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MERG West Midlands Area Group (WMAG)

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How do I contact the Area Group

* Replace NN with the number of your area group - get from the AG admin page. Update the contact form title. *

Who is the leader of the group?

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Allan Gardner M6237 - Group Leader

Would you like to join today?

Not a member? then

and sign up to this Area Group. If you are already a member

Select West Midlands Area Group from the drop-down list in Other Area Groups and press the Subscribe to Area Group button.

How do you meet?

Provide meeting details

In normal times we meet at the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society's premises Titford Pump House, Engine Street, OLDBURY, West Midlands B69 4NL.


There is plenty of car parking – mostly on Engine Street, some within the Pump House compound. The address above includes a Google maps link.

All facilities are at ground level.

We meet four times a year in January, April July and October. We hold two meetings on a Saturday and the other two on a Sunday.

GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS ON GATHERINGS AND TRAVEL Due to the restrictions we are unable to meet at the moment. Sadly, we have to cancel our meeting scheduled for October. Clearly we remain in uncertain times but will meet again once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

What does the group get up to?

Our days meeting normally starts at 10:00 am and concludes at 16:00.

The day is split into two parts.

The morning session is more formal in so far as we have one or more guest speakers. The topics are far-ranging. Take a look at the next section to see some of our previous meetings.

The afternoon session is informal and generally consists of:

  1. Members working on their current project (normally a KIT). We will do our best to help with construction and problem-solving.
  2. Talking to presenters about the days topic.
  3. Passing the day talking all thing model railway electronics.

We charge a modest £3 for the day which we donate to our venue host for the use of the Pumphouse.

We do not charge for tea, coffee or the superb cakes that are kindly supplied by one of our members' wives.

What Have We Done Previously?

And the Next Meeting?

DateEventDescriptionLocationLink
10:00 14-AprWest Midlands Area Group Spring MeetingDavid Roberts will talk on 'The installation of Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders in locomotives' The discussion will include the types of interface which may be encountered and also look briefly at ‘Stay Alive’ systems and accessory wiring. Some practical examples will be discussed and the talk will conclude with a demonstration of a DCC sound-equipped locomotive. Tony Chamberlain will present,'Shunting' A brief look at shunting with a GWR flavour. Track layouts, methodology of operating Pickup goods trains and various examples. Tony will then follow on with a local focus theme, 'The Enigma of Oldbury GWR'.BCNS, TITFORD PUMP HOUSE, ENGINE STREET, OLDBURTYLink

What is Happening Online?

Zoom online Meetings Currently, WMAG members are participating in the Zoom calls being organised by the nearby East Midlands, Warwickshire and North Oxfordshire and the Virtual area groups.

Some forthcoming activities are as follows: -

East Midlands Area Group

The East Midlands Area Group hosts a very popular call once per month.

DateEventDescriptionLocationLink
10:00 19-MayMERG East Midlands Area Group face to face meeting May 2024Railcom themed meeting including demonstrations and a talk by Michael SmithKingsway Centre, Wellingborough

Warwickshire and North Oxfordshire Area Group

Our colleagues at Warwick and North Oxford AG are holding biweekly virtual meetings on a Wednesday evening. East Midlands AG are also holding monthly virtual all-day meeting. The schedule of both these groups is given below. If you are interested in attending these groups sign up here and select ‘join area group’.

DateEventDescriptionLocationLink

Virtual Area Group

The Virtual Area Group offers short one hour presentations and discussions every week. Active participants call in from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Icelend, UK and USA.

DateEventDescriptionLocationLink
20:00 05-AprMonthly Virtual AG meetingOnline Zoom Meeting

What Local Organisations do we work with?

Link to local model railway sites.

The MERG West Midlands Area Group have attended model railway exhibitions, organised by the following clubs: -

Stafford Railway Circle

Bourneville Model Railway Club

Warley Model Railway Club

public/westmids.1601739912.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/10/03 15:45 by johnstoncg

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