Today we focussed on brake vans and had over twenty being hauled round the circuit. The vans came in all shapes and sizes with pre-grouping through to post nationalisation being represented. My favourites were Roger’s two SECR brake vans but then I would say that wouldn’t I.
While this was going on some of the Queen Charlotte Dock baseboards were set up. David L, Tim and I discussed the fitting of the viaduct arch fronts to the high-level boards and where to place them so as to allow movement of trains through them at the extreme right-hand side of the layout.
Ever mindful of our Health & Safety responsibilities we also discussed the parapet walling to be fitted against the high-level platform to deter passengers from falling to the dockside
below. Hopefully construction of all the baseboards will be finished soon and we can set them all up together and start building the track work in accordance with the Templot track plan.
David Ho, John P and Tim got out the micro-layout. After some discussion of what needed to be done Tim left David and John to get on with it while he rejoined the brainstorming team on Queen Charlotte Dock. Progress on this project is
really gathering momentum now which is just as well as we intend to run it at our forthcoming Open Day.
Roger continued constructing his line side building while John B carried on building vans and Bill worked on a low wagon. In the absence of the Treasurer John B ensured everybody paid their fees apart from me as I had forgotten my wallet. Honest, guv!
Over lunch David L, Tim and David G gave brief updates on Queen Charlotte
Dock, the micro-layout and Edington and Lenham respectively.
Due to the failure of the Edington training day on 17 May we will have another go at our meeting on 24 June when we will set the layout up alongside running our Members’ Bring & Buy event.
As usual I ran through the forthcoming meetings and exhibitions and in particular Open Day. As previously reported, we will be running both Edington and the micro-layout as well as displaying some of our members’ models and our progress on Lenham and Queen Charlotte Dock. In addition to this we will have a demonstration table as we did last year where members will work on projects of their own choosing.
Roger has contacted the organisers of the Maidstone show scheduled for late December but despite initially asking us if we would like to take part they have yet to respond. Roger will follow this up and report back.
Lastly, at Tim’s recent talk on signalling he offered to try and arrange a visit to Canterbury signal box. Tim now asked for numbers of members interested in such a trip and there being a goodly number will get in contact with the necessary authorities and report back at a future meeting. Chris
