Bournemouth & District SME’s site is located in Littledown Park.

Postcode BH7 7DX

(Littledown Sports Centre car park) will get you close.

If you drive along Chaseside from the A3060, straight across at the roundabout entrance to the Littledown Centre (on your right), the turning for B&DSME is on your right just after Cowell Drive on your left and just before the entrance to J P Morgan (straight ahead).

A club member will unlock the gate into the park.

More info on their website.

The B&DSME track, of 3½”, 5” and 7¼” gauges, is a continuous circuit of 1760ft of steel rail with a minimum radius of 57 feet. The running surface of the rails is only 7½” above an anti-tip surface at the station. Driving/passenger carriages will be available for use. Steaming bays have 12V DC batteries for blower supply. Couplings are normally a bar, but chain is acceptable, providing that there is a means to retain it in any drawbar hook. 

An opportunity to meet up and run models of ‘Lion’ and other early 19th century locomotives.

Lionsmeet is an informal annual gathering of those with an interest in Lion in all its manifestations and gauges. The main purpose of the meet is to allow OLCO members and other interested parties to exhibit models of Lion and other pre-1850 locomotives and, where possible, to enjoy running them on an unfamiliar track.

This year the Bournemouth & District SME have agreed to host Lionsmeet on Saturday 17th August from 10:00 at their site in Littledown Park.

Locomotives of any scale are welcome. Passenger-hauling facilities consist of a raised track of 3½", 5” and 7¼” gauges.

An indoor display area will be available and we invite visitors to bring models (finished or under construction), drawings and railway memorabilia relating to Lion, other early locomotives and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. 

Who’s Invited?

OLCO members, of course, and anyone with an interest in railways of the first half of the nineteenth century. If you’re thinking of building a model of Lion, please come along and take a look; maybe even have a drive (subject to the owner’s permission). If you’re part way through building a model, bring it along and discuss your project with someone who’s been there already.

Location

Bournemouth & District SME’s site is located in Littledown Park. Postcode BH7 7DX (Littledown Sports Centre car park) will get you close. If you drive along Chaseside from the A3060, straight across at the roundabout entrance to the Littledown Centre (on your right), the turning for B&DSME is on your right just after Cowell Drive on your left and just before the entrance to J P Morgan (straight ahead). A club member will unlock the gate into the park.

Boiler Certificate and Insurance

Anyone wanting to steam a locomotive must bring a current boiler certificate and evidence of public liability insurance for inspection. Members of a model engineering society may find that their society’s insurance will cover them for third party liability.

Food

Tea and coffee will be available throughout the day. A light lunch will be provided, if ordered in advance. As usual, an early evening meal will be arranged at a local pub for those who can stay, probably at about 17:30. Again, this must be arranged in advance.

Overnight Accommodation

There are many hotels in and around Bournemouth including a very local Travelodge.

Event Organisation

If you’re interested, please contact the organiser, Andrew Neish, so that we know who will be attending, whether you’ll be bringing a locomotive, and what food is required. E-mail lionsmeet@neish.org.uk

Home phone 01428 723 483 Mobile phone 07779 360 393

Andrew Neish

Lionsmeets over the years.