esngblog

It’s definitely holiday time, as we were down to eight members this Thursday.  But it was good to have a visit from a prospective new member in Roger, who brought an engine along for the attention of Dr Loco.  Evidence of holiday time was also seen as there was just room to set up a circuit in the middle of tables for the church Holiday Club.

The eight members sort of split into two groups.  One group was intent on planning for the next Stuttgart trip in November.  We have the space for our layout allocated, that brilliantly includes a nearby junction.  Last year it was good value (if rather scary) operating the two double junctions onto our branch.

The other group ran trains.  Paul’s mega Japanese goods train was reluctant to stay coupled.  In protest he loaded Thomas, Annie and Clarabelle onto low loads and sent them on a train to the scrap yard.  Dave was running some very nice ‘Sharknoses’ with a train of B&O coaches.  Phil had some UK Pullmans on the go.  And Derek had a long train of Bullied coaches behind a ‘West Country’ Pacific.

And Allan brought a box of chocolate biscuits.

All in all, a quiet evening, but plenty happening!

It’s AGM time again.  The chance for the members to rebel against the committee and stretch out the meeting for hours debating minor issues – then vote them back again to continue running the club.  But tonight was different – there was no need to frisk the members for fruit, rotten, canned or otherwise.

Perhaps it was the eight apologies for absence.  Some of these were quite imaginative.  Martin (senior) is in intensive care.  (But seriously, we were delighted to hear that he had come through a major operation successfully).  Paul was having trouble with his irrigation system – on the golf course that is.  Peter claimed to be in Ireland on the way to Cyprus (if I was going there I wouldn’t start from here).  And Sean was driving a train.

Or perhaps it was the sauna like atmosphere after the hottest day of the year (till tomorrow).  Or maybe it was the prospect of lots of second hand railway stuff for sale afterwards (see below).

Anyhow, the meeting was over in an hour.  We were just quorate.  The committee were re-elected en masse to carry on the good work.  There were no other nominations and they weren’t allowed to resign.  And a number of good points came up – including how to get beyond this blog and into social media, and a suggested Play-Day in the Autumn.

And the shopping was good!  Many thanks to the Crimbles for bringing over lots of lovely railway goodies from their late father (and our late member) Robin’s collection to allow the club to have first pick.  Lots of British and European stock but (fortunately) no American.  Nothing for me, I thought.  But some Kato Swiss 4-wheeled trams were too tempting.  I have looked at these at Stuttgart every year, but had resisted thus far.

And having got the trams, I just had to buy a number of Faller and Kibri plastic building kits.  I’m thinking of a little tram diversion of a mainland European street with trams running down it….