The Hastings Model Railway club was formed in 1956 and has
continued to operate since that date. The club meets on the second
Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm except in January. Meetings are
held at members' homes and involve a presentation by the host member
and a visit to their layout if they have one. Recent topics for
meetings have been benchwork, scenery, digital command control and kit
construction.
Club members follow a wide variety of interests including NZR, UK
and American prototype and scales from Z to 16mm. Operating systems
range through live steam/radio controlled to digital command control
electrical and layouts include a garden railway (see included
photograph), 7mm scale UK, and HO and N American. The December meeting
of the club is a barbecue meeting, which is usually held at the
Keirunga Live Steam complex in Havelock North. During this meeting
members of the club who are also members of the "Live
Steamers" operate their locomotives and wagons for the club
families.
In 1977, when the club celebrated its 21st year of
operation, the Dannevirke Model Railway club presented a photo of NZR
Ab 738 to be presented annually to the member of the club who was
considered to have most stimulated activities during the previous
twelve months. It is a mark of the success of the club that, apart
from 1989 and 1990, the award has been presented every year since and
has been shared by up to three members in some years.
In addition to the above activities there is an N gauge modular
group which meets and is currently involved in the construction of a
series of modules.
Membership of the club has been growing steadily in recent years
and now stands at 23. The annual subscription is $6.00 to cover
postage of notice of meetings and our two monthly newssheet
"Country Railways".
The contact for prospective members is through the club secretary:
Tony Simons
11 Tanner Street
Havelock North
Ph 06 8778855.
