The Chairman's Dribble.
Hello everyone to the September 2019 Mardle. Well this has been a busy year with many things going on. There has been improvements to the track, much work being carried out by our members on Monday’s and Wednesday’s and our resident gardener Geoff B giving us some nice plants to look at , as we ride round.
November the 6th is the AGM of the BDSME, so this is when election officers and committee members takes place, so if you want to take on any of these posts, please come to the meeting and put your name forward. We will be pleased to see you.
The nights are drawing in, don’t forget we have our Halloween run on the 26th October, and you never know what will turn up on the day.
Well , that’s all I have for this Mardle, see you all soon, Dave M. Chairman.
The Secretary's Report.
Another BDSME year nearly at an end, time really does seem to fly these days, The AGM in November. Subs are due at the AGM please.
We have Saturday October 26th our Halloween run to come, I think this will be a fish & chip supper, so we can all have some fun running into the dark.
There is the Midlands Model Engineering show at Fosse Way to come, 17th to the 20th October 2019. Still a couple of seats available.
We are still working at the track, Monday’s Wednesday’s and play on Saturday’s so if you feel like helping please come done, or if you just want to talk, we are there. We will be doing the crossing after the Halloween run, so during that time the track will be closed for all the way round , so if you need to run it will have to be forward and then back, or back and then forward.
Just a bit of light banter
Scientists at Farnborough built a gun , specifically to launch dead chickens at the wind-shields of airliners travelling at maximum speed.
The idea was to simulate “bird strikes” where birds hit the aircraft at speed, to test the strength of the windshields.
British Railway engineers heard about this “GUN” and were eager to test it on the wind-shields of their new high speed trains, which were also susceptible to “ bird strikes”.
Arrangement’s were made, and a gun was sent to British Rail Engineers. When the gun was fired the chicken shot out of the barrel, it smashed the shatterproof windshield, blast-ed through the control console, snapped the engineer’s back-rest in two. Horrified, they sent Farnborough the results of the experiment and begged their scientists for sugges-tions. Farnborough responded by suggesting that they should try again, BUT, this time the chicken should be defrosted first……………
My Boss yelled at me the other day,” You’ve got to be the worst train driver in history. How many trains did you derail last year. I said” Can’t say for sure it’s so hard to keep track…….
Got a couple of railway buffers going cheap. It was an end of line sale…………
Went to a Railway fancy dress party, everyone was wearing platforms………….
Enough.
Field Report
The track is in pretty fine fettle; the new 7 1/4” pits have proved their worth during the Weeting Rally. So too is the new improved Engine lift that is an absolute triumph. Well done guys, a super job.
We have added a new signal box thanks to Norman H. Following a red light problem, we have added a sounder so it is now safe and after leaving the station you are warned that the light on the gantry could by red by a sounder fitted to the signal box. Thanks Mick H and Paul B and Geoff E.
The pond just has to have the seasonal wire netting put around it and this should make sure we do not end up with tons of leaves in the pond when the trees decide to drop their leaves; this is on going.
The crossing is being decided on and at present we are looking at various ways of making the crossing safe for loco-motives to drive over whilst making sure that if any thing needs to cross the rails, they will not move. As soon as we have had the “Halloween Run” in October we will be on with this.
The “Ladies Lounge” is complete and is there as a quite place to sit or just have a chat; again time will tell what this becomes, but at present it is a quite place for the boiler testers to complete the numerous forms that need their concentration on after a boiler test.
Paul B and Mike H are rewiring the tea room and fitting LED tubes, so watch this space, you soon will not recognise the place.
Geoff B continues to tend the flowers and these this year have been wonderful. Well done Geoff.
The grass is regularly cut and all in all the whole place has become a “ place to behold” well done to the loyal work force, we still continue to work Mondays, Wednesday and play Saturdays so if you are at a loose end any one of these day, there is tea and sometimes food. So, perhaps, we will see you soon.
Below are some pictures of the lean-to storage shed. It will be the same length as the container with double doors.
This project has come a long way in four years. Well done everyone! What an achievement!
From this...
…To this