August 22nd – Working party – Ross S
A small, but select, group decided to do some work to catch up at the barn in preparation for the first public appearance of Edington Junction in September. Colin Curtis worked on the path leading up to the lamp hut and John P continued building the fencing around the main station building. Ross, meanwhile, having forgotten the (model) fire buckets, fixed the hooks to put them on and placed that trademark Edington lamp post with the ladder and upside-down bucket. It was an incredibly hot day and, having achieved a few things, we retired to brave the gridlocked roads around Faversham. RS.
29th August – Saturday session – David G
The big moment came as Edington was taken down the stairs and erected in the main barn. Alastair kindly squeezed the tractor into a corner, and Edington was then turned round. Although one fiddle yard was still upstairs, we borrowed Roger’s diesel shunter to start learning how the layout operates. David Ho produced some clever lampstands with neat lighting which he had made, which threw much needed light on operations. No less than three areas of track were found to have been laid with chairs the wrong way round, and these chairs will have to be filed down. Everything else seemed to work well (once a switch had been rapidly rewired), and in the daylight from the open barn door, everything looked splendid.
August 22nd – Working party – Ross S
A small, but select, group decided to do some work to catch up at the barn in preparation for the first public appearance of Edington Junction in September. Colin Curtis worked on the path leading up to the lamp hut and John P continued building the fencing around the main station building. Ross, meanwhile, having forgotten the (model) fire buckets, fixed the hooks to put them on and placed that trademark Edington lamp post with the ladder and upside-down bucket. It was an incredibly hot day and, having achieved a few things, we retired to brave the gridlocked roads around Faversham. RS.
August 15th – Saturday Running & making – RM
Improvements being made to the exhibition layout in all corners of the loft, as well on its actual baseboards. Windows were being installed in buildings, platform trolleys soldered, paint toned down and signal gantries erected. Then a suspect place in the floor was pointed out, so Jim and I leapt into action, nailing a bulk of timber beneath it to stop membership numbers falling. John had brought a coach, newly constructed from one of our sales items, which ran behind a saddle tank. On the other main line, Roger’s electro-diesel was putting in some miles on a coal train. We nipped outside for tea and biscuits, before getting back to the layouts.
August 12th – Wednesday Construction & Running – RM
The much needed rain was petering out by lunchtime, but was still heavy enough to confine us to barracks, where there was plenty for the eight of us to do. Wiring and fencing on Edington were progressing, with other associated jobs fitting round them. We all had a chance to look at info. sheets and poster ideas. The circuits were occupied by a coal train with a SR H class 0-4-4t drawing it and a shocking blue Alco diesel with huge grain hoppers going the other way. Several modellers sported our new polo shirts; a few even had their names emblazoned above our logo.
August 1st – Saturday Running & Construction – RM
I had American trains out on the circuit, while Ron and John B were running BR and GER stock. As that circled, we tidied and discussed improving the look of the minimal scenery behind the circuit. Every now and then we clustered round Edington to turn or upend baseboards for the team. Paul, Roger and John P were at workbenches constructing buildings and signals for Edington, while David G and David Hopkins worked on electrics. Ross brought one of the station shelters and David Hayes added to scenery. Below stairs, Jim was preparing woodwork and advising Alastair and me about the new floor surface we intend to install. Twelve of us were out in the garden for lunch and tea, keeping up to date with group planning and news. The G0G Gazette had come, so we had a range of topics to chat about, including Roger standing for G0G Chairman. Super weather, the circuits in use and modellers all over the place making things, made for a good day. (With Operation Stack was winding down, we stood a chance of easier journeys home.)
July 22nd – Mainly construction – RM
You could tell it was high summer by the comma butterflies resting on hats and turtle doves cooing above; there was also the continental traffic stuck on the motorways and combine harvesters filling the lanes. John and David let us out for lunch, but we had a working tea in the loft. A BR/LMS Crab and SR M7 hauled freight on the circuits before moving onto Edington to test the electrics. Colin Curtis made sure they didn’t overshoot. We all moved substantial pieces of the layout so that wiring of another section and fiddle yard could progress. The workbench was occupied by signal and building construction, while groundworks continued on scenic boards. Around the loft, housekeeping chores were tacked.
