Cardi-Bach meeting last Wednesday. We had a good turn out of members, John Ewart from PLANED in Narberth came along and demonstrated a voice recorder that we would be able to use to interview people regarding memories of the C-B; and the possibility of putting those recordings onto a podcast, as well as starting up a website.
We then had an interesting hour of DVD footage, slide presentation and discussion regarding a 1900 enhanced photograph of Login station platform complete with station personnel.
Sandwiches, sausage rolls, tea coffee and beer completed an enjoyable evening.
Next meeting will be Wednesday February 12th, at Login, 7 pm.  

On to ChufferDuffers - after all, thats what this blog is really about...
Colin and I went along to Chessboard House, where Pat entertains us in the annex. He had a lot to show, so we'll start of with Pats modelling to date.
You remember he was building a 7mm scale burger bar, on rails? - lots of progress!

The pictures speak for themselves:

Menu board, glass cake display, plate of scones on the counter, and if we take a peek inside...

Sandwiches being prepared next to the tea urn....

cups of tea on a tray ready to be served, and in the next picture we have a young lady busy at the prep table, and soup of the day keeping warm on the stove top:

Not content with that, Pat is also in the middle of motorising a 1950's Post Office Telephone van to run on rails:

So, that has dealt with Pats prolific efforts, what have the other Chuffers been up to? In my case, not a lot, but for the others, Colin and honoury member Pete, quite a lot!

Starting with colin, he is rebuilding the locomotive 'Dolgoch'.
Here is the basic chassis with a new motor and drive fitted:

He was also tasked with building a water crane for Pete's L & B layout (more of that later). Given the plans, this is the end result:

Here we have the plan and the model, and another of the model in close-up:

This is, as I mentioned for Pete's Lynton and Barnstaple layout, which we have seen here on the blog a few months ago.
Pete has now had a bit of free time to make a start on modelling the superstructures, and I called round last week to see what he has been up to.
Lynton Station:

The engine shed:

The goods shed:

And the ground frame:


 

I've got more pics from Pete's workbench, but I'll save those for another post.
To finish, a quick video of Pats gravity slate train - and sorry Roger, it's still going lickety-split!!

 

First Cardi-Bach Society meeting of the New Year will be next Wednesday, January the 15th, 7pm in the Museum at Login Station. John Ewart is coming to give a quick chat on the latest equipment he has for helping group publicity, and then we will be having a railway evening, showing DVDs and slides relating to aspects of GWR operations.
Hope to see you all there.

On to Chuffer business - its been quite a while since the last post, but quite a while since the last Chuffers get-together, but some chap's 2019th birthday celebrations and an alteration in the calender warranting even more celebrations sort of interrupted our gathering...

No matter - all that's in the past (at least for another eleven months, anyway).
We met here at Llechryd last night. Still a bit too cold and dark in the conservatory to do any serious layout work, so it was just show-and-tell really.

First up was Colins contribution - not to the new layout (still to have a name) but something towards his 009 efforts - an open workers truck, complete with workers, who all look related in some way...

I think they are wearing safety helmets, rather than similar hairstyles!


My efforts were altered 'Matchbox Yesteryear' vehicles which I mentioned in the last post. Taken apart, paint stripped, and then resprayed and put back together.
Still a bit more detailing yet to do. :-

And:

I have deliberately left Pat until last, as he has been the most prolific of us. Before retiring he never had a lot of time for modelling, but by George (who was George...?) he is making up for it now.

As a new edition to the 7mm Narrow Gauge layouts, he is making a travelling 'Greasy Spoon' van, complete with interior.
It is still work in progress, but here is a taster:

When you remove the front, this is what is revealed:

Closer inspection shows the tea urn and the stove:

Quite what the GPO mail bag is doing there we have yet to establish...


Finally, after having seen the 'Gravity Run' on the Ffestiniog show that C-B member Phil gave to us a couple of months ago, Pat was so impressed that he made his own!
A small motor is hidden in the leading slate wagon, and is complete with a brake man sitting on the slates.
We managed a circuit of the layout, at rather more than prototypical speed!!

As it was Llechryd, that meant only one thing - curry night!

No Chuffs next week, but Pats the following Tuesday.

Hwyl fawr,
Shaun.