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Sunday, October 12, 2025

More to do but going in the right direction!

A bit of a lazy weekend but I have managed to mock up on the layout the various parts constructed so far for the bridge/tunnel structure. It looks OK to me which is good as I really don't want to start from scratch again!

My Last Great Project,

So, more to do but going in the right direction!


Saturday, October 11, 2025

I expected an Autumnal day.

Taking some time out after five heavy days of painting the lounge and one day of extensive grass cutting operations at the Rocks By rail Museum, Mrs. Woody and me ended up at Easton Walled Gardens which I have posted about before. Always a great place to walk around or just sit and watch the robot lawn mowers at work with a backdrop of stunning gardens and scenery (why doesn't the Museum have a robot lawn mower but then again as Mrs. W says I am like a robot on occassions!). Anyway, given the time of year, I expected an Autumnal day. 

The display at the welcome sign said Autumn.....

Easton walled gardens

The display in the court yard said Autumn....

Easton walled gardens

However, the weather and the vegetation said otherwise!

Easton walled gardens

And then this bee landed on my leg seemingly thinking it was some form of vegetation as though it is still trying to pollinate plants!

Easton walled gardens

I was pleased to be able to get this picture - most of the time insects fly off before I have a chance to get my camera out!

Well this weather is said to continue for a while so I guess I may see a few more bees out and about although it is just not right for Autumn!

Friday, October 10, 2025

Boiler gone!

A most welcomed rest from painting the lounge with a day at the Rocks By Rail Museum !

One major change since last week is that the boiler from loco 1931 has gone! Not stolen but taken off to a boiler specialist who will be fitting the tubes and doing a few other jobs which will push the return to steam well along! It also gives the opportunity to tackle some rust hidden by the boiler as Martyn is doing.

Rocks by Rail Museum

A bit of an unusual view from the cab footplate to where the firebox should be. Hopefully that lump of coal in the bottom right of the photo will find a use once the boiler has returned!

Rocks by Rail Museum

Meanwhile, paintbrushes have been busy on Barrington with top coat green looking good on the saddle tank and starting on the cab sides.

Rocks by Rail Museum

The front is now finished in top coat yellow which is how this loco was finished when in operation. I believe there are green wasp stripes to be applied yet!

Rocks by Rail Museum

Moving elsewhere, the cab of the monster drag line Sundew, has had more ancillary parts fitted like the electrical distribution board that to the side of Rob and Alex.

Rocks by Rail Museum

Rob also spent some time on greasing the drag line ready for next week. Never an easy or clean job but very necessary!

Rocks by Rail Museum

Rob was also keen to show me his now 'fitted' out van after I made comments to him last week about how unorganised it was! Looks good bit that Barbie bag is still there!

Rocks by Rail Museum

And finally, for me, it was a few hours of lawn mower pushing!

Rocks by Rail Museum

Most relaxing especially after days of painting!



Thursday, October 9, 2025

Faced up!

The tunnel section has now been faced up! No I haven't had an argument with it but it now has Metcalfe brick paper covering the outside. I cut various off cuts of paper to make up the shapes required safe in the knowledge that abutments and similar will cover them when they are added.

My Last Great Project,

Just need to face up to finishing this rather long winded project bt I need to finish painting the lounge before that happens!

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

More brick paper!

Like the painting of the lounge that is my current Mrs. Woody's job list priority, the building of the bridge/tunnel section for my layout is taking its time! But there is some progress on both projects!

My Last Great Project,

More brick paper has been added with the paper for the underside of the tunnel now glued in place and the side walls are also now covered in brick paper.

My Last Great Project,

At the moment it all looks a bit strange but once the bridge section and tunnel section come together it should all begin to look god - I hope!

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Which would you choose?

Whilst the painting of the lounge continues I have been taking a bit of time out for bike rides which recently been interesting from the point of view of seeing two extremes of transport. I spotted this Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopter up at Belvoir Castle.

Bell 505 Jet Ranger X

Nice to be able to hop in your helicopter and go and visit friends!

I also saw this!

DAF Rally Car,

It is a DAF 55 coupe. These were made between 1967 and 1972. Done up as a rally car may seem a bit optimistic but DAF actually rallied these as did some independent rally drivers with some success. A 55 won the 1968 Alpine Rally, and in late 1968 Rob Slotemaker finished 17th out of 100 contestants in the grueling 16500 km London-Sydney Marathon.

Now, which of these two extremes of transport would I choose given the choice? Well it would be the DAF on the basis that: -

1. I can drive a car but cannot fly a helicopter!

2. The DAF is a lot easier to park and you can keep it on your driveway unlike a helicopter unless you live somewhere like Belvoir Castle!

3. The DAF is a lot cheaper to run!

4. I just like the quirkiness of that little car!

Meanwhile back at WMD HQ, more time taken out to make progress on the bridge/tunnel for my 00 gauge layout. Not much progress to report as I don't want Mrs. Woody getting ideas I have time on my hands! However the tunnel structure is now coming on with the 'mouth' formed. After lots of frowning as discussed in my last post on this subject, I had to take the central pier out - it was just a lot easier doing that! However, that makes life easier as well and this is what it all looks like now.

