As in the Crochat is ready (sort of), for Peterborough show at weekend. This has been a very stop start project with the main body coming together (all scratch built in Nickle Silver in case you missed previous posts), very quickly in some free time last Christmas and then it just went on the back burner with the heat being turned up a bit a couple of months ago when I tackled the bogies, again scratch built. Finishing off has been done in a real hurry in the last few days and am I afraid it shows. On the day I had free to spray it was really wet so couldn't do it outside with my really, really etch primer so used a new tin of Halfords grey undercoat in my little workshop in the cellar. I do think they must have changed the formula as things were just not right. The finish seems very soft and has rubbed off in several places already. What is more, when it was subjected to my usual dark enaamel and thiners wash a couple of days later the paint became tacky again resulting in some finger marks and a very blotchy finish. Still will not be too hard to remove it all and start again at some stage. I initially fitted it out with my usual Digitraxx chip but after a few circuits of the new test track it was making sound but no movement. With no time to get to the bottom of this but with a nagging feeling that the two motors (although small), may have burned out the drive componet of the chip I presented my problem to Fiona of DCC Supplies at the Great Electric Train Show at Gaydon Motor Museum - cars AND trains, it only needed a few aeroplanes to make it perfect! Anyway, the previso that the chip had to be in stock, and have a stayalive but wasn't bothered about sound, I came away with a huge Lenz chip and a battery pack I could jump start my car from! This chip really is bigger than some of my locos but as there was planty of room I wasn't too worried. All fitted really easily and is now running nicely but all your rice puddings are completely safe as no pulling power at all. I need to get a substantial amont of weight in there.

And in other news : Have finally fitted a chip to the Super Simplex 20hp which I upgraded with roller bearings and a much bigger motor only to have a succession of mysterious shorts. Eventually tracked it down to a slightly over long pick up wire brushing the chassis. Unfortunately its performance is rather underwhelming at the moment with rather a lot of stopping and starting - much fetteling is needed and doubt it will get it before the weekend.

I have managed to get the rake of skips working (sort of!), by permanently coupling them into two lots with a beffed up coupling between. I would have done it in one go but didn't have a box big enough to hold them!

Now busy doing all the little things that are essential for a smooth show which the eager visitors can scarcely appreciate such as cleaning wheels, making sure I have decaff coffee and importing the Mother in Law to look after little Iz on Friday when I am busy setting up.

'Why do I do it' is the thought I am trying to banish from my head!