EMGS Society News

expoEM Spring 2026 Latest updates

Admission – Members £10 (incl Partners and Children), Visitors £12
Accompanied children (under 16) FREE. Tickets are valid on both days.

Layouts

Butley Mills EM BR(E) 1950s – Andy Vincent
Bulldog Quay EM SECR – Andrew Browne
Chewton Mendip EM SDJR 1920 – Tim Tincknell
Chitterne EM GWR – Sarum Finescale (Richard Simpson)
Lambourne P4 GWR 1930s – Pete & Jeff Day
Longcarse West P4 BR 1983 – Simon Bendall
Maidstone Rd EM KESR – Bracknell Railway Society (Phil Tattershall)
Ryburn P4 LYR 1907-20 – Ray Hodson
Three Cocks Junction EM Cambrian 1904 – Richard Evans
Weslo Steels EM BR 60s micro – Dave Tailby

Guest layout

Castle Caereinion OO9 Welshpool & Llanfair – Martyn Harrison.

Demonstrations
There will a be number of demonstrators working at the show demonstrating various skills including bullhead track construction, painting & lining, split chassis loco construction, kit & scratchbuilding coaches and rolling stock, converting R-T-R locomotives,architectural modelling and more. The demonstrators will be only too happy to answer questions and discuss problems.

Paul Ash scenery
Tony Gee ?
Vernon Harrod – Rolling stock
Geoff Haynes – Painting & Lining
Peter Hill – Locos
Geoff Kent – Plasticard
Mick Moore – Wagons
Paul Segar – DCC chip
Tony Sullivan – Track
Tim Venton – Loco Clinic
Andy Vincent – 3D printinting
David Brandreth – Soldering
John James – Split Chassis
Peter Sutherland – Trees

Societies

DEMU
LSWR Circle
Midland Railway Society
Pendon
MERG

Other

Missendon

Members’ Sales

A sales list form will be included with the April mailing. Further copies can be downloaded from the web site as a PDF. Please make sure all the items are labelled with your membership number, price, the page (if more than one), line number and a contact telephone number on your form. A supply of blank labels will be available on the stand.
Commission will be taken on all sales.
Sorry but no books or videos.
No items will be held over on Saturday evening. Trading times will start later than the opening of the show and
finish earlier than the closing time. All transactions strictly CASH only
.
Due to space constraints no more than 3 sheets per member (60 items) will be accepted for sale.


EMGS Trade Stand
As usual the EMGS Trade Officer will be there with the stand. However he will not be able to bring all the items
stocked because of transport logistics. He will be happy to bring along any pre-ordered items for payment on the
day, BUT these must be ordered with a deadline to reach him by 7 days prior to the show. He will be able to take
cash, cheques and cards as payment at the show.

How to get there

By Car:

M3 Junction 3 take the A322 – Bracknell direction.
From M4 Junction 10 take A329M signed Bracknell
There is free car parking on site and over the road is a council car park.


By Train:

The Sports & Leisure Centre is a short walk from Bracknell station (770 m).
Direct services are provided by South Western Railways to/from London, Waterloo and
Reading every 30 minutes during the weekend. Connections at Reading for Cross Country
and Great Western Railways services.
It would be wise to check for engineering works especially for Sunday travel.


By Bus:
Local Buses. All routes operate from Bracknell Bus Station (adjacent to the railway
station). “Operator”/ Routes – “Lion/ Reading Buses”- 4 (Not X4) and “Thames Valley” – 194
run closest to the Sports/Leisure Centre (ask for the Harcourt Road/Sports/Leisure Centre
stop). The 4 and 194 services generally operate ½ hourly on Saturday but only hourly on
Sunday. Google Bracknell Bus Routes for latest details.
Flightline Bus. Route 702 operates a direct service between London Victoria and
Bracknell Bus station. Check with Reading Buses for times.

Hotel Accommodation
There are a number of Premier Inns and Travelodges in and around Bracknell centre with very similar
rates and facilities. They are at a similar distance from the Leisure Centre, about 25 minutes walking.
Their web sites may be accessed via:
www.premierinn.com/bracknell
and look for Twin Bridges or
https://travelodgeco.uk/hotels/363/Bracknell-Central-hotel
.
We would suggest early booking as they will fill up quickly and, as they do, the prices may rise (they usually do).

