A brief introduction to the club and its history
History of Darlington Model Railway Club (up to 2002)
The origin of the present club began with the Americana Model Railway Club, Darlington, although this had no connection with American railroading.
The reason for title being that the original home of the club was at The "Americana'"Fish Bar & Restaurant, Bondgate, Darlington, with the clubs location being upstairs in the defunct Restaurant.
The formation of the club was at a meeting held at 2.30pm on Saturday 27TH February 1971. The committee members elected at this meeting being: F.Serra. M.Hogg. D.Allinson. K.Crabtree. F.Tweddle.
One week later on the 4th March, the specific roles of those elected at inaugural meeting were determined as follows: President- F. Serra, (Owner of Establishment). Chairman- K. Crabtree, Secretary- D. Allison, Treasurer- M. Hogg, Committee member- F. Tweddle. On Saturday 13th March 1971, 13 members were present to be classed as founder members who undertook the first project; to model the Darlington to Barnard Castle line from Broomielaw to Piecebridge. Built to 16.5 mm "OO" gauge with lolly-pop sticks for sleepers and bullhead rail soldered to staples.
The Committee of 150th anniversary for the Stockton & Darlington Railway approached the club to participate in the celebrations. The club proposed to build an 1831 period diorama depicting the line from Shildon to Stockton Quay Side in P4 scale (18.83mm). Construction commenced in June 1973 in the Larchfield Drill Hall garages sponsored by Darlington Borough Council, and was completed 2 years later in July 1975. The layout then moved to Crown Street, Magnet Bowl Hall for display during August and September 1975. Thereafter it became the centrepiece for the opening of the new North Road Railway Museum. The layout was then exhibited at Manchester 19th to 21st Dec 1975, Harrogate 17th to 20th April 1976, York 29th to 31st May 1976, Sheffield 4th to 6th June 1976 & Oxford.
Also during 1975 the club moved to rooms 2, 3 & 4 at the Museum severing ties with the Americana Fish Bar. Hence it was in September 1975 that the club's name was changed to the Americana Model Railway Club North Road Station Museum Darlington.
The Barney line had been stripped out of the previous premises and broken up; as the space was limited the idea of erecting the layout was shelved.
The club was one of the founder members of the North East Federation of Model Railway Clubs (NEFFMRC), meetings took place at various clubs, which we were guests or hosted.
On the 4th April 1977 at the AGM, a heated debate about the running of the club leads to the abandonment of the meeting. 3 weeks later on the 25th April 1977 a further meeting of interested parties, carried a motion to hold the AGM on May 23rd 1977 and it was at this meeting that it was decided to draft a constitution for the club and also a proposal to sever the association with the name Americana replacing it as the Darlington Model Railway Club. The name change took place on the 23RD May 1978 and so became Darlington Model Railway Club.
A letter was received requesting the vacation of the premises by 3st July 1981, from the Museum Trust’s Mr Beckwith using the term those "squatters". A possible alternative venue was offered at Cleasby, but because of the location it was declined. All meetings therefore subsequently were conducted at Walkington House; storage of chattels was by courtesy of Prudhoe Co Ltd, the stationers, at their Faverdale Site.
In 1986 the NEFMRC disbanded through lack of support, and no further meetings took place.
The last meeting of DMRC to be held at Walkington House being 17th June 1991 when we were offered by Darlington Council accommodation at North Road Museum Rooms 23 & 24. And these were duly occupied on 1st July 1991 on a rental agreement basis.
With increased stability of our location it was decided to construct a 4mm club layout Modern Image in 1992 this being eventually named 'Parkgate'. Another project was the construction of a Thomas layout although being of 6-4ftx2ft boards the layout proved over complicated and was eventually dismantled in 1999, and replaced with a less complicated 5ftx4ft self-contained module.
Toy & Train Collectors Fairs were started in 1996, and have been held annually at North Road Railway Museum.
In 1998 we were approached by Darlington Council to investigate the feasibility of refurbishing the 150th S&D layout housed in the museum for the forthcoming 175th Anniversary celebrations. On examination of the layout it was found that it would be impracticable to refurbish, and indeed a new layout would be the only solution. The proposal of a new layout was accepted with the proviso that an additional feature of Brusselton Incline be incorporated. Work started in 1998 on the layout and was completed in May 2000 for the aborted 175th Anniversary Celebrations.
With the appointment of a Museum Manager Stewart Nichols in March 2000, the club was again asked to move to the west wing rooms 2, 3 & 4 to release rooms 23 & 24 to accommodate a pre-school Education Centre.
The next project undertaken was the construction of an "0" Gauge layout "Burtree" which was presented at our 2001 Exhibition, additional work to incorporate signal features are still being undertaken.
