I must admit a trip to the Minatur Wunderland in Hamburg is on my to do list as well. I’ve been involved in building a number of club layouts over the years, and obviously helped my father with his builds over the years.
I really fancy doing something in 7mm, not too big, but manageable, and would like to try DCC.
Now I’ve said it in print, I’m going to have to get my act together and produce something.
It’s almost like a declaration so yes you will have to do something it will be good for you in many ways you have my support mentally and the brilliant encouragement of this forum what more do you need 
Ok so today I had a day off work coz I played 18 holes yesterday and thought I’d be knackered but I wasn’t. So I completed the wiring on the top layout bit of a task but I got there if I get chance I will post a video of it running at the weekend so then I’ll start on the lower level will post pictures of drawings when I work out layout
Excellent, looking forward to seeing this running 
Yes you must
I’d love to have a layout, but as above, even though I only work 2 days/week, the time, cost, space, and realizing I’d be leaving Mrs DM with an expensive headache when I pass (she is 12 years my junior) are all prohibitive. I am trying to get rid of several of my guitars for some of the same reasons, but it is a soft market at present.
I fully understand where you’re coming from, the picture of the Brawa models is only a third of it, its stupid really keeping hold of it, I’m never going to build a HO scale German era layout now, or if I’m honest a OO British one either, I should just bite the bullet and dispose of it all.
You don’t need to make a layout to run the trains just an oval of track, I made an oval and ran my sons flying Scotsman around, that’s what started my interest in building a layout again. But just think of all those memories with those boxes you have gained, make sure you don’t rush into getting rid to quickly
Not really mate a 3’x2’ board would get you a decent N gauge end to end set up you can work on it when you can and it won’t take much storage and they are fairly cheap to buy
I’m struggling to identify the right decision with all my stuff.
The N American outline rolling stock has memories attached to it - of buying it physically in NY, Vancouver, Victoria, SF etc or ordering over the phone late in the evening UK time from Nevada and elsewhere, as well as the memories of paint schemes, locomotives and railroads long gone that I watched for real ‘in period’.
I have one Kato ATSF ‘War Bonnet’ ABBA EMD set not because I’ve ever seen it but because as a school kid, my best friend at the time had one and it brings that time back.
Same with the European stuff - I’ve been taken with the SNCF ‘Nez Casse’ designs since reading about trains at a single-digit age and my first N scale purchase was a CC6500 after having seen one for real at the Gare de Lyon. I was equally taken by the Deutsche Bahn cream and maroon ‘Rheingold’ sets behind a BR103 so have one of those and after travelling down the Rhine by boat I was very impressed by the truck trains following the river pulled by the standardised looking TRAXX type locomotives of the 90s.
All this is in N.
However, as I think ‘will I or won’t I’ my inclination is for the UK in the 60s which I was present for and have comparatively few memories of - rather like Heartbeat the TV series!
It’s a difficult decision to make, and as you point out, your models do have memories attached to them, be it where you bought them or why you bought them, the two Hornby rebuilt West Country models won’t be going anywhere as my late partner bought me those, but the rest I could happily dispose of.
My favorite modeling period is definitely the mid to late 70’s BR Banger blue period, like yourself I was there, with lots of happy memories. Which explains why the Class 26/27/45 were bought, now I have to build something to run them on!
Just lay a simple track and run some trains the buzz will lead you to which way you want to go just enjoy good luck mate I’m waiting patiently 
I’ve got some Kato N gauge track, I might just surprise you in the next few days….watch this space.
Thank you for the encouragement, I really do appreciate it
Gary
No problem mate i hope you do give it a go it will take you on a return journey you won’t regret I don’t want to say good luck more have a great time
It’s good to do something creative whatever it may be. I always find plenty of tea and biscuits helps too 
I’m very pleased that you are finding something positive, and of interest to you, and getting stuck in. It promotes good feelings as you stand back and look at what you have achieved.
Thank you that’s very true, at the moment it’s just getting something moving, instead of stock just stuck in boxes 
will post something in the next couple of days
Gary
This week’s update, enjoy.
OK everyone so big day tomorrow as I said have finished wiring and completed the corner bit that drops in so going to connect it to an old controller and run some trains to see if it all works so if all goes well will post video 
wish me luck
Oh brilliant, looking forward to seeing your progress.
I hope it all goes well!