Can't we just......oh go on then!

Having spent a lunchtime at the mercy of Microsoft Project we produce a development schedule for Stratton St George.   With the automation, power and signaling projects we find the estimated time to complete is August.

With this in mind and full knowledge of our historical working practice,  (24 hr working for the week before any model railway exhibition)  we say no to further development of the Fyffes area.

However Mr Weathering appears not to be listening (or ignoring politely) the thought of slicing up plasticard and glue and paint and and... have clouded his mind.

Finally he agrees on a plan of action, its a complete rebuild of the Fyffes area!  Here we go again!

We decide to spread out the building tasks amongst us and manage the activities in parallel.

Another night passes and the plan is getting complex...(at least we have one, I think!)

Lets start again!

A busy week including the BNHMRS AGM has left us railway modellers in a reflective mood.  New projects, club ideas and where next with Stratton.

It was always planned to rebuild some of the early scenic modelling but after two hours of discussion it looks like a major redevelopment of the Fyfes area could be on the cards!

Perhaps we should finish the other bits first guys!

Anyone remember how to make trees....

The importance of a wiring schedule

As I've said before when your undertaking any wiring project make sure that you update the wiring schedule.  Why you may ask..... although we all set off with the bet intentions of red is +ve feed black is return, orange is for ... etc etc you soon find that your lovely wiring turns into multicoloured spaghetti.

This is especially true when you are dealing with the base board interconnecting wires. suddenly you have fifty red wires and they all need to jump boards.  Good labels and instructions that are kept up to date save hours of work later.  This week on Stratton St George we moved the bay switch to the control panel from its previous temporary position.  Using the updated schedule this work was simply undertaken, although we haven't tested it yet!

Are you sure this is a Model Railway Club

It would appear that after a hectic start to the year the team has somewhat lost focus, apart from Bob of course.

Ok, the introduction of Computer corner may have led to some distractions.  Though the recovery of the 8000 Donna Summer tracks from the disk returned a smile to the owners face.

We were also treated to three hours of consumer product advice from or resident expert ranging from  TV's, DAB to Hornby's latest offerings, (I still have the headache!).

This all said, look what I've found in my inbox a mail from, you guessed Bob...  Its a Job-list perhaps we've go things to do after all!

Where have all the updates gone..!

Well, my sincerest apologies to all of the Stratton St.George Blog readers... ;-)  Its been a long time coming and for that I can only apologise.  Anyway a quick recap of the last couple of months should bring you up to speed with happenings at the hut.

So if you recall we were aiming to have the dock extension finished by the Harrogate show, if this wasn't enough pressure we also accepted invitations to do back to back weekends at Southampton and Alton.

January was a blur, everyone working on club nights and homework as well to reach our target.  I must add that without Bob's monumental efforts to finish the cobbling and just to show off making some gates to the dock area we would have been doomed. 

Southampton was a good show.  We tried some new things to get a decent mode of operating the new board and avoided any embarrassing incidents.  It highlighted a few technical problems, mainly areas of cobbling that lifted some of the lower slung locomotives off the track.  A club night of peel and stick reduced the height and all appeared good.

Alton was more of the same.  I may sound a little vague on this point but that's because I didn't go (shame on me).  Anyway they found a few more things to fix so we did!

 

 

 

Finally the big weekend Harrogate 2008. 

After what felt like an eternity on the M25 we had ourselves a convoy and it was on up the M1.   It must be noted at this point that following the Sports Megan   proved a little interesting and after several death defying lane and road changes we loose them in traffic, we no longer have a convoy!  Later it is revealed that the Sat Nav was hampered by Donna Summer's disco mix and the incumbents of the vehicle end up doing a tour of a power station for their sins.  This said our navigational aids also fail and we find ourselves touring some fine little villages.

Finally we get back on the motorway and decide to follow the signs.  As the miles past we eventually reach Harrogate and to the amusement of everyone, we arrive within two car lengths of our collogues.  So much for the Tortoise and the Hare theory, if neither of you know where your going!

 

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After being folded in the back of the car for more

hours than I can recall the thought of setting up the layout appears strangely appealing even though the temperature is just below zero and the exhibition halls have no heating.

 

Some minor damage has been sustained on the trip up, so this is repaired and we ready ourselves for a weekend of playing trains (amongst other things).

On arrival at the hotel we are greeted by the over friendly effeminate receptionist "What station are you?", he's obviously having the best day of his life so far, so we obligingly tell him.

After sampling the delights of Harrogate we return some what worse for wear in the early hours of the morning.

It's Showtime.