Today was the second of our Saturday running sessions on the circuit and was pretty well attended with the circuit being in constant use right from the start.
Nearly everybody had brought along something to run. Amongst other things running round the circuit John P had brought in his R1 and ran it pulling a goods train of Southern Railway wagons with the ubiquitous ex SECR 6 wheel brake van bringing up the rear. Ross ran a short train headed by his Hudswell Clarke tank now fitted with a 3D printed spark arrester as per Ross’s photo of the prototype.
Paul H brought in his GWR Mogul which unfortunately refused to enter into the spirit of the afternoon and refused to run although it looked like it really wanted to. On investigation it transpired that some of the DCC wiring had come adrift, and it was difficult to see how to re-attach it. A further mystery was how to remove the chassis from the body. Despite
removing several tiny screws, the body and chassis were still refusing to part and as Paul had received no instructions when he acquired the loco the mystery remained unresolved.
Elsewhere Roger and David Ho were trying again to get a Class 33 diesel to co-operate but unfortunately without success although persistence will win out in the end.
Geoff ran a Class 26 and a Class 27 Diesel and compared their running performance. One ran very nicely and the other not so much, but I can’t remember which was which, anyway one of them is due for some attention. Geoff also ran a crane tank and an 0-6-0 saddle tank.
Later I ran my ex Bob Fridd R Class with the shortened cab and chimney for the Canterbury and Whitstable line and had it pulling a goods train of mainly local private owner wagons.
Ian Earl from the Hall popped in to see us and told us that we could use a long floorboard that was surplus to their requirements for our shelving if we wished. We do, and David Ho moved it to somewhere safe in a scene reminiscent of Eric Sykes and his film “The Plank”.
David Ho as usual kept the teas and coffees coming and at the end of the day, we packed everything away and headed off home. Chris
