Spray mount!

Things move on with the hidden loops structure for my layout. I had started to cover it with Metcalfe brick papers which I have now completed!

My chosen adhesive has been Spray Mount of which I have had a number of spray cans for some years so I thought that I better actually use them before they went off and set in the can! I noted the instructions to sure you spray it in a well ventilated area so that was done outside so no doubt the mower will stick to the grass next time I mow it!

The 'I have had this for a while' methodology back fired on me a bit when I came to open the new pack of Metcalfe brick paper that I bought a few weeks ago. My original stock goes back some years and since then Metcalf have changed the print colours! However once weathered it should all tone into one dirty mess!

Putting the structure back on the layout things begin to look good! I need to add the parapet wall on top next to hide the white strip of card but that is a job for another day! I seem to have a headache after spraying all that glue!

Listening to the radio?

Similar to the ballasting at the Rocks By Rail Museum, my own model ballasting is coming along - slowly! However, unlike the real job of ballasting, model ballasting is a much more relaxed and less labour intensive job. Just taking time to brush the ballast into place and then soak it in diluted PVA is a nice job to do whilst listening to the radio. Listening to the radio? That shows my age! I have yet to join the generation of streamers! Anyway, back to the ballasting and another episode of the Archers or something a bit more musical but with my radio who knows what station I will receive! Just need something to listen to something whilst I watch the glue dry!

Reunited - The sequel!

Today was my first day volunteering at a Rocks By Rail Museum 2025 event. The Easter events had been cancelled due to unforeseen complications with the trackwork relay project so the Museum's 2025 season officially started on Sunday and the continued today. In fact it was a close call with the pedestrian crossing that I talked about in Thursday's post being finally finished at 7.30pm on Saturday!

For me it was a day as a shunter which meant I was reunited with this!

Yes! The good old point switch that I had become so familiar with last year was once again back in my life! However, it was good to do some shunting and a great time was had by all including a lot of positive comments about the viewing platform that we built over the Winter.

Shunting wise it took a few turns to remember from last year but all was good with wagons shunted and guests entertained.

There were plenty of other things going on such as the brake van rides which gave a view of the VE80 flag flying from the newly installed flag pole.

Being VE80 Day the loco was suitably decorated.

All in all a great start to the 2025 season and next week it is Driver 4 a Fiver so that should be another good day. However it will be a few more weeks before the point lever and me are reunited again!

Sometime since I have done this!

Mrs. Woody would probably tell you that it is sometime since I have done any jobs on her never ending 'for me to do' list. I would probably have to agree with that but I am busy with other matters (hope she doesn't read that) having started ballasting the track on my 00 gauge Last Great Project layout. Now, some of the layout has already been ballasted but that was done over a year ago and despite the real ballast work at the Rocks By Rail Museum that I have been involved in, model ballasting is something that I have not done for some time so I have to reacquaint myself with the process!

Luckily I still have the ballast in stock so that was a good start. I have only done a small section so far but it was therapeutic to spread the ballast and brush it into place before using dilute PVA to glue it into place.

I also needed to slightly relaign the track nearest to the front of the above picture so this was lifted slightly and put into its correct alignment before dilute PVA was poured around the sleepers. This should when dry hold the track in place but until it dries a few handy heavy items were placed on top.

That looks like a handheld vacuum cleaner - sometime since I used one of those Mrs. Woody!

Just playing trains!

Sometimes you just have to take a break from building and making layouts and just play trains! After all, what is the point in building and making layouts if you don't run trains on them? So, over the past couple of days I have not physically achieved much but I have had a great time watching the trains go round!

I will get back into making things though - so much to do yet!

If it wasn't considered bad manners I would have licked the plate clean!

It was Mrs. Woody and my wedding anniversary the other day. How long? Well, lets just say that if it were a judicial sustenance Mrs. Woody would have had to have been a very bad person! However, she must still love me as she got me this rather nice Hornby EWS Business Train Pack.

As usual the contents are beautifully presented and I look forward to getting it on the layout.

We did go out for an unplanned day of roaming and eventually ended up in the Leicestershire village of Tugby where there was a very nice cycle themed cafe called Cafe Ventoux. Some interesting memorabilia which caught my eye.

I started my cycle racing days on something not dissimilar to this!

Enough if the bikes and onto the food which was a delicious roast beef sandwich! 

I said to the lady afterwards that it was that good that if it wasn't considered bad manners I would have licked the plate clean! Mrs. Woody just rolled her eyes at hat! 

What a scorcher!

After last years all seasons wetness, it is nice to have some warm and dry weather. Although working at the Rocks By Rail Museum today I could have done with it being less scorching as I mowed the grass. 

The cut grass seemed to turn a dry yellow before I had even got from one end of the cut to the other. Hopefully that may mean that the remaining grass will not grow as much!

Whilst I was doing the cutting, David was busy erecting the new flag pole. We used to have one apparently but not sure what happened to it but we have a new one from which to fly flags such as the VE celebration flag or indeed the Rutland flag whilst the County still exists before local government changes.

Of course, when there is a lifetable hollow tube in his hands, David has to do a Lord Nelson impression - 'Ships? What ships! I see no ships!' In this case perhaps the word train should have replaced ship!

Despite the clownery, the flagpole is erected and flying the Rutland flag although with no wind today the flag was a bit limp - just like me!

There will be trains on Sunday and Monday and the track is now just about fully ballasted, jacked and packed so we need to reinstate the pedestrian crossing to get guests across the line. Not easy on a hot day where the crossings have been constructed from large and heavy timber.

It is nearly all back in place! Talk about progress - I call that scorching progress!

I do have a plan!

Getting the grey paint out again, the profile boards that I had cut were given a coat to tie them in with the others on the rest of the layout.

Once dry they were screwed in place on the baseboard.

It may all look a bit strange at the moment but I do have a plan which should mean it looks good when finished - eventually!

In the meantime I continue to run trains to amuse myself, including this wonderful 0-6-0 in charge of a minerals wagon train. Looks great!

Board?

Well, I can never be board! After all even if I have nothing to do on my projects (that will be the day!) I always have Mrs. Woody's never ending list of chores, tasks and jobs to keep me busy!

However, I did get board today, but that was with the profile boards that I cut to shape for the current baseboard I am working on for my 00 gauge Last Great Project layout. Some careful measurements were required and a bit of dexterity with a panel saw and eventually the boadrs were cut to shape.

They are just temporarily clamped in place at the moment awaiting painting and then the screw holes drilled. Never a boring moment here at WMD HQ!

Make this bright day a grey day!

One of those days where it was difficult to get going! Maybe it is the heat from the good weather but at least I did manage an hour on my layout building escapades.

The hidden siding structure just required a bit of fettling as I noticed that coaches were rubbing against the inside wood support for the cross members. Not much but just enough that it needed attending to.

So out the structure came and I used a plane to chamfer the edge which should give enough clearance - hopefully!

Whilst I was at it I got the paint out to make this bright day a grey day!