Norman Eagles
Graeme Eldred
with The Model Railway Club in the 50s, I believe, and probably
thereafter. What became of him? I'm asking, because I was involved in
the disposal of the estate of a Norman Eagles who died possibly twenty
years ago (perhaps less), and, at the time of his death, was living near
Colchester. The same gentleman, perhaps? The Norman Eagles with whom I
was involved certainly had a railway modelling interest.
The thought has arisen purely because I'm reading Jack Ray's 'Lifetime'
book at the moment, and Norman Eagles is mentioned. Anyone with even a
passing interest in the history of railway modelling, particularly 7mm,
in the UK is recommended to read Jack Ray's book. Absolutely
fascinating. Is Jack Ray still alive? He would be a fair age by now.
--
Graeme Eldred
Gregory Procter
Graeme Eldred wrote:
> Does anyone recognise or remember that name? Mr Eagles was involved
> with The Model Railway Club in the 50s, I believe, and probably
> thereafter. What became of him? I'm asking, because I was involved in
> the disposal of the estate of a Norman Eagles who died possibly twenty
> years ago (perhaps less), and, at the time of his death, was living near
> Colchester. The same gentleman, perhaps? The Norman Eagles with whom I
> was involved certainly had a railway modelling interest.
>
I recently gained a carton of old MRCs (etc) of 1950s-60s vintage and read
through them.
The name Norman Eagles appeared somewhere amongst them - now I'm going to
have to read them all again to find whatever it was!!! =8^O
John Ruddy
Norman Eagles was responsible for the Sherwood section of the LMS,
wasnt he? ISTR that it was a clockwork O guage model of a fictious
part of the LMS based around 'Nottingham Castle' station.
Jim Guthrie
<pro...@ihug.co.nz> wrote:
Greg,
>I recently gained a carton of old MRCs (etc) of 1950s-60s vintage and read
>through them.
>The name Norman Eagles appeared somewhere amongst them - now I'm going to
>have to read them all again to find whatever it was!!! =8^O
Norman Eagles was well known some years ago for his large clockwork
powered 0 gauge layout called "The Sherwood Section". I think I
remember the layout being featured occasionally in the magazines in
the late 50s and early 60s.
Jim.
Ken Parkes
Jack Ray is alive and still pursuing model railway matters from his home
in Suffolk.
Norman Eagles was employed by London Transport, I believe, and was an expert at
time-tabling. He had a large indoor railway based on a Nottingham/Trent
story using coarse scale O gauge. His railway was run like the real thing
and developed over fifty years or so. The earliest article by him on his
railway was in Model Railway News in the late 1920s or early 30s. He
gathered a large operating group around him and when he retired they built
a railway room in the grounds or his new house. I heard that it went on
running for some time after his death.
Ken.
Gregory Procter
Jim Guthrie wrote:
Of course!!! :-)
There were a couple of articles about fitting different proprietry mechanisims
(Hornby, Bassett Lowke etc) into models where they apparently wouldn't fit at
first glance, by way of angling and trimming etc and fitting stub axles -
fascinating ingenuity!
Regards,
Greg.P.
Ken Parkes
Are you sure about that? I can't recall any such articles. I suspect you
may be confusing Eagles with Drew Donaldson who modelled Irish O gauge
clockwork and was a wizard at re-modelling spring mechanisms (he insisted
they were spring drives, quite rightly). His layout was a similar size to
Eagles and also indoors. His forte was stub axles. Articles appeared in
MRC and Model Railways I think.
Ken.
Gregory Procter
Ken Parkes wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 15:03:10 +1200, Gregory Procter wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Jim Guthrie wrote:
> >
> >> On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 08:18:50 +1200, Gregory Procter
> >> <pro...@ihug.co.nz> wrote:
> >>
> >> Greg,
> >>
> >> >I recently gained a carton of old MRCs (etc) of 1950s-60s vintage and read
> >> >through them.
> >> >The name Norman Eagles appeared somewhere amongst them - now I'm going to
> >> >have to read them all again to find whatever it was!!! =8^O
> >>
> >> Norman Eagles was well known some years ago for his large clockwork
> >> powered 0 gauge layout called "The Sherwood Section". I think I
> >> remember the layout being featured occasionally in the magazines in
> >> the late 50s and early 60s.
> >
> > Of course!!! :-)
> > There were a couple of articles about fitting different proprietry mechanisims
> > (Hornby, Bassett Lowke etc) into models where they apparently wouldn't fit at
> > first glance, by way of angling and trimming etc and fitting stub axles -
> > fascinating ingenuity!
> >
> > Regards,
> > Greg.P.
>
> Are you sure about that?
Not at all :-)
> I can't recall any such articles. I suspect you
> may be confusing Eagles with Drew Donaldson who modelled Irish O gauge
> clockwork and was a wizard at re-modelling spring mechanisms (he insisted
> they were spring drives, quite rightly).
The models I'm thinking of were definitely LMS. Obviously I'll have to devote some
more time to that stack of mags!
Yoda
Nottingham Castle......Guess Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham used
this one then??????
LMHO
"John Ruddy" <jo...@ruddy2.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:5bc9d09a6c4kbhpva...@4ax.com...
John Watson
"Ken Parkes" <cbu...@NOSPAMrosecott.ukfsn.org> wrote in message
news:cb4qj5$8co$1...@slavica.ukpost.com...
