Painting above show
The Manor House in 1951 under renovation, before becoming
used by Solihull clubs including Solihull Model Railway.
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Club
Premises
It was 92 years since Charles Darwin wrote the 'Origin
of Species'. Queen Victoria had died 50 years earlier
and it was 39 years since the sinking of the Titanic.
Ernest Rutherford split the atom 34 years earlier and
the first Labour government came to power 27 years ago.
John Logie Baird invented television and A. A. Milne
wrote 'Winnie the Pooh' 26 years before and women over
21 were given the vote 23 years earlier. The Second
World War had ended 6 years ago, the National Health
Service had started 3 years earlier and King George
VI was on the throne. It was the year of the Festival
of Britain and one hundred years since the Great Exhibition
in Hyde Park. It would be 12 more years before William
Hartnell as Doctor Who hit the British screens, 15 before
fellow William, the Canadian Mr. Shatner, starred as
James Tiberius Kirk in Star Trek. 18 years would pass
before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Britain was
about to see another important event...
The club was formed between October and December 1951,
following a letter published in the October 1951 Model
Railway News from R.W. Mewett of Knightsbridge Road,
Olton, Solihull. In the December 1951 edition of MRN,
Mr. R. Smith of Highwood Avenue, Olton, Solihull, the
Honourary Secretary of the newly formed Solihull and
District Model Railway Club, wrote to explain that the
club had been formed as a result of Mr. Mewett's letter
and that Mr. Mewett had become the club President.
In the Model Railway Constructor of December 1952, a
letter from the club was published saying that they
met every alternate Thursday evening at 7:30pm at the
Manor House in Solihull. They had built a test track
to 4mm scale in 16.5mm gauge that worked in 2-rail or
3-rail format and were adding scenery with a view to
display at future exhibitions. They were holding a social
evening on the 18th December for friends and were showing
an exhibition of models and photographs. Prospective
new members were invited to contact the Honourary Secretary,
Mr. R. Smith. The club met on alternate Thursday evenings
at 7:30 at the Manor House in Solihull.
In the MRC of July 1953, a letter says that the club
was visited on June 11th by Mr. Prosser of the Tal-y-Llyn
Railway Preservation Society who gave a lecture and
film show about the railway. A visit to Mr. Woodward's
layout in Handsworth had been arranged for the 25th
of June. A meeting was planned for the 20th November
when there were to be 10 minute talks from members and
a 'track night'. Another meeting was planned for the
4th December which was to involve preliminary work for
the meeting to be held on the 18th of December which
was to be a social evening for friends and an exhibition
of models and photographs. Potential new members were
invited to contact the Honourary Secretary, now P.M.
Downes of Dene Court Road, Olton, Solihull.
The club was originally called the Solihull & District
Model Railway Club, changing after 1953 and at least
by 1965 to the Solihull & District Model Railway
Circle and, around 1971, shortened to the Solihull Model
Railway Circle.
N.B. The club has only just begun its research into
its early history and has much reference material still
to examine and write up. The Secretary wishes to apologise
for his obsession with science fiction and general silliness
and would like to add that the views expressed are entirely
personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the
rest of the club members who are mostly sensible and
well-balanced individuals.
Some examples of other club start
dates are as follows:
Birmingham Model Railway Club - 1928
Warley Model Railway Club - 1966
Redditch Model Railway Club - 1967
Sutton Coldfield Railway Society - 1968
Birmingham & District Model Railway Construction
Group - formed a breakaway group from the Solihull group
back in 1977 |
