Area Group Contacts
For information about Area Groups, and to update your Area Group information, please email info@emgs.org
EMGS Member distribution and Area Groups
Click above to see a distribution map of EMGS members around the world. It also shows the location of Area Groups in the UK
Cardiff & SE Wales Area Group
Following the success of the Modelling Workshop and AGM held at Nantgarw recently Gwynne Chivers is looking to start an area group in the Cardiff Area. A number of members spoke with Gwynne at the event and also we met with some others who although Gwynne knew they were modellers he was unaware that they were members of the Society. With this in mind Gwynne is hoping to get some regular meetings organised to help promote the Society within the South Wales Area. Suggestions for activities include running sessions on existing or new layouts, talks from various people on both railway and modelling matters, visits to other exhibitions/groups within a reasonable distance and possibly the involvement of running an EMGS information stand at some local shows. Meetings can be arranged at first on perhaps a bi-monthly basis, but that will depend on what is suggested by possible group members.
Gwynne can be contacted at g.chivers@btinternet.com and would welcome members in the South East Wales area to contact him to start to get an initial meeting arranged.
Craven & Ribble Area Group
The Craven & Ribble Area Group covers quite a wide geographical area to the north of Manchester. Indeed we were formerly known as the Manchester Area Group, but the change in name a couple of years ago more accurately reflects the composition of our current membership. We have around twelve active participants, with a majority, though not all, working in EM. Our usual meeting night is a Thursday, generally monthly between September to May. Several of our members have operational, home-based layouts and running nights at these various venues are our most regular activities. These include Tony Stoker’s GWR Empire, Nigel Hopwood’s Hunslet Road, Andy Innes’ ‘Arthington’ and Karl Crowther’s “Kentside MkII”
The summer period tends to feature ‘away days’ to other locations: for example in 2016 we were invited to participate in operating sessions on both Mike Norris’s ‘Preston’ layout and Steve Hall’s ‘Drighlington for Adwalton’, and we visited an open day at Roy Jackson’s ‘Retford’. A notable highlight of the calendar is Nigel Hopwood’s famed garden party which is usually held on a Saturday in July, then in October we hold our one-day ‘Expo-Bowland’ in collaboration with the Fylde Area Group of the Scalefour Society. This is an afternoon event at Newton-in-Bowland Village Hall and features a mix of small-sized layouts and various displays/demonstrations. A small charge is made to cover the hall hire and the cost of the excellent catering.
In addition to our ‘home-based’ layouts, we also have several exhibition layouts from amongst our group – for example, Nigel Hopwood’s ‘Three Score Vale’ (from the EMGS 2015 layout challenge).
We are always happy to welcome and encourage new members from the local area, whatever your preferred scale/gauge. Norman Pedley is the local group contact. Please contact him for more details. Email: normanjohnpedley@gmail.com Landline: 01200 445142
Clydeside Area Group
This group consists of Dave Franks who is occasionally helped at shows by a couple of other members. We know that Scotland covers a huge area, but there are 29 members there. Think it would be great if people could contact Dave and make things a bit more formal.
Dave can be contacted on 01698 821272 or by email:-
davefranksemgs@aol.com
Cornwall Area Group
Since the sad passing of David Curtis, this group seems to have completely dropped off the radar. The Society records show that there are over 20 members in Cornwall. These are mostly in the TR and PL postal code areas, with a few in the EX area.
Is there a member in the area that would like to take up the challenge? Whilst during Lockdown physical meetings are not appropriate, then perhaps some thought could be given to holding a ZOOM or SKYPE call with interested members, or just having a WhatsApp group.
If you would like to accept the challenge then please contact Peter Rigby.
Peter is the Area Groups Coordinator and can be contacted on 01629 582598 or by email: – areagroups@emgs.org
Chilterns Area Group
The Chiltern Area Group convers parts of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
Typically the group meet in Bedford or Harpenden. Meetings are either during the evening or around lunchtime. See entries in forthcoming events for date and location of the next meeting.
Contact for the group is Tim Easter on 01582 768467 or chilterns.areagroup@gmail.com
East Dorset Area Group
East Dorset Area Group is a small group centred around the Wimborne area and is a mixed EM and P4 group.
Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month, in the Wimborne area. Please check with Peter Watson for the location.
