It was with great delight that I informed my parents about the model club about to be formed.  They, however, were not so keen.  Having read the article in the paper I do not think my father was all that sure as to what models the club would be featuring, after all it does say "any sort of modeling". 

That article was responsible, in the early days, for more than one person turning up with a camera, only to leave when they found that the models on display were not quite what they expected. 

I have never been one to give up easily so, after much badgering, my parents agreed that if the chap from the youth club came back with a favourable report after the first meeting, I could go with him the following week to see what it was like. 

Well the report was favourable and that, coupled with the report in the local paper, was sufficient for me to be allowed to attend the next meeting.  This I did and I promptly joined what was then the "Ruislip & Ickenham Model Club".   

Memories of that first meeting are, after almost 50 years, somewhat vague.  But what I do recall is that I was made welcome and I recall the variety of models that had been brought along to the meeting. Also, for a 14 year old, there seemed an awful lot of people there. 

As the model club now met with my parents’ approval, and Ickenham was considered to be relatively safe for a young boy at night, I became a regular attendee.  (As my father was a prominent member of the local council, and a JP, I suspect that a few judicious enquiries had been made). 

As far as I can remember the membership gradually increased with most members having an interest in railways from "00" to 5" gauge.  I can remember a visit to Camden Loco shed with the club on 5th December 1948.  I assume that I had dressed appropriately as I do not recall getting into trouble as I had done some years earlier when I had visited Kings Cross loco shed with the scouts.  This was due to my mother insisting that her little boy was turned out in his best clothes on that occasion. 

According to reports in the local paper meetings covered the following :- 

21/10/48  A talk on building a drilling machine by Mr. Cruttenden and the display of a "Maid of Kent" chassis by Mr. Fairbairn.

19/11/48 A Member from Slough presented the club with a notice board "Emblazoned with the club title in gold lettering"

03/12/48.  31 persons were present including a visitor from the Harrow club. 

The ARP hut was only considered as a temporary home for the club and the committee was very keen to find somewhere they could set up a workshop.  At that time the Ickenham Community Association were trying to get the use of Ickenham Hall, the big old house opposite Ickenham station which is in front of the Compass Theatre. 

The club became affiliated to the Community Association and the meeting place was changed to a room in Ickenham Hall, which the Community Association had by then taken over.  The first club meeting in Ickenham Hall took place on 14th January 1949.  From the report in the local paper it would appear that it had been agreed that a railway could be built in the grounds.  From later reports it would appear that this announcement was a little premature.   

The local paper for 28th January 1949 gave notice that the Ruislip and Ickenham Model Club would now be called the Ickenham & District Society of Model Engineers.  The report also stated that the club was awaiting a reply from the Community Association regarding a track and workshop.  Total members were given as 42 and plans for an exhibition in February were mentioned. 

Ickenham Hall was formally opened by County Alderman Mrs. E. Danials on Saturday 5th February 1949.  The club was eventually given permission to use one of the rooms in the attic as a workshop and this was duly fitted out with a lathe, bench with vice, and a selection of hand tools. 

Although there was every hope that the club would be allowed to build a railway in the grounds, there was no money forthcoming from the Community Association.  As the club had little money itself it was decided to build a portable track that could be used at various fete's to raise money for a proper track. 

The club managed to acquire some ex-government scaffold tube which was transported from Harefield on a horse drawn milk float by one of the members one evening and, if I remember correctly, without lights.  This scaffold tube was all duly carted upstairs to the attic workshop. 

As the provision of a portable track was considered to be a priority, working parties used to meet in the workshop on nights other than Fridays, which was kept for formal meetings. 

The construction of the portable track was reported in the local paper for 25th February 1949.  To start off with things went on alright with me being given the job of drilling holes with a hand operated bench drill.  The design of the track required the legs to fold up and this required the end of the scaffold tube legs to be flattened and this was when trouble started.  It would seem that the noise reverberated through the whole building and upset the other users, in particular the Spiritualists, who made one hell of a fuss.  The noise was apparently preventing them getting through to the "other side". 

