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Thursday 21st March 2013 Quarterly Review It's hard to believe that it was over three months ago that I last sat down to compose a few witterings in this place. It's not just my innate inefficiency that has been the cause, external events apart I am pleased to report that the shop and business has been quite busy and one way and another I am being kept well and truly out of mischief. I attended three events in January with the bookshop, none of which I had attended as a trader before and all of which I enjoyed and which I will be attending again. First was the NMRA Winter meet at Benson Parish Hall in Oxfordshire on Saturday the 12th of January - a specialist North American show in a striking venue with very friendly organisation and super catering. (Thank you Robin!) A visitor stunned the organisers by complaining that there were no British layouts present on the day..... Second was the Bristol O Gauge show in the former Hewlett Packard facility at the University of the West of England (Bristol Poly) on the 20th January, which must surely rate as one of the best venues for a model railway exhibition anywhere. Oodles of space, all on one level, good lighting, good access, carpeted underfoot, friendly staff - and apparently it is likely to be demolished in the near future. Oh well, such is modern life, completely impenetrable, but in the meantime the very friendly and efficient Bristol O gauge group put the doomed facility to very good use every January - well worth a visit. Finally I attended the Sodbury Vale model railway club's show on Saturday the 26th which actually took place in St Mary's church in Yate, a bit chilly but absolutely fantastic surroundings and happily under no threat of demolotion. A very friendly show again and with some very good quality exhibits, scheduled to happen again next year on the 1st of February and again well worth visiting. Thank you to Jim Guthrie and his colleagues for the invitation and all their hard work on the day, very much appreciated.
Titfield here we come! My brilliant friend Alan Dorrington continues to work on his beautiful 1949 Bedford OB coach, (as mentioned earlier) and on Sunday 17th February, after fitting new rear wheels and various other improvements he took a group of friends out on a "full load test" to Lacock and back. It was a quite bright but chilly day and Harry and I were instructed to wait outside the shop for a photo opportunity. We failed to avoid being hemmed in by hideously modern machinery, but Harry did well to snap the below picture before we set off on our magical journey. From left to right, myself, the magnificent OB, Alan and Friends Bel and Robin.
We are planning an excursion in the Bedford OB as part ofthe Bath Fringe, "Reg and Colin's Great Railway Adventure", it will be taking place on Thurday 6th June and will be bookable shortly, full details to follow after Easter.
Let's hope its warmer by then!!
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Simon Castens |
