It was a very busy day at Badlesmere with lots going on. John B and Paul H both continued working on their buildings while David Ho and Roger swapped notes and worked on their respective Class 33 Diesels.
Meanwhile on QCD Bill and Nick carried on working on the dockside surface and Fred applied paint to the dock walls on Board 3 having painted the other three boards at the previous meeting. I brought in two re-purposed ex-Sarre cassettes now re-sized with new track work and to be used on Board 4 behind the high level station. Tim talked about how he is to finish off the buildings on Board 1 and David L fettled the turnout operating units ready for installing shortly.
The circuit was again fully employed with numerous locos and goods stock running round.
David B set up a goods train with his GWR 1363 0-6-0 saddle tank at the front. Initially this refused to run until after much scratching of heads it was discovered that the problem lay not with the loco but with one of the wagons shorting out. After removal of the culprit the loco and remaining wagons ran perfectly round the circuit. Rob set up another goods train with his Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 ST pulling a number of wagons including Tickle the coal merchant’s which was worth having just for the name.
A poorly Heljan
Class 33 yields up
its broken gears
Over lunch John D confirmed our invitation to exhibit QCD at the Gravesend show in November. This will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of that month. As previously reported, we will also be exhibiting QCD at Chatham on 20th and 21st July and at Maidstone on 28th and 29th December.
Roger will be taking a sales stand to Pett again this year and if any members have anything they wish to be sold they should let him know. Several members chipped in and helped David Ho with the teas and coffees and as time drifted on, we packed everything away and headed off home. Chris
