Guildford Model Engineering Society



Web Links

Local Suppliers
 
Members' Businesses
 
General Modelling and Model Engineering Suppliers
 
Suppliers for 16mm Garden Railways
 
National Societies
 
Magazines, Books, Exhibitions and General ME Info
 
Railway Photo Sites
 
Model Railway Clubs and Societies
 
Model Engineering Clubs and Societies
 
Miniature Railways
 
Stationary Engines and Museums
 
Narrow Gauge Railways
 
Standard Gauge Railways
 
Non-UK Model Railway and Model Engineering Clubs and Societies

 

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Local Suppliers

Members, please let me have your recommendations for suppliers in and around Guildford.

NameNotes
Aquarius PlasticsBar & sheet plastic of all sorts. Very helpful and have lots of offcuts.
Lee SpringA local company supplying a vast range of springs from stock.
MJ EngineeringDrawings, castings, fasteners & materials.
WarcoWarren Machine Tools (Guildford) Ltd. Machine tools and other metal-working equipment.

 

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Members' Businesses

NameNotes
PT MachiningPaul Tompkins. Machining services, boiler manufacture, repair of steam models.
View ModelsRobin West. Second hand steam locomotives from 'O' gauge to 7¼" gauge, rolling stock, track, model traction engines and other steam models.
PolypodphotoMike Sleigh. Commercial Photography, Photography Courses, 'PhotoWalks', Tuition & Talks.
Neish Electrical ServicesAndrew Neish. Part-P registered electrical contractor based in Liphook. Installation, maintenance, testing and inspection. Fault-finding and repairs.
Also, general property maintenance services.

 

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General Modelling and Model Engineering Suppliers

We could publish a list of model engineering suppliers, but we think that this one at The Model Engineering Clearing House is pretty comprehensive. However, here's a short list of suppliers who have sent us information or asked for a link on our site:

NameNotes
Hobbies Ltd.Various kits, tools and materials, including model boats, steam engines, aircraft and toys.
Hornby Train RestorationsOO gauge locos, rolling stock, materials and services.
HubsCustom parts.
Miniature Pressure Gauge Ltd.Small pressure gauges for steam models (and other types of gauge).
Model EnthusiastsSales and spares for Mamod, MSS and Wilesco.
Phoenix LocomotivesManufacturers of 7¼" and 5" gauge battery-electric model locomotive and rolling stock kits.

 

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Suppliers for 16mm Garden Railways

We could publish a list of suppliers to the 16mm garden railway hobby, but it would look very similar to this one (click on Suppliers) on the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers site.

 

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National Societies

NameNotes
Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge ModellersThe GMES 16mm section is the local area group.
LittleLECWebsite about the annual efficiency competition for small steam locomotives.
The Old Locomotive Committee (OLCO)The society for supporters of Lion, the Liverpool & Manchester locomotive of 1838.
7¼" Gauge Society 
Southern Federation of Model Engineering SocietiesGMES is affiliated to the Southern Fed.
The Society of Model and Experimental Engineers 

 

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Magazines, Books, Exhibitions and General ME Info

NameNotes
Atlantic PublishersPublishers of Garden Rail magazine
Camden Miniature Steam ServicesMostly books. A few drawings and castings.
glue-it.com'The home of model making'. General modelling information site.
Lost Models DirectoryPart of The Model Engineering Clearing House
Meridienne ExhibitionsMidlands ME Exhibition, London ME Exhibition
Miniature Railway Magazine 
The Model Engineering Clearing HouseRun by Andy Clark and Myke Baigent
Model Engineering WebsiteModel descriptions, how to articles, model build instructions, special features and reports of major events
Model EngineerWebsite associated with "Model Engineer" and "Model Engineers' Workshop" magazines
Narrow Gauge NetNarrow gauge online magazine. Book sales.
TEE PublishingEngineering in Miniature, new books, second hand books
UK Model Shop DirectoryModel shops, suppliers, events, clubs.
Steam and vintage preservation magazine
Yeomans YearbookClassic Vehicle and Other Events

 

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Railway Photo Sites

NameNotes
Ron's Railway PixRailway photos going back to the late fifties from the UK and continental Europe, including main line, narrow gauge and industrial.

 

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Model Railway Clubs and Societies

NameNotes
Astolat Model Railway CircleMeet in Guildford. OO and N gauge layouts. Their annual exhibition is in January.
Guildford ‘0’Gauge GroupMeet at Normandy.
Farnham & District Model Railway ClubLayouts in N, OO and O gauge. Annual exhibition in October.
Liphook & District Model Railway ClubBased in Milland. HO gauge layout under construction.
Alton Model Railway GroupOO, O and S4 layouts. Their main exhibition is in February every year, with an exhibition of American layouts in July.
Basingstoke & North Hants Model Railway Society2mm finescale, OO and O gauge layouts.
South Hants Model Railway ClubPortsmouth. Layouts in EM (18.2mm) and S4 (18.83mm) and O gauge. Their annual exhibition is in March.
Fareham & District Model Railway ClubN and OO gauge and O9 narrow gauge layouts.

 

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Model Engineering Clubs and Societies

A more complete list is available at The Model Engineering Clearing House.

