Our
Society - A Brief History
1920 - Present
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The Kinver & West
Midlands Society of Model Engineers has been on its
present site 36 years and has gained a reputation for
fine model making and even pushing a few boundaries of
model engineering.
It all started back in the 1920's when a group of men
interested in Boats and Steam Locomotives formed themselves
into the West Midlands M.E.S. whose headquarters were
at Kingswinford, near Stourbridge. They built
a 3.5" gauge track around an existing pool and
activities continued there until the Second World War.
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Several members lived in Wolverhampton and because
of travelling difficulties formed an allied group which
was known as the West Midlands Model Engineers, Wolverhampton
Branch. They held their meetings in Wolverhampton
Library and sometimes at members' homes. At a
meetings held at Wolverhampton Library in May 1943,
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it was proposed and accepted that the society became
Wolverhampton Model Engineering Society and continued
to operate as such, despite poor membership until 1951.
In 1951 under the guidance of the secretary, Mr. B.
Princep, the society formed itself into a Limited Company
and was known as the Wolverhampton S.M.E. Ltd..
The reason for this change was to obviate insurance
problems, which in retrospect was unique for this period
as a good many societies today are seeking to
do the same.
From 1964 up to 1961 the society flourished at Wombourne
with a 600ft multi gauge track at the rear of the Mount
Pleasant Inn but then had to move due to the sale of
the land for building purposes. In 1962, and after
many problems, management of the society secured a 20
year lease on an acre of land at the Marsh Playing Fields
in Kinver. In 1970, as out interest now lay in
Kinver, by a majority vote the Society became known
as the Kinver and West Midlands Society of Model Engineers
Limited. The following year, 1971, the track was
extended to 1,200ft. Again in 1986 the track was
extended to 2,150ft.
Last year the Society had the opportunity to purchase
the track site and with the generous donations of members
the 'deed was done' in Autumn 2005 and the land officially
became ours.
The 7.25" gauge ground level track is being developed
for a growing number of members. Membership is
around 140 strong and the Society holds regular meetings
every Friday. Models can be seen in steam on most
Sundays after Easter and up to November from 14:00 until
17:00.
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