Halifax Model Railway Club Premises

After a nomadic existence for some years (see History), the Halifax Model Railway Club settled in 1984 at 5 Deal Street, Halifax, conveniently located approximately 500 yards from the Railway Station. (Location Map).

5 Deal Street is a 4 storey ex-woollen mill and a grade two listed building, see Calderdale's Web Page. It comprises approximately 9000 square feet of floor space. The Halifax Model Railway Club occupies the basement, ground and first floor: the Calderdale Camcorder club occupies the second floor. The top floor is currently unusable due to the condition of the roof . 

The club was very fortunate in being able to purchase the clubrooms outright, with the kind assistance of a Local Authority grant. However, the club is now responsible for all its repair and maintenance costs. Initially, the premises needed a lot of work, such as clearing loads of rubbish, plastering ceilings and painting walls. Fire regulations required the total enclosure of the cast iron structural frame: brickwork around the columns and two layers of plasterboard around the beams. The only access into the basement was via a trapdoor and ladder and the club had planned to replace it with a wooden staircase. The Bradford Football Club fire disaster in 1985 resulted in fire regulations being tightened; in particular those relating to means of escape from the building. Consequently, the proposed access into the basement contravened the new regulations. In order to comply, the club constructed new double thickness interior brick walls to form both sides of a new staircase and individual concrete steps were cast and placed in position. Costs have been kept to a minimum: club members have so far undertaken all the work. However, at times, the building resembled more of a building site than a Model Railway Club.

The club has also had a fair share of problems not of its own making. The building was originally in the middle of a row of mills but, shortly after the club took possession the adjacent area was redeveloped and the neighbouring mills demolished. A former internal party wall, separating the club's premises from the demolished buildings, thus becoming an exposed gable end. Unfortunately reassurances that the club would not suffer in any way have not quite been the case. The exposed part of the gable wall was subsequently rendered, but damp still penetrated through. In order to resolve the problem, the club cut back the floorboards on the ground floor and supported them on a new false wall in the basement. The basement ceiling has again been replaced, resulting in yet more unforeseen expense and work for the club and its members.

Recent improvements have included the replacement of the heating system to ensure that, when the members are present, the club is maintained at a reasonable working temperature. This alone required manhandling a new gas heater into position (not easy when it weighs 800lbs) and a flue constructing on the outside to above roof level.

Future plans mainly center on re-roofing the building, but, unfortunately the cost of this work is well outside the club's limited finances. It is therefore totally dependant on grants. The club, however, has already obtained the promise of a part grant on the proviso that a current Lottery application is successful. The members are keeping their fingers crossed.

Hopefully the club now has premises that are permanent, comfortable and provide an environment that is conducive to the continuing development of railway modelling.

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ã 2002 Halifax Model Railway Club