Traditionally this is the time of year when we look back over the past 12 months and forward to the next. Once again the Club has enjoyed a mixed programme of talks, demonstrations, visits, and our own facilities at Vivary Park and Creech St. Michael, all backed up by the TME website and Oily Rag. Our thanks are due to all those members who make this possible. Thanks to Alan Miller we now have a 5”

The exhibition came together well under its new manager, Bruce Nottrodt (who finally got over his last minute panics), but unfortunately we did not get as many visitors this year. Those that came all enjoyed yet another well presented show but we shall have to redouble our efforts to ensure that 2008 is a greater success. Planning for 2008 is already well in hand - see here on how you can assist.

Again our membership has increased and thankfully some are below the Club age profile, including 3 junior members who we must ensure are kept fully involved and that they learn from our joint experiences. This is important as they represent the future of the Club.

The Club’s thanks are due to Nick Nicholls for his contributions as Events Secretary, and who has now had to step down as this was proving too taxing on his time. For the time being your Committee will compile our programme, co-ordinated by Bruce Nottrodt, who will be pleased to hear your ideas for future events.

A vote of thanks is also due to the Vivary team who have steadfastly ensured that public running days have been busy and enjoyable to all – their success will be apparent in the annual accounts when published in the New Year. The team’s only complaint seems to be that they rarely get time for a break on fine days now, so popular has the track become! Long may it last, lads and lasses – you are doing a grand job!

Next year we hope to have an enlarged track in the Park. Two meetings with Taunton Deane have been quite positive - (albeit that at the second, we were shown a plan that they had drawn up before the first!) – and we expect to get the go-ahead to expand the track over the first tennis court. As part of future arrangements, we have lost the use of the ‘green’ shed, and the contents (our materials and portable track ) are temporarily housed in the TDBC Nursery. The Council also wants to make more use of the Pavilion during the week without restricting our use at weekends and this means finding alternative storage for the riding trolleys, etc. for which they propose to provide a lockable steel container. We await confirmation as to where this will be located.

2007 has been a year of consolidation for the Creech team. With all the main elements of Stage 1 in place efforts have been concentrated on tidying up loose ends and necessary maintenance. Regular running has seen a gradual but slow build up in public support, and this will need to be sustained if we are to continue developing the site. We have also been pleased to welcome members from other clubs interested in our activities, who had travelled from as far as Coventry, Eastbourne, Plymouth, and Gloucester.

For 2008 the team is making some track alterations in the station area to improve operations, and are getting ready to break out of the return loop and will start laying track into the wilderness as soon as the Culmhead gang have manufactured the two points required. However as soon as we get the go-ahead, it is planned to concentrate all our resources on developing Vivary Park first to get the extended track in use for the 2008 running season.

Particular thanks are due to worthy editor, Tony Gosling, who has transformed this magazine into what you see today, and has inspired many members to make a contribution; and similarly to Mark Davis who has done likewise with the TME website helping to keep members and others up to date with our activities.

Finally may I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year. Here’s to the next time – cheers!

Mike.