Regular Meetings
Held on Tuesday afternoons commencing at 1.30pm in our Armidale clubroom.The club room is in the Armidale Station yard opposite the Armidale Railway Station. Access changes from time to time depending on trackwork.
At present access is via a gate at the end of a short, gravel laneway between New England Secure Storage and Evans Printing Services, 213 and 211 Mann Street Armidale.
Layouts
The Club has three layouts available for use by members. A fixed layout to HO/OO scale with code 100 track is located in the Armidale clubrooms. It features Up and Down tracks, a station yard, crossing loops and sidings.
Our second layout, "SWANVALE", is a portable HO scale exhibition layout. Measuring 6.3m x 3.3m it features double mainline running with a branchline. Three different trains to be run at any one time. It has a twelve track "fiddleyard", with four tracks each for the two mainlines.
This layout can be operated by up to four people. It is constantly being improved and updated - upgrading and maintaining the layout is a continuous task. The layout has its own trailer for transport. Over the past few years, the layout has been displayed at exhibitions in Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra, Murwillumbah, Moree and Wagga Wagga. The layout won the award for Best Layout at the Canberra Model Railway Exhibition in March 2008.
The third layout is a U-drive layout, which is a smaller (2.4m by 1.2m), table mounted, double loop set up for "Thomas the Tank Engine". This is always a big hit at exibitions with younger (potential) modellers.
The Club supports local charities and members can attend local fetes and fairs in the New England area and North East NSW with "SWAN VALE" or the smaller "Thomas" layout.
Club Newsletter
A club newsletter is published bi-monthly. It contains articles contributed by members. It is circulated to all financial members.
Exhibitions
The Club has organised some of the best country model railway exhibitions in NSW. Normally held in Armidale or Inverell, members are encouraged to participate in the organisation and running of the exhibition. The last exhibition was held in Inverell in 2015.
New England Convention
Held for the first time in March 2001, the New England Convention was the first model railway convention in NSW held outside a major city. This and several other Conventions were held at the Yaraandoo Environmental Interpretive Centre, near Ebor on the New England plateau. Conventions have since been held in Armidale in November 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022 with the next convention tentatively scheduled for 2024.
Annual Christmas Party
The Club puts on a Christmas function every year towards the end of November. Over the last few years it has been held at a number of venues, including Copeton Waters State Park near Inverell, the Walcha Road Hotel and the Werris Creek Bowling Club. All members and their families are invited to attend this last official Club activity every year.