Babcock Mill, Odessa, Loyalist Township
A few club members recently put on a display at the Babcock Mill in Odessa. We brought the Children's travelling layout and the ever-popular BRIO layout. Lots of fun by everyone who came to visit.
A visit to the Marlbank Steam Locomotive
In mid-June 2024 a group of Club members travelled to Marlbank Ontario to see a recently recovered Steam Locomotive. The site is on private property and the Club members were invited to a private viewing. The history of the site is a bit confusing. It is worth checking out - there was a Portland Cement Plant there in the late 1800's with mergers and closures in later years. It closed in 1914 and after a violent reaction to the closure the locomotive was driven into Dry Lake and sunk. Club members enjoyed meeting with the current owner Scott Trudeau and his staff who regaled the members with stories of the retrievalchurcher.crcml.org/circle/Sunken.html for more background local information. This is a really interesting piece of Canadian history and we are grateful to Scott for allowing us on his property and conducting a great tour.
Various Train Shows
2023 Quinte Exhibition
The 200th edition of the Belleville Agricultural Society's Quinte Exhibition was held on September1-4, 2023 at the fair grounds. The club was set up in the curling rink. We brought our new travelling layout and continued to work on backdrops, scenery and track.
Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario (Smith's Falls)
In June 2023 a group of members from the Belleville Club and the Brighton Club met up for a day trip to the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario in Smith's Falls. They toured the museum and then went to Merrickville on the Rideau Canal to shop at Lark Spur Line Ltd. and then onto Brockville for a walk through the Brockville Railway Tunnel, before heading for home. Thanks to our sponsor Franklin Coach Lines for a great driver. The following are some of the highlights of the day, provided by Dave, Doug and Rick.
In June 2023 a group of members from the Belleville Club and the Brighton Club met up for a day trip to the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario in Smith's Falls. They toured the museum and then went to Merrickville on the Rideau Canal to shop at Lark Spur Line Ltd. and then onto Brockville for a walk through the Brockville Railway Tunnel, before heading for home. Thanks to our sponsor Franklin Coach Lines for a great driver. The following are some of the highlights of the day, provided by Dave, Doug and Rick.
Club members used their time in isolation time to build, experiment and innovate! See the pictures below - and maybe be inspired!! Thanks to everyone who sent me pictures of your activities. I've grouped the members' photos in separate galleries, by member's name (as of Sunday May 10). They are, in alphabet order, starting at the top - Bill, Bob, Dave, Doug, Paul, Randy, Rick and Walt.
The beginning of Bill's layout. Followed by wiring and building structures.
Below: Dave N's layout in his man-cave. Five new pictures added Feb 2/2020 (at the end of the gallery)
Below: Doug G's basement layout The layout is ECR - standing for "Extra Cash Railroad"
Below: Paul F's layout has been progressing impressively! Recent pictures added (at the start of the gallery) show the building process of the viaduct/aquaduct. It is a representation of an actual UK location, the railway viaduct and the canal aqueduct across the river Ceiriog valley on the England/Wales border, by the village of Chirk.
The main passenger station, is strongly based on that at Shrewsbury, England. The station platforms are partially built on a bridge over the River Severn, a fairly unusual arrangement. Still to come: shelters on the two island platforms, and the whole of the main station building and associated landforms on the left. View from the north end. The structure on the backdrop is the old Shrewsbury prison (which had its own station platform!), now a tourist attraction. Much photoshopping to get this prototypical!
This is what you will see as you first come in to the layout room, and you can see how it relates to the station area I finished last year; there is still a big unscenicked gap that I will have to give some thought to. All the tracks coming out of the south end of Shrewsbury station have to curve back and go through the backdrop into the staging area - hence tunnels. While the Abbey Foregate area - bridge, abbey church, shops - is fairly prototypical, the tunnels and hilly area area is of necessity freelanced but are typical scenery of the region.
The main passenger station, is strongly based on that at Shrewsbury, England. The station platforms are partially built on a bridge over the River Severn, a fairly unusual arrangement. Still to come: shelters on the two island platforms, and the whole of the main station building and associated landforms on the left. View from the north end. The structure on the backdrop is the old Shrewsbury prison (which had its own station platform!), now a tourist attraction. Much photoshopping to get this prototypical!
This is what you will see as you first come in to the layout room, and you can see how it relates to the station area I finished last year; there is still a big unscenicked gap that I will have to give some thought to. All the tracks coming out of the south end of Shrewsbury station have to curve back and go through the backdrop into the staging area - hence tunnels. While the Abbey Foregate area - bridge, abbey church, shops - is fairly prototypical, the tunnels and hilly area area is of necessity freelanced but are typical scenery of the region.
Randy T's layout in progress.
Rick P's layout
Walt M's bridgework on the layout.
