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Canterbury & District Model Engineering Society |
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Canterbury & District Model Engineering Society |
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"All Steamed Up in Sturry"
By Chris Davey
There was plenty of steam being ‘let off’ on Saturday and Sunday 10th and 11th August when the Canterbury and District Model Engineering Society held its 6th ‘Trains and Traction’ Weekend at its miniature railway at Brett’s Quarry, Sturry.
The society has operated its 5-inch gauge railway at Sturry for 30-years but in recent years the members who have specialised in building miniature railway locomotives have been joined by a number of model engineers interested in building, owning and running miniature traction engines and steam lorries.
On the Saturday the society’s track was given over to visitors from other model engineering clubs from around Kent and further afield and this year locomotives, built either to ¾-inch or 1-inch scale and their owners spent the day running on the 750-foot long circuit.
On the Sunday the event was open to the public and this year saw a record number of visitors with around 900 people enjoying rides on the miniature railway and behind a number of the miniature traction engines and steam lorries which range in scale from 2-inches to the foot to half full size, and are all miniature versions of the type’s of vehicles found around farms and on the road’s before the widespread use of tractors and diesel lorries.
Canterbury and District Model Engineering Society committee member Lyn Wildish who helped organised the event said “This was our most successful year and judging from the comments we received from our visitors everybody had a most enjoyable time. We are especially pleased that the view from many people was that it was nice to attend an event that was not blatantly commercial and we like to think that with the kind co-operation of Brett’s we are able to run a day where we can share our hobby with others and put on a good show as well”
