Norman Eagles

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.
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 wrote:
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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
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On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 08:18:50 +1200, Gregory Procter
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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.

Jim Guthrie wrote:
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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.

On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 15:03:10 +1200, Gregory Procter wrote:
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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.

Ken Parkes wrote:
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Not at all :-)
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The models I'm thinking of were definitely LMS. Obviously I'll have to devote some more time to that stack of mags!
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replying to Gregory Procter, Martyn Byles wrote: 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 .

SNIP
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mechanisims
fit at
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axles -
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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

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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?

writes
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about
I think it was the Nottingham area and he died a few years ago.
Regards
John Watson

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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

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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.

On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 20:15:56 +0100, Graeme Eldred
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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.

Nottingham Castle......Guess Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham used this one then??????
LMHO
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On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 20:15:56 +0100, Graeme Eldred wrote:
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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.

replying to Graeme Eldred , Ron Hann. wrote:
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In the latter half of the 1950's, and the 1960's, I was a member of a 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].

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'.

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Since you are replying to a message posted 12 years ago, I suspect that 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

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But, amazingly, he is still alive and kicking, and did indeed see the answer :-)

replying to Gregory Procter, Martyn Byles wrote: 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 .