The Great Toolbox Massacre

Some of you might recall that our move from the Fens was a somewhat protracted affair. For much of that time it felt like our life was contained in dozens of Really Useful plastic boxes. Thanks to our removals company's incompetence, it's taken us a long time to sort them all out. That hasn't been helped by a broken garage door.

As a knock-on effect, it's been over two years since I've been able to get to my toolboxes. 

Since I have done it, it's become a running joke between Issy and visiting tradesmen that I have more toolboxes than any of them.

What they don't realise is that at the cottage they all had distinct purposes. One was dedicated to Teddy, another to wagon building. Then there were the various petrol-powered machines we depended on. Issy's caravan renovation had it own toolbox, and so did my garden office. Finally, there was one dedicated to track-building on the ELR.

Of course, I also needed a couple of tool caddies for running repairs on the ELR.

With a new electric garage door installed, which meant having to empty a lot of the garage, it seemed an ideal time to rationalise the toolbox situation.

It was quite emotional at times. One toolbox still contained mud from the rain-soaked demolition of the ELR. Another held parts intended for future wagon construction, and of course, there were spares for Teddy.

At some point, I must reunite Teddy with this.

I've made a good start. The majority of my hand tools have found a home in my metal cabinets. That still leaves the power tools, or the modelling tools and the cycling ones, but it is a good start.

After years of use the old toolboxes need a good cleanout

I'm hoping to get rid of several of them, but I'm not being too hasty until the garage clearout is complete.

Installing the electric door has had another advatange. We rewired the garage at the same time, so I now have powerpoints over my two work benches. That is going to free up space in my office, especially when it comes to things like soldering and building the large scale models.

Which is just as well, since the TT120 SLT is beginning to take shape...