Society history
Early days.
The Club was formed in 1946. The first meeting was held on 30th August 1946 at the Dyers and Bleachers Club in Tiviot Dale, Stockport. Several of the members had been members of the 'Manchester Club' which had a track in Platt Fields. Apparently, this club folded probably because of the war.
From the very early days the first meeting of the month has been a "bits and pieces" where member would bring along projects, tools and items of interest for presentation and discussion, this still going on today. The first photograph shows a meeting held 17th January 1947. Very soon a very substantial concrete raised track was constructed in a member’s garden in Woodsmoor.
Royal School for the Deaf
Following on from the Woodsmoor track the club moved to the field at the rear of the Royal School for the Deaf, now called the Seashell Trust, in Cheadle Hulme. The track opened in 1970. We had a raised track catering for 2.5", 3.5" & 5" locos and a ground level 7.25" layout.
As years progressed a club house was erected, a timber framed classroom from a local school I believe. Also added were truck storage sheds, under cover and open steaming bays, workshop and signal box / 7.25" loco store. The footbridge was for access to the 7.25" track for boarding passengers, the idea being to keep people away from the raised track.
The station area was named Handforth as that's where the Deaf School is situated. Ken Whiston Junction was named after a stalwart of the club.
The last construction at the Royal School for the Deaf was an outdoor elevated O gauge track.
South Park
Following the need to vacate the Seashell Trust due to building developments, a lease on a part of South Park, Cheadle Hulme was negotiated with Stockport Council.
Major civil engineering was required to make the site suitable for a miniature railway, followed by the construction of a Signal Box, Truck Shed and the purchase of a Container/Workshop and Club Room. After the track had been laid, steaming bays and station followed. Soon trains were running for enthusiastic members of the public, who enjoy exploring the park behind a live steam loco or even a solar powered electric one.
One of the recent developments at South Park was the Solar Electricity System providing 12 volt dc for lights and battery charging and an Inverter to provided 230 volt ac to power a kettle and other small tools and appliances.
The Tuesday Gang developed the small gauge railways round the Club Room. Providing 0 gauge and 00 gauge both two rail and three rail.
