"DOH" moments

[bessytractor]

we've all had a "proper DOH" moment.  What was yours?

I had my first since building my garden line yesterday.  Steamed up the coal fired VBT, got a really good fire going on my steam up tray, (I fire it up off the ground to preserve my back, because at the age of 21 I've knackered it already  :lol: ).

Any way, carried it down the garden (I don't recommend this  :lol: ) and plonked it on the rails ready to couple up to the already waiting train.  "Ah....its fallen between the rails.....****"

yup, I'd forgotten to set it back to 45mm gauge after running on the Merstham shows 32mm layout  :x

ended up having a run that went nowhere, on bricks, what a waste of Welsh coal  :lol:

[Sir Clothem Cap]

mines not quite as bad but I do forget to check where the points are set and with 8 sets of points where the train might end up can lead to disaster.

[Pendo Pilot]

I did the gauge issue myself when I first got my Accy Countess. I was so excited that after checking it briefly over & then fueling it I lit the fire, built up pressure & took it out the shed & plonked it on the track & DOH....45mm on 32mm does not work to good. At least its gas fired so only had to wait till it cooled & then reset wheels.


I've also done the wrong routing stuff. Quite often at night when I'm having a few beers I will pop out & set the Jessie off for a lap around the garden & wait for it to return. Good way to mow down snails & slugs I find. One night I set it off into the darkness & gloom.....I waited....After the normal 5 minutes it had not come back. Upon investigation I found it hard up against the stop block in Chyknell yard (the furthest point away from the house).

[bessytractor]

I did the gauge issue myself when I first got my Accy Countess. I was so excited that after checking it briefly over & then fueling it I lit the fire, built up pressure & took it out the shed & plonked it on the track & DOH....45mm on 32mm does not work to good. At least its gas fired so only had to wait till it cooled & then reset wheels.


I've also done the wrong routing stuff. Quite often at night when I'm having a few beers I will pop out & set the Jessie off for a lap around the garden & wait for it to return. Good way to mow down snails & slugs I find. One night I set it off into the darkness & gloom.....I waited....After the normal 5 minutes it had not come back. Upon investigation I found it hard up against the stop block in Chyknell yard (the furthest point away from the house).

thats the problem with outside frames, you can't see your mistake! I really should have spotted it when I oiled round.

[williamfj]

When I painted Offler in a dull green, I stuck some masking tape on for a number 7. After 3 coats of yellow, I peeled off the masking tape and while the numbers looked good the tape took some of the green paint with it! Considering that masking tape was rubbish that is quite a feat!

[Narrow Minded]

I've got a tunnel at the bottom of the garden, built so that I don't have to constantly clear dropped seed from the bird feeders festooned in the tree above it!
After catching a neighbours cat using it as a hidey hole to ambush birds feeding on the ground, I knocked up a pair of "shutters" from timber for when the line's not in use....................................

and often forget to remove 'em prior to a running session - Doh!

[pauly]

All the times Iv forgotten some inportant piece of kit when Iv gone to a steamup (these include, caradoc boiler plug, gas, water bottles and many more)

[Keith S]

I usually make that sound when I've planted a big, fat thumbprint right in the middle of a freshly painted piece of metal.

[mhlr]

One of my father's mistakes was to leave his Criccieth Castle running round the circuit, went off somewhere and forgot to put the lift out bridge back in... I'll leave the rest to your imagination. Luckily it was just a case of straightening out the front coupling!

[Matt]

I've had gauge issues. I bought a ip coach at last years stoneleigh for £30 less than the retail price. Thought I had a bargin, until I discovered that the bogies were shot and the wheels were to 45mm rather than 32mm.

[Mrs F Controller]

I read this last night and although had lots of moments when it was a 'doh' moment could not think of anything specific until........ today! Can't believe this have been working on my latest project a new watertower which I had carefully worked out size wise with a nice metal box for the 'water tank'. Have you checked it for size against all the other buildings and where it is going to fit asked Mr F C. Of course I said, when I started cutting it out in the first place..... So today I went to put it in place... doh it doesn't fit between the rails not even the slightest! I forgot that I had got the bigger box and then upsized it as I couldn't get one to fit.... Now nothing fits! Aaaaahhhh.... Back to the drawing board.

[bessytractor]

DOH

[George]

Last week I went to run edrig and upon investigating where a load of steam was escaping realised id left the oil drain valve open

sending trains off not knowing points are set for sidings etc until theres that awful sound of a loco ploughing into rolling stock.

In the summer I sometimes stable a short train in the tunnel over night if im running a few days in a row and once i forgot about that until a loco went in the tunnel light engine and came out pushing a rake of coaches

[DolwyddelanLightRail]

Last week I went to run edrig and upon investigating where a load of steam was escaping realised id left the oil drain valve open  :oops:

I've done that every now and then...

another one I manage to do is attempt to fill up the gas and wonder why it's taking so long to fill. I then realise that I've left the gas valve open