One item missed at the A.G.M. was the donation to charity is lieu of sending Christmas cards to other members. The charity will again be Naomi House. The box will be available in the clubroom for your donations please.
OO Gauge Matters
There has been progress on several fronts:
Track work – Further track and points have been laid (including some modifications to yard layout) and the “Wide to Gauge Catch point” constructed and tested. Several members have been developing their skills in rail & sleeper painting/weathering and ballasting. Ballasting materials differ for the mainlines and yard track (the latter including trials of superfine grit and chinchilla dust!). The scenic section track work has been divided into sections for working and signalling purposes and a specification/wiring diagram drawn up and implemented. Further Tortoise® point motors have been purchased and installed, wired and tested.
Train – Workings & Signalling – Research is underway on the train movements for different era’s and some working timetables obtained. Research has also discovered a book containing “signalling plans/diagrams” for the real Redbridge. These will be adapted to allow the layout to have accurate signalling. The aim is for train workings to be integrated with the signalling design.
Baseboard Construction – Discussion at the October AGM resulted in a new plan of construction. The decision has been taken to complete the baseboards and at least a “circle of track” through the fiddle yard (yet to be designed) to enable trains to run continuously. This will be a major step forward in enabling Redbridge Wharf to supersede the current Itchen Vale layout.
The first step has already been completed (installing supports that allow the scenic boards to be assembled above Itchen Vale. This is also of great help when working on the Redbridge baseboards.
Rolling Stock – Members have started purchasing/building stock that will be available for use on the layout. These include a fleet of oil tankers to represent the Fawley to Bromsgrove trains and special long steel carriers.
EM gauge Matters
New portable legs are being built for the layout. This will enable the Dexion to be dismantled – hence the removal of the magazines and the tidying-up of our part of the clubroom.
O gauge Matters
Our day at High Wycombe was a busy one and once again the gremlins stepped in. However we now hope to have cured them before Alton in February.
The interlocking between the ground frame levers, (7 & 31) and the yard controllers has been reinstated so that operator errors should not occur in future.
Other Business
Please note the date of the club dinner in your diaries. Mick will be sending out more information in the New Year. The evening is always very enjoyable and the food at the Harestock Lodge is excellent. Trophies will be presented as usual after Dinner.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
