Model Railway Society

model-railway-club

West Camel Model Railway Society meets every Saturday and Wednesday.

Saturday between 9.00am to 12:00noon

Wednesdays between 1.00pm to 4:00pm

Location – Davis Hall at West Camel, Howell Hill, West Camel, Yeovil, BA22 7QX

It is an enthusiastic, friendly group of modellers that model in O, OO, O-16.5 and N Gauge.

Click image for a larger view

ACCESS TO WEST CAMEL VILLAGE HALL IS NOW ACCESSIBLE FROM ALL DIRECTIONS NOW THAT THE WORK ON THE A303 HAS FINISHED.

What the West Camel Model Railway Society Offers

The Club has a mixture of different gauge layouts, from N gauge to O gauge, and many people model the different scales. Within this, we have a mix of DC and DCC layouts. The club caters for all types of railway modellers, from novices to very experienced modellers.

A Club is a great place for novices to come and learn more about the hobby to gain the relevant skills to help them build layouts within the club or take the skill home for their layouts

 The History of WCMRS

In Derek Street’s words:

It seemed a good idea at the time, just a few friends standing together in the Davis Hall after a general, whole village invitation meeting in 2003. The original group, chatting about nothing in particular, when one mentioned the problem he had with his own model railway. That started it, all the group in turn confessed to having either a running railway or boxes somewhere containing the necessary. The originals were Des Miller-Hunt, Simon Mellish, Peter Agland, Peter Tilbury and Derek Street.

The first step was to arrange an advertising meeting for a future date, book the committee room, and see what resulted.

At the appointed date 4 of the originals came, the other was in Australia but had a spokesman. In addition came Richard Hooper and Bob Harris so enough to start with. The consensus was to start a layout immediately, Des offering his garage to start construction and all present to start a fund to cover initial costs, after a couple of weeks it was obvious that the garage space, while sufficient to start, was not going to be suitable for a long term club layout.

Solution, ask the Davis Hall committee if they would permit the newly formed club to take up residence in their building and as is now known, it became our permanent home. The name was chosen, West Camel Model Railway Society, not club, as in our ambition we chose to invite various individuals and even Peco to talk to us on Monday nights.

The first layout did not last very long, given the general lack of knowledge, it was surprising it lasted the weeks that it did. We had constructed a baseboard measuring 8 feet wide and 12 feet long in one piece. It took four people to lift it on to the trestles and was stored against the back wall of the stage. It was running a double circuit with points to siding and a station.

Then we were bought down to earth with the arrival of Graham Foote, one look at our work and all of it faults were made known, everybody agreed it was too cumbersome and it was totally dismantled and we started again. So back to the drawing board.

With good proper input we became the club we are today, members come and go, some to the club in the sky, others to pastures new. We are a friendly, welcoming helpful group of people who have contributed much to the village hall in the past 20 plus years we have been in existence, long may it last.

Layouts

O Gauge

  • O gauge within the club has increased a lot over the last few years. Our test track has two circuits for running O gauge trains.
  • Plowage St Peter
    WCMRS new O Gauge end to end layout
    Plowage St Peter was originally designed to use up some old pieces of track and buildings from an earlier layout so as not to require a lot of expenditure.
    It comprises of 4 boards that are 2m long by 0.8m wide. It will be able to operate with 3 boards if space is not available for the full layout.
    It will have a terminus station with 2 tracks with a run – round and a bay platform at one end and a four track fiddle yard with a further track for loco storage and servicing.
    The track and points are currently being wired with the option of DC or DCC control that can be changed by a master switch. This should be completed shortly and then it’s on with ballasting, platforms and buildings.

O-16.5 Gauge

  • Brickfields is set in 1910s and features a Brickworks in the last throws of decline. The layout includes two scenic boards and a fiddle yard and integrates a Clay Mine, Brickworks and a local Station. This layout is available to be booked for attending other club exhibitions.
  • With Brickfields more or less finished, the modellers have started a new layout build. Stockley is a small continuous run narrow gauge country station which can be run on its own or as an extension to Brickfields.

