With a trip to the Birmingham exhibition looming this weekend it’s time to retrieve Melbridge Dock from its store and make sure everything works. With over a year having passed since this model railway has seen the light of day we expected some trouble.
The first shock is that the fiddle yard is twisted. It lives strapped to the top of the layout boards and has been deformed thanks to the effects of heating and cooling. The board will go flat under gentle pressure but returns to the bent state left to its own devices. Fortunately when the baseboards are set up everything is OK. I blame the lack of diagonal bracing, which we ought to rectify but probably won’t.
With everything set up, I tentatively try the electrics. All the point motors work. Not one is even slightly sticky – it just goes to show that PECO motors liberally sprayed with WD40 will keep on going. I know people moan about the thunk they make, but it’s the sound of something operating properly and I ain’t complaining about that !
Running a short wheelbase loco round exposes three dry joins which are easily fixed. After all the storage we’ve got off very lightly. Mind you this always have been a reliable layout, I just hope it carries on that way.
All the locomotives are tested and despite not having turned a wheel for months they all seem OK as well. Some would benefit from a little run to move the oil around a bit in the bearings but basically we are OK.
The main work is in repairing the display case, which needs its front plastic refitting. A little glue will sort this out.
For a 19 year old model railway I think this is pretty good going.
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