Chairman's Dribble
Newsletter June 2018.
Hello everyone! Summer is here at last. The Weeting Rally is only three weeks away. Please do not forget that Saturday 14th July is setting up day for the rally and we need all hands on deck/track.
The track is finished and the pond has been pumped out, so we are waiting for the water to refurbish it. Every thing is on track for a good rally, lets hope the weather holds. As you will see from your tickets the Weeting rally committee are asking for some fancy dress dating back to the 1970’s for the Rally Sunday, so if you have your old 1970’s suite or dress in the attic feel free to give it an airing.
The newsletter is a bit late this time, my fault not the editors, I have had a lot of work this month.
One more important thing, we need help on all rally days, so please let us know what you can do. We need cakes etc. for Saturdays tea at the Rally, OK two things, but lets hope for a good rally. Also remember Wednesday meeting at The Ram on the 4th July.
Dave M. Chairman
The Secretary's report
Where does the time go? Here we are nearly the end of June and getting ready for The Weeting Rally. We have had our first family day and this was very good, lots of Loco’s, I think someone said at one time we had 10 on the track. The weather was great and it all went very well. We have had Hockwold Fair, and this also went very well, a l-o-n-g day but well worth it. We have had a couple of mentions in the “Model Engineer” and from this last issue we have our meetings entered in the diary part of the magazine.
The track is in great fettle even though the mole’s are trying their best to thwart us, but we are dealing with them.
There is now a big push to get every thing ready for Weeting and I am sure this will arrive very very quickly, So hope to see you all then, It’s a “Barry Potter” theme?
MW
Our First Family Running Day this year
We were certainly blessed with very nice weather on Saturday May 19th. Lots of models see pictures and we had some new members wanting to join the club. The track ran superbly, seeing the number of engines going round made one think of all the hard work that has been done in the last couple of years, and how worth while this has been. To see Ken W Sweet pea pulling Kevin B trucks was certainly a sight to tell everyone what the club is all about. Geoff E “Sherpa” had an unfortunate blow out, but this was soon fixed and he with his granddaughter were soon trundling round. Our youngest member Sam H must have done miles this day with his very neat electric loco, well done Sam! Geoff B had his award winning Traction engine with trailer and water carrier running. Peter E big Burrell traction engine going on some long “hikes” probably not the right word, perhaps “Runs” is better, I am sure you will tell me. Peter B had his stationary engine running, and all in all it was very well represented. Ray R with his “Locomobile” Chris H and his “sorry Chris” “Fut Fut” very neat and very nice; I think there was a very nice comment on the You Tube video about it. Hugh S had his “Lion” running and it run very well.
We had a first with Norman H superb “ Edward Thomas” this certainly looked a powerful engine, and it looked good and performed well too. Well done. Paul B had his “Simplex but alas another problem keeps Paul off the running track. Andy G had another successful day with his “Sweet William” he also must have covered miles. We had no less than 5 different boats, well not all boats not even ships but a lovely display. Peter B skeleton canoe, Ralph R warship and MTB, Geoff E paddle steamer complete with all the “rust “ one could imagine. Two more large Traction Engines, Terry Y and Norman S both looking and running superbly. We all had a fish and chip lunch, well almost every one, we had a slight slip up with the number of Sausage and Chips, perhaps another day we can organise before hand – any way I hope it did not spoil the day and you all went home having seen the fun side and the hard working side of our club.
Our Latest Track Report
Well here we are and it’s June! The track ballasting has been finished and we have laid nearly 1000 25kilo blocks around the top cuttings and it looks rather special. We have laid almost 120 tons of ballast, each barrow load shovelled in to the barrow and handled from the heap to it point of use – no mean feat. We have estimated that during the two plus years we have been doing the job we have notched up 6500hours of work, but worth every minute.
We have replaced all the old contacts around the track with new stainless ones and have placed new cables in places to try and space the loco around the track; we are still wrestling with the loco’s switching the signals correctly but we are getting there.
We have dragged the Gents toilet into the 21st century and added glass windows and net curtains in both toilets – next time you use our facilities, let us know what you think, nice or horrid, we have thick skins.
We have continued to plant shrubs and plants around the site, with the addition of a small hedge the full length of the tunnel and the centre ground leading to the tunnel with have planted a row of “fuchsia” plants so look out for all these additions. Begonias and Geraniums have been added to the small garden at the Gantry end and the foxgloves are looking great.
The moles are still causing a small problem but our chief mole catcher is doing an admirable job. The grass is looking superb and we have recently emptied the pond in preparation for new cleaner safe water.
We have sprayed the track with weed killer and are keeping the weeds at bay, so all in all it is looking superb.
The fencing at the station has been “creosoted “ and so has the wooden steps and timber on the bridge.
Things still need to be done – we have to finish the Ash pit under the rails at the turn table.
So we are still at the track Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning from about 9am, so if you would like to help and participate in some good tea and coffee and sometimes cake and banter, then it is the place to be on the said days above.
Below are some up to date pictures.
Anniversary Supper - Saturday 1st September 2018
Following the dry run at Hockwold Show, we have now been able to fix a price for the Anniversary Supper and this will be the princely sum of £6.00. The meal will be a cold meat salad meal with a Baked Potato; a “Pimms” drink to welcome you into the Marquee where we hope to sit you all down to the meal; the cold meat salad will be followed by a “Fruit salad”.
We will be able to do cold soft drinks, but if you want to drink wine then please bring this – there will be no corkage. We hope to have a barrel of beer and this will be charged.
As we will not have enough chairs, we ask you to all bring along a fold up chair.
We will be having china plates and bowls for sweet, but could you all bring your own knife, Fork and Spoon, as the £6.00 does not allow for the purchase of these.
Much discussion is going on at what music we can provide, and we hope there will be somewhere to dance, if that is what you want to do.
We will hire two toilets for the week-end and hope these will cope.
This is a ticketed meal and tickets will be on sale from 1st July 2018.