esngblog

Zoom time once again.  Unfortunately missing the Cha(i)rman again, as he was unwell (not Covid-19).  We were also joined by Peter, and by Maxine to check up on us all.  Simon was showing off his 3-D printed Daleks.  Graham was still only transmitting one word in two, but held up a note saying that he is getting new internet on Friday.  So next meeting, we may get the all-singing, all-dancing version.

We discussed ESNG meetings, and like the emails I had received from a couple of people, thought that we might as well write 2020 off.  However, one bright idea was to get 3 or 4 of us to meet up to do more work on the fiddleyard.  That is worth pursuing, though we’ll watch the increase of cases of covid for the next couple of weeks before doing anything.

What would it have been like to live through the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918-19?  We are fortunate in some ways, that we have all the forms of electronic communication to stop us being totally isolated.

To close, a couple of photos to inspire the creative juices.  First, Chicago in 1956.  I like the low level goods yard parallel to the main station.

And second, somewhere in Europe just after WW2.  It would make an interesting model.

Well, having read and reread the government guidance, I’ve reluctantly concluded that we can only entertain 6 members at a meeting at present.  If we have more than 6, we have to have 2 groups and they are not allowed to socialise.  Unfortunately, I like all the club members, so we can’t split into warring groups!

And I quote (my bold text)…..  “In practice, however, this will make it difficult for some activities to take place without breaking the law. Activities where there is a significant likelihood of groups of more than six mingling – and therefore breaking the law – should not take place until further COVID-19 Secure guidance has been developed and approved to enable the activity to happen safely. This may include extended tour groups, large banquet dinners, society or club meetings, or amateur music or drama rehearsals.”

However, I note that an exception to the ‘rule of six’ is support groups – “formally organised groups to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support.”  This includes recovering addicts.  The way we all buy trains, I’m not sure about the recovering bit……

Still little modelling, but a lovely autumn day’s weather, so we visited Winchelsea and Hastings.  Mrs Bartlett had a paddle and I watch a procession of gulls and terns along the beach, before lunch with one of her old friends.

Plans were underway for the reopening of ESNG later this month.  We’d welcome a limited number of people to play trains, but make things as Covid-safe as possible.

Then came yesterday’s government announcement limiting social gatherings again.  So, perhaps it’s all off again?

But maybe yes……  The government guidance says that from Monday:

“If partaking in permitted activities users of COVID-19 secure community facilities should limit their social interactions with anyone they do not live with. Whilst activities may have 6 or more people participating (where it is safe to do so and capacity permits) it is important for all parties to maintain socially distant, 2 metres or 1 metre with actions taken to reduce the risk of transmission (where 2 metres is not viable) between households. For example, use of face coverings and encouraging good hand hygiene on entering premises and throughout visit.”

So I’ll look again at the full list of permitted activities on Monday. Clubs in Covid-safe communal areas might be exempt.  We still may be OK to carefully meet up together.

I can’t keep up!  These changes are definitely needed, but they happen to quickly for a bear of little brain.

UPDATE: At the moment, the published guidance looks like a yes – community organisations can go ahead with Covid-safe precautions.

Some more projects underway by ESNG (to cover up the lack of progress on my part.)

Simon is getting the hang of 3D printing…..

One I did earlier. Chair car interior.

But this project looks far more useful.  I rather like the idea of a line of these heading up the road on a layout…..

Working on N Scale Daleks.

It’s going to be quite hard to print all the protuberances!

Problem is that most of the designs are in parts – usually top and bottom with separate sticking out bits. I find it hard to scale to N. Apparently, according to designs had from Google, Daleks are about 5’ 4” = 10.16mm in N Scale, but I can’t easily get a full height measurement of a completed design, as they are not scaled any way I can work out, given I can’t get into the main .stl files, but only what goes in to the slicer software.

Ta da!  Found the right file. It’s come out really well.

Meanwhile, Phil sent me another photo of his layout.

A good Zoom meeting, last night.  I found it to be tricky getting a good shot of my layout, using my mobile ‘phone, as I could not easily see what you all were seeing on your screens. Maybe I’ll try the other way round, next time, and use the Notebook computer to show the layout, with commentary from the ‘phone, and see how that goes.

Here is a still of my current home layout. I make no excuses: it is as much track as I could fit on the ready-made 3 ft x 4 ft bare Sundeala baseboard bench. No scenery, apart from the purchased trackside buildings, etc. since I frequently dismantle and redesign it, so nothing is pinned down, either!

Basically, four concentric tracks, all interconnected, allowing four trains to be run, anywhere on the layout, under DCC ( of course! ).

Rule 1.  It’s my model railway.  The strength of our hobby is that there is room for everyone, whatever your interest, and however you want to play trains (even with Daleks.)

Brian missed out on Zoom, but sent us a video of the old Chatham Dockyard.  Some modelling potential here?

Another good Zoom tonight.  Just the five of us, with apologies from a few members (especially the Chairman, who had been cornered for an early milkround.)  Good to see Martin this time around, too.  And Phil managed to master both phone and computer and showed us his railway.

I’ve spent a day or two recently updating and rewriting the ESNG website, and moving it across to WordPress.  Here’s the end result.

esngclub.com

I’ve enjoyed improving the site and adding some more photos – especially some from the early days of the club, and a rogues gallery.  There’s some serious pre-history here!

And here we see a club member working on his layout wiring.  Not only the ultimate in Health and Safety, but also a great advert for DCC!