North West Group
The North West Group
Our
group was formed in 1983 and the first garden railway was completed in 1984. We
now have six garden railways and a portable track in operation.
The portable track is used for exhibitions where hopefully the word of
G1MRA can be spread. It is also used, in conjunction with a garden layout, when
we have a national meeting so that we can have up to 6 trains running at any one
time. Two of our garden tracks are
owned by people who live next door to each other, so they are joined up and
offer extensive running. Another of our members specialises in point work, so as
a result this layout has about 100 points including some complicated crossovers
which lends itself to some intricate running.
We
run live steam and electric, nearly all radio controlled – (stops you keep
having to run after them). We do not have facilities for 2 rail electric. Our
current stud of locos is over 100, together with extensive rolling stock.
Membership
is mainly concentrated in the Lancashire area – and is currently standing at
32. This has increased considerably in the last 2 years and it looks as though
we could be 40 strong by the end of the current year.
We have bi-monthly Saturday get-togethers during the summer months and we also run on an ad hoc basis when we need to test locos etc. or other G1MRA members are in the area. During the winter months we have get-togethers for slide shows, modelling demonstrations etc. – sometimes we will even run in the snow !
"Roger Thornber's BR 9F 'Evening Star'. The loco is gas fired and has been featured in a series of articles in 'Model Engineer'"
