On occasions we are asked 'how many years we have existed as a viable group'. Our answer has always surprised those that asked when told the original 'Society' was formed shortly after WW2, around 1947 to be almost exact. Meetings were first held in a back room of the 'Phoenix Public House' in Staines, not far from the old, now defunct G.W.R. branch line station at the head of Wraysbury Road. The group quickly decided they could just talk and plan but really needed somewhere to erect a portable track to run their models. Permission was eventually granted to position a track of 100 feet in length alongside the 'Lammas' recreational grounds. This remained all year round until around the early to late 1950 period when the hobby began to lose the interest of the members. (The onslaught of dreaded Television was partly to blame for this decline). The track was eventually dismantled and stored by one of the members being part of the group remaining, they were dedicated enough to continue meeting elsewhere for a number of years, purely to keep the then name of the group together. The original title of this group was known as The STAINES & DISTRICT SOCIETY OF MODEL ENGINEERS.
Time moved on until the early 1970 era when a declaration was made in local newspapers that a 'first' meeting was to be held with the hope the Society could be revived enough to grow again. This meeting was planned to take place in a Scout building near by to the Fordbridge Roundabout along the main east/west road on the southern outskirts of Ashford Town. These, and subsequent meetings, soon proved there was an interest and it was great enough to reform and revive the group. Early meetings agreed that a 'new name' should be decided, without much discussion it became the STAINES SOCIETY of MODEL ENGINEERS. Balance sheets from around this time showed a 'carried over' bank balance of £115-09p with membership fees of just £2-00p per year. Once the 'train' was in motion various options of a location for a permanent track were discussed and negotiated with what is Spelthorne Council. A final meeting was held with the location along the park at Commercial Road being chosen and agreed. Staines Park, as it is now known, was being reworked to make it a more pleasurable place with the thoughts a miniature railway could only enhance things. Parks manager Pat Stancliffe gave his absolute support through many of the earliest years of re-formation. Once sufficient funds were raised, either by donations/interest free loans or grants, also using the old original portable track (once tidied up and cleaned), visiting locals schools etc during the summer to offer rides for children and publicity, building work began.
Among the members at that time there was a surveyor, bank manager, concrete form-maker/woodworker, skilled engineers from various skillsets, metal workers/welders/furniture re-storers/ telephone engineers, a variety of skill in nearly every field. Work progressed as pictures tell until the great day and a formal opening was made by the then Mayor of Staines, Councillor Galliford, driving member John Phillip's Pannier Tank locomotive through the official ribbon. Sadly time has taken its toll, nearly all original members are gone, either just left or taken the final ride on the footplate to the biggest marshalling yard ever. Progress is now dependant on what is left and we can close this by paraphrasing a world famous piece from a world famous man..it goes...something like..
'Never before has so much been achieved by a few yet enjoyed by so many'. Thanks for reading this. SSME