Welcome to GRES

I hope you are all keeping well and staying safe in the heatwave.

GRES Family Day and Annual outing 2025

I’m pleased to say that we had a great time at the GRES Family Day on Sunday 22 June, with over 100 visitors who overwhelmingly told us they enjoyed their visit – well done to the GRES modelling group for their efforts.

On Saturday 28 June, over 30 GRES members plus family and friends travelled by coach to the Great Central Railway for a fantastic day out topped off by Deltic 55019 hauling the ‘diesel’ service between Loughborough and Leicester North – and my goodness did she roar! Thanks to Matt Hills and Ella (GRES Chair) for all their efforts to make the outing a fun day out for everyone.

50th GRES Exhibition Wagon now available!

Also, as many of you will know, our glorious Southern-green liveried GRES wagons in OO Gauge to celebrate 50 years of GRES model railway exhibitions have now arrived. Numbers signing up for this limited number of wagons is growing and each includes an individually numbered certificate signed by Ella plus a brief history of our exhibitions. While the standard price will be £19.99, current GRES members can obtain their wagon(s) for only £14.99 each. So, don’t delay as some have already been sold! I have attached a photo of the wagon to entice you and there’s more details on the GRES website: Celebrate the 50th GRES Exhibition with Our Limited Edition 00 Gauge Wagon! – Welcome to GRES

July Event Calender

For our GRES meetings, during July and August, we will now be moving to one scheduled meeting each month. For July we have:

Tuesday 1st – Andrew Hoseason from the Ivatt Diesels Group will be joining us to talk about the infamous LMS diesels – 10000 and 10001 – and, as both were sadly scrapped, Andrew will also talk about the group’s progress on recreating a replacement 10000. Join us at our usual venue of the Emmanuel Church Hall, 55 Windmill Street, Gravesend (from 7.45pm).

Friday 4th – Sunday 6th July 2025 – Kent County Show

Saturday 12th – Sunday 13th July 2025 – Dartford Big Day Out

Saturday 19th – Sunday 20th July 2025 – Chatham Show

Rail 200 Day at Dover Priory Station – Saturday 26^th July

Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th – Chatham & District MRC Model Railway Exhibition, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Main Gate Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TZ (Sat: 10am – 5pm, Sun: 10am – 4pm). Adults – £10 (or £9 if tickets bought in advance), Accompanied Under 16s – free. Over 45 layouts – including our Gravesend West layout – as above

Sunday 27th – Model Railway Quest brings you the Sevenoaks Exhibition, Sevenoaks Primary School, Bradbourne Park Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 3LB (10am – 4pm). Adults – £7, Concessions – £5, Accompanied Under 16s – £5, Family – £15. 17 layouts and 13 trade stands. The venue has free parking, a cafe and is only 8 minutes from the BR station

Here’s another reminder not to forget that we have a new and improved Facebook group, so may I ask you to join and tell all your friends and family: https://www.facebook.com/people/GRES-Gravesend-Railway-Enthusiasts-Society/61552508150631/

I look forward to seeing many of you on Tuesday and during this month at the various events that GRES will be supporting. Please ask if you have any questions.

Regards

George Marcar (for GRES Committee)