In 2002 planning and work was started on a 7mm Narrow Gauge Layout, with the name finally decided on being "Rookhope"
P. C. Young (Dec 2002)
The origin of the present club began with the Americana Model Railway Club, Darlington, although this had no connection with American railroading.
The reason for title being that the original home of the club was at The "Americana'"Fish Bar & Restaurant, Bondgate, Darlington, with the clubs location being upstairs in the defunct Restaurant.
The formation of the club was at a meeting held at 2.30pm on Saturday 27TH February 1971. The committee members elected at this meeting being: F.Serra. M.Hogg. D.Allinson. K.Crabtree. F.Tweddle.
One week later on the 4th March, the specific roles of those elected at inaugural meeting were determined as follows: President- F. Serra, (Owner of Establishment). Chairman- K. Crabtree, Secretary- D. Allison, Treasurer- M. Hogg, Committee member- F. Tweddle. On Saturday 13th March 1971, 13 members were present to be classed as founder members who undertook the first project; to model the Darlington to Barnard Castle line from Broomielaw to Piecebridge. Built to 16.5 mm "OO" gauge with lolly-pop sticks for sleepers and bullhead rail soldered to staples.
The Committee of 150th anniversary for the Stockton & Darlington Railway approached the club to participate in the celebrations. The club proposed to build an 1831 period diorama depicting the line from Shildon to Stockton Quay Side in P4 scale (18.83mm). Construction commenced in June 1973 in the Larchfield Drill Hall garages sponsored by Darlington Borough Council, and was completed 2 years later in July 1975. The layout then moved to Crown Street, Magnet Bowl Hall for display during August and September 1975. Thereafter it became the centrepiece for the opening of the new North Road Railway Museum. The layout was then exhibited at Manchester 19th to 21st Dec 1975, Harrogate 17th to 20th April 1976, York 29th to 31st May 1976, Sheffield 4th to 6th June 1976 & Oxford.
Also during 1975 the club moved to rooms 2, 3 & 4 at the Museum severing ties with the Americana Fish Bar. Hence it was in September 1975 that the club's name was changed to the Americana Model Railway Club North Road Station Museum Darlington.
The Barney line had been stripped out of the previous premises and broken up; as the space was limited the idea of erecting the layout was shelved.
The club was one of the founder members of the North East Federation of Model Railway Clubs (NEFFMRC), meetings took place at various clubs, which we were guests or hosted.
On the 4th April 1977 at the AGM, a heated debate about the running of the club leads to the abandonment of the meeting. 3 weeks later on the 25th April 1977 a further meeting of interested parties, carried a motion to hold the AGM on May 23rd 1977 and it was at this meeting that it was decided to draft a constitution for the club and also a proposal to sever the association with the name Americana replacing it as the Darlington Model Railway Club. The name change took place on the 23RD May 1978 and so became Darlington Model Railway Club.
A letter was received requesting the vacation of the premises by 3st July 1981, from the Museum Trust’s Mr Beckwith using the term those "squatters". A possible alternative venue was offered at Cleasby, but because of the location it was declined. All meetings therefore subsequently were conducted at Walkington House; storage of chattels was by courtesy of Prudhoe Co Ltd, the stationers, at their Faverdale Site.
In 1986 the NEFMRC disbanded through lack of support, and no further meetings took place.
The last meeting of DMRC to be held at Walkington House being 17th June 1991 when we were offered by Darlington Council accommodation at North Road Museum Rooms 23 & 24. And these were duly occupied on 1st July 1991 on a rental agreement basis.
With increased stability of our location it was decided to construct a 4mm club layout Modern Image in 1992 this being eventually named 'Parkgate'. Another project was the construction of a Thomas layout although being of 6-4ftx2ft boards the layout proved over complicated and was eventually dismantled in 1999, and replaced with a less complicated 5ftx4ft self-contained module.
Toy & Train Collectors Fairs were started in 1996, and have been held annually at North Road Railway Museum.
In 1998 we were approached by Darlington Council to investigate the feasibility of refurbishing the 150th S&D layout housed in the museum for the forthcoming 175th Anniversary celebrations. On examination of the layout it was found that it would be impracticable to refurbish, and indeed a new layout would be the only solution. The proposal of a new layout was accepted with the proviso that an additional feature of Brusselton Incline be incorporated. Work started in 1998 on the layout and was completed in May 2000 for the aborted 175th Anniversary Celebrations.
With the appointment of a Museum Manager Stewart Nichols in March 2000, the club was again asked to move to the west wing rooms 2, 3 & 4 to release rooms 23 & 24 to accommodate a pre-school Education Centre.
The next project undertaken was the construction of an "0" Gauge layout "Burtree" which was presented at our 2001 Exhibition, additional work to incorporate signal features are still being undertaken.
In 2002 planning and work was started on a 7mm Narrow Gauge Layout, with the name finally decided on being "Rookhope"
P. C. Young (Dec 2002)