A new year – and a good meeting to start it.  9 members came out to run trains.  Derek brought along some modern RailTrack permanent way trains.  The specialised wagons used for ballast and the like are always interesting in any era, and the modern UK railways have some colourful specialised stock.  Mind you, they rarely remain that colourful!

Graham brought along his new Kato Illinois Central rake.  What a beautiful livery, and again I regretted not buying one in Stuttgart two years ago, and again resisting it on ‘Black Friday’ in 2015.  However, I really can’t justify (or afford) it!

And Paul had the usual mix of long Japanese goods trains with the occasional bullet train passing through.  He’s off to Japan in a couple of weeks.  No doubt with an empty suitcase to come home with more bullet trains.  Last time customs were most worried in Japan at someone entering the country with an empty case.  However, ‘shopping’ is an explanation that satisfies most of Asia!

Sunday is our first ‘PlayDay’ (and curry) of the year, so we’ll see what turns up then.