Workshop on soldering
We regularly run a series of workshops for beginners, we we are running them again in 2025. Though aimed at newcomers more experienced modellers are welcome to come and learn new skills.
All workshops begin at 5 pm and last for about 60 minutes, though some may be as long as 90 minutes. The following courses are planned for 2025, the first will be on January 22nd. We will try to have a workshop every alternate week after this, though inevitably some dates will need to be moved.
| Date | Title | Lecturer | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jan | Designing your layout | DH | Keeping it simple! |
| 5 Feb | Building a baseboard | AW | Basics and options |
| 19 Feb | Realistic, reliable track | NL | Realistic track geometry, reliable operation. |
| 5 Mar | no talk planned | ||
| 19 Mar | Basic electricity 1 | DH | Fundamentals, safety precautions, power sources, components |
| 2 Apr | Basic electricity 2 | MLM | Use of basic test equipment. Controllers |
| 16 Apr | How a model loco works | CR | Main components, pickups, motor, commutator, common faults. |
| 30 Apr | Soldering technique 1 | NW | Basic safety then hands on assembling MERG basic kits. |
| 14 May | Soldering technique 2 | NW | Continued, electrical soldering. |
| 28 May | Wiring the layout | CR | Applying 'basic electricity' principles |
| 11 Jun | Scenery - general | RH | Basics - landscape, hills and contours, seasons, rural/urban, use of perspective. |
| 25 Jun | Backscenes | NL | Purpose, pitfalls, how to produce one. |
| 9 Jul | Trees deciduous and conifer | DH | Hands on - make and dress the armature. |
| 23 Jul | Card buildings 1 | CW | Making a Metcalf kit. |
| 6 Aug | Card buildings 2 | CW | Finish kit |
| 20 Aug | Thatching | DH | Materials provided. |
| 3 Sep | Lighting the layout | PM | General illumination. Buildings, streets, yards. |
| 17 Sep | Signalling the layout | NL | Why, what, where, when. |
| 1 Oct | Painting and weathering | PS/CW | Hand brush V airbrush v spray. Weathering powders |
| 17 Oct | Decals | NL | Different types, applying decals. |
| 29 Oct | Rolling stock maintenance | Cleaning, back-to-backs, couplings. | |
| 12 Nov | 3D printing | JC | Demonstration |
| 26..Nov | Introduction to DCC | GP | Theory and practice. Control functions. |
Lecturers: DH-David Harrington: AW-Andrew Wrobel: NL-Noel Leaver: GP–Greg Phillips: EJ-Ed Jackman: CR-Chris Roberts: RH – Richard Harris: TH-Terry Hillyer: NW-Neil Watson: CW-Chris Webster: PS-Pete Smith: JE-Julian Evison: JC-John Chase: PM – Paula Martin
For club members PowerPoint presentations for some of the workshops are available in the members only area in case you miss one, and we hope to video this years workshops and then make them available.