The groups main layout is ‘Flintcombe’ which is based at the end of a fictitious spur running south west from the S&DJR line to Sturminster Newton. The name and location are derived from one of Thomas Hardy’s novels about life in 19th century Dorset, but the layout portrays the picture as it might have been in the late 1930’s. The scenic aspects attempt to represent the chalk terrain typical of the supposed Dorset location, while the main railway buildings have been based S&DJR examples from different parts of the S&D system.
On the technical side, trackwork is a mixture of scratch-built (ply sleepers & rivets with C&L cosmetic chairs) and C&L flexible. Layout signals are constructed largely from MSE components, with auto coupling coming from the same stable, using 3mm scale version of the ‘Sprat & Winkle’ modified in the way described by Philp Hall in MRJ issue 0.
The control system provides a signalling/switching facility between operators, with all the trains leaving the fiddle yard under the control of the main layout operators, while all trains moving to the fiddle yard are controlled by the fiddle yard operator.
Other members have home layouts and offer “running powers”.
EMGS Exhibition Stand
Further details of the group may be obtained from Peter Watson at grump1watson@yahoo.co.uk
or phone 01202 247287.
East Hertfordshire & West Essex Area Group
Our small group was founded on 24th of May 1982 with seven members by Ken Morgan and Don Field.
Generally we meet on the second Friday evening of each month at members’ homes. Members model in a very wide range of scales, ranging from 2mm to O gauge, and including all the variations such as 7mm narrow gauge and Scale 7 etc. The recent Covid pandemic did interrupt our meetings but we continued to be in contact with each other on a regular basis using eMail and ‘phoning each other. Being an ‘ageing’ group of retirees it has been found that evening meetings are becoming less practical and alternative afternoon get togethers may be the future.
We are very much a “Show and tell” group, and even if no actual models are brought to the meeting there is always discussion along the lines of “How do you? ” Or “I am having difficulty making/getting…”
Some members have layouts but it is not always practical to operate them at our meetings.
One of the strengths of the group is the huge amount of experience available for the asking. Discussions include just about every rail related topic, both model and prototype you can think of, ranging from historical right up to present day, and we also discuss a huge range of non-rail related items as well!
On a few occasions we have made visits as a group to locations such as the Didcot Railway Centre, Pendon Museum and the Epping-Ongar railway, which is very near to us. We have also attended talks at the Stevenage Model Railway Club covering “The Network Southeast Story” by Chris Green, and another talk at the same venue for “ The InterCity story” also by Chris Green.
New members are always welcome.
The contact for the group is Colin Wilson. eMail – colin.wilson-45@ntlworld.com
Essex Area Group
The Essex area group has members spread across Essex and into SE London including Woodford Green, Loughton, Basildon, Rayleigh, Chelmsford, Braintree and numerous places in between. We meet on the first Wednesday of every month visiting different members’ houses as well East Ham Model Railway Club and Mid Essex Model Railway Club. Our meetings are very informal and normally comprise the opportunity inspect and operate the host’s layout and to bring along models and projects for discussion, praise or helpful advice. Regular attendance is not good for the waistline as most hosts offer excellent refreshments of the non-slimming variety.
Whilst we have a programme for the year this has to be kept under review and frequently changes at short notice. Anyone interested in coming along should contact the area group co-ordinator, Bob Page, (email robert.page94@yahoo.co.uk ) who will then include you on the group mailing list.
As well as our regular meeting we organise occasional visits to locations of interest and we also supply demonstrators to man the EMGS stand at various local exhibitions.
Fenland Area Group
We meet bi-monthly and number about a dozen. Meetings are usually at Littleport, other members homes or the Market Deeping clubroom.
Our area covers roughly Stamford (Lincolnshire) down to St Ives (Cambridgeshire) and east to Bury St Edmunds. We mostly chat, show what we are working on and play trains. Also occasionally visit other people’s railways. Why not give me a ring on 01353 861126 and I will explain more about the group?
Thanks for reading this. Brian Wakeling.
Heart of England Area Group
The Heart of England Area Group had its inaugural meeting in July 2017 and is broadly centred on Coventry, but currently with members from a wider area extending to Bidford-on-Avon, Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth and Congerstone. While primarily an EM gauge group, members’ interests also include S4, 2mmFS, and O Gauge. Members have a variety of prototype interests including GWR, BR(W), BR(S), and the Cambrian Railway.
