Model Engineering In Durham

[monkeyhero97]

Hello there
My first choice university is Durham so I will hopefully be moving from switzerland to the UK in 2016. I will bring at least on of my locos and I will want to find a club, but I have noticed there is no durham m.e.s . What kind of m.e.s are there near Durham?
Cheers
Marc

[Deleted]

Try these Lads 'n Lassies }------ www.sdsme.co.uk/

and these can help as well }------ www.normodeng.org.uk/

[Deleted]

Hi Marc ,

(1) Durham has a fine university and I am sure that you will do well there but I am just curious - of all the universities that you could choose why Durham ?

(2) I see that you live in Geneva . I spent quite a bit of time there visiting BP Switzerland for work . Lovely location .

Bit of a comic side to one of my first visits . We asked BP to book us into a hotel . Instead of booking us into one of the many relatively cheap guesthouses they booked us into the Beau Rivage - the luxury hotel overlooking the lake . No credit cards in those days - we had to pool together our every penny to pay the bill . Nice place though even if we couldn't afford to eat .


www.booking.com/hotel/ch/beaurivagegeneva.en.html?aid=311076;label=slhp_hotel-65247-ch-E9v8RMWmAC7JiFuZXtexjgS3881112630%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg;sid=4245b578ca23496bf22441a49c67ee46;dcid=1&;gclid=COTypJfvgcQCFceWtAodpl0AZQ

[monkeyhero97]

Hi there
First of all, I want to be in the UK. I have been away for nine years, while I am french I miss many things such as the steam scene. I've chosen Durham because
- I was born in Windsor and raised up to when I was 8 but my english family is all from York and I've always wanted to live in the north for a bit
- Durham has an excellent reputation and its reputation should be an advantage when job hunting
- it has an international community so it is a good transition from my international school in Geneva
- It is not too busy so I can concentrate on work and things like model engineering rather than recovering from hangovers every morning


Unfortunately SDSME is 40 mins away, then again, thats already have the time at the moment!

Marc

[Jim Scott]

Hi Marc

The following clubs are within reasonable reach of Durham City:

Beamish, 11 miles ~20 minutes (7 1/4" Gauge only) www.bmeg.co.uk/

Sunderland, 14 miles ~30 minutes www.csmes.co.uk/

Newcastle, 19 miles ~ 35mins www.tsmee.co.uk/

South Durham, 20 miles ~ 40 minutes www.sdsme.co.uk/


Durham is a very attractive City, I'm sure you would find university life there to your liking.

Cheers

Jim S

[monkeyhero97]

Perfect! Thanks for that, looks like sunderland will be my closest.
Cheers
Marc

[Deleted]

Hi Marc--------- I didn't realise you wanted something that's "close to home" so to speak....As you can see from Jim Scott's post the average time for you to any of those clubs will be in the order of 30 mins. or so.............

How will you be transporting your loco when you are here ??

Keep us informed, eh ??

Regards from--------- Alan

[alanstepney]

When you are there, do take a trip to Beamish. One of the best museums of its type in the UK.

[monkeyhero97]

Yah, I will defintely go to Beamish, I am a guard for the vintage trams of geneva so I will defintely want to look at theirs.
I'm going to buy a set of wheels I think. Luckily I will already have my swiss license so I think I will just buy a car. Well I say a car, what I mean is an old banger, either a old volvo estate or maybe even a van. Anything cheap that will haul my simplex around! Having said that, with a van I might not be able to resist a 7 1/4 loco if I get an opportunity. I'll be in the UK for at least 4 years, but I can't imagine myself moving from the UK anytime near after that.

30 mins really isn't too bad. I've going to drive 2h30 this saturday for a steam up .... I'll hopefully post a video under my simplex thread.

I cannot wait to be more involved in model engineering, it Switzerland it is very much every man for himself... I still don't have a club after almost a year of searching. And hopefully when I'm in the UK I will acheive my lifelong ambition of becoming a fireman. This July I'm starting my footplate career as a cleaner at Boston Lodge Works. I hope to spend three weeks there every year so hopefully that ambition will become a reality in the not too far distant future.

