Meeting Programme

Meetings are held at Marshall House starting at 2.30pm unless stated otherwise.

Visitors are normally welcome to attend meetings. Please make yourself known to a member of Council so that we can welcome you properly.

Occasionally we have to make changes to the programme, sometimes at short notice. If you wish to come to Marshall House for a specific topic you are advised to check this page before you travel.

[CM] Indicates a Council meeting attended by Council members only. These usually start at 11.30 am.

[T] Indicates that the Thameslink service to Loughborough junction may be running. See below.

[V] Indicates that there will be no service on the Victoria line to Brixton

Workshop Topics

These are informal afternoons for the discussion of any matters related to the workshop. There is usually one member who is nominated to introduce the topic by speaking for perhaps fiteen to twenty minutes. After that general discussion takes place with a break for tea.

2012

Hatcham Iron Works Established 1839 by D V Hills

I was invited by Mr PN Boswell to purchase the Reliance foundry with the intent of merging it with my company, the Hills Diecasting Company of Sydenham, South East London. The merger was completed and the two companies were established at 73 Norman Road, Greenwich. When I first entered the building I noticed a large bronze plaque stating this was the registered office of the General Engine and Boiler Company, Forge Engineering and a number of other companies.

During the next few years the name of the General Engine and Boiler Company raised its head on many occasions and I learnt that this company had preceded the Reliance Foundry at the Old Hatcham Iron Works in New Cross, it being a major supplier of equipment to the Admiralty producing small engines, compressors and much of the valve work on early submarines. It was also apparent that the General Engine and Boiler Company had itself succeeded another company, George England and Company Limited, of which I knew little. During a social evening with my brother-in-law, Grahame Hood, an avid railway enthusiast, the name of George England came up in conversation and we were both startled to learn that this pioneer railway locomotive manufacturer had preceded the company I was then running. During the next few years we put together an archive of material on these companies with the help of Mr Alf Weatherley who had been an employee of the General Engine and Boiler Company since the end of the Second World War and whose father had also worked for this company, having started with them in 1916.

We hope this information is of interest to railway enthusiasts and goes some way to log the activities of the Hatcham Iron Works and the pioneer locomotive manufacturer George England.

Building a gas turbine locomotive with excursions into CAD and modern manufacturing techniques by Jerry Burchell

Jerry has a long-standing interest in the experimental railway locomotives that ran on British Railways lines from the 1950s to the 1960s. Not always successful, they were all mechanically interesting machines. In 2004, Jerry met Tim Coles who was building GT3, the English Electric gas turbine mechanical 4-6-0 tender locomotive, and Tim introduced Jerry to the GWR gas turbine electric locomotives.

Jerry was quite fascinated and decided to construct a 5" gauge model of 18100, originally built by Metropolitan Vickers. From the start, this project has been a huge challenge with very little information surviving.

Jerry will take you through the design process and how he used the facilities of industry to progress the project to create a reasonably accurate emulation of the original locomotive.

Tools for locomotive building in 2 ½ inch gauge by J Sutton

My enjoyable venture into 2 ½ gauge has required the making of many special tools.

The machining of multiple small components necessitates the frequent use of jigs. Scale requirements have required the reduction of standard stock sized materials using special turning tools. Small scale riveting has required both careful planning as well as the making of punches and dollies. The lecture will be a demonstration of the numerous tools and jigs developed for the building of ‘Elaine’

The Royal clock collection by Robert Ball

Robert Ball trained to be a clock maker in Watford, before obtaining the position he holds of responsibility for all the clocks in the Royal palaces and houses. In excess of 1500 clocks.

His responsibilities include regular maintenance as well as major repair rebuilding. The collection includes everything from common wall clocks, through tower clocks, to some of the most valuable clocks in the world.

His talk discusses the establishment of Buckingham Palace and the collection housed there then some of the clocks in places such as Balmoral, Holyrood House and Osbourne House. The talk is illustrated with slides showing what must be one of the most extensive collections in the world.

An introduction to WG Armstrong. His Life. His machines. Some working models

By Derek Goddard

Armstrong was one of the first to offer water pressure driven machinery essential to the Industrial Revolution. Pressure was from steam pumps or natural head of water, stored in accumulators and distributed by ring main.

After a carreer in power hydraulics the author will give a power point presentation and discuss his hydraulically driven models.

Thameslink services

A major upgrade to the Thameslink service is under way which means that for the foreseeable future trains will not call at Loughborough Junction station on most weekends. A replacement bus service will operate but it is probably best to seek an alternative route..

The First Capital Connect website has full details.

The Victoria line is also subject to engineering work, you are advised to check the TFL website before travelling.

Gauge 1 informal meetings

Please note these are open to all members of the Society. Please feel free to drop in with or without a locomotive to run.