Page 26 - November December 2014

Playing with some trains Brian Moore
Most of the train running we do is probably less structured than we’d possibly sometimes like, but sometimes it can be as enjoyable as more formal club meets. Such an occasion took place on my home layout on a very warm day in July 2014. I live in Plymouth, about 100 yards from the Great Western main line, and about 200 yards from Laira depot. Incidentally, I get wonderful views of the regular mainline steam power, sometimes double-headed, as it gets turned on the Laira triangle when visiting on steam specials.
A loft view of GWR power turning on the Laira Triangle. The Laira steam shed and turntable once stood where the car park is, and the GW main line is directly behind the two trees in the middle foreground.
Over the years, I’ve seen everything from a smoke-deflectored Flying Scotsman through Princesses and Duchesses to A4s and Bulleid Pacifics, to Kings, Castles and Halls, to Britannias, Black Fives and 8Fs . . . Who’d have thought it?
But back to HO scale. The plan was for fellow Western Union member Rob Mallett and I to head up to the loft and run an accurate version of the Southern Pacific’s Permanente Local, following both of us finally having enough modified and re- decalled SP hoppers that were used to carry sand and cement. The train was usually hauled by at least two medium-powered units, and sometimes featured loaded coal gondolas too. Once the train was set up and running smoothly, we’d film it, and put it out on YouTube, ostensibly to post it on a Southern Pacific Facebook group of which we’re both members. In preparation, I’d removed all my usual 1954-era SP stock from the layout, and replaced it with the early-eighties stuff I run at the club.
Rob had scheduled his arrival for 11 am, but at ten to the hour and just as I was grinding the coffee beans for our first pot of the day, the doorbell rang early; it was fellow Western Union member Pete Saunders. Pete lives about a quarter of a mile from me, and as he was out walking his dogs, he chanced a visit to drop off a silo I’d offered to decal for him; once completed, it will feature on the new sand facility on his 16' HO module. I told him that Rob was about to arrive, and asked him if he’d also like to join us; at that moment, Rob’s car came down the lane, and he was quickly in the house, carrying a tray of rolling stock. Pete said he’d return in 20 minutes for an hour’s indulgence (sans his ghastly mutts), and I made the coffee whilst Rob chatted to Jane. Shortly after, we ascended to my Laira loft, where the large fan I’d started running earlier was just about keeping the temperature to comfortable levels.
We created the Permanente Local by each of us supplying a GP9 and nine sand hoppers; Rob then put five of his coal cars on, and one of my cabooses brought up the rear markers. By that time Pete had returned and was sent up to the loft by Jane, who’d also supplied him with his coffee. So prior to making the video, we ran some trains.
Pete took control of the Permanente Local for some circuits to get it running smoothly (two drooping Kadee #58s were sorted as a result), whilst Rob fired up the yard switcher, SD7 #1509,
The Permanente Local runs past the depot and Sunkist fruit packing plant on the main line, whilst an SD7 drills cars for the BN transfer job
Rob switches, whilst Pete does a roll-past on the Permanente Local
The Permanente Local is happier running in scenery as it proceeds on the main line. Spot the usual detritus that lies below most home layouts
and I asked him to sort out some cars for a Burlington Northern transfer job that was waiting in the storage yards.
Once the Permanente Local was running smoothly, it was put onto a storage track, and Pete then took charge of a BN GP40-2/
SD9 combo and its train, ran it into the yard siding and detached the power whilst Rob removed the cars and caboose,
26 ROUNDHOUSE