By Pat Hammond, with thanks to Peter Gurd for supplying the archive material
Most model railway collectors are familiar with the fact that The Model Railway Club, in London, is regarded as Britain’s oldest, but how many know which is the second oldest.
The only evidence seems to be in early model railway magazines, in which reports of club activities are recorded. The Wimbledon & District MRC was founded in January 1924. Is this the second oldest?
Recently added to the TCS Digital Archive are an early promotional leaflet about the club and a copy of one of their magazines. We have a number of issues of this magazine to digitise, including the five bound volumes of issues published in the years 1929 to 1931. These have been loaned by Peter Gurd. Counting back in volume numbers, it would seem that the magazine was started in March 1925.
Reproduced here are the leaflet, seemingly from 1932
And the magazine issue for March 1931
