Say cheese!

I do take a few photos of model trains but no matter how life like I think they are I have never said 'Say cheese' to any of them! Well the DJ Class 71 that I recently bought was due to be DCC chipped today but having dragged the ever suffering Mrs. Woody around various model railway shows I thought it was time to delay that task and take her out to something that she was really interested in - The Melton Mowbray Cheese Fest! There was enough cheese there from all over the UK and further afield for everyone who attended to find at least one they liked from the many tasting samples on offer. I had to taste a lot of samples though - and say cheese! 

It was not all cheese, there were all manner of drinks....

...breads, cakes, pies.....

...sweets

...this lemon and lime tart I bought never even made it out of the hall where I bought it before I consumed it!...

...and lots of people enjoying a great day!

It was inevitable that we would buy some cheese as well as a few other goodies, but it would be rude not too!

On the way home with car now like a mobile branch of  Ye Olde Cheese Shoppe, I took the long way in order to put out the Rocks By Rail banners for the next events which are next Bank Holiday weekend! Time flies as they say!

Whilst putting one set of banners out I heard a rather strange skyward emanating sound and looking up say this rather incredible site of 19 similar airplanes flying in formations. They looked like Chipmunk trainers but I am no real expert but no doubt Mr. Beecham will be able to put me right with his vast aircraft knowledge. No where is that cheese????

Watching planes and a new project starts!

After an early morning of cleaning the house (hope you read this Mrs. Woody) it was off for the last bike ride of August. I had a plan of where I was going but just like most of my plans it changed! I ended up, having climbed a couple of 11% hills (and my legs are still feeling that) at the side of a Royal Air Force base where they do flying training. Today they were flying and a gap in the hedge alongside the base gave me a great view of the planes waiting clearance to takeoff once others had landed and then gracefully taking off. I know nothing of the aircraft that were being used other than they were trainers (Mr. Beecham with his encyclopedic of aircraft will no doubt be able to educate me on this matter) and have a distinct fear of flying but somehow found it fascinating watching what was going on. So much so that 45 minutes went by before I moved on.

Taking advantage of gravity taking me down the previously crawled up hills and a with a following wind WMD HQ was reached far quicker on the return journey then on the outbound one. Mileage wise the 27 miles took my total for this month to 690 with a total for this year of 4220. I have racked a lot of miles, for me anyway, in the last two months with 680 in July so the target of 5200 for the year is looking feasible.

Back at WMD HQ the Italeri Scania cab has been put to one side as I leave it for a few days before looking at the paint issue with a fresher and clearer mind. So what do I do whilst that project is on hold? Well in true Woody style I start another kit! No not an aircraft following my earlier observations, although in true Woody style there are some aircraft kits in my yet to be built collection of kits.

I thought I would complete my trilogy of T34 tanks. I built the Russian WW2 one last year where it represents the tank in its early incarnation, then the Egyptian 1950's one this year which shows the tank as a 'second hand' tank in new ownership. This last model shows the tank in effect repurposed with the chassis being used to mount a new turret with a 122mm artillery gun in it. 

The kit is certainly not as complex as the MiniArt Egyptian version or indeed the Italeri kit of the Russian version where the interior was included. Whether that equates to an easier build is yet to be determined! The kit is well packed and all the sprues are in plastic bags so parts loss is unlikely.

Todays assembly saw so rapid progress for the short time available with the running gear almost in place. Certainly the complexities of the MiniArt kit are not missed by me so far and the one piece hull certainly means it less likely that I will get a twisted hull!  More progress soon unless I am cleaning or watching aircraft with the former more likely than the latter if Mrs. W has any involvement in this matter!