Today on the circuit we were looking at horse boxes and specialist stock. Today’s runners and riders were John P with his GWR 14xx 0-4-2 with a Conflat wagon, John B his Hudswell Clark 0-6-0 pulling a mustard van and Rob with his 0-6-0ST “Elizabeth” with an assortment of wagons. Roger ran his D8 diesel pulling a most unlikely train of three bogie wagons and Dave B ran his LSWR 0-6-0T pulling a number of horse boxes and his ex-Hull & Barnsley Birdcage guard’s van. Finally, Steve ran his Class 25 diesel (this was a Steve Beattie kit which was part etch and part 3D print) with some bogie wagons. While all this was going on the QCD team were busy titivating the layout and packing it up in preparation for its outing to Alexandra Palace at the weekend. On the big table there were many horse boxes and other specialised stock on display and at lunch we went round the table with everybody explaining what it was they had brought along. Geoff had several horse boxes and also a Great Eastern crane 0-6-0 loco and a green Bagnall 0-4-0ST that he had built in the 1970s. The star of the show however was Roger with his three bogie wagons. The first of these was originally a Rivarossi petrol tanker repainted by Roger with transfers by Fred and now running as an Ermeer wine tanker. The second was a nuclear waste flask wagon and the third a Halfords rattle can repurposed as a bogie tank wagon with all the necessary bits and pieces added.
It was reported that Fred was doing very well after his recent knee operation and hopes to be at our next meeting. Roger had brought in a box of paints that had been donated for members to help themselves to if they wished (they did). Ross reported that work is progressing on the Rother Valley Railway to link up with the Kent & East Sussex Railway at Bodiam and eventually connect to Robertsbridge on the main line. The new station at Robertsbridge is now complete and the RVR are holding an open day on 18 April to celebrate. Once again David Ho kept us all provided with teas and coffees until we upped stumps and headed off home. Chris
