Club History.

The idea of a local model railway club started back in 1982 when two friends, (one a vicar with an interest in model railways would you believe?) decided to see if there were any more like minded people out there. The local model shop displayed a poster and a day was set to meet in the old Boys Brigade hut adjacent to the miner’s institute Boosbeck.

On the 15th June 1983 the inaugural meeting of what was to become the Cleveland model railway club was held, approximately eighteen people attended all of whom became members.

We soon settled into our new home and started to attract new members; we did all the things railway clubs do i.e.-build layouts attend exhibitions and organize club trips to other events.

In 1991 the club started holding its own Exhibitions at the Redcar bowl until 1995 when the costs became too high, we moved to a new venue at Redcar & Cleveland’s college annex until 2004 when again the costs forced us to stop holding the show.

Much to the satisfaction of many local railway modellers and members of the public, 2010 saw the show reinstated at the new Redcar & Cleveland College.

Our club hut was made of tin and the ravages of time were taking its toll and when a structural engineer refused to enter the building, it was decided it was time to look for a new home.” Not an easy task!” For a short time meetings were held at a local school but we were unable to do any modelling, so we knew this could not last for long. Somehow the owner of a large engineering foundry in Guisborough became aware of our plight and offered us the old pattern shop, we were only too happy to accept his offer. David Lloyd has built a true to scale model of Guisborough railway station and some of the buildings close to the station, including the foundry and of course the pattern shop.

After two years we were told the site was going to be developed, so again we were looking for a new home.
As luck would have It a new vicar moved into his parish at Boosbeck, and became aware through friends of the club that we were looking for a new home. A meeting was arranged and we were offered the use of the church rooms (the old miner’s institute) which has been our home until our move to the new club premises at the Bhive centre Skelton Industrial estate on 1st July 2011.

The club has about forty members at present and is always happy to welcome prospective new members where you will receive a warm welcome, and if you ask our catering manager nicely he may make you a cup tea (He is by the way, one of only two founder members from the inaugural meeting still in today’s club).So don’t worry about what standard you are, don’t forget we all started with a circle of track on the carpet!

Please feel free to contact us.

More information on the next open day and exhibition can be found in the exhibition pages.