What Next ? Despair from an angry old man !

[End2end]

So I've spent some time researching your symptoms Dad-1, trudging though the data and crunching the numbers and the agreed synopsis is....

A FORUM COMPETITION!!!!
(I'm sure it will kick us all up the tender end!)
Thanks
End2end

[Forfarian]

I think a different hobby does help, I have my fly fishing 2 days a week during the season and over the last 12 months I have been involved with building the boat pictured. We built this for our local community to use on the local Loch. This has not taken me away from my trains, but probably increased my interest because I could do something different and at the same time put my skills into a worthwhile project. I still come on here and Brian's forum, but not the other one. There must be members that hop in and out all the time without actually posting, I know I am one of them!
We are starting No 2 boat at the end of Feb as the first one has proved very popular 50+ people signed up for rowing.

[Bigmet]

Beautiful job. Is it a traditional design for the area?

[Dad-1]

I have bought a new loco a MSC 0-6-0 Sentinel.
Arrived just gone 18.00 Hrs. It can stay in it's box until tomorrow.
Why ? The tools and Zimo decoder are in my shed down the bottom of the garden and it's dark.
Probably safer that way.

E2E testing the water regarding a competition. Been there done that and it involves work & stress
so no thanks. I have trouble even finishing part built projects. I have 6 x 16 ton Dapol kit built
minerals that need weathering, heavily, as chalk wagons that have to be done for our club exhibition
at the end of July. The layout involved also needs finishing, so the problem is too much of everything.

Geoff T.

[Lofty]

I have trouble even finishing part built projects.

I know that feeling well

[Bigmet]

...E2E testing the water regarding a competition. Been there done that and it involves work & stress...

Same attitude here. This is a hobby, it's for r -e - l - a - -a -a - x - a - a - a - t - i - o - n. Plenty of stress and workload available IRL.

Which is not to say that it shouldn't happen if those that enjoy it want to organise same...

[Byegad]

I'm with the OP in this. Don't expect others to design your railway for you, read as much as you can about railways, then build, make mistakes, correct them and build more.

Nearly as bad as the OP's pet hate is the guy who advertises for a ready to run layout to an exact size that somebody wants to sell. May as well ask for a bag of unicorn poo.

[End2end]

...E2E testing the water regarding a competition. Been there done that and it involves work & stress...

Same attitude here. This is a hobby, it's for r -e - l - a - -a -a - x - a - a - a - t - i - o - n. Plenty of stress and workload available IRL.

OK... erm..... let me think... .... ...

Retreat to the Pub?
Thanks
End2end

[Bigmet]

...Retreat to the Pub?...

Well, that was what a group of us years ago did for said purpose of relaxation. Where the conversation regularly turned to lack of progress on our various model railway layouts. And one such meet we realised we could save a packet and make progress on our layouts by holdng said meets at our homes...

[Dad-1]

Retreat to the Pub !!
Never done that as an escape.

Anyway some energy coming back.
We all have outstanding jobs, and they do annoy me, never had them at work.
So tonight I decided regardless of the short term hassle I WAS going to sort out
My Hatton's Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 ST 'Katie' with a limp. Now had I noticed it on
first running perhaps I could have sent it back, but I only became aware of the
hop, come limp after fitting the decoder, a fiddly job in such a small loco. I did
wonder if it was something I'd done.
First gather requirements :-
Test track from the shed
Controller and screwdrivers from the garage
Locomotive from the loft
Back to back gauges and additional tools from my kitchen cupboard.

Run her back & forth for ages noting exactly where the motion is, not a easy as you
may think. Check most clearances, eventually thinking one coupling rod was fouling.
Take a nice sharp scalpel and trim a few thou of plastic away. An improvements, but
still couldn't see any clearance, so another few thou and lubricate with some Peco
electro lube. NO LIMP !!
Now I shall use Katie more, rather than leave abandoned in the loft.

Right, what was the other locomotive, or locomotives that needs a check over ???

Geoff T.