A productive day!

A productive day model making wise. The Airfix Dodge 1 1/2 Ton Personnel Carrier has gone as far as it can without paint. The last of the body parts have been added and the figures included have been assembled apart from adding the helmets - makes painting the faces easier after which the helmets will be added.

Next up the Bachmann EWS Class 08 shunter has had a DCC chip added. 

This was not the easiest of jobs as it took a while to get the body off to access the insides. All I can say is that the screws were well hidden not just under the couplings but one under the coupling mount at the front and lets not talk about the hidden plastic clip! Anyway I got in without anything breaking or contributions to the swear jar.

What I was after was the blanking plug which is that small green part at the side of the copper coil on the main circuit board. The blanking plug allows the loco to operate on DC rather than DCC.

Pull that blanking plug off and plug in the DCC chip interface and that is it - plug and play! 

Well almost . You still need to get in the loco and put it back together! I also took the opportunity to add the separately supplied cab steps. Not sure why they are separate but it was simple enough even for me!

After all that a quick test on the layout.

I must have been inspired with progress as I have even started the Italeri SU-100 assault gun that Mr Beecham gave me. It is actually a Zvezda kit, the second they ever produced some time ago, boxed as an Italeri kit. Having already built a more recent release of theirs I can say they were certainly basic in their early kits which is actually nice! A few hours have seen the hull and wheels put together which is quick progress especially for me.

The wheels had a prominant mould line around them which required removal. Actually thinking about it I glued the two wheels together before sanding the mould lines smooth. Doing tow at once fits in with my working smarter not harder as I get older!

No idea if tomorrow will be as productive oir whether Mrs. Woody has othe plans for my time!

Boxing Day unboxing!

Here in the UK it is Boxing Day. I know from friends in the USA this is a strangely named day but as I understand it goes back in history to the days when the gentry gave a boxed gift to their workers the day after Christmas and hence it is known as Boxing Day.

For the purpose of this post though Boxing Day is unboxing day when I have time to look in more detail at my presents. I knew what I was getting from Mrs. Woody as I bought them at the Spalding Model Railway Show back in November but I had not seen them since then. Two locos, both second hand, or as it now appears in many places the much more forgiving and encouraging phase of 'pre-loved', but you would not know from their condition. 

First up is this Class 08 shunter in EWS livery.

I am slowly building up a collection of EWS locos and rolling stock and this adds nicely to that. It runs well but from what I understand it never saw any use on a layout so probably could do with a running in session. Of course this pristine finish to the body is something seldom seen on the real locomotives as they led hard lives with little cosmetic attention so it will need weathering at some point.

This Standard Class 5MT locomotive is however already heavily weathered.

A fantastically characterful locomotive which displays the unloved condition that this and other similar rollingstock was allowed to get into as British Rail forged ahead with its modernisation program of diesel and electric propulsion. Again another great runner but probably little used previously so could do with a good run in and lubrication.

I also got a gift from Mr. Beecham and it was this great kit from Italeri of a SU100 Assault Gun. He must know I have a soft spot for Russian WW2 vehicles!

Complete with turned metal gun barrel!

Nice one Mr. B and very much appreciated!

So those are my presents unboxed! As for Mrs. Woody, no Christmas would be right for her without a new handbag which she did get along with the matching purse! I just think I will get more enjoyment from my locos and kit then she will from her hand bag but I am biased!