I recently had the window cleaners in, they did a great job cos I can now clearly see the great outdoors from all over the house. Unfortunately they also did the windows in the garage, which is where I have my layout. Before they cleaned there were a lot of cobwebs in the garage windows... After they cleaned some of the matted cobwebs ended up on the layout track. Without me realizing there was an obstruction, my brand new Farish Class 46 ploughed into the cobwebs and came to an immediate and sorry halt. To say that cobwebs jammed it up completely would be an understatement. Unfortunately repair was way beyond my rudimentary skills, but after a visit to Bob at BR Lines and a few replacement gears all is now well.
Two observations come to mind:
1) why does it always happen to a new loco?
2) beware of cobwebs!
I am sure that others have similar tales of woe - anyone care to own up!!!
Crikey Mike that was rotten luck, sounds to me like Spiderman has been busy at your place :veryangry: pleased you got it fixed though :thumbsup:
As an afterthought I have to vacuum my track before running trains in my shed, at certain times of the year I have Gheko poo on my layout, of course a Gheko is a lizard.
Sounds like you and I are wildlife lovers, you with Spiderman and me with Godzilla.
I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that garages and sheds attract creepy crawlies :laugh3:
I wonder what would have happened if you hadn't noticed the Gheko poo and had a loco run through it :drool: Maybe Bob at BR Lines would charge extra for cleaning that up...
Anyway, thanks for the reply Dave. It's kind of lonely on the forum at this time of night when the UK folks are all in bed (4.30am their time). Other than you in Oz and me in the US, I don't think there are too many of us new worlders around to keep the N Gauge Forum fires burning through the night :help:
Cheers!
Mike
was testing an hst one day when it derailed on a curve.
when I cleared up the debris I found the [suspected] cause of the derailment.
a dead bluebottle :smiley-laughing:
I suppose equivalent to a real one hitting a cow !
have to have a quick inspection now before running :scowl:
Quote from: class37025 on January 23, 2013, 04:39:47 AM
when I cleared up the debris I found the [suspected] cause of the derailment.
a dead bluebottle :smiley-laughing:
Did you hear the immortal words "You dirty rotten swine, you! You have deaded me", by any chance ???
:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
Quote from: MikeDunn on January 23, 2013, 08:48:52 AM
Quote from: class37025 on January 23, 2013, 04:39:47 AM
when I cleared up the debris I found the [suspected] cause of the derailment.
a dead bluebottle :smiley-laughing:
Did you hear the immortal words "You dirty rotten swine, you! You have deaded me", by any chance ???
:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
Ah memories of the Goon Show. Nice one Mike.
I'm lucky and unlucky. Lucky that I have one of the two loft rooms for my layout. All fully insulated and virtually no dust (the last layout used to get covered in dust when it in the bedroom). But I'm unlucky that I can never get up there to use it - other than the odd time each week that a package arrives and it goes upstairs. ::)
Quote from: Chetcombe on January 23, 2013, 04:30:37 AM
Anyway, thanks for the reply Dave. It's kind of lonely on the forum at this time of night when the UK folks are all in bed (4.30am their time). Other than you in Oz and me in the US, I don't think there are too many of us new worlders around to keep the N Gauge Forum fires burning through the night :help:
Ahem! We're not ALL in bed at that time you know :P
I posted a couple of things at about that time this morning, started work at 0145! I'm quite often about that early on work days :D
Paul
Quote from: Tank on January 23, 2013, 09:48:34 AM
I'm lucky and unlucky. Lucky that I have one of the two loft rooms for my layout. All fully insulated and virtually no dust (the last layout used to get covered in dust when it in the bedroom). But I'm unlucky that I can never get up there to use it - other than the odd time each week that a package arrives and it goes upstairs. ::)
Sounds very dodgy. Aren't you in charge of this 'operation'? Hope no coppers are members! :D
:smiley-laughing: I live opposite a police station actually, so shhhhh!!! :thumbsup:
Quote from: Chetcombe on January 23, 2013, 04:30:37 AM
Anyway, thanks for the reply Dave. It's kind of lonely on the forum at this time of night when the UK folks are all in bed (4.30am their time). Other than you in Oz and me in the US, I don't think there are too many of us new worlders around to keep the N Gauge Forum fires burning through the night :help:
Mike
I know what you mean. Being 10 1/2 hrs is a right pain sometimes. Talking on here is probably the only time I feel homesick. I do miss my model shops and the Exhibitions. We have a couple of shows in Adelaide every year, but it seems like forever waiting for them to come round. Travelling around is too expensive to make the others.