Meetings
Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, normally in members’ homes but occasionally in a suitable pub. All are very informal and usually include a “Show and Tell” session. At some meetings a member’s layout may be available to view or operate.
Layouts
Between us we have 2 layouts which are essentially finished (if one can use such a term!) and are occasionally exhibited, and a number of projects under construction.
“Llawryglyn” portrays a small Cambrian Railways branchline station and was built by Richard Loydall (his first layout in EM). It was featured in BRM Sept ’17 and has been regularly exhibited.
“Swaynton” represents the Southern Mainline between Southampton and Bournemouth in the summer of 1960, and was built by the late Douglas Smith, author of many articles in the Model Railway Journal, a significant contributor to the Society Manual, and a past secretary of the North West Surrey group. It is now owned by his son Richard and is exhibited from time to time with the assistance of members and friends of the NW Surrey group.
We are always keen to welcome new members, so please contact Richard Smith by email: platform9.75@btinternet.com or phone: 01676 523540.
Kent Area Group
There is a group in Kent, but not very active and would welcome new members. We have over 60 members in the county, but I am aware it stretches from the Greater London boundary right down to Dover. The group is centred around the Medway towns, and Neil Knowlden would be happy to hear from anyone wishing to join the group. Neil can be contacted on 020 8462 5002 or email neil.knowlden@btinternet.com
Additionally there is scope for another group to be set up to cover perhaps a different part of Kent? Maybe based along the coast or the Tonbridge/Tunbridge Wells area?
If you would like to accept the challenge then please contact Peter Rigby.
Peter is the Area Groups Coordinator and can be contacted on 01629 582598 or by email: – areagroups@emgs.org
Leeds/Harrogate Area Group
The Leeds and Harrogate Area Group was formed in 2013 with 6 members. We now have 17 active members and regularly have 12-15 at a meeting.
Meetings are held in North Leeds either at my home in Alwoodley or at Alwoodley Methodist Church Hall. Our current membership is spread across West and North Yorkshire from Thirsk in the North, Keighley and Skipton in the West and Normanton/Pontefract in the South East.
Our meetings usually take the form of a discussion or presentation on specific topics, followed by a showing of members’ current activities, news and information. Topics covered in the past have been:
Split chassis loco construction
Couplings
Templot
Suspension Systems
And many others.
These meetings offer a chance for members to share their experience as well as adding to their own knowledge.
The exception to this are our project workshops which are held at Alwoodley Methodist Church Hall and involve each of us working on our own projects and circulating to see what others are involved in. We have 3-6 of these meetings a year which prove very popular.
Finally all our meetings finish with refreshments and socializing.
We also have organized visits to private layouts and demonstrations. We have a good relationship with the local West Yorkshire S4 group (several of our members are members of both groups) and sometimes visit each other’s meetings.
Any or all of the above can and will be repeated from time to time as new members join our group
We will welcome any new members or visitors if they would like to contact me.
Contact
Chris Batchelor:
e-mail: chrisbatchelor17@hotmail.co.uk
Phone: 0113-414-5431
Mid Devon Area Group
The Mid Devon Area Group.
The Mid Devon Area Group. are an informal group that meet quarterly in Devon, usually in members’ homes. (Not just Mid Devon). The Group includes members that work in 3mm, 4mm, 7mm and S Gauge.
North East & Borders Area Group
The North East & Borders Area Group of the EM Gauge Society has been in existence for
over 10 years. The idea came from Keith Smart, who felt that a group should be formed for
EMGS members in the area. From just a handful of members who met up in someone’s living
room once a month, our numbers are such that, on average, some 15 – 20 of us get together
using local village halls as a suitable venue. Members come from the North East and Scottish
Borders, SW Scotland, Cumbria, Midlothian, and further afield.
Over the course of a year we manage to put together several modelling skills demonstrations,
including Workshop Wise every October, a couple of practical days where projects are
brought along and worked on, and even the odd group day out. Meetings are generally held
during the afternoons on a Sunday once a month, and catering is provided by everyone just
bringing along something to share. Exhibition layouts have been built by members, the first
being Kielder Forest, then Middle Peak, (this layout was a finalist in the EMGS 60th
Anniversary layout competition held in 2015). The latest layout is ‘West End Drift’ by
Graham Hudson, which won the Chairman’s Challenge in 2022. Presently, a test track is
being planned with the idea being that skills can be tried out, and help and support is there
when needed.
