Our focus for today was on diesel shunters. On the circuit while Fred was running his 08 with a short train including a shunter’s truck, an engine from a Class 47 diesel on a well wagon and a brake van. Rob got out the big stuff from across the pond. This consisted of a big yellow Minneapolis & St Louis bogie diesel locomotive pulling three box cars, a stock car, a hopper and a Drovers caboose. In English that’s three vans, a cattle wagon, a hopper wagon and a brake van and obviously the diesel has to be big enough in order to have the name of the railway written in full along its side. Also on the circuit and demonstrating a commendable independence of thought John P ran his GWR prairie with a small goods train. Meanwhile on the big table there was a very impressive display of diesel shunters and over lunch we reviewed them all. Geoff kicked off with his selection including one he had built in the 1960’s and another of the prototype that we had seen during our visit to Mangapp’s Farm a couple of years ago. There was also a Mercian kit Hudswell Clarke 0-60. John B had a Dapol diesel shunter and John D had an indeterminate something that was either a D10 or a D12.
Roger had his scratch built French Auto Lock locomotive used principally in French Industrial contexts but also in the UK at Mountfield Quarry. Roger also had a Slade Green shunter which had started of life as Triang big train but had been converted by Roger with the skirts hiding the fact that Roger had installed a completely different motor and wheel arrangement. Ross had brought along a selection including a Lima freelance 0-4-0 diesel finished in a War Department livery, a Fowler 0-4-0 DM and a Rushton & Hornsby 48 DD 0-4-0 in standard works livery. Steve had also brought along a small selection with a couple of EBay finds including an old white metal kit of a Fowler 0-4-0 and another Mercian kit Hudswell Clarke. As well as these Steve also had a D08 and a Class 25 diesel shunter. As usual David Ho maintained a regular supply of teas and coffees until we packed everything away and headed off home. Chris