The first club exhibition took place in the Village Hall on 14th May and was reported in the local paper on 20th May 1949.  The paper reports on the exhibition in some detail and mentions the aircraft models and in particular a model of a jet plane. 

We have a photo that I believe was taken at this exhibition showing a portable track which looks to be the one owned at that time by the Kodak Society.  The club portable track was not finished until later due to problems in using the workshop.  This is confirmed by a report in the local paper for 12th August 1949 which states that the club had "nearly completed 100 feet of portable passenger carrying track".  It then goes on to say that the track had "been successfully used at garden parties and fetes". 

I think the first part is right and what should have been reported was the intention to use it at garden parties and fetes.  I think the photo we have of Mr. Clarabut driving a loco is the first or one of the first times the club portable track was used.  This would make the date around August/September 1949. 

In the paper for 19th Sept.1949 there is an appeal for more members interested in boats.  Also reported is the unbelievable statement "the smaller gauge sections are thoroughly organised!" 

An interesting fact about the press reports around this time is there is no mention of Ickenham Hall as the meeting place and I believe it was around this time that the club started to have problems with the Community Association.  In fact I think the workshop went not long after the fuss over the noise which was the reason the track was not finished for the May exhibition.  I can only remember helping in the workshop on two or three occasions and on each occasion there was a complaint about the noise. 

Further evidence of the fact that the workshop had been removed, or was not being used, is given in the local paper for 19th August1949 where it states that the club "hope to move into a new workshop shortly". 

By the middle of 1949 the club had a large number of members who were into model aircraft.  This occurred when the club became affiliated to the Community Association.  I suspect that there was already a model aircraft club who wanted to be, or who were already, affiliated to the Association and the deal was that the club had to join forces with them if they were to become affiliated. 

The problem was the model aircraft lads were not happy with meetings in which a lot of old buffers did nothing but talk about steam engines and who wanted to spend what little cash there was building a track on which to run them.  They wanted their own club, but if they wanted to have use of the Community Association building and land they had to stick with the way things were.  I do not think the club was all that happy with having the aircraft modelers, but they had to put up with them if they wanted the use of the Association land for their track. 

For some reason the Community Association would not entertain two separate dubs.  The model aircraft lads were really put out by all this and they used to disrupt the Friday meetings by holding their own separate meeting in the same room.  Whilst they did this at the back it made life somewhat difficult, particularly when they used to start up the odd aero engine.  It all came to a head one Friday when one of the aircraft modelers proposed to demonstrate a ram jet in the room whilst club matters were being discussed. 

The old buffers finally revolted and the aircraft modelers were thrown out, only to start up the ram jet in the grounds.  It made quite an interesting noise which did nothing to improve our already strained relationship with the other members of the Association. 

The club meetings moved to the Memorial Hall, opposite the "Fox and Geese" pub.  Also all prospective new members were asked what their modeling interests were and if it was aircraft they were refused membership. 

It is not possible to determine the exact date of this move but it must have been after 19th August 1949, the last mention of Ickenham Hall as the meeting place, and 21st October 1949, the date of the report that the club had obtained a catering licence to allow them to serve refreshments at their weekly meetings.  This was required, at that time, because the Memorial Hall had no kitchen. 

The fact that the Memorial Hall had no kitchen caused me problems when my mother found out that I used to be sent over to the "Fox and Geese" pub for a bucket of water to boil up for the tea.  Being a Welsh Methodist she did not relish the thought of her little boy going into a pub.  As far as she was concerned they were all dens of iniquity. 

In the local paper for 14th October1949 there is a report of a talk given by Arthur Dunn and also mention of another small exhibition to be held in the Memorial Hall that night.  The following week's local paper reported that "the following prizes were awarded: Mr Scott, £1 1s. for a new power boat: Mr Townsend, 10s. 6d. for 00 gauge G D Pannier tank: Mr Whitfield for 0 gauge layout".   

