Right on track

10:00am Wednesday 20th February 2008

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MINIATURE railway enthusiasts are celebrating after finding a new home for their association after a two-year search.

The West Wiltshire Society of Model Engineers will move to a one and a half acre site, near Lafarge Social Club, off Trowbridge Road, Westbury, which was provided by the cement works.

The move was given the green light after West Wiltshire District Council granted planning permission for a change of use to allow for a 200-metre raised level miniature railway track and ancillary buildings.

The WWSME's chairman Des Clarke said: "We are more than grateful to Lafarge for providing us with the land for a new home for our track. Without this site I fear that our society may have expired."The Lafarge land will provide an ideal site where we can build a longer track to run our locomotives.

"We are really excited about re-establishing our society on this site and intend to enhance the area by landscaping and planting trees."Two years ago West Wiltshire Housing Society told the WWSME they had to leave its location in Queens Road, Westbury, because it was needed as a site to build affordable housing.

Mr Clarke said: "We fully understand and support the need for affordable housing at our current site and all parties involved have been most helpful in assisting with the arrangements for this move."

Lafarge Westbury Works manager Jim Cross said the firm was pleased to support local projects.

"We are delighted that we have been able to identify an area which will be suitable for their needs."The society's engineering achievements are impressive. They also do a lot of good work in the local community."

WWSME's honorary secretary Nev Boulton, 75, said the society had carried out a host of charity work.

"The last three Christmas' we have raised money for Bulkington Village Hall," he said.

"We ran track lines to Santa's grotto and raised more than £7,000.

"It was great fun, and really lovely to see the children so happy at Christmas time."

Mr Boulton, a retired flight engineer for British Airways, has been with the society since its formation more than 43-years ago. It now has 60 members.

"We'll try our hand to anything," he said.

"We make steam engines, clocks, signals, you name it.

"At the moment we are building a six-tonne mineral wagon with over 800 rivets in the body. I had to bribe my wife to help me put them in.

"We're going to paint it in the Lafarge colours in time for the move to our new home."