In magnis voluisse sat est

Well it’s done at least as much as I can at the moment. Its amazes me that something I embarked on so many months ago has taught me much frustrated me often and has at times led to despair. The last week has been a flurry of activity not always successful with several items been put to one side till after Expo, but not until I had expended too much time on them.


The big confession now is that Line No4 in its present state is a abject failure, my final attempts to get reasonable running resulted in breaking the tie bar (yet again) to the spur siding and the decision to solder it tight, although not before I wasting hours trying to install tie bar MK4. To compound the problem my attempts to prettify (is there such a word in Model Railways?) Have caused serious running problems which will require major work to rectify. Thus I offer sincere apologies to anyone attending EXPO who is in anyway offended by my efforts.

The reckoning

Positive

• My soldering has improved
• My Kit building efforts have improved
  
• I learnt basic CAD
  
• I managed basic home etching
  
• I leant how to use a Jewellers saw
• My knowledge of local history improved
• I actually did something
• The association is full of nice people
• The VAG is invaluable
• DCC has real potential

Negative

• More haste less speed
• Next time concentrate on the track
• Sort out Points actuation earlier
• Learn to priorities

The future

Without doubt I will be walking away for a while from any actual modelling however when I resume there are many items to finish or revisit in no particular order

• Rebuild all of Line No4 points (must get some rail and Jigs at EXPO if available)
• Finish No7 an almost running loco
• Complete all the half finished wagons
• Sort the Dapol M7 which runs although very poorly
• Get a SPROG and program the Engines properly

In the words of someone I will return