A quick look through the earlier volumes of the ‘Model Engineer’ magazine, reveals a number of references to the club. The first mention of “Taunton” is however nothing to do with model engineering, but a five page report in February 1912 of a lecture to the Taunton and District Motor Cycling Club, by the wonderfully named - T.Goldsworthy-Crump! It was not until February 1934 that a Mr. R.Franklin made an appeal in the editorial columns, for others in the West Country to contact him at his address in Sherford, where he had a 2 ½” gauge track and some passenger carrying trolleys. Ten years later in July 1944, A.P.Drake asked any ‘ME’ readers in the area to call in for “a crack and a smoke”. But the really big news appeared in an editorial on August 8th 1946 which reported ‘Taunton’s Good Start’, after the inaugural meeting in Mr. C.A.Lindner’s garden in Trull Road, at which twenty members paid a year’s subscription.
The first exhibition was held in the North Street Congregational Hall in August 1950, the highlights being mentioned in the Club Announcements section in the September 14th issue. Frank Bettles’ Burrell showman’s road locomotive and Garrett threshing machine, and a radio controlled boat M.V.Devonshire, by C.N.Unwin all got a mention. The September 29th 1955 Club Chat reported another exhibition held in a café adjoining the Odeon Cinema, and Club News on December 1st 1965 contained a report and photographs of an exhibition at the Taunton Country Fair, held near Heathfield on the Milverton Road. An editorial in December 1981 announced the holding of an exhibition in the Municipal Hall being organised by a certain A.F.Gosling! This would seem to be the first of a series of biennial exhibitions which eventually became the annual show that we are all used to today. 1986 saw the club’s participation in the “Wheels of Power” show at the County Museum: models by Jim Bowler, Tom Mallet, Alec Hadfield, Fred Dodden and Stan Joyce all got a mention. The 1990 exhibition was personally reported by the then Editor, Ted Jolliffe, and includes a mention of Noel Whiting’s magnetic chuck; the January 18th 1991 issue had a cover picture of the oscillating wall engine made by Mark Davis.
After that first meeting in Mr Lindner’s garden, it would seem that a good relationship was struck with the Congregational Church, as meetings in a clubroom there on alternate Saturdays are mentioned in Club Announcements in September 1950. The establishment of the club workshop at Somerset Motors in Wellington Road is not recorded until a brief history in the February 1973 Club News notes that those premises had to be given up; from then on meetings were held at the Taunton Rugby Club. In May 1979 it is recorded that the club had been given permission to build a track in Vivary Park and it was then able to use the adjacent pavilion as a clubhouse. The break-in to these premises was noted in September 1994, the meetings at St. Augustine of Canterbury School in October 1994 and the move to Stoke St. Mary village hall in February 2001.
As with most model engineering societies the main interest was in steam locomotives and so the search for a miniature railway track site started early. In December 1948 the laying of an outdoor track was postponed until finer weather, but work progressed on the production of components. (What and where was that?). Planning approval for the track in Vivary Park was reported in May 1979, the opening and the tenth anniversary following in June 1980 and August 1990 respectively. Efficiency trials were reported in April 1992, with extensive alterations being planned in the December of that year. The July 17th 1998 issue contains an article by David Hartland relating the club’s experiences with water troughs on the elevated track and includes pictures of members showing that it really does work! The only member that I recognise is Noel Whiting; perhaps someone could record the names of the others before we all forget. The first hint of a ground level track was reported in April 1986, but a site was still being sought in August 1995 and April 1999. The May 17th 2002 issue reports the proposed track site at Creech St. Michael.
Vic Samson gets a mention in 1956 as having cut a 3 ½” gauge bogie from the solid, presumably for his French Compound locomotive. In 1979 he met the editor at that time, “Laurie” Lawrence, at the Bristol IMLEC where this locomotive was admired; its sale at an auction after his death was noted in February 2003.
Ron Dauben’s excellent work interesting younger people in model engineering is noted in March and August 1994, and an article “Going Limited” by Paul Norton appeared in November 1995. The club’s difficulties in challenging their assessment for Business Rates were reported in June 1993, finally being resolved in the club’s favour on June 3rd 1994.
So the club has had many mentions in these august pages, variously being described as having a “small devoted membership” (June 1980) to “a small club with talent” (January 1991). Whilst this article has concentrated on the “Model Engineer” magazine, there are of course many mentions in “Engineering in Miniature”, including Bill Edmundson’s and Paul Norton’s descriptions of our exhibitions.