Mugginess and back to School?

It was a muggy night leading into a muggy day and even after the rain it feels even more muggy! Being the mug for not going shopping yesterday when it was a bit fresher Mrs. Woody and myself had to go out in the mugginess to restock a very empty looking fridge! With that job done at least I could head to the mugginess of the Man Cave.

I was hoping to do many jobs in there but on a day like today that was a mug's game so I was happy enough just to get one done.

That was to get back to school and add a DCC chip to the Hornby Schools class locomotive that Mrs. W gave me for my birthday. It was fortunately, as stated on the box, DCC ready which makes life easier with just having to find out how to get the relevant body part off to allow access to the socket. To begin with though I had to get into the box!

It may sound a simple job but with all the packaging that is used on these models it sometimes takes a bit of detective work to dismantle it all and get to the contents.

What was obvious was that although second hand the loco had been very well looked after. It even came with its transit holders in place which was a nice touch.

I did read the instruction leaflet strangely enough for me as I usually only get that out in a last measure of desperation if I cannot get something to work. Luckily it informed me of the right way to remove the transit holders rather then the way I thought that it should be done! Equally the instructions usefully told me that the DCC chip socket was in the tender and where the two screws were to take the tender body off. These instruction things are quite good! Must read more of them!

In the excitement of things going well I forgot to take a picture of the chip fitted but it is in there and the loco now runs and is hauling a pair if Southern Railway coaches in these pictures. I think it is one of the smartest looking locos in that Southern Railway olive livery and it just looks 'right'! I like it!

I need t get on with my 00 gauge layout and next on the agenda is to complete the scenery on the removable baseboard section. To that end need to fit a few accessories such as this cable trunking which is now being prepared for placement.

Need to think carefully how I fit these. Maybe these details are a mugs game?