The local paper continues with reports of meetings in the Memorial Hall usually of short talks given by members, for example:- 

28th October 1949. Talk by Mr. Ablet on boat building and Mr Sales showed his 3 ½" gauge loco.

4th November 1949.  Talk by Mr. Harvey on the history of cameras. Mr. Chandler showed parts he had machined for the club drilling machine.

11th November1949. Talk by Mr. Sexton on restoring his 0 gauge layout after war time storage.  (Mr.

The visit to the private workshop to see the 1½ scale loco was, I believe, the first visit to Harry George, who was landlord of a small pub somewhere between Hayes and Harmondsworth.  The main bar of the pub was only about 6 feet by 8 feet.  It was lit by oil or gas lamps as there was no electrical supply and the beer was in barrels on a shelf at the back of the bar.  The pub was run by Harry's wife as he spent his time in his workshop in the back yard.  The workshop was a lot bigger than the pub bar.  Down the middle was a long bench on which was a 7¼" gauge LMS 4-6-2 with tender.  Against the left hand wall was a fitted bench above which was a 3½" model of the same loco.  On the opposite side of the workshop was a large treadle lathe. 

Harry was a retired engineer and was building the loco exactly to the LMS works drawings. The smaller model was built first to sort out any problems before building the larger engine. 

Harry had a whole file of letters between himself and the LMS works where he had picked up errors in their drawings and written asking for them to be corrected.  I think some of the more serious were corrected by them but Harry was not happy about them not correcting them all.  There were a large number of full size locos built to these drawings so, obviously, the fitters ignored the errors when they found them and did what they knew to be right. 

It was reported in the paper for 6th January 1950 that the club drilling machine was finally assembled and demonstrated at the meeting on December 30th.  The idea of the drilling machine was that it could be borrowed by members for drilling loco frames etc.  Older members will no doubt recall the many sagas as to its whereabouts, the loaning out never being documented.  It was usually returned when the borrower got something better, often some years later. 

At all Friday night meetings there were always models or parts of models under construction brought along by members.  These were put on a table and after the formal meeting had finished members were free to examine one another’s work.  This allowed those less experienced to see how things were made and ask the builders how things were done.  It also gave rise to discussion among groups of members about all sorts of subjects. 

As a youngster this was often the most interesting part of the meeting.  This was done at all the meetings, even if there was a visiting speaker, as meetings usually only lasted one and a half or at the most two hours, and then tea was served.  As the meetings started at 7.30 pm there was still time for a chat before we had to vacate the Memorial Hall at 10pm.  If there was a formal talk it was usually given by a club member.  Visiting speakers, other than members from other clubs, came only occasionally. 

1950 started with a talk by a visiting speaker on the railways of India. According to the local paper he illustrated his talk with a number of models.  The year then continued with talks being given by various members on matters ranging from the construction of a 3½" gauge railway to boat building and the construction of miniature petrol engines. 

The local paper for 10th February 1950 reported that "the possibility of holding an exhibition was discussed".  The local paper reports make no further reference to an exhibition although one must have been held as the edition for 21st July 1950 has an extensive report with a picture of Mr Sexton’s 0 gauge layout.  From the report in the local paper it was quite an exhibition.  

There was a visit by a speaker from the Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co at the end of February.  This, together with a talk a few weeks later about the signaling at "Beconscot", spurred me on to greater endeavours with the signaling on my railway in the garden.   

On 10th March Mr. Gazeley presented the club with a cup to be awarded to the competitor who produced the best workmanship in any model constructed for that year. 

The last mention of the club in the local paper for 1950 is in the addition for 24th November which gives details of a number of films that had been shown, one of which illustrated the construction of the first stage of the new Esso refinery at Fawley.  Many years later I remembered this film when I had some dealings with a boiler for an extension to the refinery.   

The meeting on 11th February 1951 is one that I can recall as it was a talk on pattern making and I can remember having a not very successful go myself.  This talk was given by Messrs Hilless and Musk of the Watford club.