Summing up, we are a friendly crowd and always welcome newcomers whatever their
interests and skillset. If, after reading this, you would like to come along and find out more
(even if you are not yet an EMGS member), please contact myself – Allen Oakes (Area
Group Co-Ordinator) by email – allen@oakesa.co.uk
North West Somerset Area Group
We are a group of finescale modellers located in North Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire. This is an area known locally as ‘CUBA’ (The County that used to be Avon).
Although some of us work in different scales and gauges, we have all modelled to EM or P4 standards over the years. We meet up on the third Thursday of each month either in members’ homes or in a room we have access to. Our meetings usually consist of talks, slide and film shows, reviews of individual projects or visits to members’ layouts, occasionally hosting a guest speaker. Our more skilled and experienced members are always willing to share their knowledge with those venturing into finescale standards for the first time.
As a group we usually provide manpower to assist members who attend local exhibitions with their layouts. We aim to promote the Society and finescale modelling in general by attending exhibitions as demonstrators and with the EMGS display boards.
New members or visitors to the area are always welcome. Contact – Tony Gomersall on 01454 615685 email a.f.gomersall@gmail.com
North West Surrey Area Group
The North West Surrey Area Group is a small group centred on Woking, but including members from a wider area extending from South West Surrey to South East London. While primarily an EM gauge group, members’ interests include S4, S Scale and larger scales, including narrow gauge variants. Members have a variety of prototype interests, mainly BR(S), the Southern and its constituents, but including BR(E), Midland Railway, GWR and “modern image” electrics and blue diesels.
Meetings are held, usually on the second Thursday of the month, in members’ homes. Meetings are informal and usually include a “Show and Tell” session. At some meetings, a running session is possible on a member’s layout.
A group member is the custodian of “Metropolitan Junction”, one of the first EM gauge layouts to be described in the modelling press. It represents the Southern Railway in the late 1930’s. It is erected at some meetings and (provided the electrical gremlins can be kept at bay) offers running facilities for visiting stock.
Other members have home layouts and offer “running powers”.
“Swaynton”, representing the Southern Mainline between Southampton and Bournemouth in the summer of 1960, was built by the late Douglas Smith, author of many articles in the Model Railway Journal and a past secretary of the group. It is now owned by Richard Smith and is exhibited from time to time with the assistance of group members.
The group holds a EMGS exhibition display board and provides a stand at some exhibitions to publicise EM gauge and demonstrate rolling stock construction and conversion of ready-to-run items.
We are always keen to welcome new members, so please either email Richard Stevenson at richard.w.stevenson@btinternet.com or phone 01932 342481.
North Wiltshire Area Group
We are a small group, currently of only 5 members, although with a wide spread of interests including both UK and overseas prototypes.
As only 2 of us actually have operational home layouts, we usually meet at 8 pm on the first Wednesday of each month for what is essentially a “show and tell” session.
We do occasionally have meetings where we visit the working layouts for running sessions, but these are dependent on the other commitments of the various members of the group.
Further information can be obtained from the group co-ordinator Iain Hunter on 01249 655441.
Oxfordshire Area Group
This group is currently inactive. Should any members in and around the Oxfordshire area*s wish to revive this Area Group, please contact Peter Rigby the Area Groups Organiser on 01629 582598 or by email:- area groups@emgs.org
Sarum (Salisbury) Finescale Group
We are a mixed Group of EMGS and Scalefour Society members who meet at a private establishment near Salisbury. We number about 15 members, many of whom belong to both Societies, but at present those who are inclined towards EM outnumber P4 members. We are always pleased to meet fellow modellers who are simply ‘passing through’ or who live in our area.
Our individual modelling ranges from pre-grouping, through post-war ‘big four’ and early British Railways, to blue diesels. We are also interested in today’s railway in both current and preserved forms.
Meetings
We are lucky in having a dedicated room where we meet from 7.30pm on alternate Monday evenings, with members taking it in turn to provide tea and cakes.
