It is with much sadness that I have to start this Chairman’s Chatter with the news that Maurice (Maurie) Graves has died suddenly. Maurie was a founder member of the club and was appointed Treasurer at the first meeting in 1959. He remained Treasurer until the 2006 A.G.M.
Maurie was best known to perhaps hundreds for his modelling and artistic skills. He was a prodigious Railway Modeller producing complete model railways in many gauges, scales, locations and companies. He was not a model railway engineer, his techniques and solutions were uncomplicated but he was a railway artist. His railways were beautiful, each a work of art. The quality of the model buildings, hedges, trees, and landscaping completed a glorious three -dimensional masterpiece. His humour showed through with cameos of characters in all sorts of situations, real Beano stuff mostly, which everyone loved, because basically he was a delightful unsophisticated man.
In more recent times, club members decided that a corporate identity be established when taking a layout to an exhibition. Maurie was not sure and on several occasions turned up in his inevitable open-necked shirt. Eventually he capitulated and chose to join “the team” and wore the colours. Well at times Maurie could be extremely frugal and to get the full benefit from his corporate shirt has given directions that he is to be cremated in it. Was that really what he thought of the colours?
His inspiration, loyalty and support to this club are unquestioned. It makes the giving of the tankard quite recently even more special and perhaps Betty can take some comfort in the thoughts behind the message that his membership to the club will never be forgotten and will be remembered in so many of the models on the layouts having his special mark on them.
OO gauge Matters
The way ahead is mow wholly in the hands of the current 00 members. I have every faith that Itchen Vale will be developed in a way that will remind us of the input from Maurie.
EM gauge Matters
Refurbishment of the station building and improvements to the scenery continue slowly.
Maurie had very kindly donated an L.S.W.R. Jubilee to the club, which can be seen on the layout.
O gauge Matters
Work has begun to install the signal wire posts on Abbotstone. Rumour has it they may even work! The fiddle yard has being fitted with two detectors to enable correct positioning of a loco before resetting the route into the fiddle yard. This will assist at exhibitions where it is impossible to judge accurately when a loco has cleared the point blades. This will be tested during the running session on 6th June.
Other Business
Thanks to all who attended the talk by Paul Gower about the Lynton and Barnstable Railway last February. An entertaining talk, which I hope will be concluded at another meeting.
