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Canterbury & District Model Engineering Society |
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Canterbury & District Model Engineering Society |
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As a result of the Covid 19 pandemic news from the society is understandably limited with members unable to meet either at the Tracksite or The Barn so we have to go back to New Years day for the first item to report, notably the traditional first steam and running session up of the year.
Around half a dozen members turned out on a rather grey and damp morning to enjoy a run led by stalwarts at the track Ernie Millard with his B1, Granville Askham and ‘Russel’ the Welsh Highland Railway 2-6-2T, Richard Barton and his model of a WW1 ‘Simplex’ trench tramway petrol locomotive, and Dave Brown running the late Don Barker’s ‘Eva May’ 0-6-0 tank locomotive. Ken Vine assisted by Luke Rose ran his Orenstein & Koppel narrow gauge locomotive in its striking blue livery.
Later in the month the society was represented with both our stand and portable track at the City of Canterbury Model Railway Club show at St Anselm’s School, an event in which we have participated for more years than we can remember.
This year in a departure from our normal arrangements the January meeting was held at the Whitstable Museum where members viewed the ‘Invicta’ locomotive from the Canterbury & Whitstable Railway and the former winding engine which had recently been installed in their new home. It was hoped that this ‘out meeting’ would have been the first of possible occasional alternative venue’s to The Barn however as everyone knows events have overtaken us.
So it was from February that society activities have shut down due to the Covid 19 pandemic. However members of the Wednesday Gang have met at the tracksite to continue with maintenance and grass cutting which has seen the site looking quite splendid which is a shame since there has not been the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of the ‘gang’ labours. Our thanks go to the team for their efforts.
Where we go from here, who knows but let’s hope that 2021 will see some improvement in the situation and we can get back to some sort of normality.
Chris Davey,
The 'Wednesday gang' meetup all through the year of course, and just like 'the big railway' do much of the maintainence that even a little railway requires. Most of their work is behind the scenes, but our Deputy Chairman took his camera along on these occasions.
