The only way I could actually see the things was with a magnifying glass!

After a couple of warm and amazingly dry days the weather is back to wet! These two pigeons spotted on top of the WMD greenhouse looked particularly fed up with the rain!

In the dryness of the Man Cave, the progress on the IBG 1.72 scale Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit moves on - slowly! More etched brass parts which are brassing me off due to the literally minute size of some of them.

Look at this bracket that goes on the end of one of the poles on the ramps. You can see the scalpel blade in the background to get an understanding of how small this part is and there are two of them to bend to shape and then attach to the end of the poles. The only way I could actually see the things was with a magnifying glass! 

Anyway, they are now fitted but I suspect they may fall off during the painting process and I probably won't even notice!

These are the ramps that the poles with the brackets fit onto. I had to replace the kit supplied poles with some rod that was in stock as the kit parts were that delicate that trying to clean up the mounting points where they gad been cut from the sprue just broke them! As you will note there are other brass parts that had to be fitted as well. Looking at the sheet of etched parts there are only a few more to add - thank goodness!

So why was I in Oakham?

I got this rather nice shot of a Class 66 going through the level crossing at Oakham Station.

It was pulling a rather long container train much to the annoyance of many waiting to cross but not me!

So why was I in Oakham? Well, Mrs. Woody decided that I needed a trip to a garden centre! We ended up going to Gates Garden Centre just outside Oakham. Now my traditional view of garden centres is that they have rows of plants, pots and compost! However, like most of my views, time has by passed them and modern centres are more like a retail park! 

Never seen this before but a section of shaded parking!

Inside a veritable mass of retail opportunities for Mrs. Woody to peruse but hopefully not take advantage of!

There were some interesting, to me anyway, things such as these tractors.

This second tractor was also hosting a range of Diddly Squat Farm products from Jeremy Clarkson. I actually visited the original Diddly Squat Farm shop days after it opened when all that it sold was vegetables, some meet and T shirts! How things change!

Mrs. Woody would not let me peek at the cards....

But she did point out some possible new friends for me!

And, no, they did not come back to WMD HQ!

This could be a sign of a good summer!

More parts to the Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter trailer have been fitted including the side strengthening gussets and the end piece to which the loading ramps will be fitted.

Turning it right ways up it even looks like a trailer!

Hopefully I will get some more done soon but Mrs. Woody's list of chores includes tidying the garden so, given the somewhat nice unseasonable weather and rather than paint the Mercedes MP4 cab, i got  the lawnmower out as well as doing some weeding and pruning. What did surprise me more than Mrs. W was surprised I had done some chores, was the fact that there were so many ladybirds about. 

Whether they had survived the Winter or are new born I don't know but this could be a sign of a good summer! Famous last words and all that!

As with previous work in the Bone Yard this session had its share of excitement!

It is only a few weeks until the Rocks By Rail Museum opens its 2026 season of events despite recent weather suggesting that we are still in the midst's of Winter!

Work in the Restoration Shed on the retubing of steam loco 1931 goes on with some the footplate being de-rusted and pipework reinstalled.

John carries on with work to refurbish the Southern brake van with painting of wooden parts...

...whilst work on de-rusting the floors has more or less been completed.

Meanwhile, outside the Restoration Shed, this van awaits some work!

That work mainly will consist of a new roof and floor"

Back in the Bone Yard I was assisted by Gary in the seemingly never ending clearance work of unkept overgrowth or as I like to term it, vegetational butchery!

As with previous work in the Bone Yard this session had its share of excitement with Treasure Junk Hunt and this sign that Gary uncovered was perhaps the best!

Other finds included more sleepers, fence posts and various pieces of what had been good wood but was now rotten!

We also discovered some concrete platform edge blocks which will be useful if we ever get to construct the long planned platform at the end of the line.

We certainly have cleared away a lot of stuff and the back of the cafe is now very visible as well as being able to look through to the Exhibition Centre which is a view that has not been available for many years!

 Stepping back after another hard day of butchery it is looking a lot clearer!

There are still those pesky etched brass parts to fit!

Whilst I plan the painting of the Scammell in this kit I thought that I would start the transporter trailer. Actually looking at the instructions it is certainly looking as though it will be a less taxing build then the Scammell itself but there are still those pesky etched brass parts to fit!

Having fitted the etched parts to the chassis rails, these were then glued to the main deck of the trailer.

Nothing complex and within a short time there is actually something that looks like I have made progress rather then the tiny parts of the Scammell itself. Hopefully the rest of the trailer build will go as well!

Painting it is going to take some planning!

It is one of those gratifying moments when things start to come together and in the case of the IBG  Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter and Crusader tank kit the Scammel is finally beginning to look like the truck it is. 

