last updated
18/09/2006
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THE WINNER OF THE 2007 CURLY BOWL RECEIVING HIS
TROPHY - CLICK ON PHOTO GALLERY ABOVE TO SEE MORE ABOUT THIS PRESTIGIOUS
EVENT HELD AT ABBEYDALE
Historical Information about the Sheffield & District Society of Model & Experimental Engineers Ltd.
Sheffield and District Society of Model and Experimental Engineers Ltd is a long established organisation, a founder member of the Northern Association of Model Engineers and a non-profit making company limited by guarantee.
The first mention of a model engineering society in Sheffield was as long ago as 1900. The Sheffield Branch of the Society of Model Engineers met in the YMCA, Fargate on 10th December, 1900 and model boilers were discussed, following which members were entertained with a number of ‘exceptionally clearly reproduced selections’ on a phonograph! Two weeks later the Society visited Sheffield Corporation Tramways’ power station at Kelham Island and viewed the 400 HP marine boilers with Corliss valve gear in action. The building is now the Kelham Island Industrial Museum. Further mention of meetings occurs in the ‘Model Engineer and Amateur Electrician’ in 1903 but then little more is known. However, the society was again active by 1937, when attendance was between twelve and eighteen members, and it has been in existence ever since. In 1945 we helped form the Northern Association of Model Engineers, to which we are still affiliated and under whose rules our inspectors issue boiler certificates. Our membership numbers around a hundred.
Prior
to moving to our current location at Abbeydale Road South in 1978, our raised
track and clubhouse was at Nether Edge. Before that the Society had a track on
the outskirts of Sheffield at Birley Moor, between Hackenthorpe and Mosborough.
We have an extensive, fully signalled dual gauge (7¼" and 5") ground
level track together with a multi-gauge (7¼" to 0 gauge) raised track and
a garden gauge (Gauge 1 and gauge 0) railway. We have loco unloading facilities,
covered steaming bays with compressed air and electricity, and a turntable.
Signalling is controlled either automatically by the loco drivers, or by a
signalman from a scaled down signal box. The system is fully interlocked using
electronics and pneumatics. There are two stations, two level crossings, two
footbridges and one over bridge, with some challenging gradients. The Society
owns a 7¼" gauge petrol hydraulic loco, ‘EDWARD’ and a 5" gauge
battery electric 'Hymek' loco, built by the members. We also build and operate
traction engines, stationary engines and machinery.
The
Society's premises are located in an ancient woodland, alongside the burbling
Limb Brook, and regularly visited by all kinds of birds, wildlife and people!
The Society has its own clubhouse with a meeting room, kitchen, workshop, loco
shed and carriage shed.
Members can use the facilities at any time and we open for public running, weather permitting, on alternate Sunday afternoons and Bank Holiday Mondays throughout the summer months. During winter months Sunday mornings are workdays whilst we have meetings on the first and third Friday of the month. The 'retired contingent' meet all day Wednesdays to carry out maintenance and development work, and to natter whilst consuming large quantities of coffee, tea and biscuits.
