Some maintenance
Since stock has been sitting in boxes for awhile it is now time to dig some out and catch up with basic maintenance, so that I can run stock over all the the trackwork and watch it stop at odd places or fall off. An iterative process, get a loco running well, fix some track, get another going, fix some more track. Sometimes newer modellers see layouts that have been through this process and think it all works perfectly first time. ( sounds of much laughter stage left ) It doesn't, particularly when you have built both the stock and the track yourself, at least it has never been that way for me.
Anyway, first off a stalwart of the low level lines, a CR 1 class, No2. This was built from the Caley Coaches kit about 20 years back, one of my early goes in etched brass. A tribute to the quality of the kit that it came out so well and has been a reliable runner ever since. So first off, chassis out and wheel cleaning. My preference is to use cotton buds and IPA with only a tiny touch of very fine emery if you get any stubborn bits. All 8 wheels cleaned I went round with a power supply and leads and checked all 8 wheels were electrically connected ( it has a split frame bogie, you can never have enough pickups ) One damaged coupling had to be replaced, then I gave it all a good blow out with compressed air and lubricated the moving bits. Body back on, and cleaned in much the same way.
It ran well on the track, but sure enough I found a couple of track droppers that were not fully soldered and a couple of points that needed adjustment.
It looks the part from a distance, but close in my early attempts at lining do look very crude. I have improved over the years, but it still isn't my strong point. I suppose I could get it professionally panted, but my personal attitude is that its all about me learning from my mistakes by having a go. Thats just my way of thinking, and I can understand why others may think differently.
So, a couple of pictures, firstly on the maintenance cradle, and another on the track.
Edited by Dave John
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