Today’s theme was diesel and petrol railcars and DMUs. Paul W and Rob both ran their Heljan AEC railcars with Paul’s in a green livery and Rob’s in a red and cream livery. It was interesting to see how despite both models being identical in all other respects how different they looked in their respective liveries. Later David G ran his Class 105 DMU and also gave his EMU 4RES four coach set a run out although the claim on the coach boards that the prototype ran to the Isle of Wight seemed a bit spurious as it never crossed the Solent. John D ran his Class 121/122 diesel and Rob had a rather chunky American diesel shunter running round pulling an Esso tank wagon. I gave my SECR O Class its maiden outing giving it a good workout with a train of ancient coal wagons. It’ll probably look better though with a driver and fireman on board when I get round to fitting them. After lunch Geoff gave the DMU he had built in 1970 with cast ends a turn on the circuit and also ran his diesel electric “Thumper” built from a DJH kit.
Fred who was unable to join us today due to some scary emergency water works having to be carried out at home had earlier brought in the new EKOGG banner and leaflets which were then displayed for all to see and were much admired. David L, Barry and Bill carried on finessing Queen Charlotte Dock while David Ho worked away quietly in the storeroom on the new micro layout Badlesham. Over lunch there was little to report although we did discuss our proposed 40th anniversary celebrations. We decided that as there was little real enthusiasm for a trip out we would dispense with that idea and instead have a celebratory lunch. The George at Molash having received rave reviews following our inaugural Saturday meeting lunch there in July David G was asked to speak with them about the possibility of hosting us on 26th September.
In between disappearing into the storeroom to work on Badlesham David Ho maintained the necessary production of caffeine related beverages until we packed everything away. As we headed off homewards some misguided fools insisted that we had had a rain shower although as we continue onwards to our fifth heat wave of the summer anything that fell must have been dry before it hit the ground. Chris