My Last Great Project,

It is ready for sme brick papers to be attached which will be an interesting task given the angles involved and that will no doubt lead to more frowning!

Monday, October 6, 2025

Sir Nigel Greasley passes through Grantham!

There is not a lot of model making going on at WMD HQ at the moment as I am tackling one of Mrs. Woody's jobs on her list for me - painting the lounge! The painting itself is fine, but it is the moving of stuff and preparation of surfaces that takes the time! I certainly have gone through some filler dealing with cracks and holes that have developed since the last painting operation. As I said to Mrs. W, it is a slow job! I think she is immune to that phrase from me after many years!

Now something that is quick, in fact it is a record breaker, was sent to me by Mr. Beecham, he of cycling prowess, model making skills, loyal blog reader and now videoer! He was fortunate enough to be at Grantham Railway Station when Sir Nigel Greasley went through on its way to Alton in Hampshire via South London. This is a brother locomotive to Mallard which claimed the world speed record for steam locomotives at 126 mph (203 km/h) on the downward grade of Stoke Bank, south of Grantham between Little Bytham and Essendine stations during a trial of a new type of braking system. The speed was achieved during the downward grade of Stoke Bank, south of Grantham at milepost 90¼, between Little Bytham and Essendine stations. Whilst Mallard hauled a seven-coach train, Sir Nigel Greasley was only hauling one when it went through Grantham, unlike back in the day when it would have 14 or so coaches behind as it went through this station, which may explain its speedy passing as you can see in the short video. As Mr. B advised me, turn the volume up to hear the whistle! Nice one Mr. B for catching this on film and sending it on to me!



Sunday, October 5, 2025

They take the high road.

YouTube can come up with some real gems of things from the past and this video is one of them. A British Transport Film production, tthere is an incredible amount of social history in this as to how the UK was about 75 years ago. Well worth a watch and it gets a Woody recommendation.



Saturday, October 4, 2025

Tunnels and frowns - all in a day working on my Last Great Project layout!

After a day of smiles at the Rocks By rail Museum my face frowned a bit as I got back into the Man Cave to progress the bridge build for my Last Great Project Layout. Having got the bridge structure right I need to get a top on it and that will also incorporate the tunnel mouths into th storage loops. I know what I want shape wise and a top has been cut out.

My Last Great Project,

I then cut out a 'trial' set of tunnel mouths.

My Last Great Project,

Whilst it looks right to me the central pier is catching on passing trains so I will have to see if there is a way of keeping that pier or having to make the tunnel mouth a single four track one rather than two two track ones. Lots of frowning will be going into that decsion!

Friday, October 3, 2025

Painting and smiles - all in a day at the Rocks By rail Museum!

Always good to be met by a smiling face when I arrive at the Rocks By Rail Museum, and Rob had one! Probably he was smiling because he was nearly finished with painting the Plant Shed or, as it is becoming known, the Hanger.

Rocks by Rail Museum,

He has achieved a great finish which is amazing given Robs paint brush.

Rocks by Rail Museum,

Apparently, rather than cleaning it after last weeks session, he just left it in the tin of paint, put the lid on and then retrieved it at the start of this weeks session! Well, it seems to work for him!

However, in the Restoration Shed, new volunteer Clair was helping out on painting steam loco Barrington which will have a yellow wasp stripped front and rear as it did in its working life.

Rocks by Rail Museum,

More smiles!

Rocks by Rail Museum,

Unlike Rob, Clair has a more caring approach to paint brushes! This cleaning system she has put in place means that brushes are left suspended (hole drilled through the handle and then a metal rod threaded through), in white spirit in a jar (left in the picture) where the paint leaves the bristles to settle on the bottom of the jar leaving a clean brush ready to use next time. The sediment can be removed into the Sediment bottle on the right leaving clear white spirit for more cleaning! Brilliant and certainly brought smiles all round to have clean brushes!

Rocks by Rail Museum,

Further down the shed Andy was not painting but was discussing some work on 1931 with an outside contractor to speed up getting this loco back into steam which will bring a smile to his face!

Rocks by Rail Museum,

Outside, more painting by Pete, who was finishing off the Quarry Office buildings' exterior finish and very nice it looks too! No wonder he was smiling too!

Rocks by Rail Museum,

Looking from a distance it does take on a different look from when it was painted brown.

Rocks by Rail Museum,

Meanwhile, Pam seemed t think I needed a helping hand in keeping the grass under control and was busy with the strimmer and was doing that with a smile!

Rocks by Rail Museum,

Wherever I looked she seemed to be bringing neatness to an otherwise vegetational free for all!

Rocks by Rail Museum,

I did get a fair amount of grass cut though and looking at the finished product always brings a smile to my face! 

Rocks by Rail Museum,