SNIP
> > There were a couple of articles about fitting different proprietry
mechanisims
> > (Hornby, Bassett Lowke etc) into models where they apparently wouldn't
fit at
> > first glance, by way of angling and trimming etc and fitting stub
axles -
> > fascinating ingenuity!
> >
> > Regards,
> > Greg.P.
>
>
> Are you sure about that? I can't recall any such articles. I suspect you
> may be confusing Eagles with Drew Donaldson who modelled Irish O gauge
> clockwork and was a wizard at re-modelling spring mechanisms (he insisted
> they were spring drives, quite rightly). His layout was a similar size to
> Eagles and also indoors. His forte was stub axles. Articles appeared in
> MRC and Model Railways I think.
Yes I remember reading several articles in Railway Modeller in the 70s about
the Sherwood section. and Norman Eagles. It was a fascinating layout
/concept, one of the main interests of the group being strict timetabled
running.
Regards
John Watson
Graeme Eldred
<jcdot...@virgin.net> writes
>
>Yes I remember reading several articles in Railway Modeller in the 70s about
>the Sherwood section. and Norman Eagles. It was a fascinating layout
>/concept, one of the main interests of the group being strict timetabled
>running.
Thank you, everyone, who contributed here. Yes, my memory has been
jogged :-)
I would still like to know which part of the country Normal Eagles lived
in, and whether or not he is still alive. Anyone?
--
Graeme Eldred
John Watson
"Graeme Eldred" <Gra...@binnsroad.co.uk> wrote in message
news:k3lulkCK...@binnsroad.demon.co.uk...
I think it was the Nottingham area and he died a few years ago.
Regards
John Watson
Mike Hughes
<Gra...@binnsroad.co.uk> writes
I had the great pleasure of going to Norman Eagles home for a running
session on the Sherwood Section.
The house is in Oxfordshire (sorry can't remember exactly where). Norman
died a few years ago.
The layout was housed in a large purpose built building in his garden
and was indeed operated by clockwork O gauge locos. Norman worked for
London Transport in their timetabling department and this showed in his
attention to the detail of the timed running. He had a clock which ran
faster than normal (I think it was 4 times faster) on one wall on the
layout room and all trains were run to this time. Heaven help you if you
were even a little bit late or hadn't wound the clockwork motor up
enough!
Norman was also a member of The Model Railway Club and for many years
ran their demonstration stand (demons) at the club's exhibitions in
Central Hall and Horticultural Halls, which is where I met him.
He was a true gent
Mike
--
Mike Hughes
A Taxi driver licensed for London and Brighton
at home in Tarring, West Sussex, England
Graeme Eldred
<mi...@mikehughes.demon.co.uk> writes
>>lived in, and whether or not he is still alive. Anyone?
>
>Norman died a few years ago.
Thanks to both John and Mike. I'm now sure that the Norman Eagles with
whom I had contact wasn't *the* Norman Eagles of Sherwood fame. The
original question provided some fascinating stories though, for which my
thanks.
--
Graeme Eldred
Ron Hann.
model railway group [South Australian 'O'-Gauge Railways] in Adelaide,
South Australia. This was an outdoor layout in the backyard of the
Founder's house. He, Brian Johnson, was a great admirer of Norman's
layout, although necessarily from afar. We used to read of the Sherwood
Section in the occasional model-railway magazine that came our way. For
some years I corresponded with Norman, on behalf of the above-named group.
I have often wondered what eventually happened to the Sherwood Section. I
don't know if Norman's son, Bruce, took it over, or perhaps one or two of
the original group.
Ron Hann [Christchurch, New Zealand].
--
posted from
http://www.polytechforum.com/uk-trains/norman-eagles-10257-.htm
using PolytechForum's Web, RSS and Social Media Interface to
uk.rec.models.rail and other engineering groups
MartB47
N orman lived near Princes Risborough in the late 1960's.I seem to recall he
worked for London Transport but not sure. He had a llarge O gauge layout in a
garden shed which he operated using proper bell codes and signals.. A group of
friends used to gather monthly for an all day 'session'.
Eric
> replying to Graeme Eldred, MartB47 wrote:
> N orman lived near Princes Risborough in the late 1960's.I seem to recall he
> worked for London Transport but not sure. He had a llarge O gauge layout in a
> garden shed which he operated using proper bell codes and signals.. A group of
> friends used to gather monthly for an all day 'session'.
Mr Eldred either already has an answer or doesn't care any more. In any
case there are all sorts of reasons why he is unlikely to see your answer.
Eric
--
ms fnd in a lbry
News
writes
answer :-)
--
Graeme
Martyn Byles
Norman Eagles in the late sixties had a building in the back garden which
housed the Sherwood section. I visited with some friends on working Saturday
The layout was extensive, worked by clockwork generally, operated using, ex
br block signallling equipment. I seemed to recall a regular team meeting
monthly, am maintenance pm running, evening socialising with wives. It
inspired some friends to do likewise-a most sociable and agreeable routine. I
think Norman worked for London Transport .
--
for full context, visit https://www.polytechforum.com/uk-trains/norman-eagles-10257-.htm
Ian Gerahty
I recall Norman’s Sherwood Section featured as a chapter in a railway
modelling compendium possibly a mid eighties edition of An Encyclopaedia of
Model Railways. I’ve been searching for my copy for several months now and
when I track it down I’ll post the bibliography. My recollection is that he
was indeed a timetabling genius who worked for LT