esngblog

Today’s PlayDay was a great success, numerically and for the projects completed and on view.  We had 11 members and 2 visitors present.  The Treasurer visited for 5 minutes to drop off some cables he had repaired, but we weren’t quick enough to catch him for his ‘subs’.  We had three layouts on display.

Duncan brought along his Nm modules to see how they went together, as there’s no room to set them up at home.  They are coming along well, although there are a lot more trees to plant to make nearly all the line in forest.  The modules are of an actual location, 2/3 scale size, and rise steadily on a 2% grade from one end to the other.  They are going to Stuttgart and will link up with other Nm boards.

We put together an end-to-end N-mod layout, to test out the new end loop and transition boards to N-club (4 track to 2 track) that we will use in Stuttgart.  All worked OK, I’m pleased to say, and the N-club fiddle yard was packed into Duncan’s van for a early departure for Germany later this week.  A variety of trains took turns on the layout, ranging from Eurostar to a Dapol M7 and one coach (just about all it would haul) through a Japanese grain train.

The church’s boxes of disposable cups came to the rescue to support the otherwise legless transition boards.  They will not be going to Stuttgart – Earlswood Baptist Church needs its coffee….

Sean brought his new layout along.  It will be DCC with sound.  It’s only 5ft or so long, and built so that he can run trains at home, despite a lack of space and a surfeit of children!

To finish, two short videos.  Firstly, Eurostar enters and exits Derek’s ‘banjo’ end loop:

And here we have a couple of trains navigating the new end loop:

The pattern continues…..  11 members but no chairman!  Allan, we’re missing you, despite the thriving meetings.

Following the news that the police want to fine motorists even if they are only 1 mph over the speed limit, Derek (the At) brought along a stopwatch, table of scale speeds, and whistle.  He proceeded to let the operators just how fast their trains were running.  With little effect I hasten to act.  Graham’s yellow bullet train was overtaken by Bruno’s 0-6-0 Jinty and coaches at an alarming 275 mph.  Mallard, no chance!

Paul had a full length Kato Eurostar running to test all the couplings out ready for Stuttgart.  We’ll put our part of the proposed Stuttgart layout together on Sunday’s PlayDay, then it’s only a matter of trying to fit everything in the two vehicles..

Another fairly busy evening with 10 members present.  But no chairman.  Once again the 2am milk round defeated him!

There were plenty of trains on the move.  I had a train of MicroTrains coaches running.  I realised I had 8 of them, having picked up a few here and there as potential Lehigh Valley rebuilds.  Neil had seen the light and was running sensible trains – SECR grey and Southern green N 2-6-0’s and Maunsell coaches.  Plus a nice pre-nationalisation good train, Paul’s inevitably bullet train, and Graham’s Super Chief.

Meanwhile, Duncan had taken time out from landscaping his Nm layout to come and sort out final planning for Stuttgart.  It’s less than a month away now!  We worked through transport, catering, presentations and the like, and things seem moderately under control.  I’m looking forward to another visit, and will enjoy a couple of days with my son, Michael, who is coming out too.  One year I really will go for the full 4 days, and visit Stuttgart itself – I have yet to get far beyond the Messe exhibition hall!