The chassis is more or less complete with additional parts having been attached such as the fuel tank and trailer turntable. There are some mudguards to go over the front axle and several more cab parts. However, at this stage I need to think about how I am going to paint this. Build the entire truck and things like painting the interior become impossible so it will need to be done in stages which is something still in the planning stage in my mind! 

Well lets just say the thinking stage of the process is the most important!

At a very keen price I picked up this rather nice Bachmann On30 28 Ton Two-Truck Climax already weathered.

Just got to love the quirkiness of these narrow gauge locos!

Now how are my plans coming on for the layout for it to run on? Well lets just say the thinking stage of the process is the most important!

That little lot took some doing but there was more!

More etched brass parts with the IBG 1.72 Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter kit, this time in the cab. It really tested my patience but I did learn more about the various controls inside that cab that the Airfix kit I built some years ago did not have included. It was a much easier build too!

This is just the start with the gear lever, gear selection gate, dashboard, cab front reinforcement panels and seat support frames! 

That little lot took some doing but there was more! Winch leavers and brake lever together with the more conventional plastic seat cushions! 

I think that is all the etched parts for the front part of the cab but I cannot bring myself to look forward in the instructions so I may be in for a surprise!

Did I have a body odour issue that no one told me about or was there something else going on?

Out on a bike ride today, between the rain downpours I was going down a country lane riding into the wind when I noticed a somewhat 'rural' smell.  Did I have a body odour issue that no one told me about or was there something else going on? Well the answer was just around the bend when I came across this tractor and slurry tanker discharging its contents over the hedge into the adjacent field!

I passed with some trepidation just in case the discharge pipe malfunctioned! However, all was well and back at WMD HQ, a bit more progress with the BG 1.72 Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter kit which now has its front and rear axles fitted.

I stood the axles on some needle files so that the axles were all level as the glue dried.

And just to make sure all was level I added a bottle of glue as a weight! Just ned to let that set now!

In real life these parts look a lot neater than in the photos!

Some more progress with the IBG 1.72 Scammel Pioneer Tank Transporter kit with relative success with etched brass parts. Both ends of the chassis required further Swear Jar inducing battles with small etched brass parts but this time things went reasonably well. I must be getting my eye in with these tiny parts. Most of the construction related to the winching mechanism with various pullies and rollers.

The only issue I have with the above photos are that digital photography is cruel in its sharp detail and with a camera phone the focus is not always that good in close up shots! In real life these parts look a lot neater than in the photos! Given some cleaning and a coat of paint, all should look good!

Things have, for one of my projects, unexpectedly moved along a lot!

There is usually something going on at the Rocks By rail Museum when I visit. Sometimes it is expected things but occasionally there are the unexpected things happening which was the case on my latest visit to continue my work clearing the Bone Yard or operation Treasure Junk Hunt as it has become known!

First unexpected thing to catch my eye was this addition to the side of the Exhibition Centre...

Now, whilst it may look as though this should be like a porch to the entry door but built in the wrong place it actually is built in the right place to serve a completely different purpose!

It is actually a shelter for the Crossing Keeper on days where the Museum runs trains. In the past if it was raining the Crossing keeper got wet and on occasions very wet! However, as Andy demonstrates, the cavernous nature of the structure should assist in keeping future Crossing Keepers somewhat drier during inclement weather! By the way, much of that wood is what came out of the old WMD kitchen that was updated about 18 months ago. That wood is seeing some good use with the floor of loco Mr. D being made out of other parts as outlined in this post. Good to see it all have a second life!

Talking about inclement weather drew me to the second unexpected thing which was this work at the back of the Exhibition Centre.

The blue arrow is a newly lad drainage pipe that goes into the buildings main drainage system. Why has this been laid? Well where the red arrow is pointing locates what was found a few days ago.

That large pipe was unknown about before a few days ago when the area around it suddenly started gushing water. If left unchecked there was a real possibility of the foundations towards the rear of the Exhibition Centre being undermined hence the new pipe was laid to deal with the issue.

Not unexpected, was the fact that the Bone Yard project had not progressed any further since my last visit so I was back to the Junk Hunt! 

This time I went fully armed with both Sammy Strimmer and Bobby Brush Cutter! A bit more done with more chopping back of the large saplings at the rear of the Bone Yard.

Which means the back of the cafe is becoming more visible.

Whilst it may not seem like much progress when compared to what it was like back at the beginning of November.....

...things have, for one of my projects, unexpectedly moved along a lot!

Etched brass parts! My nemesis! Part 2!

Now I am really into dealing with ridiculously small parts some of which are etched brass too!

Take a look above and that large red arrow is pointing to two model jacks. Only under magnification can you see what they are though.

And then there is the engine fan belt, pullies and fan blade....

Having gone through those parts it was almost a pleasure to put together the 14 or so parts that go to make an overly complicated chassis build!

I just need to clean up the sprue mounting points which with these small parts is often easier to do once they are securely glued in place. In the meantime I am off to rest my eyes!