Putting a 9v battery across the wheels indicated something might be alive mechanically but possibly on life support!

Mr. B, long suffering husband of loyal blog reader Mrs. B (who may not be such a loyal reader
after that) gave me a box with some locos in when we saw each other at the Rocks By Rail Museum. Could I have a look at them and give them a bit of a lubrication and by the way I don't think the Pannier runs. Now words like those last few are almost am irresistible challenge to me! So a few days later, rather then finish the IBG Scammell Tank Transporter kit, I fished the Pannier out of the box and had a look at it.

Putting a 9v battery across the wheels indicated something might be alive mechanically but possibly on life support!

With the loco upside down the most obvious thing is that the couplers are missing but that is something to look at later. What is evident is that the wheels and pickups could do with a clean.

I have never worked on a Graham Farish 00 gauge loco before but I was pleasantly surprised by the robust simplicity of it. No fiddly crosshead screws and circuit boards with masses of wire and components ready to snag on the fragile plastic underside! No, this was good old engineering!

Apart from the missing couplers, this is the loco in its component form. Not a lot but once put together it still is a wonderful looking loco.

Anyway. back to getting it to run and the good news is that with a 9v battery across the now separated motor, it spins like a dream! 

A dab of some oil on the bearings at each end of the motor housing applied with a cocktail stick should do some good for future running.

Knowing the motor runs fine means that there are issues in the electricity getting to the motor from the track but given the low number of components my original thoughts that the wheels and pickups could do with a clean was probably right. However, before doing that I did notice that the axles for the wheels don't have bearings, they just run in cut outs within the cast chassis block. I also noticed a few rough edges on those cut outs so they were filed smooth.

By this time, Mrs. Woody had some laundry for me to fold so getting the Pannier working again will be on hold but I am reminded about this that has appeared in the car park of a local village Co-Op store....

An outside laundry! Never thought that I would see such a thing but there it is and if you want to use it be ready with £11 for the wash and £5 for the dry! 

All the parts could be brought together and suddenly it all seems worthwhile!

There comes a point when suddenly everything seems to come together and this is the case with my current kit build - the IBG 1.72 scale Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank.

With the wheels attached to the tractor and trailer all the parts could be brought together and suddenly it all seems worthwhile - even all that etched brass!

There are a couple of etched brass door mirrors to add and a chassis mounted cargo cage and it all needs weathering fully but it is just about there!

And so it comes together!

It has been a long a slow slog building the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit but it is coming together now.

Having fitted the cab base to the chassis the steering column and steering wheel could be added in place.

With that done the roof sections could be added bringing a finished lok to the cab but also hiding all that cab interior! 

Just a couple of parts and the wheels to add and that will see the tractor ready to be weathered.

Surprisingly, to me, with careful cutting to the lines the windows do actually fit!

 Before moving on with the cab of the tractor unit of the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit I used the opportunity to fit the 'glass' parts, These are actually clear plastic and the windows themselves are conveniently marked out on the supplied sheet.

Surprisingly, to me, with careful cutting to the lines the windows do actually fit the recess in the plastic window surround.

I used some gloss varnish to secure the parts. 

Once dry, I can get on with assembling the cab parts along with the steering wheel and its column.

Welcome to the 2026 grass cutting season!

Lots of sunshine and warm temperatures encouraged outdoor activity at the Rocks By rail Museum today and with the first public event of the year just over two weeks away there are things outside that do need doing!

First off, despite all the work to install drainage and relay the track last year in the platform road the track does need some further jacking and packing to level it. This is not unexpected as it will settle with time and use - just far less then when what was under the ballast was wet clay! There are volunteers who are expert in such matters such as Richard and John so I left it to them!

David has also been doing further work on the weighbridge office which is really look the part now.

And the inside is also looking good with Weighbridge Bill at his desk...

Looking out on the track weighbridge simulated here with some steel chequer plate.

Pete and Pam have also been busy sprucing up the electrical switching building with a coat of paint. Just the surround to the roof to finish but already looking far better than before.

For me? Well I got the first of the advertising banners out on the main gate.....

...and did a whole host of  grass cutting! 

Welcome to the 2026 grass cutting season!

Wonderful Wordless Wednesday - Just playing trains!

Took the day off and just played trains - Wonderful Wordless Wednesday!

Mercedes Polar White. Well it is a Mercedes truck!

Finally! The weather was warm, the sky bright, no rain and I had the time! These factors coming together meant that I could continue with spraying the cab parts to the Italeri Mercedes-Benz Actros MP4 truck kit that went into hibernation for several weeks! Now this was not as simple as I had hoped as is always the case with what I am involved in! The original rattle cans were a shade of Nissan white that was for 1980s models. I think I inherited these from my Dad so they must be at least 10 years old if not more. The first can had exploded over me and the second can did much the same! Not to be put off I thought I would get a new can. Now that was not going to happen as the paint is for 1980s models and no longer stocked as a rattle can on the shelves of auto-factors. I could get a can mixed up at £25 to £30 but that would be insane1 So I bought a £4 can from the range of....

..Mercedes Polar White. Well it is a Mercedes truck!

With a fresh can of stable paint in my hands parts were repainted.

I still need to do the other side of the parts on the board on the left but most of it is done and awaiting drying and inspection. Hopefully that will show a good result!

Decal time!

It has reached the stage with the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit to add the decals. Not many but always wise to coat the areas where they are going with a coat of gloss varnish to minimise the chances of silvering which is where the carrier film takes on a matt whitish colour if applied to a matt surface.

Once applied a coat of decal Sol to soften them up and aid adhesion was added and then they have been left to dry. A coat of matt varnish will be applied and then the weathering can continue and final assembly can commence!

It looks like a small bar of gold but is actually worthless in monetary terms but so satisfying to have achieved!

I have been putting this off for sometime! The last (apart from two door mirrors which are a simple cut out job) of the etched parts on the IBG Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit. This required the use of the etch bender and required a flat brass piece to be bent with a curve and then two side parts attached. Nice!

Eventually I got the required bend.

And finally got the two side parts attached - it looks like a small bar of gold but is actually worthless in monetary terms but so satisfying to have achieved! It will go on the back of the cab - for what purpose I have no idea!

Having achieved that I went onto weather the tank hull again with dilute brown paint. It certainly brings out the detail.

I even mounted the trailer wheels to their axle beam! The tyres need some more weathering though!

More progress even if not much!

If only I had been that clever at such a young age things might have been so different!

It was a nice start to the day with sun streaming through the windows that need cleaning according to Mrs. Woody at WMD HQ this morning. Ideal bike riding weather! It was warm in the shelter but the wind was icy cold especially on a bike - I'm just glad, as are most of the local population, that I did not wear shorts! Anyway, being in the countryside means you get to see how animals deal with the cold and these lambs knew exactly what to do to stay warm. Up against a straw pile sheltering them from the westerly wind whilst being warmed by the morning easterly sun. 

If only I had been that clever at such a young age things might have been so different!

Back at the shelter of WMD I undertook the start of the growing season by preparing some seed trays for the recently purchased seeds that I blogged about on Thursday using the compost also purchased at that time. A bit of silver sand mixed in with the compost is supposed to assist seedlings so that was added! 16 trays done which will now warm in the greenhouse for a week before sowing said seeds and awaiting the growth of plants - or not if my luck goes as normal!

Despite being a busy boy as I informed Mrs. W I did find time to weather the other side of the tank tracks in the IBG Scammell Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit as well as the various tractor and trailer wheels. 

Slow progress but steps forward. If only I had been clever enough to take up a different hobby to model making things might have been so different like actually getting those windows cleaned!