South East Area Group mtg, 16th August 2015

Half a dozen South East Area Group members arrived at Peter Mann's house on Sunday for a running session on his recently extended Merney Junction. Everyone turned up with something to run or talk about with the most interesting item being an unpainted model of an M&GN Class 'A' 4-4-2 tank from a brass kit yet to be released by "ACE: locomotive kits". So is this a first? The first locomotive to be built from a new kit has been built to S7 standards before any other version can have been built. We believe it to be so but don't really know; it would be nice to find out.

To accompany this loco were a rake of four completed and painted M&GN coaches, three four/six wheelers and one bogie coach. The whole ensemble looked superb which will be even better when headed by a finished loco. I, for one, am really looking forward to that day.

There were 3 Heljan diesels turned up, Class 31, Class 35 and Class 40. The Class 31 and Class 40 both had full sound effects but the Class 35 was just as though it had come straight out of the box. We also saw a finely painted and detailed Metropolitan Bo-Bo "Sarah Siddons" which almost looked at home on the M&GN coaches. Finally there was an LMS 0-4-4T with a rake of freight stock.

With a run of almost 30' there was a chance for everything to show off its paces whilst the owners spent most of the time just discussing things railway, both real and model  and what may come.

Aside from all this running there was a part completed kit of an Irish 5' 3" gauge MGWR 2-4-0 locomotive. Much of what was seen had been put together during the recent Missenden week and had progressed well though not so far as had been expected owing to some unexpected probolems which were solved at short notice by bits and pieces being sent from a couple of suppliers. This will look very good when completed and it will be interesting  to compare with Martin Atock's Sylph in Hamilton Ellis's painting of the Connemara train.

What with tea and biscuits all thrown in it was a very enjoyable afternoon. Now back to our more usual Thursday afternoon sessions.

So, the story behind the M&GN 'A' Class. With the help of the M&GN Society and others "ACE: locomotive kits" have produced this loco - which will be available in both 4mm and 7mm (not sure under whose brand the 4mm loco is) - under the driving force of a member of the S7 group and so the loco built was, in effect, the final test build.