Cradley Heath Model Railway Club

22/11/2025

Come see us at the national festival of railway modelling this weekend

20/11/2025

non of this was based on any goings on at our club, even not another GWR branchline terminus, have a watch, but it pretty serious stuf,f cheers, Gary,,, er sorry Colin

With increased tensions and rivalries between model railway clubs and continued outbreaks of fighting at model railway shows, we go behind the scenes to foll...

19/10/2025

Cradley Heath Model Railway Club on the road
On Saturday 18th October we attended our 12th outside Exhibition so far this year the venue this time was Wombourne Civic centre, Gravel Hill Wombourne. WV5 9HA.
Layouts which attended were Plas Brondanw and Mewn Cof
Plas Brondanw is a Welsh Narrow-Gauge railway typical of those that were built in the 19th century to facilitate both passenger and freight traffic principally Slate from the numerous quarries in the Area. The scale is 1/76 or 4mm to the foot running on 9mm gauge track. This combination is often called 00/9.
And Mewn Cof
Which was originally conceived by one of our members Frank Collins, sadly Frank passed away before he could finish the layout and it was is wish that it should be given to our club for completion
Frank’s main inspiration was the Cambrian railways of Mid and West Wales some of his layouts found their way onto the Exhibition Circuit notably “Steam on the Cambrian”.
HE had intended his latest project to be called Bont Ddu which is a small village on the North bank of the Afon Mawdach river between Dolgellau and Barmouth.
So I hear you ask yourselves why Mewn COF and not Bont Ddu for those of you not fluent in Welsh Mewn Cof translates to “in memory of” So this is for Frank.

16/10/2025

On Saturday 18th October we will be attending our 12th outside Exhibition so far this year the venue this time is Wombourne Civic centre, Gravel Hill Wombourne. WV5 9HA. The Show is open from 10.00 till 16.00
Layouts attending will be Plas Brondanw
A Welsh Narrow-Gauge railway typical of those that were built in the 19th century to facilitate both passenger and freight traffic principally Slate from the numerous quarries in the Area. The scale is 1/76 or 4mm to the foot running on 9mm gauge track. This combination is often called 00/9.
And Mewn Cof
On 25th July 2022 we at Cradley Heath Model Railway Club heard the sad news that Frank Collins one of our longest serving members had passed away earlier that Day.
Shortly afterwards we were contacted by Frank’s granddaughter and advised that Frank had specified certain Model railway items were to come to the club on his passing among these items were four baseboards which were the foundations of his next project.
Frank’s main inspiration was the Cambrian railways of Mid and West Wales some of his layouts found their way onto the Exhibition Circuit notably “Steam on the Cambrian”.
HE had intended his latest project to be called Bont Ddu which is a small village on the North bank of the Afon Mawdach river between Dolgellau and Barmouth.
For those of you who know the area you can put your pens down because Frank knew that this is an entirely fictitious location, the village does exist but the railway ran along the South bank of the Mawdach as far as Fairborne junction where it turned along the coast and going north across the river by means of the bridge just south of Barmouth.
So I hear you ask yourselves why Mewn COF and not Bont Ddu for those of you not fluent in Welsh Mewn Cof translates to “in memory of” So this is for Frank.
We look forward to meeting and chatting to anyone who attends the show and wants to know more about who we are and what we do.

10/10/2025

https://youtu.be/QKqw62X_o-M

A trip round some of the layouts that took my fancy at the Cradley Heath model show on Oct 4th 2025. Not been to any show for quite a while so it was refresh...

09/10/2025

Hope everyone had a great day at our show on Saturday. For those of you that voted the best in show people's choice was won by Midford.

05/10/2025

The Gary Hinson Interview at 44 minutes and Nick Palette you're famous at 1:35

Dan brings you the best mix of music and guests at the weekend.

05/10/2025

Thank you to everyone that attended our exhibition yesterday. Hope everyone had a great time. Here's just a few pictures from the day.

05/10/2025

Photos from yesterday ... Gary

05/10/2025

2025 Exhibition, or Alison's going to kill me !

Hi all, well another show over, and a few more pennies in the accounts. Numbers through the door were down again this year despite a fantastic social media advertising campaign, Saying that, we still made a reasonable profit, I am sure Alison will give us a breakdown in due course.

A good selection of exhibits, in a wide range of scales and gauges, and the exhibitors I spoke to said they enjoyed the show. The traders were not so happy, and this was a reflection on the footfall, I will come to that latter.

Although I held the title of “exhibition manager” I was only a small part of a much bigger team, I took the job on last year, but during the time when most of the organization was needed I hit “personnel problems” which probably reflected on some of the organization, but with help of a few dedicated people we still turned it around.

Back to the footfall, we find our date sandwiched between Stafford, Warley (Statfold) and GETS, after that there are a run of small local shows up to the end of the year, should we look at moving our date? A subject for the AGM.

I would like to sincerely thank everyone who helped out, the lads on the gate on Friday night, in the middle of storm Amy, Alison, what can I say, the organization of tables, signage, items to go from the clubroom, insurance, exhibitors lunches, door staff, tea and cakes, I can't thank enough.

Allen Law, who must have produced the floor plans a hundred times! And for sone logistics to and from the venue.

The traditional after show debrief took place in Ma Pardos and was well attended

Joe, I think, said to me about lunch time “Alison's going to kill you” this was reference to the utter mes I made of the lunch orders, it got even more scary when I spotted Kay with a sharp knife, but I am pleased to say I am still alive !!

Thanks again all

Gary Hinson

04/10/2025

just a qu**ky, thanks all who have helped out in anyway today, i will post a more detailed report later, cheers Gary

03/10/2025

Thank you to Black Country Radio for advertising tomorrow's exhibition for us.
They interviewed our treasurer Alision, who did a great job. However the fame seems to have gone to her head and autographs will be available at tomorrow's show for the bargain price of £1