Last meeting before the show! And a good turnout, with 11 people at the meet. We obviously all preferred running trains to watching politicians go head-to-head on television – what a no-brainer. Had the Hon. Treasurer had stayed in to watch the debate? Then we remembered that he was on holiday in Norfolk, spending the show profits before the event!
A good selection of trains were on display. I ran my new Farish 4F 0-6-0, and it ran like a watch out of the box. I understand that it runs on more or less the same chassis as the Jinty tank engine, as the LMS used a standard wheelbase for these two locos. I had a very nice rake running, with the 4F, three Farish crimson BR suburban coaches and the N Gauge society inspection saloon.
Derek was running a pair of Class 73 electro-diesels heading up some modern ballast wagons. Perhaps the train needed a couple more wagons, but it was a neat consist.
This clip is just like real trainspotting – four trains pass in quick succession. All different eras and from three countries, but it’s fun to see them go through. Pity about Derek’s hand, that appeared to recouple a couple of coaches. And that train of his has no colour sense – an orange and yellow Colas Rail 57 followed by a train of ‘Barbie’ livery purple and pink coaches. Even the Great Western would be preferable to this!
Paul was breaking no records for long goods trains tonight, as we only had a small circuit set up. Even so, this train of oil tankers looked long enough!
Talk turned to the show. It’s looking OK at this stage, although I have the usual Exhibition Manager fears – will anyone actually turn up? Final instructions have been issued, the rooms are planned, the exhibition guide is off to be printed. All we need is a queue of punters at the door – on the 11th!
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