards. It is remarkable how much evidence from those times there is available, but inevitably you were left wanting to know more.

Friday evening was spent at home again, but the outlook is improving and that might change for next week.

Week-ending 8th January 2022

Our year started off with in the same vein as many of last year's Tuesdays with a talk from Stephen B. This time he took us to the north-east corner of the country with a talk on the development of the industries and railways in the Holywell region of Flint, culminating in the Holywell Branch of the LNWR.

No Friday meeting this week with COVID concerns and self-isolations but member have been beavering away with TAFKATYS progressing well with his Garrett; our Resident Wizard completing a water bowser and LBH eventually showing some progress on the TVR brake van (go back to November 2020 for its last appearance and see if you can spot what he has managed to achieve in fifteen months)

Week-ending 1st January 2022

No meetings this week but TAFKATYS has been beavering away with a kit for an 0-4-4-0 Garrett from the Mercian (formerly Avondale) stable.


The prototype is one of a class of four manufactured by Beyer Peacock from 1937. One made it to be preserved, William Francis, which was from Baddersley colliery where it was used on steep inclines. 


Two similar engines were found in south Wales, No. 6172 of 1924 at Vivian and Sons, Landore and No. 6779 of 1934 at East Moors Works, Cardiff.


The design of the firebox wrapper has left TAFKATYS with an interesting problem, the rivets are represented by half-etched depressions rather than standing proud of the surface.