West Midlands Area Group (WMAG)

[Simon_S]

Welcome to WMAG! We've been a bit remiss with our publicity so my New Year's Resolution is to put that right with this topic
We meet on the second and fourth Fridays of each month in Fradley village hall near Lichfield. We usually set up our oval test tracks (which have seen better days so are very testing, we're working on new ones, DC and DCC controllers available) at each meeting, play trains, eat cake and talk the usual nonsense. WMAG has also built and exhibits the Birmingham Moor Street layout. Our interests are very varied and we would be pleased to see some new faces and some new trains taking the test track challenge.
Here are a few pictures from our first meeting of 2012:

Some of the WMAG regulars

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Paul, Les and the test tracks

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Jim, Paul and Phil discuss the finer points of something or other

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Paul's lovely Gloucester Cross-Country DMU...

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... with Hawksworth trailer

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David's V2, an Ebay bargain with Bachmann body, Comet chassis, Mashima motor and Branchlines gearbox.

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[jim s-w]

Jim, Paul and Phil discuss the finer points of something or other

Judging from my pose it must be something to do with Hand puppetry or hypnosis. I didnt get 'given' Pauls nice 119 so it must have been the former!

Cheers

Jim

[PeteScR]

Jim,
Is the test track DC only? I see some DC hand held controllers there I think but cant see a DCC set up?
I will try and get over one night and maybe coax some of the S4S members from DEFine along

Pete

[jim s-w]

Hi Pete

Its whatever controller we plug in. Usually Si or myself will have a DCC set up with us

Cheers

Jim

[Simon_S]

Our 27 Jan meeting was a bit quiet but we did cement our plans for our next outings with Moor Street so productive nonetheless. Our next two meetings promise to be more exciting with a visit from NAG on 24 February and a guest presenter and Moor Street testing on 9 March, as before all comers are welcome
Note: no early Feb meeting as the hall is in use for the pantomime (all together now, 'oh no it isn't!', well, yes it is).

Apologies for the even poorer quality photos this week and if I've wrongly attributed anyone's models:

Les & Martin up to something

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Colin's Pannier Tank

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In these times of Austerity

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Nicely weathered 16T mineral

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A humble brake van to finish off with

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[Simon_S]

Last week's meeting had a diesel:

Paul's Peak

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an electric:

Paul's Electric Blue Class 85

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and, for those unable to make up their minds, an electro-diesel:

My Class 74, one day I'll finish it but the pipework on the bogie sides is a nightmare!

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Sorry, didn't get any pictures of the railcar races.

We do allow steam too, and sometimes we even put them on the track

Cheers,
Simon

[Simon_S]

Latest WMAG newsletter courtesy of Les Bird:

Changes of Venue
As some of you are aware the WMAG Area Group meetings have been running at a loss for a while due to decreased attendance. A price rise for the rental of Fradley Village Hall is imminent, so a change of venue is needed together with a change of format with the meetings. It is intended that the last meeting at Fradley will be Friday 26th July 2013. Ian Hunter has kindly offered a place to store the test tracks at his place of work at Hamstall Ridware . It is intended that further Friday evening meetings will be flexible without a rigid format. We hope to have meetings at members homes and also arrange visits to other attractions possibly during the weekend. I have arranged the use of the church meeting room at St Mary of the Angels church in Aldridge on Friday 20th September 2013 & Friday 22nd November 2013. Other meetings at this location will be arranged for the new year. More information will be available at the next meeting.

New venue details:
St Mary of the Angels Parish Church
39 Whetstone Lane
Aldridge
Walsall
WS9 0JD

Regards,
Simon

[Simon_S]

Just a reminder that the last WMAG meeting of the year will be at St Mary of the Angels Parish Church, Aldridge this Friday, 22nd Nov.
Regards,
Simon