OO Gauge

  • Layout 1: DCC. This layout, called “Malingford” is a 20-year-old track which has been used every week over the last 20 years. This track is put up every Saturday for members to come along and run their DCC trains. It is powered and controlled by a Roco Z21 DCC Controller, It can be operated by several hand controllers or via your mobile phone/tablet. This layout is set around the 1960’s but members run trains from any era on it. It has 5 running lines ideal for members to run their trains. As the New DCC layout (Camel Hill Junction) comes operational this layout may change to accommodate a different set of modellers within the club.
  • Layout 2: Analogue. This layout, called “2 Ends” features a main station with a goods yard at one end and a fiddle yard at the other. This layout is available to be booked for attending other club exhibitions.
  • Layout 3: We are building a new layout called Camel Hill Junction. The baseboards are now pretty much complete and we are now starting to look at laying some of the track. This layout will be 6.8m (23ft) x 2.4m (8ft), The aim is to be a great running layout with 4 running tracks ideal for Saturday mornings but with the ability to be a good open day/exhibition layout. The layout will consist of two modern lines and two heritage lines to cater for members with rolling stock from different eras. We are planning to have trains running on this layout for the Summer 2025 open day.

N Gauge

  • Layout 1: Camel Line – The N Gauge Layout Group has now built their new large N gauge layout. This layout was started in 2024. All the track has been laid. Originally, this layout was going to be a DC layout, but due to the complexity of the layout, the group decided to go down the DCC route. The N gauge group would happily welcome any new members who would like to get involved with this project.

The landscape of what the club does change over time, and as one layout gets completed, other new layouts may be started. What we do as a club depends on what members we have and what gauge and era they want to model.

 

Brickfields

 

Mallingford – (Photo’s from Xmas 2023 Exhibition) (OO Gauge)

  

Camel Hill Junction (OO Gauge)

Plowage St Peter (O Gauge)

Camel Line (N Gauge)

A Basic OO Gauge Layout (Kiddies Korner)

Kiddies Korner

This has been prepared for children to experience the thrill of operating a model railway. The rolling stock will be different, but the layout allows for 2 independent running trains.

 

 

 

 

West Camel Model Railway Club Exhibition 2024

WCMRS December 2024 Exhibition Video

Test Track

Test Track

  • We have a combined test track in O, OO and N gauges. Bring your loco’s and rolling stock along for a run.

Help and Advice

  • If your new or getting back into model railways and live in the area then why not come along. We provided help and advice to modellers from Track Design to Servicing Loco’s. Why not pop along and have a tea or coffee whilst meeting everyone. No need to book, just turn up Wednesday or Saturday and say hello.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:

Home Exhibition Dates (Davis Hall, West Camel): Next open day – 21st June 2025

  • This years summer open day will be on Saturday 21st June from 9:30 to 15:30.
  • This year we have got a change in the way the club exhibitions and open day operate, we are looking at freshening up the format and home to have some intesting layouts and trade stands for visitors to come along and experience. We will have N, OO and O gauge layouts on display plus our test track.
  • In the summer open day we will have the majority of club layouts out and working so visitors can see what the club is about. We will also have several of the clubs members personal layouts out on display. We also display part completed layouts so people can come along and see what the club is doing and about
  • All our exhibitions and open days have catering so there is plenty of drinks and food available.
  • If you are unable to make the club open days or exhibitions then please get in contact and we would welcome you on a Saturday or Wednesday at any other time.
  • Please watch this space for more info.

Club Members

  • As a member of the West Camel Model Railway Society we need as many members as possible to help with Club Exhibitions and Open Days. So can you please try and make yourself available to help with tasks like car park duty, setting up, packing up and any other task needed for the open day and club exhibition. The society also needs all the members to help with setting up and packing up on clubs days.

 

External Exhibitions:

 

List of all Exhibitions – https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events

Toy Fairs:

May

Coach Trips to External Exhibitions (more information nearer the time):

  • Historically the club has gone to Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC in November and the London Festival of Railway Modelling at Alexandra Palace in March.

Dates when the hall is unavailable:

  • 16th August – Gardening Club

Facebook

For further information about anything on this page please contact via our Facebook Page.

F: https://www.facebook.com/West-Camel-Model-Railway-Society-231943490188817/

West Camel Model Railway Society Committee:

Contact Number

  • 07971626308

Annual General Meeting:

  • Saturday 18th January 2025 – 9:30am
  • The club is hiring the hall all day on the 18th Jan 2025 so we can also have a club day running trains and modelling.

Web Page Administrator

Loading

Posted in .