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4 minutes in Blaenau Ffestiniog, 25th August 2010.

An evening trip on the Conwy Valley line was undertaken recently using the North Wales Rover ticket.  The happy group of travellers are seen during the 4 minute turnaround in Blaenau Ffestiniog. 

On the Cambrian Cruise - June 23rd 2010

A group of club members travelled on the Cambrian Rail Cruise in June.  Using Arriva Trains to Blaenau Ffestiniog, the Ffestiniog Railway to Porthmadog and then back on the standard gauge via Barmouth, Machynllech, Shrewsbury and Wrexham to Prestatyn.

Merddin Emrys and Taliesin back on to our train at Blaenau.

Refreshments in Porthmadog (and very nice they were too!).

Our service from Porthmadog to Shrewsbury waits to attach the Aberystwyth portion at Machynllech.

Jack's Anniversary

The Jack the Station cat series of children's books is ten years old this summer. Written by Alan Cliff, President of the Rhyl and District MRC, these books can be found all over the UK.

The Rhyl Miniature Railway is holding a special birthday party from 11AM on Saturday July 31st at its station by the Rhyl Marine Lake.  Alan Cliff will be signing his books.

A new book "Jack the Station Cat and the August Day"  will be launched at the Rhyl celebrations. The book will feature an 0 gauge model railway.

A day on a canal barge, 9th May 2010.

Some of the more intrepid members of the club hired a day boat on the Llangollen Canal on May 9th.  A thoroughly enjoyable day was spent cruising this most spectacular waterway.  Click here to view the Gallery Page.

Club outing to York - 28th April 2010

Six members of the club made the pilgrimage to York Railway Museum at the end of April.  The trip was made using a special offer by Trans Pennine Express from Liverpool.  Above, the party is seen at York on arrival while below is 185 141, our transport from Liverpool Lime Street.

Sampling the seats on the Japanese Shinkansen vehicle.

Jack the station cat meets the Antiques Roadshow team

View Jack's updated website here

Cheque presentation for our 2009 Christmas Exhibition

The 9th Rhyl & District Model Railway Club Exhibition was held at the Guides Hall and Parish Community Hall in Prestatyn on December 12th 2009. The day was very successful with numbers of visitors up substantially from the 2008 show.  The exhibition raises money for charity and this year the proceeds were donated to Ty Gobaith Childrens Hospice in Conwy, which relies heavily on charitable donations and fundraising events. The Hospice cares for terminally ill children and young adults from North Wales and beyond. (www.tygobaith.org.uk)

Some excellent raffle prizes including Arriva Wales Rail travel vouchers ensured the money kept flowing, leading to a final figure of £793. The cheque was presented by Exhibition Organiser Martyn Wild to Ty Gobaith's Eluned Yaxley at a small ceremony at Rhyl MRC's Clubrooms in Dyserth on the 27th January 2010.  Rhyl & District Model Railway Club would like to thank everyone who supported the exhibition. This years Exhibition is scheduled for Saturday 11th December (Charity TBA). 

Oakland 3rd Street on tour

Martin Wild is seen operating his American "G" scale layout at the Large Scale show in Leamington Spa on April 18th 2009.

Cheque presentation to Wales Air Ambulance

The cheque for £500 raised at our 2008 exhibition was presented to Sharon Laurence of the Wales Air Ambulance at the clubhouse on February 27th 2009.

2008 Christmas charity exhibition

Mike and Dave operating the 'O' gauge Llamedos layout

The Club's Junior Members exhibited their Murphy's End layout for the first time

Justin manning the Rhyl Miniature Railway stall

Alan with his 'Jack the station cat' books

Trevor keeping the Clwydsville N gauge layout rolling

Chris operating his superb new Wild Creek Lumber

Three past masters on the G scale Bringenrun layout

Christmas 2008 meal

We returned to our friends at the New Inn, Dyserth on December 9th for the 2008 xmas sustenance.  Club member of the year award was presented to Phil Griffiths for his quiet but competent work over many years as club treasurer.

Club dinner - August 2008

To allegedly commemorate the end of main line steam in 1968 the club had an evening meal in the New Inn, Dyserth on August 12th.  Photos taken by Laurence Smith.

Holyhead and the Welsh Highland Railway, 25th July 2008

With the deep blue sea behind, the team await their return train to Bangor

Five members of the club enjoyed an excellent day using the 'Tocyn Taith' rover ticket.  We first travelled by train to Holyhead, returned to Bangor and then got an Arriva bus to Caernarfon.  Return travel on the Welsh Highland was by the K1 garratt locomotive.  Then back to Prestatyn.  All trains and buses ran to time.

A visit to Snailbeach, 6th July 2008

Some of the more intrepid club members visited the Snailbeach lead mines in Shropshire in early July.  There we were given an excellent surface and underground tour by a member of the Shropshire Mines Trust.  A very interesting site I would heartily recommend.

Three minutes in Blaenau, 2nd July 08



On July 2nd 14 members of the club took advantage of the Conwy Valley Evening Rover ticket.  For £5.30 this enabled us to travel from Prestatyn to Llandudno Jct then up the Conwy valley line to Blaenau Ffestiniog - where we spent the grand total of three minutes!  We returned via Llandudno.  All the trains ran to time and an enjoyable evening was had by all.

"The New Pandora group" - Phil Shaw, Lee Shaw and Brian Orton - attended the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association convention at Burton on Trent on 10th May. Due to the layout having some electrical problems we were accompanied by club electrical guru Al Prescot. Luckily it ran fairly well and Al was able to sit down and doze most of the day dreaming of the electric mice he usually models. (Swiss Railways in N gauge)"

Several members of the club recently visited the cornish beam engine house at Dorothea Quarry near Nantlle.  Despite driving rain at the start of the visit a most interesting time was had by all.  There is more to read about the engine house and Dorothea here.

Outside the engine house and ready for anything the weather can throw at us!

The immense 68" cylinder which powered the beam engine.

On Wednesday 6th February 2008 members' of Rhyl & District Model Railway Club visited The Rhuddlan Borough Talking Newspaper offices to present a cheque for £450 to the Prestatyn based charity.  The money was raised at the Club's 2007 Charity Model Railway Exhibition held at the Presbyterian Church Hall in Prestatyn and by the auction of a donated train set.

A sad event took place at the premises of the Rhyl and District MRC on January 16th 2008 when, after 30 years of faithful service to the club, the ex Meliden VP School headmasters chair finally succumbed to old age and fatigue.  After a final sit in by Phil Shaw it was, with all due care and reverence, placed on top of the rubbish filled trailer by Brian Orton and taken to it's final resting place at Prestatyn Tip.

May it rest in pieces.

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