Colin
Quote from: Chetcombe on January 23, 2013, 01:25:53 AM
I recently had the window cleaners in, they did a great job cos I can now clearly see the great outdoors from all over the house. Unfortunately they also did the windows in the garage, which is where I have my layout. Before they cleaned there were a lot of cobwebs in the garage windows... After they cleaned some of the matted cobwebs ended up on the layout track. Without me realizing there was an obstruction, my brand new Farish Class 46 ploughed into the cobwebs and came to an immediate and sorry halt. To say that cobwebs jammed it up completely would be an understatement. Unfortunately repair was way beyond my rudimentary skills, but after a visit to Bob at BR Lines and a few replacement gears all is now well.
Two observations come to mind:
1) why does it always happen to a new loco?
2) beware of cobwebs!
I am sure that others have similar tales of woe - anyone care to own up!!!
Mike, before you got the 46 repaired, were you not even remotely tempted to get a Farish nuclear flask wagon, 3 blue and grey mark 1s and...you know...
Years ago, when I had an 00 set, with large oval of track and a tunnel (that's all!), the lads set the train running and it went into the tunnel. Cue startled kitten soundtrack and tunnel shot into the air. Kitten then knocked loco off the track, and the four carriages amazingly stayed on the track and continued to circulate for half a lap, until the kitten then vented its anger on them.
Kittens - dontcha just love em.
Please be aware, class37025, that it could have been worse. A bluebotte may be just an annoying big fly to you but here in NSW a bluebottle is a nasty little jellyfish with tentacles metres long, which sting like all merry hell if you get entangled with them in the surf. You wouldn't want those wrapped round your loco.
In relation to Chetcombe's spiders, I sent a train into a long tunnel on my layout (also in the garage), hauled by a Poole Farish Flying Scotsman, if I recall, only to have it emerge at the other end with a new passenger... a very large and very much alive arachnid draped across the boiler door! Some of the spiders here are very aggressive nasty critters, ie. if they bite you, you can die.... Luckily this was a baby Huntsman (they grow into big brown hairy so-and-so's but are relatively harmless - though you still would feel it if they decided you looked tasty). However, being an ex-Pat, I have the philosophy that "all spiders have eight legs and all snakes have fangs" Which basically translates as "handle with care, but better still, don't handle at all."
I also have a problem with spider :poop: not as big as gheko's, of course!
So, yeah folks, you are not alone! :thumbsup:
QuoteLuckily this was a baby Huntsman (they grow into big brown hairy so-and-so's but are relatively harmless - though you still would feel it if they decided you looked tasty
Know what you mean - here a "little" bugger I made homeless when I demolished the outside Dunny.
[smg id=3477][smg id=3474][smg id=3475]
I didn't think I suffered from arachnophobia............................but I do now :goggleeyes: :jawdropping:
I certainly do! :-[
If I saw that thing it'd be a case of STOP: Hammer time ;)
Paul
I've always been a bit arachnophobic , but that just made it worse! :help:
If that's an N gauge spider how big are the O gauge ones ?
Quote from: Agrippa on January 28, 2013, 12:40:30 PM
If that's an N gauge spider how big are the O gauge ones ?
What do you think took the photo >:D
We're a hard mob here in Australia - that one was only under the dunny eaves - they're usually under the dunny SEAT >:D
Spiders :thumbsup:
Before I got married I used to breed Tarantulas, kept them in a vivarium next to my bed.
I also had corn snakes the other side of the bed room.
Please, please put a public warning before posting pictures like this. :slap:
I dont mind spiders until they are big enough to see their eyes! with that chap it would be hand the bazooka time!!!
I was hoovering the layout with the Tomix. It did two laps, i then picked it up to shake out some loose ballast directly into the bin that it had collected and like a clumsy oaf, threw the whole lot into the bin :veryangry:
Damage still being assesed.......... :thumbsdown:
P.S those spider pictures would scare even Ray Mears and Bear Grylls! They are scary!
Quote from: whiteswan on January 28, 2013, 08:40:47 PM
Please, please put a public warning before posting pictures like this. :slap:
:(
Sorry if I scared anyone - it's just something you accept out here. Beetles and Bull Ants are also on the large size
It's okay No pictures
Not to mention the Red-bellied Black snake under the front step, the huge blue-tongued lizard that keeps preventing me from opening the garage door 'cos it's sunning itself there, and oh, don't forget the Blue-ringed octopuses in the rock pools..... :D
:laughabovepost: :laughabovepost: :laughabovepost: so true
OK, OK, I must admit I haven't had an encounter with a Blue-ring occy yet, but the snake and lizard were all too real - and the bluebottle stings when I used to do youthful things like attempt to surf.. :whistle: