A new TV/monitor which turns out to be trash and is going back tomorrow to be replaced by something from another vendor, and a house.

Well at least we got all the paperwork from the solicitor on christmas eve to check over ready to sign the contracts after everyone sobers up start of new year.

For me, from me, a new "office" chair

Vouchers for my chosen model emporium and then stuff I  didn't want/can't use. My sister is shocking in that respect. Tell her I'm on a diet and she gets me choc covered cookies. Tell her I can't drink alcohol so she gets me strong ales. One present of a litre bottle of Baileys will be heading to a charity as a raffle prize.
It's not that I'm ungrateful but why don't people listen? I might just as well say "get me what you want as you do that anyway "

Thanks for these replies! Now that the house has gone fairly quiet, I will remove the loco's body today and check. Cheers, Rob

OK, I'll start the ball rolling this year...

Nothing N gauge (I've already got more than I need at present) so I asked Santa for books this year, and he certainly delivered:



Three I had dropped large hints about, and one (The Library of Lost Maps) that was totally unexpected. That's my reading matter sorted for several months. Plus a decent quantity of 0% beer (I'm currently not allowed the proper stuff) which will also keep me going for a few weeks. Happy bunny.

Cheers,

Chris

Playing some of my Chris Rea albums; Blue Jukebox and Blue Cafe.

I've just worked through a deceased friend's collection of British N locos (Some had been stored unused for well over 10 years).  Any that failed to run the first thing I did was remove the body, remove bogies (check for split gears) and apply power directly to the motor checking for signs of life.  If none, I tried rotating the motor armature gently by hand at low power to see if that kicked into life and that all poles were live.  I then removed and fettled the brushes and springs, cleaned the commutator and lightly lubricated the bearings. 

No dead motors or over-worn brushes, but quite a few split 16 tooth and 12 tooth gears in the bogie diesels and electrics

Quote from: joe cassidy on December 26, 2025, 11:30:26 AMI only tasted mead once, in Russia of all places. It was OK, except for the bits of beeswax floating around in it.

Free nibbles with every drink 

I get mine from Amazon these days, I used to get it from the makers Lyme bay wineries near Lyme Regis on our way to or from Cornwall holidays.

Quote from: Bigmac on December 26, 2025, 11:04:01 AMif its totally dead when put on the track then whats the odds the tiny nut that holds the wire inside the loco has come loose or off.

Good thought. the OP will see that when he takes the body off. I'd forgotten about their construction because it's been so long since I ever needed to get into one of these.

Bob