NameNotes
Surrey Society of Model EngineersAt Leatherhead
Malden & District Society of Model EngineersThames Ditton Miniature Railway
Bracknell Railway SocietyRaised track passenger-hauling and small scale railways
Liphook Modellers ClubClubhouse, 3½" & 5" gauge ground level track and boating pool at Hollycombe
The East Surrey 16mm GroupThe East Surrey Group of The Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers, located at Redhill
Basingstoke and District Model Engineering Society 
Reading Society of Model Engineers 
East Grinstead Model Engineering Society600ft portable 5" gauge ground level track. Clubhouse with workshop.
Sussex Miniature Locomotive SocietyBeech Hurst Railway, 3½" & 5" gauge raised track
Chichester & District Society of Model Engineers 
Brighton & Hove Society of Miniature Locomotive Engineers 
Portsmouth Model Engineering Society 
Fareham & District Society of Model Engineers 
Southampton Society of Model Engineers3½", 5" & 7¼" gauge tracks
Bournemouth & District Society of Model Engineers3½", 5" & 7¼" gauge raised track in Littledown Park
Andover and District Model Engineering Society3½", 5" gauge raised track and 5" & 7¼" ground level track

 

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Miniature Railways

By distance from Guildford

NameNotes
Minzens Railway7¼" gauge ground level railway at Knaphill run by Woking Miniature Railway Society
Frimley Lodge Miniature Railway3½", 5" and 7¼" gauge ground level railway run by the Frimley and Ascot Locomotive Club
Great Cockcrow Railway7¼" gauge ground level railway near Chertsey
Pinewood Miniature Railway5" and 7¼" gauge ground level railway near Wokingham
South Downs Light Railway10¼" gauge railway at Pulborough
Swanley New Barn Railway1km long 7¼" gauge railway in Swanley Park. Runs every weekend from Easter to end of October and weekdays at peak times.
Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway7¼" and 10¼" gauge railway
Royal Victoria Railway10¼" gauge railway at Netley, Southampton
Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway12¼" gauge railway
Moors Valley Railway7¼" gauge ground level railway in Moors Valley Country Park near Ringwood
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway15" gauge railway, 13.5 miles long

 

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Stationary Engines and Museums

By distance from Guildford

Google Maps with the locations below indicated.

NameNotes
Rural Life CentreMuseum of rural buildings, crafts and social history. Home to the Old Kiln Light Railway, a short 2' gauge line with both steam and i/c locos. Located a couple of miles south of Farnham.
HollycombeA varied collection: short standard and narrow gauge railways, steam-powered fairground rides, 7¼" gauge ground-level railway, stationary engines, road vehicles. Located just south-east of Liphook.
Kempton Pumping EnginesA pair of huge pumping engines; one has been restored to working condition and is the largest working triple expansion steam engine in the world. (Who remembers the GMES visit in the 70s to see them before the original boilers were removed?)
London Museum of Water & SteamAn impressive collection of stationary steam engines centred on two original water-pumping beam engines. Also a museum of water supply and a short narrow-gauge line. (Was Kew Bridge Steam Museum)
Amberley Museum & Heritage CentreFormerly Amberley Working Museum and, before that, Amberley Chalkpits Museum. A huge variety of historical interest. A short length of 2' gauge line with an extensive collection of small industrial i/c locos. Road vehicles, craftsmen of various trades, re-constructed buildings and a museum of electricity. More detailed information on the Narrow Gauge Railway.
MilestonesLarge indoor museum with re-created street scenes. Located on the Basingstoke ring road.
Twyford WaterworksPreserved complete Edwardian water pumping station and softening plant open at various times of the year to visitors.
Eastney Pumping StationA Victorian sewage pumping station serving Portsea Island. Two restored rotative beam engines.
Bursledon BrickworksIncludes a working stationary engine and a short narrow-gauge line with two petrol locomotives run by the Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trust.
Crossness Pumping StationFour partially restored Victorian sewage pumping beam engines. Built as part of Sir Joseph Bazalgette's great sewer project to give London proper drainage following the "Great Stink" of 1858. Wonderful ornate cast iron work.

 

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Narrow Gauge Railways

Most local narrow gauge lines are of modest length and associated with a works or museum (see above).

 

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Standard Gauge Railways

Google Maps with the locations below indicated.

NameNotes
Mid Hants RailwayOur local preserved line, running from Alton to Alresford. Significant gradients which make the locos work hard.
Bluebell RailwayThe first of the standard gauge lines to be preserved. A large collection of southern locos from the 1872 LBSCR terrier "Fenchurch" to the last loco built at Brighton Works still in operation, the BR standard 4MT, 80151.
Kent & East Sussex RailwayA rural line of about 10 miles using mostly small tank locos.
Swanage RailwayLeave your car near Corfe Castle and take the train to the seaside.

 

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Non-UK Model Railway and Model Engineering Clubs and Societies

NameNotes
North County Model Railroad SocietyCalifornia, USA. The webmaster, Nick Ruddick, is one of our members.
Gippsland Model Engineering SocietyThe other 'GMES' in Victoria, Australia.

 

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