The tunnel scenic sub-base is beginning to look a little more interesting with some adornments to the previously flat brickwork. These bits take some time to make and add but do enhance the look. Just a lot more to do yet before I can say it is finished - just like the WMD HQ bathroom at the moment!
In Mrs. Woody's view, sanity and me are not words that you associate with each other! However, in the case of WMD, a level of sanity returns with me getting out into the Man Cave and doing some model making activity and inside of the WMD HQ the bathroom is now fully plaster boarded and looks a lot better even if there is much more to do!
Lets deal with the model making first and I am still working on the tunnel section of my layout with the installation of the various supporting piers that are needed. Although I had previously made some of these, because of the need to alter much of the main structure these no longer fitted so there I am having to build new ones.
And fitted, it tidies up that joint nicely!
The next one is now under construction so hopefully with the return of a level of sanity to model making it will be completed shortly!
Meanwhile, the sanity level returns, in part, to the bathroom with plaster boarding complete and things tidied up. Next step is plastering next week. That will be nice!
It is not unusual theses past few months to go to the Rocks by Rail Museum and find the engine cover on a piece of plant open as some issue is dealt with. Today was no exception with Harriot being the subject of attention today.
Following a joint consultation it was diagnosed that as everything else in the fuel system has been proven to work or been replaced the lift pump must be the issue. A new one is on order!
Down by the recently commenced drainage works there was more consultation going on as a number of volunteers watched the action.
And the action was Andy in the trench!
It will all come together - eventually! And I will celebrate with a bath!
Note the toilet eco-flush system - the bucket!
Yes, this is how the WMD HQ bathroom looks at the moment. Not exactly what you would find in the glossy shots that estate agents take to advertise 'the unique opportunity to purchase a sought after property' but, from this will arise something that hopefully pleases Mrs. Woody. It better do or I will need to move into my Man Cave which Mrs. W thinks is actually more of a mess then the bathroom! Phil the builder, however, assures me all is well and things can only get better!!
Well, as appears the norm at the moment, little if any time for model making matters but I can report on the delivery of this.
And with the outer sleeve removed it does look good without even delving any further, which unfortunately I don't have time to do just at the moment.
Of course, on the opening of any package a WMD cat has to take part which in this case is the inquisitive Monty!
I do have a soft spot for the Class 37, or as they were referred to by train spotters, tractors. Something about their shape which suited so many of the liveries they have worn over their long lives. This is the classic British railway corporate blue which whilst plain compared to some of the latter liveries, to my mind is the classic 37 livery. I look forward to getting it on the layout - when I have time after that bathroom is finished!
Still not feeling great but well enough to cut the scrap wood from Phil the builders escapades in bringing WMD HQ up to date and use it to restock the log store for the log burner!
I found that the skip makes a great saw bench and the saw dust goes straight into it meaning less cleaning up! Working smarter not harder as I get older!
With the warm weather I did feel that I should at least make a token gesture bike ride even if I was not feeling that well. Certainly gave me some fresh air but there was no power in my legs. I think local athletic snails would probably have over taken me at some stages. However I did at least get up to the local canal which I have not seen for some weeks now.
Obviously things have been happening in those weeks with the Marie Celeste of the canal, AKA Earwig having returned and been parked (or is it moored?) in the middle of the canal. No idea why but no doubt the reason will reveal itself at some point if I can reinvigorate myself for another bike ride and indeed find the time to get back to some model amking!
Under the weather! A wonderful expression to say you feel unwell, which, from my search is a maritime expression coming about from when unwell sailors were sent below deck and away from the weather to recover. Not sure if I can find any under-deck area but I do not feel well! A bad cold that has developed during last week feels worse now. Not felt like doing much but I did at least make some progress with the tunnel sub-base on my 00 gauge layout where the upper walls have been glued to the main structure.
I also started the supporting piers which will add some vertical interest to the structure.
In the meantime I just hope Mrs. Woody doesn't get this cold or I will be suffering again!
Following on from my initial bathroom butchery earlier this week, Phil the Builder continued with it as the rest of the walls and ceiling were stripped of plasterboard as well as various fittings being taken out including the toilet cistern! A bucket of water makes a suitable substitute.
You don't need too many tools to do basic model making and if you shop about you can put together a reasonable tool kit for not a great deal of money. If you are involved in model railways you will need some small screwdrivers to maintain locomotives, rolling stock and to connect wires to controllers, etc. Over the years I have built up a motley crew of various screwdrivers. Many of these have done a good job over the years but others have failed in various ways probably due to being not very well manufactured in the first place. Having separate screwdrivers also means that the one that you want is the one that is usually missing! Not anymore though! Having to pick up some items that Mrs. Woody had identified as having an urgent need at the local Lidl I came across a selection of tools. In amongst the angle grinders, welders, hammer drills and other big tools was a small selection of tool packs including this ratchet screwdriver set
Sixteen bits, ideal for model screws and fastenings, along with an extension and the ratchet screwdriver make this possibly the ideal collection in one box which is unlikely to be mislaid!
It cost me just £4.99! I think that is a bargain!
There are days when things come together and the slow but steady progress of many weeks of hard work suddenly comes together giving a sense of achievement. That sense of achievement is what I got at the end of today at the rocks By Rail Museum where I volunteer. Having started back in mid November 2034 with the aim of building a viewing platform so that visitors will have a better view of the quarry sidings and the shunting that we do on event days, that project is nearly complete. The hard work of shifting rocks and spoil to build the platform is done and today we just about finished installing the last of the barriers around it. We had two Heras fencing panels found in the Museum's grounds which we cut down by about a foot and set them against the existing barrier at the front of the platform. We had dug trenches either side of the platform so that the panels could be set in the ground which gives them some rigidity.
Alex illustrates that the barriers are perfectly safe to lean against!
There is just a need to add a thin layer of fine material for drainage, top that with the white Terram sheet that is presently rolled over the front barrier and finish off with some gravel over the top. Hopefully we should be finished by mid March.
What won't be finished by mid March is this!
The works to install drainage under the platform track continues but the corner has now been turned with the drainage pipes actually now being installed.
Next job is to build a manhole where Andy is stood in the hole. As I pointed out, he wont get much of a view from down there but he could on the new viewing platform if we can get the trains to run for Easter! I couldn't hear his answer because of the mini-digger starting up!
I have, on several occasions in this blog, talked about my abilities, or indeed lack of them, at cardboard butchery, wood butchery and vegetational butchery. Today, I can mow add a new butchery ability to the list, bathroom butchery!
I started with a decades old bathroom in the morning .....
....and by the afternoon it looked like this!
Again not much model making today, just a few minutes to stick some brick paper to the card for the walls on the tunnel sub-base that I am building.
However, there was a lot of painting with the various skirting boards and door architrave for the cloakroom getting three top coats. Painting a dark colour over white primer is no fun!
However it does contrast well with the rest of the paint and fittings.
Now here is something that I have never done before - wash a Transit van! Phil the builders van has been filthy for weeks and my questioning as to why he had not cleaned it got no where and with no sign of him getting round to it O took bucket and sponge to it. It was filthy and I did at one point ask Phil if he had a bio-hazard sticker I could put on it!
However, 90 minutes later and it was looking like a .....white van! Just hope Phil doesn't think that this is a regular thing!
Not much modelling done apart from a stay made on the wall sections for the tunnel sub-base that I have posted about over the past few weeks which will keep me amused for a few days yet!
Maybe I should do my model making near the skip - that could be convenient!