The next report in the paper is of the exhibition held in the Village Hall on 16th June.  This was supported by models from the Acton and Harrow Societies.   

The year continued with talks by various members, one of these being Peter Tarrent, who was at that time a fireman on the Western Region.  I can remember this talk as I found it very interesting, Peter Tarrent being a very entertaining speaker. 

There were two visiting speakers, Mr. Nunn the railway photographer and Mr. Karren who gave a talk about sailing ships "Illustrated by lantern slides".  In the paper for 30th November there is an extensive report of the club model contest held on 23rd November.  Amongst the awards listed is one to Colin Adams for a model of St Giles Church, and a Frigate. (I assume separate models). 

The year 1952 started off alright with a report in the paper about once a month.  The paper for 25th January 1952 mentions a talk given by Jack Rodway on gear cutting in the amateurs’ workshop. 

The next report gave details of a welding demonstration by Mr. Arthur Haddaway.  This I found interesting as Arthur's technique was not quite the same as I had been shown as part of my apprenticeship. 

Arthur and his brother Tom, who was also a member, were an interesting couple.  Builders by trade they were both into model steam loco's, the building of which owed little to the more recognized engineering methods.  The Haddaway brothers not only built houses they also did the plumbing and electrical work.  There was one occasion when Arthur was doing some electrical work in the house of another club member when he succeeded in putting out the whole street.  He is reported to have said to the concerned house owner "don't worry if I’m quick I can connect this up before they get the supply back on". 

To return then to the main story, the next report in the paper was on the 14th March reporting a talk by Mr. Starck who "explained his construction methods".  What this was all about I have no idea.  Also reported was that the plans for the Annual Exhibition were nearly complete. 

The next report on the 16th May gave details of how well the preparations for the "forthcoming" exhibition were going but no date for it. 

The paper for the 6th June reports on a visit to the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway and the final talk of the programme given by Mr. K N Harris.  Also, at last, the date of 14th June for the exhibition. 

I think it was around this time that one of the incidents that have become one of the club legends occurred.  Somehow the club came to hear of a disabled model engineer who wanted a motorized wheel chair to enable him to get about.  How they came to hear of him I don't know as he lived some distance away.  In a great fit of philanthropy the club decided to help.  Someone knew of a suitable wheelchair that was in need of renovation.  This was duly acquired and Peter Fairbairn and Harry Sales set about doing what was needed to put it in order.  When the work was completed the model engineer was contacted and it was agreed that the wheel chair would be sent to him by rail. 

The problem was how to get the wheel chair to West Ruislip station.  At that time motorized wheel chairs were not the fancy things they are today.  They were like the old fashioned three wheel bath chair, two wheels at the back, one in front.  It was finally decided that Peter Fairbairn would tow it with his car and Harry would sit in the chair to steer it.  This duly took place one Saturday morning.  As this was done in secret there is no known photo of the event. 

It is not known if the model engineer got the chair, and if he did, whether he was pleased with it, as nothing more was heard from him. 

The first mention in the papers for 1953 was on 6th February when talks by four junior members, Messrs Ward, Sollis, Adams and Kedge were reported as the speakers.  These members were trying to complete there models in time for the Annual Exhibition to be held on 2Oth June. 

The next report in the paper was about a talk given by Mr. Fleetwood-Shawe on 13th February.  The club had previously paid a visit to Mr. Fleetwood-Shawe to see his 00 gauge layout which, I believe, was quite extensive.  Although I did not go to see the layout I remember the talk.  Mr. Fleetwood-Shawe was the sort of modeler who made you want to give up as he did things that at that time were considered not practical. 

Also reported was that the club was rebuilding the portable track.  The track, as built, had aluminum rail on wood sleepers.  I think this was when this was replaced by steel strip on edge gas welded to steel sleepers.

The report in the paper on 27th February was about a talk given by Messrs Rodway and Fairbairn on the basic principles of electricity.  Also reported was that a number of visits had been planned and also several members had been asked to give talks to other societies. 