Catering
Limited refreshments can be obtained from the Leisure Centre cafeteria, however, as an alternative there is a Harvester pub, The Horse & Groom, by the roundabout at Devonshire Way. There is also a large Sainsbury’s Superstore on the A322 about 1/2 mile towards the M3 which has a Starbucks serving, we are told, their usual fare plus paninis, sandwiches, etc. A short walk from the Sports Centre is a petrol station which has a Waitrose shop attached stocking sandwiches, pies, confectionery etc. A little further on there is a KFC with upstairs seating available. The town centre has a number of eating places including The Old Manor, a Wetherspoons pub, although they are all quite a walk away.

Newsletter 247

Just to advise that Newsletter 247 was mailed today 2nd January.

Update 3rd January – I have just sent out the link to the overseas members who are on electronic subscription.

Replacement Manual Sheet

Manual Sheet 4.1.2.2.(1) Regauging Bachmann Birdcage coaches using KEMBU Issue 1  has been retitled and upgraded to 4.1.2.2.(1) Regauging Bachmann Coaches using KEMBU Issue 2 to take into account some changes in fitting KEMBU based on further practical experience, and its applicability to the new Bachmann LNWR coach range. It will be issued in print format as soon as an available slot can be found.

UPDATE – Replacement manual sheet will be issued with Newsletter 247 January issue.

Newsletter 246

Test Track Photos

Date error in April Newsletter 244

Due to an editorial error the date for expoEM Summer 2025 was show incorrectly.

The date of the event I can confirm is 30th & 31st August at the same location.

AGM AND MEMBERS’ DAY 2025 REPORT

Sixty EMGS members together with a contingent of enthusiasts and locals from the surrounding area descended on the Parish Hall at Ashover in Derbyshire on the 1st February for the 2025 Members Day event and Annual General Meeting. 

Convened in the venue to welcome everyone were three layouts, several model making demos, the EMGS annual competition, the Society’s test track and members’ sales stand, and a small coterie of traders

For one trader – James Hudson of Bill Hudson Transport Books – the event was a sort of homecoming, as more than 50 years ago, James’ father and founder of the eponymous transport book shop was so inspired by the area that he set his just supposing Midland Railway layout in the village. Bill’s memorable and award winning Ashover layout featured as Railway of the Month in the January 1972 edition of Railway Modeller. That layout is long gone of course, but we did manage to host a 21st century Ashover layout as a guest layout  – Ashgate – depicting elements of the Colonel Stephens’ 1924 Ashover Light Railway, albeit to 009 standards. Not that it seemed to matter to the assembled EM Gauge adherents, as the modelling by Richard Holmes was exquisite. 

EM gauge modelling was represented coincidently by a pair of Bakers; Clive Baker and Bernie Baker. Not related of course, at least not in body, but certainly in inspiration as they both presented delightful little industrial railway layouts. Clive’s current project portrays a rural plaster mill in the Dove Valley, whilst Bernie’s represents a small quayside vista. Presenting the modelling demonstrations were members Karl Crowther, John Elliott, Tony Gee, Vernon Harrod and Mick Moore. 

The Annual Competition

This attracted a good spread of entries with Peter Hill winning the Scratchbuilt and Kitbuilt Motive Power category (Group 1) for his model of Barclay Tank No 18. Lester Powell took the Converted and Modified Proprietary Motive Power Trophy (Group 2) for a Dean Goods 0-6-0. The appropriately named Pick-up Trophy for Scratchbuilt, Kitbuilt and Modified Proprietary Rolling Stock (Group 3) went to Vernon Harrod for a rake of GN wagons, and Tony Gee collected the Anniversary Trophy for Trackwork, Buildings and General Lineside Features (Group 4) with his model of a LD&ECR Signal Box.

The AGM

A convivial Annual General Meeting considered various topics including the comparative costings of the printed newsletter vs a fully electronic version, and an appeal from the chair for more volunteers to step to assist with the running of the Society, particularly at our exhibitions. Two new volunteers for Trade Liaison Officer and Publicity Officer were also required to take on these roles in the not too distant future. Full minutes will be distributed in due course.

All in all Members Day 2025 was a congenial gathering of like minded modellers, and despite its somewhat off-the-beaten-track venue the attractive rural location was sufficiently appealing to exercise members’ Sat Navs and fill the car park!

With special thanks to the traders; Bill Hudson Transport Books, CM3 Models, Judith Edge Kits and our own Trade Officer for supporting the event, and to Peter and Brenda Rigby for the venue arrangements.

Highlights of the event can be seen in a short video via the link uploaded on the gallery page, and further details will be published in the next EMGS Newsletter due out in April.