NEWSHEET NO 8 - SUMMER 2009 (Click HERE for a Word format downloadable version)   ALSAGER RAILWAY ASSOCIATION NEWS SHEET No.8 SUMMER 2009  Editorial.  Since the last news went out, we have to sadly record the passing of Fred Johnson, sometimes jovial, sometimes controversial, a character, always down the club, and will certainly be missed. It has been a while since the last news, it seems material is slow is coming in. Have you anything to say, any sales or wants? Any material however contentious for the next news sheet to, Iain Chippendale, 33, Dane Close, Alsager, ST7 2HZ . If you have not renewed your membership there will be a final reminder with this news sheet in case you have forgotten. Chairman’s Message. May I start by thanking all members who have helped in the recent work carried out to improve and furnish the club room. The most notable changes are the kitchen and toilet areas, where more cupboard space has been made available in the kitchen and a larger area in the toilet to accommodate wheelchair access. The one disadvantage is the seating in the kitchen has been reduced by two seats, but this in turn has offered a big advantage in allowing us to re-site the 0 gauge layout further down the hut giving greater access between the 0 and 00 layouts in the main hut area. The toilet area is now complete, bar the floor covering, however, wall units are still to be installed in the kitchen area, one for crockery, and a further unit to incorporate the new consumer board, ( to be part of hut rewiring), and then the final coat of paint. Thanks also go out to the N gauge for their efforts in cladding the back area of the club room, many thanks for your help here. Progress will be madder during this year on cladding the front of the club room where ideas are being considered to incorporate a satisfactory window design. The other area of significant change has been the Woodcock room. My thanks goes to John Taylor and Mike Harrison, who together have transformed this room in making it a clean, quiet, multifunction room for the whole of the membership. The Z gauge, through Mike’s help, has been installed at the far end of the room, with the facility for the layout to be stored, drop down in a running mode, or removed from the wall when being exhibited. At the other end John has taken on the task of librarian, he has acquired good solid bookcases and renovated them to a high standard.For his sins he has also taken on the task of logging the entire collection of books, DVDs, videos and magazines. I would further like to take this opportunity to thank the ARA members and the Stoke on Trent Library who have donated books and magazines to this collection. Should any further members wish to donate any books, please give direct to John Taylor so that he can log them before they are placed on the shelf. As expressed at the AGM, members requested a room which could be used as a utility room; I trust we are part way there. The room is there for the members use, a number of tables will be available for reading, model making, and designing of small electric/electronic projects. Please consider before working in the room, the noise, mess and inconvenience you may cause, and whether it may be better to work outside or inside the main part of the clubroom. Please feel free to offer any further suggestions you wish this room to be used for.                                              John Day – Chairman. Library report from John Taylor.              Our reference library is situated in the Woodcock room and comprises the Association’s collection of over 200 railway books, and over 100 video tapes or discs. Each item of media held in our library has been listed onto a database, comprising title, author, description, and group identity number. Also each item has a unique reference number, which can be found on the inside of the front cover; this will allow an annual audit of the library stock to be carried out.             It is intended that members will be able to borrow any item for a short period of time via a self serve booking out/in system. This will be kept in a red folder permanently located within the library. You will need to book items out and book them back in. Any item to be returned to its correct place on the shelf by reference to the book number and section and by using the register kept in the library. Please take care of any item whilst in your possession. If you have any queries please have a word with John Taylor. If you have any items for donation please hand them to John Taylor. This library is for your benefit, and will only work if the system is not abused, it’s up to you. Treasurer’s Note.      Club finances are holding up well, sufficient new members have joined to replace those who have not renewed, and so we continue in a stable situation. The club is now a member of the Chiltern Model Railway Association, so look out for modelling events to improve your skills (see notice board)                      Iain Chippendale - Treasurer.  0 Gauge report from Mike Sant It’s been a couple of months since the last news sheet. Firstly, the sad occasion of Fred Johnson’s Funeral on Monday March 9th, at Carmountside Crematorium, this was very well attended by club members and also traders who support our exhibitions and representatives from BRM magazine. As a club member and our Exhibition Manager Fred will be sadly missed. We have the layout in its slightly new position and ready for our next running night. We have got the plywood, track and point motors so we can now start on the new replacement boards at the three penny shaped end of the layout. Phil brought the four new curved points with him when he came to Harrogate which he had made in Australia, very good they look to. Some folks are wondering if the new boards will be finished for Warley in November. A few others and I have said they will be finished when they are finished, we are not rushing. Pete has started on the wiring alterations needed to include the new boards. The control panel with added point switches and signals is now done; the next jobs are adding the new wiring through existing boards ready to be connected to the new ones. We have had a invite to take the layout to Museum of Science & Industry, Liverpool road, Castlefield, Manchester on Saturday& Sunday 15/16th August, see the poster in the club with flyers, which is a exhibition to celebrate 100 years of Beyer Garratt. Hopefully we will have a few Beyer Garratts running on the layout. Steve Lowndes has got one and also a member of the North Staffs group who said we could borrow his. Please check the dates and let me know if you will be able to attend as I think we will be a bit thin for operators being as it is August. We will need at least six of us to set up on the Friday and dismantle on the Sunday night; we could manage with five operators on the two days. Some work has been done on the layout, mainly on the Colliery by Richard who is making a small miners housing area. I will produce a work list for the rest of the layout for jobs that need doing, mainly detailing work and repairs. Invites to Exhibitions that are confirmed are MANCHESTER 15/16TH AUGUST 2009, WARLEY 21/22ND NOV 2009, WIGAN 12/13TH DEC 2009, SPALDING 12/13TH NOV 2011 The Real Railway. You may have noticed new trains through Alsager (class 350), in fact the service level has doubled to half hourly, with the new service running to Euston via Stoke, Stafford and Trent Valley stations, and also serving re-opened Stone station. Also new is an hourly Stoke to Manchester local service, which with the above gives Kidsgrove station an unheard of six trains per hour and creates journeys like Alsager to Macclesfield by changing at Kidsgrove, check for bargain fares, like £7 to London. Compare with an NSR timetable regarding frequency and journey times. Last year for Cambrian main line steam, due to new ERTMS signalling being installed on the Cambrian, this could be your last chance for probably the best main line run in the country, every weekday in August from Machynlleth to Porthmadog and Pwlhelli, see West Coast Railways promotion. Cheap fares and times-For London www.londonmidland.com for Derby www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk for Manchester www.northernrail.org   a days unlimited travel in the North West for £9.20 (£4.60 over 60) train, tram and bus the Manchester Wayfarer ticket www.gmpte.com    Exhibition.  Club member Chris Barnett is involved in staging an exhibition to commemorate Beyer Garratt locomotives at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, Liverpool Rd, Castlefield, Manchester on Sat & Sun, 15 & 16 August. Our 0 gauge layout will be there amongst others, also locos in steam, entrance is free. Frequent trains to nearest station Deansgate, so try the train and pop along.  Tea Duty, please note in your diary; this is shown on the notice board by the signing in book.  Milk is now supplied for you, all you need to do is turn up, just check when it is your turn. Information received is printed in good faith, to help you. Alsager Railway Association and its members are not responsible for any loss or damage as a consequence.