| News: Many thanks to those members who set up and provided transportation for The Buffers' module display at The St. George's Society of London on August 18. Bearing in mind that this was an unscheduled meeting, a pleasing number of our membership was able to attend. The Buffers' first meeting of the 2002/2003 season was held on September 28. A railway picture quiz developed and presented by Dennis Littler in the form of photographs proved quite taxing to many of those present. Roy Hopkins was declared the winner. The prize, in the form of a British Railways Atlas, had been donated by David and Pat Foster of The British Connection. David Thoms presented a video on the 98-mile and long-closed Waverley Route. This line ran from Carlisle to Edinburgh Waverley enabling the Midland Railway to have access to the Scottish capital from its St. Pancras terminus in London. Our Treasurer, Joe Belecky, presented a general verbal report as to our club's finances. The report indicated that we have recent received a contribution of $150.00 from The Platelayers Society with respect to our display at the April Great British Train Show and a $50.00 donation from The St. George's Society of London for similar services on August 18. THE ROAD AHEAD: Our October 19 meeting will be hosted by Roy Hopkins, at 3504 Catherine Street, Dorchester - telephone: 268-8125. Access to Roy's place is easily gained from: FIRSTLY: Dundas Street E., to Middlesex County Road 32 (Shaw Road) and go South on Shaw Road to Catherine Street and turn left; or SECONDLY: From Hwy. 401, North on Airport Road to Catherine Street. Turn right, go some distance and Roy's home is on the North side just East of Shaw Road. As referred to in the September Newsletter, John Mason has agreed to bring his 3.5 inch gauge live-steam Britannia Pacific to run on Roy's garden track. Indoors, Roy will be able to provide videos and access to his models. |
| A flyer was included with this Newsletter providing details of the Toronto Christmas Train Show to be held at the International Center, Mississauga, November 23 and 24. The Platelayers Society website has provided the following details regarding the next Great British Train Show. Each show has attracted more and more enthusiasts from all over Canada, parts of the USA and even from Britain. For British model railway enthusiasts unable to visit shows in the UK, this is the place to be! There has, in the past, been dozens of vendors and some of the best British layouts this side of the Atlantic. Venue will be at the Jim Archdekin Recreation Center, Brampton in March 2004. Date to be advised. MEMBERSHIP NEWS: We welcome Peter Finnigan to The Buffers. Peter was able to attend the August 18 gathering at The St. George's Society of London and also our September meeting. We were pleased to see both David Plumridge, after an absence of two or three months, and Les Norris at our meeting. Your writer received the following email from Buffers member Richard Hobby on Tuesday August 6. The email was circulated by your writer to those members of The Buffers who are on-line. Other members will not have seen this and it is reproduced for their information: "An impromptu meeting of The Buffers was held in St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London at 13:30 GMT 6 August 2002.Members present were Martyn Judson and Richard Hobby, accompanied by family members present on tour. To the background of a choir from Ontario singing in the main body of the church the meeting in the north transept discussed the unlikely location and plans to visit a well known retailer of model trains in Bourton on the Water in the Cotswolds on Thursday August 8. Among many interesting activities that took place during a September visit to Britain by your writer and his wife, was a meeting with Eric Bottomley, GRA, the railway artist. Many of our membership met Eric at The Great British Train Show in 1998 and 2000 where he had a stand displaying his prints, cards and postcards. Eric lives in the Herefordshire village of Much Marcle. After a phone call from the village store to him at his home in The Old Coach House, your writer was given a tour of the studio where current works were underway, as well as an 0 gauge layout which included a Princess Coronation Class ex-LNWR Super D and Black Five. The background to the layout reflected the northern environment in which Eric was born. Coffee and conversation was enjoyed during the visit. As a matter of interest, Eric is publishing a 136-page book containing 50 to 60 colour plates. The book is now on our Secretary's Christmas List and anyone wishing further details should contact Geoff Chandler at 657-9724. The book is expected to be available mid-October. |
| CONTEMPORARY SCENE ON BRITAIN'S RAILWAYS The following four pictures shot in September 2002 by Geoff Chandler illustrate the changes in motive power and stock that have taken place on Britain's railways in the past few years. The illustrations indicate a high standard of external cleanliness: • Leased Eurostar set 3304 in GNER livery waiting to leave Kings Cross on a White Rose service to Leeds, September 7, 2002. • GNER Class 91 named Newark on Trent leaving Kings Cross September 7 on an Edinburgh service. Note the Eurostar stock in the adjoining platform. • GNER Class 91 at York on September 10 on a Kings Cross service. • At Warrington (Bank Quay) September 12 are two Virgin Trains Voyager sets on a Glasgow service. |
| The Buffers Club Newsletter Based on the print edition produced by Geoff Chandler |
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| October 2002 |
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| Below Left: The picture, taken by Valerie Chandler, depicts the coat-of-arms of the London Chatham and Dover Railway located on Blackfriar's Railway Bridge in London. The separate existence of the LCDR ended January 1, 1899 upon the amalgamation with the South Eastern Railway, thus becoming the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. Blackfriar's Railway Bridge carries heavy Connex commuter traffic and also Thameslink services between the South Coast and destinations north of London. Below right is a Midland Railway dining car at the National Railway Museum, York. Photograph by Geoff Chandler. |
| HISTORICAL PHOTOS |