34theletterbetweenB&D Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) Reading through the Trains4U open day item I was amused by the passing references to DIY. 1. When young, stoney broke and newly married, the light of my life gaily suggested that a cabinet under the downstairs WC handbasin would be quite the thing for storing bog rolls and other lavatorial paraphenalia. 2. A specification having been obtained from madam this was duly crapfted; a little mission creep somehow saw the entire smallest room 3. redecorated and a new luminaire found and fitted to complete the ensemble. 4. And lo, the light shone brightly on the new small scale creation and it was good. 5. And after some months of continued marvelling at the goodness of the new creation there was a desire that the rest of the accomodation should appear somewhat in like wise. And the woman spake unto the man and saith, Whereas thou art skillful, how about tarting up the kitchen? 6. The man considered it and after some dealing among the merchants of that place installed what are known to this day as units, and it was good. The work surface was like unto the plain on which were Sodom and Gomorrah, a smooth and level place on which nothing could live, only a little salt might sometime be found. 7. Loud was the rejoicing some weeks, and then came a word that paper products might be obtained from the same merchants of that place, and miraculous as it may be even made to adhere to ceilings. The art of papering was mastered, and the result in the front room was good and loud was the rejoicing, yet not so good that the wife did not soon murmur how it might be very good were yet more rooms of the dwelling so equipped. 8. And so it continued as season followed season and the whole place groaned for the holes that were drilled, 9. floorboards replaced, paintwork renewed, decor applied, and all manner of thing fitted both made and purchased from the merchants, especially the one Habi Tat. And the rejoicing which had been so loud in former time was now heard but briefly before more suggestions were made. 10. Then it came to pass that the man and woman went to a new dwelling, even that before of an elderly widow, which knew not home improvement. The man rejoiced for there was a goodly space for that which is called rail way, which wanted some little work only. And the woman said, there is very much to do, there shall be a list. 11. The man looked upon the list, pondered it, and counted three more items on it that had not been there before he had considered it. The list prospered and grew mighty, for the serpent is indeed craftier than the toolkit, whereas it may with beguiling words encompass what is to be done before the screwdriver 12. can drive home the first necessary fixing to accomplish that same. Little there was to rejoice about, whereas every item completed now led to a statement of the items on the list that had not been done. 13. There came a day when the man made a reckoning of the list, how many days it would take even though nothing further be seen on the list, to complete all the items, and lo, it was more days than he might accomplish should he be strong in body and live to fourscore years, with the force of his mind unabated and his eyesight clear for the doing of such tasks. 14. And the woman quickly added half a dozen more items. This cheered the man for now clearly there was so much backlog that he might never die... Edited September 14, 2011 by 34theletterbetweenB&D 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 2. ...this was duly crapfted... Yeah, I've had jobs go like that. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 And such was the life of a man, married and hardworking, who treats his wife well. How he wonders why the men who treat their wives badly, continue in such vein, and live without bones broken or flesh bruised - all while he toils away at the womans behest, and still, the time that is 'model-ling' disapears ever more quickly! And yet, outside - the grass continues to grow, as do the trees and the shrubs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Yeah, I've had jobs go like that. The manner of speech carrying over from relaxed bachelor days, and an especial tendency toward the scatological, quickly suppressed by the influence of 'you know who'... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theakerr Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 But did the Model Railway get built? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Sorry but I found it difficult to read without paragraphs..............I'm not a grammer snob by the way. Best, Pete. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Behold! The Oracle speaketh the Truth!! Rule No.1 for model railways, usually agreed as being "It's My Train Set I'll Run What I Like", should actually be changed - to "STAY SINGLE!!!" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 (edited) But did the Model Railway get built? What was built as a test track has been up and running a decade now, and is a source of continuing delight. Initially I went into the garden (for a seven mile run) and it was truly great, everything I really wanted. But the wildlife (squirrels as top villain, but also cats, muntjac, woodpeckers, corvidae, badgers) all seemed to treat it as a thing to be ripped apart or copiously dumped on at every opportunity. That drove me indoors... The upside has been a lot of time spent on designing a layout scheme based on Hatfield (Herts) a location so well suited to a model that I am mightily suprised that no one (that I have heard of) seems to have attempted a model before. It is on about the tenth significant iteration now, and the necessary enabling construction techniques have been trialled and proven. It is to be an open frame job of considerably greater complexity than anything previously attempted. Madam, be it noted, has already made some of the required trees, and has had a detailed briefing from Mrs Gravett on the how of weathering buildings among other things. She 'owns' the Pullman sets too - I am not to weather those AT ALL - so sneakily had to buy a pair from Mr Barnatt already so treated... Edited September 14, 2011 by 34theletterbetweenB&D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted September 14, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 14, 2011 Behold! The Oracle speaketh the Truth!! Rule No.1 for model railways, usually agreed as being "It's My Train Set I'll Run What I Like", should actually be changed - to "STAY SINGLE!!!" That imposes great inconvenience as time which you could devote to modelling might have to be spent on such less important things such as washing and ironing clothes or preparing meals. That ista trade-off against the D-I-Y jobs in my experience (and at the moment the washing line is loaded so i can't get the concrete mixer going - I'm not sure if that's a trade-off or a downright nuisance?) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted September 14, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 14, 2011 That imposes great inconvenience as time which you could devote to modelling might have to be spent on such less important things such as washing and ironing clothes or preparing meals. And therein lies a possible reason behind the 'great unwashed' appearing at various exhibitions... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 And therein lies a possible reason behind the 'great unwashed' appearing at various exhibitions... Oops... I never thought of that... D'oh!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Q Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 And lo I mentioned to Swmbo that She would be able to store her art & craft equipment under the built railway, and suddenly the new railway shed became top of the list!!! The Q 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theakerr Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 Letterinbetween, it does seem that in spite of it all you have a most desirable better half! Mine does occasionally reminf me that when we went house hunting many anniversaries ago, a basement such that it could accomadate a MR was a pre-reqisit. Hatfield would be a most appropriate place to "watch trains go by" as I think almost everything that became the ER could have been seen at Hatfield (especially if dispatched from Peterborough North). If I remember Hatfield was still on the 4 track section. Hitchen would be another place of similar potential. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 Hitchin has been 'done' by a well respected modeller, lately deceased whose name I am sadly failing to recall; indeed a very good subject, and I believe there is a major 4mm fine scale layout of virtually full size well underway. Hatfield is indeed on the four track, and Northward what appears to be six track thanks to the parallel branch routes either side (Luton and Dunstable to the West, Hertford to the East) to what became the location of Welwyn Garden City. (Not modelling the six parallel lines, despite the impressive appearance, very bulky indeed...) It is a remarkably compact station, and has the interest of a curiously staggered platform arrangement and on a large radius curve, through which passed all the Southern ECML's principal traffic. The up trains could be fairly winging along with little sound from a steam loco: I have heard a driver claim you could shut off on Welwyn viaduct if running at 90mph plus and well up to time, and coast all the way to the stops at KX for an on-time arrival. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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