Marc

[ejparrott]

Progression through the ranks depends on your abilities and the time you spend at a railway. 15 years volunteering and I'm not fireman yet. Seen several youngsters start volunteering with grand ideas, mostly just a bit younger than you are. Then realisation hits when they have to go to uni, and then the world of work, and all of a sudden 6 week holidays just don't happen any more.....

[monkeyhero97]

We will see... while I'm at university is the time to do it as I will have a good couple of months holidays. I still have at least four years with numerous months of holidays. Hopefully I'll be able to proove to them that I am dedicated and worth their time. Already cleaning these two weeks is going to be living the dream for me. Generally in the past, when I commit I commit and have suceed in similar situations, but I appreciate the fact Porthamadog isn't the easiest place to get to!
I think the way to go about volunteering at the F&WHR for me anyway is to reserve two weeks each summer while I have the time, that way thats 14 days of volunteering.
As I said though, being up close and personal to fairlies and garratts, polishing them, lighting their fires is just going to be amazing. Spending two weeks, getting up early ( which I love) and spending 100% of my time on the thing I love the most ( bar certain people of course!) is just a dream.
We will see though, life always has twists and turns!
Marc

[Ruston92]

Chester Le Street model engineers. We are a small club but a friendly bunch. Located at the back of Riverside park in Chester Le Sreet

[monkeyhero97]

Hi there
From a map you look a lot closer. I often find smaller is bigger in things! I much prefer a small club than a big one, hence the preference for Durham rather than London or Newcastle!
I can't seem to find any info on the club though, do you have a site or info page?
Cheers
Marc

[Jim Scott]

Mar 1, 2015 16:18:05 GMT Ruston92 said:

Chester Le Street model engineers. We are a small club but a friendly bunch. Located at the back of Riverside park in Chester Le Sreet

Hi Ruston92

My apologies for failing to mention the Chester-le-Street Club which has been in existence for many years. It is my understanding that the club membership has gradually reduced over the years resulting in the club maintaining a very low profile. If you can spare some time I would appreciate a few words regarding the present setup.

For Marc's info this is closest to Durham at a little over 7 miles, ~13 minutes.

Cheers

Jim S

[Ruston92]

Hi Jim,

You are quite right we are a very small group now and dont open to the public due to insurance costs. But on a sunny sunday during the summer you'll find chugging around the track.

Could do with a couple more members really.

[Deleted]

Mar 1, 2015 23:19:02 GMT Ruston92 said:

Hi Jim,

You are quite right we are a very small group now and dont open to the public due to insurance costs. But on a sunny sunday during the summer you'll find chugging around the track.

Could do with a couple more members really.

Hello there, matey !!-------how's it going ??

In need of new members ??--Then why not make Marc an Honorary "International" member for now, then convert that to full, active membership when he first graces these shores ??

Then later, maybe some of his new-found friends at Uni.might like to come along for a day as well ??

God-knows all our Societies need some fresh, young(er) membership---and soon !!

[monkeyhero97]

haha, i wouldn't mind signing up now! If i can help from overseas I will, then again I haven't been accepted into Durham yet, but my grades look like I will be going. How long is the track, is it raised or ground level? I will be visiting Durham in may I think, I'm sure I could pop down to see the set up
Cheers
Marc

[pondok]

Hey Marc, we really must try meet up again sometime, feels like a very long time since Bouveret... glad you're looking at Durham, I was at Uni there too. My workshop is almost finished now by the way, floor done and ceiling insulated, just need to finish cladding the walls and sorting out power. It's already quite comfy, being used as playroom by the boys, will need to make sure the loco is stored well up on the workbenches. It's not huge at 4m x 5.5m, but good enough for now.
cheers for now

[Deleted]

Hey Marc------------- I've some GOOD NEWS for you !!............Remember I told you that the local company who made those decals for my NCB Simplex had gone out of business ??...........Well they are back trading again only this time the Brother-in-Law of the previous chap is running it....

So I went along to have a chat and guess what ??----- He has all the designs, records etc on his computer from before....We looked-up my NCB logo and it's all there....If you would like a set exactly like mine only with a different loco No. and a different Colliery Name ( Durham, maybe ??)...then that can be done for you in about 10 mins. allowing for the re-programming..... Cost will be £15 plus P&P ( I'm guessing here at £5 ??)

You might like white letters against your Red loco ??

Let me know if interested and I can get them done and in the post in the same day !!

Best regards---

Alan R..