About Us

We are an enthusiastic, friendly club, run by volunteers, with interests in all aspects of model engineering.

New members are always very welcome – if you would like more information about membership, or perhaps just wish to visit us with your loco on a track running day, then please contact us via our Contact Us page – we look forward very much to meeting you.

The Club meets on Thursday evenings, 7:30pm for an 8:00pm start, for a variety of activities (please our Calendar page).

The second Sunday in the month is Members’ track day, from 1:00pm until 4:00pm throughout the year, to which friends and relatives are cordially invited.

There are also track afternoons on the fourth Thursday of each month from April to October.

Members and visitors running live steam locomotives must produce valid boiler certificates and observe Club rules for safe running.

We occupy a small site in Stonecot Hill, Sutton, where we have a Club House and engineering facilities, along with layouts for the running of miniature railway locomotives.

The railway layouts comprise a 7 1/4 inch and 5 inch ground level, a 5 inch, 3 1/2 inch and 2 1/2 inch raised track, and a large Gauge 1 track.

The Club tracks and facilities are open to members at all opening times, subject to commitments to programmed events.

We have approximately 530 ft (161.5 metres) of 5″ and 7-1/4″ ground level track with station loop and sidings, all controlled from a signal box at the Low Level Station.

The minimum track radius is about 50ft. Loading and unloading of locomotives is by means of a raised ramp situated within the car park.

Preparation of the locomotives is performed on the steaming bays, which are serviced by a dual gauge turntable.

The fully signalled raised track runs within and adjacent to the ground level track and caters for 2-1/2″, 3-1/2″ and 5″ gauge locomotives.

Loading and unloading is by means of a traverser providing access to the track.

The minimum track radius is about 50 ft.

We also have approximately 230 ft (70 metres) of Gauge 1 track with a turntable and sidings, all at table top height. 

Our comfortable clubhouse has all the usual facilities and is home to many experts who are happy to demonstrate their expertise in the field engineering and tea making (and drinking).

Thursday and Sunday mornings are reserved for general maintenance around the site and is carried out by dedicated club members.

We welcome visitors and their locomotives.

Track days, normally the second Sunday of the month (please see our Calendar page), are open to any visiting locomotives. Valid boiler certificates and a certificate of insurance are required to be shown. All wheel profiles should conform to the recommended specifications, and visitors own driving trolleys should be braked and checked for appropriate ground clearance for leg supports.

Sutton Model Engineering Club welcomes people from all backgrounds; you don’t need to have an engineering background to join our club, although if you have, we are sure that your opinions will be much appreciated by those of us who are not too technical. All we ask is that you are enthusiastic and keen to join in with the running of our club. We always need people to help out with station duties or making the tea on our run days, or people who like to do a bit of gardening; our site is always in need of attention. Our membership is very diverse, so you are sure to fit right in.

If you would like to know more, please come along any Thursday evening to one of our regular club nights, or on a Sunday morning, when there are usually members performing the tasks necessary to keep the club running smoothly, or get in touch with us via our Contact Us page.