Bill Barnes clearly visually as well as mentally challenged at the Peco celebrations, August 2006. Bob Alderman keeping a watchful eye in the background

The group was established in the early 1990's when a groundswell of opinion in the region suggested that there was a real need for a "local" 0-gauge group. We subsequently began meeting on a monthly basis in a community hall in Exeter.

It rapidly became evident that we really needed a layout on which to play trains; showing each other static models does pall after a while. So we built our first layout - not only the group but also many of us as individuals learnt an enormous amount from the project. The six boards were constructed à la Barry Norman, giving us a layout 24' long by 2' wide; trackwork was Peco throughout, and electrics/controls were devised by our master electrical guru, the late Keith Marlow.

The hall was far from ideal for our purposes, as we had to share it with a karate club, a playgroup and a branch of the Womens' Institute. Things came to a head when a member of the karate club stuck his foot through the floor. At this point Devon County Council - owners of the building - decided they could no longer afford the upkeep of the building, gave us our marching orders, and the building was put up for sale. As we did not feel that property ownership came within the remit of a group of 7mm modellers we decamped to another church hall to the east of the city centre.

Martin Philpott's delightful freelance American 'Colorado Canyon' railroad won the Committee Shield again this year for this delightful structure.

So - here we have been for several years now. Having a dedicated base has meant that we have been able to realise what had previously only been a pipe-dream - a permanent layout that could be left up throughout the year. The hall was re-floored, rewired, re-plumbed and fitted with proper central heating.

We've got a little 'snug' (affectionately nicknamed "The Head Shunt" with library, video and easy chairs)  and a kitchen on the ground floor, and a basement with loos and a further good-sized room currently used for storage.  We all owe an enormous debt to the late Jim Harries, without whose extraordinary generosity we would simply not be playing trains.

WHO ARE THE MEMBERS ?

A goodly proportion of the members at one of our regular Christmas celebrations

Contingents regularly come to meetings from Yeovil and Taunton, several from around Plymouth, and even one or two from North Devon - that's a catchment area of nearly 8000 square miles!

There is an enclave of 0-gauge in East Devon, around Seaton and Colyton, while Roy Anderson, who lives above the snow-line on Dartmoor, models continental steam. Then folk like Bob Alderman. John Cross and David Davidson come from the wilds of East Somerset. We even have occasional visits from Thor Lawrence, the Guild's sole member in Iceland! Interests are similarly varied: there's plenty of GWR as you might expect, but virtually all areas of the country are represented.

The Club annual bring-and-buy evening, showing the layout as it was a couple of years ago. Scenic work on right-hand side is now much progressed.

The group's two narrow-gauge guerillas, David Taylor and Martin Philpott, lay waste to some of the original layout to insert some more narrow-gauge running track.

All trackwork has been handbuilt by members using C & L components stuck with thixotropic carpet adhesive to a rubber carpet underlay. All track is laid (until Goddard comes up with another location for an extra siding ...)  and wiring more or less complete.

For safety's sake, the up and down lines have no interconnecting point connections whatsoever. Martin Philpott is the only one taking much initiative on the scenic front, and he steadily beavers away creating the feel of South Devon.

On the narrow-gauge front David Taylor and his elite team of guerillas (or gorillas as some would have it) have insidiously introduced an end-to-end dual-gauge section inside the standard-gauge curves in front of the fiddle-yard sidings. This is now developing to a complete circuit being erected around the inside of the standard gauge track. There is much to do, but we're getting lots of play value from the layout already.

We have our annual modelling competition each May, and it regularly produces a fine crop of craftsmanship. This year's winners were:

• Committee Shield for lineside structures - Martin Philpott's freelance depot
• Mug of the Year - non-passenger vehicle - three scratch-built passenger vans by David Taylor
• Chairman's Cup - passenger rolling stock - Roy Anderson's LCC E1 class bogie tram, with 2-rail or overhead pickups
• Modern Image Rose Bowl - Dave Davison produced a 2-car Metro-Cammell class 101 set
• President's Cup - steam outline locomotives - Bob Alderman's BR (ex-LMS) Jubilee Kolhapur from a DJH kit
• Peter Goodwin Memorial Trophy - awarded to the best overall model in the competition - Bob Alderman's Kolhapur

Two stalwart founder-members of the group (L David Goddard, R Lew Trump) demonstrate a more low-tech approach to baseboard preparation - application of a concrete block to rub down old glue!

If you are interested in joining - or just visiting - this happy band we meet in Exeter near Heavitree, and within easy reach of the M5 on the first Tuesday of every month from 7pm onwards, and also usually third Tuesday for working parties (though ring first to confirm). You can contact any of the following for instructions on finding us, and you'll be assured of a warm welcome.

David Taylor (Secretary) 01392 493790 D.L.Taylor@exeter.ac.uk

David Fouracre (Chairman) 01297 552868 or 01297 552915 info@thetoolbox.org.uk

Tailpiece ...

The approach to Dawlish Warren station from the east. C & L trackwork laid on carpet underlay, ballasted, scenery 'work in progress'.