In the 1950's it was quite usual to have visitors from other societies at the Friday meetings and it was quite normal for Ickenham members to attend other societies meetings.  I can remember going to both the Harrow and Harlington Society Meetings. 

In the paper for 8th May is a report together with a picture of the club members exhibition held on 1st May.  The picture shows junior member Mr. Kedge with his model of a sailing dinghy which won the junior cup.  The report goes on to name the other cup winners and ends with :- 

'The live steam members have had many requests to use their popular railway track to give rides at Coronation festivities in the area and will be doing so at Ickenham Community Centre". 

The winter seasons programme started with an auction conducted by Arthur Dunn on 2nd October.  On 16th October there was a talk given by Mr. Robertson who was secretary of the London area of the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society.  The club became a member of the Preservation Society at this meeting and remained a member until some time in the 1960's when the membership of such groups did not receive the then chairmen’s blessing.  This talk was of particular interest to me as I had spent a week in the summer cycling round North Wales looking at a number of narrow gauge railways, most of which were still working at that time.  I had, however, not managed to get to Towyn.   There is a limit to how much you can do in a week when you only have muscle power to get you there.  It was my intention to spend a second week cycling, looking at what had been missed, but I had a disagreement with a sheep when going down a steep hill and ended up hors de combat. 

In the paper for 18th December it is reported that there was a discussion on "various matters relating to their headquarters".  This would have been about the time the negotiations for the purchase of the present site started.  Also reported was that the final arrangements for the annual Christmas party, which was to be held on the 19th, were agreed. 

The local paper decided to make 1954 more interesting by introducing, unannounced, a game, "guess where we have hidden the small items of local news this week".  The paper for 1st January 1954 reports that the party was a success and was "the best ever". 

Meetings continued with things of interest to members. One item was the preliminary testing of Ken Bolley's boiler. 

At one time boiler testing was always carried out at Friday night meetings.  The ceiling in the present club house bore witness to a number of incidents when something untoward occurred, until it was replaced after the fire. 

Talks were given by Harry Sales the "well known local member" on induction motors and Mr. Tovey on "the working of his electrode boiler". 

On 12th March there was a film show by Lewis Coles.  The films were of "road locomotives and steam tractors owned by fellow enthusiasts at Weymouth" and Old Oak Common loco shed.  At this time Lewis was a member of the Kodak Society. 

On 2nd April it is reported that the Society "are getting their passenger hauling locomotives and wagons ready for the summer fete's". 

The last mention in the paper for 1954 was on 29th October when it was reported that the winter season started with the club auction conducted by Arthur Dunn. 

The end of 1954 also brings to an end this narrative as the object was to document some of the club early history up to the time the present site was acquired.  Others will no doubt carry on the task I started.

Peter Reynolds - 1998

SOME INTERESTING PICTURES

The first exhibition. 14 May 1949. The local paper report describes it as being in the Village Hall with locomotives running "in a neighbouring field". The location of the field has been suggested as the one by the ARP Hut (Swakeleys Road beyond Ivy House Road).	Clubhouse opening: 18 June 1955. Peter Fairbairn, by then IDSME Chairman, introduces Cllr Staples - presumably of the just chartered Borough of Uxbridge. (Fairbairn on dias, Staples to his left.)	Clubhouse opening: 18 June 1955. Cllr Staples opens the door to new clubhouse with a golden key (presumably polished brass!). Arthur Dunn far left; to Cllr Staples right are Helen Fairbairn, Peter Fairbairn, Len Gross (secretary) and Fred Houchin (treasurer).
Peter Fairburn and Maid of Eastcote, 1950. Peter Fairbairn, one of the society's early members, with his 5 inch gauge 4-4-0 locomotive at what is believed to be IDSME's 1950 exhibition day.	A Variety of old IDSME Tickets	A Special ticket marking the 100,000 passenger at IDSME. This entitled unlimited free travel at all 1998 running days