Today on the circuit we were supposedly focusing on pre-1960’s freight stock although in the event it turned out to be mainly pre-1910 freight stock as I had brought in a selection of my SECR wagons and vans. Nevertheless, they made up an interesting if anachronistic train being hauled at various times by members’ locos from a much later era.
Fred had brought in two Moguls that he had weathered, one heavily and one only lightly and ran one of these with my train. Several members had attended the Gauge O Guild show at Kempton Park the previous weekend.
One of these was Dave B who ran the two locos he had acquired there. The first loco was a P Class in Southern livery which Dave had acquired relatively cheaply because it was said not to run very well, but having taken it home and dealt with a very minor problem it now ran beautifully around the circuit. Dave’s second loco was a very attractive little tank engine that I didn’t recognise but on talking to Ross discovered that it was ex-PD&SWJR (that’s Plymouth Devonport and South Western Junction Railway of course). The loco was used mainly on dock work and Ross was able to give me a very full history of the prototype and its sister engines and could probably have given me the driver’s name and address if I’d asked him. It always amazes me how much knowledge some of our members have on various aspects of our hobby.
Elsewhere while David L finished the final fix of the girder bridge on Queen Charlotte DockBarry K checked over the turnout operating units and circuit boards for the lower level. Billcarried on working on the dockside surface and Tim worked on the warehouse brickwork.
The de-mountable lower level control panel has now been built and fitted to the baseboardand will be wired up shortly.
Over lunch I reported that Ickham Parish Council had asked us if we would be interested inholding a model railway exhibition at their village hall. Given the location and lack ofparking and footfall there, it is unlikely to be of interest, but Geoff was asked to speak totheir Chairman and get more detail. (Subsequently Geoff had that conversation andestablished that this would not be something we wish to undertake.)
While discussing the Ickham proposal Ross suggested we might want to approach the“Open Faversham” organisers to see if there is something we could do with them, and wewill follow this up. Geoff said he had attended the Broadstairs show last weekend andhanded out many flyers for our Open Day.
David Ho was unfortunately away sick, but Dave B manfully jumped into the breach andkept us all supplied with teas and coffees until we headed off home. Chris