Our venue has strict security on entry. As a result, any new visitors must establish their identity. Therefore any visitor or prospective member should contact Richard Simpson at emgs@huskydog.org.uk or 03331 121421.
Group Layouts
We have two working EM exhibition layouts and a test track.
Navigation Road is our older EM layout and was shown at expoEM Spring in 2017. It features blue diesels on local and inter-regional freights, together with a small loco depot and a canal.
Chitterne is our steam era EM layout which was a finalist in the recent Chairman’s Challenge competition and was first shown at expoEM Spring 2022. The layout represents an inter-war GWR branch line with a military connection.
Currently under construction is a model of Parkstone in Dorset set in the BR steam era. This is a much larger round-and-round layout being built in OO finescale.
Our P4 exhibition layout, Woolworth Road, was awarded a ‘commended’ in the Scalefour Society 1883 Challenge competition in 2005 but it has now been out of action for several years. It represents Southern Region third rail and loco hauled freight in the 1950s.
Test Track
We have a 3m diameter test track which features circuits in P4, EM, OO, and N gauges. Most Group evenings this track hosts a selection of members’ rolling stock.
For more information about the Group, please visit our website at sarumfinescale.huskydog.org.uk
South Hants and West Sussex Area Group
There are no plans to build a group layout, as we have several clubs represented in the group which cover this interest.
One of the main functions of the group is to have bi-monthly meetings of like minded modellers to discuss and learn about UK railways and models thereof in a sociable environment. We offer an informal get-together where modellers living throughout the area can have the opportunity to meet and have a natter.
We plan six meeting per year, usually on the second Tuesday of every other month (but Christmas messes things up). Members are encouraged to bring models to join in a ‘Show and Tell’ session after the tea break and before we go to the pub.
We are always keen to welcome new members in the local area, so please either email ray.hodson@sky.com or phone 01329 485677 (h) or 07710 591511 (m)
South Somerset Area Group
We are pleased to announce that the South Somerset Area Group is now active. EM Gauge members of Yeovil Model Railway Group welcome members to join the group. When things permit we will meet at our clubhouse, where we have a large permanently erected EM Gauge layout called South Junction that first hit the exhibition circuit unfinished in 1982. Although long completed, it is still being improved and upgraded, and even occasionally exhibited nearly forty years later. Visiting locos and stock will be offered running rights, and on a scale mile circuit quite a gallop can be achieved. It’s a scary thought, but it has just occurred to me that our little gang has over a hundred years of experience in EM Gauge between us!
Anyone interested can contact me, Steve Smith, via email at rainsford.smith@gmail.com or call me on 01749 343924. The YMRG website at https://yeovilmrg.org has a lot of interesting content with EM Gauge themed web pages on South Junction, my work on a model of Verwood, and some of our recent EM Gauge conversions of rolling stock that include a full length HST.
Uxbridge & Harrow Area Group
Virtual Area Group
The Facebook group is a forum for any EM gauge modellers wherever they are in the world, contributors do not need to be members of the EMGS, although there are a few of us already contributing to the group.
As “virtual” area coordinator, one of the FaceBook groups administrators will take on the role of area coordinator producing periodic updates for inclusion in the EMGS Newsletter. Reports will be a summary of the activity of the Facebook group without any specifics or names.
The Facebook group is a private group and relatively small but has regular postings sharing experiences and opinions of modelling in EM gauge. In common with many other Facebook groups there are rules, the main rules being EM gauge only and keeping it fun.
So if you fancy coming along to a “virtual” area group “meeting” then pop along to Facebook and take a look, you may be asked a couple of questions before being allowed in but we only do that to protect the group members.
If you don’t have a Facebook logon then go to:-
https://en-gb.facebook.com/
and it is a simple process to register.
Once registered go to the search box and enter:-
EM gauge modellers group
Then Join the group.
Alan Durham – Virtual Area Group contact
07780 942564 bodmin16@hotmail.co.uk
Wrekin Area Group
This group is currently inactive. Should any members in and around the Telford, Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury areas wish to revive this Area Group, please contact Peter Rigby the Area Groups Organiser on 01629 582598 or by email:- area groups@emgs.org
Perhaps renaming it Worcestershire or Shropshire Area Group might be a more appropriate name?
Records show there are 18 members in Worcestershire and 20 in Shropshire.