The gas man cometh!

 Ok Woody, so what does a Flanders and Swann song have to do with your day at the Rocks by Rail Museum? Well the link is tentative but the gas man did cometh to the Museum today! He actually brought fresh supplies of oxygen and acetylene in preparation for the re-tubing of steam loco 1391 

Once on the trolley the bottles were safely transported to the restoration shed near to where.....

Alex continues his great work in painting Ketton No1 and clearing the remaining caked on cement from its days at the Ketton Cement Works.

And it certainly is not the easiest paint jobs under the bonnet with all that engine in the way but he is doing a fantastic job!

Further down the shed Trevor and John were in deep conversation about the ideal consistency of the paint to be applied to part of Mr. D. What part, I have no idea!

But th epaint looks good as Trevor expertly applies it. Apparently, he denies any such abilities at home!

Having got out of the shed I found Richard, Riley the dog and Gary busy dismantling 1391 ready for that oxy-acetylene gear to cut out the tubes.

Gary must have drawn the short straw as he was inside the smoke box - not a nice place to be!

I think a shower is on the books when he gets home!

It was then off grass cutting for me and saw Martin making progress with the repaint of the drag line excavator.

Meanwhile Pam is celebrating finishing painting the back and one side of the Sundew cab which is looking really good.

Having finished one side meant that several of us had to move the so called lightweight staging around to the other side. It would be light if it were not for the thick rain sodden plywood base on top!

You would think Alex had better things to do like paint the underside of Ketton No1's bonnet or maybe await the gas man cometh!

Brook to stream but not canal!

As I contemplated whether I should take up boating instead of cycling given the amount of rain in recent days it surprisingly stopped! So out on the bike and as I was passing and questions have been asked in the comments to this blog, I took in the delights of the canal. A few days ago I noted that it had all but dried up and was almost like a small brook during a drought. Today it had advanced to slight stream status but certainly given the amount of rain I was expecting something more watery and river like at least! 

Strangely, turning 180 degrees the water behind the lock was almost brimming the canal sides with water cascading out of the closed lock gates at a faster speed then Mrs. Woody can order an internet shop! I'll be in trouble for that!

That would make an interesting shower!

I still have no idea why one side of the lock is full whilst the other side looks drought like.

Back in the Man Cave the Tiger build is almost at a point of being finished. The tools and cables are fitted and the whole model has been airbrushed with a coat of matt varnish. It certainly looks like a Tiger now which is more than can be said for the ones in that fantastic film Kelly's Hero's. Despite being made in the late 1960's less than 15 years after the end of World War 2, there were no working Tiger tanks left by then apart from a handful of static ones and the running one that is now at the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK. The film makers had Russian T34 tanks converted to look like Tiger tanks! More fascinating facts on the background to this film are on Wikipedia - click here.

 

Time consuming!

As with most projects it is the small things that take the most time as I tell Mrs. Woody! She never believes me but the tools and tow ropes for the Tiger 1 build are a case in point. Not much to them but they have taken as much time to paint and prepare as the painting of the hull and turret did!

Having got them in primer they all received a bit more of a detail paint in relevant colours.  

It was then a case of weathering them down with a dry brushing of Dark Iron paint on the bare steel parts. You can see the diiference between the weathered tow rope on the left and the un-weathered on the right.

With all the parts done they do look more subdued - just like me!

Then it was a case of adding some weathering powder in the form of this gun metal powder which brought back just enough sheen to make it look realistic.

Once added to the tank they will get some more weathering along with the tank - all very time consuming!

Getting tooled up!

On a rainy day like it has been today you would think I would just make myself comfortable in my Man Cave and get on with building models. However, it never works out like that! A day tooling myself up for doing household jobs that Mrs. Woody had visons on being completed took most of the day up but I did at least start the process of 'tooling up' the Tiger 1 along with its tow cables. Once I had studied the instructions, I was delighted to find that Dragon offer a set of tools within the kit that already have their fastening clasps to the hull moulded in place with the tool. This means that I don't have to struggle with the brass etched parts even though I have already made some of them! Delightful! 

With a sense of relief the relevant tools and cables have been primed in black ready for detailed painting.

Once that is done the Tiger will really be tooled up once they are glued in place as long as Mrs. W doesn't want me tooled up for further household jobs!

And the number is 112!

Before I can do any further weathering to the Tiger 1 build I need to add the decals and some other parts. Those 'other parts' can wait until after the decals though! Not many to do but with the Zimmerit coating on the turret and hull with its rough texture any application would need some assistance to get the decals to mould themselves to the contours under them. Enter Micro Sol and Mirco Set - two of the 'must haves' in model making

With these you can soften the decal to conform to the texture under it and it does work as these photos show.

More numbers now - just two though! They are 6 and 20 which are the dates in October that bring this years season at the Rocks By Rail Museum to an end. I put out the banners yesterday evening and it struck me that it does not seem all that long ago I was putting the first out for the this years events.

Lastly, one of those strange things that I see on my bike rides. This morning, despite all the rain and reports of flooding, this was the scene at the local canal!

No doubt there are a number of reasons for this but 112 will not be one of them!

Uncared for - just like me!

After seeing things being smartened up with a coat of paint at the Rocks By Rail Museum earlier this week you would think that I would be influenced to smarten some of my things up with a fresh coat of paint. Mrs. Woody certainly has a list of painting jobs for me but I have decided to against the flow! The Tiger 1 tank looked in showroom condition but I have started the process of rusting up parts. The exhausts have been subject to paint and weathering powders and look suitably uncared for - just like me!

I have also attacked the spare track links on the turret with the same treatment.

Still more to do but each session brings a little more character to this build. Strange that you have to work so hard to make something look uncared for!

The painting bug!

Having not gone to the Rocks By Rail Museum last week due to the kitchen rebuild escapades I ventured in yesterday knowing that things will have changed - they always do! First off one of the steam locos, Andrew Barclay 1391, is now in the restoration shed with work starting on its re-tubing. It ran out of what is termed as 'ticket' in July so needs work doing to it so that it passes an inspection to gain a fresh 10 year ticket - hopefully before next years season starts!

And the work has indeed started with Richard in the cab dismantling various components. At least the Museum has some volunteers who know what they are doing, unlike me!

An interesting stack of wood has appeared as well - wonder where that came from? Oh yes! My kitchen ceiling! John was delighted when I arrived - almost as though it was his Birthday and Christmas rolled into one!

Meanwhile, in the exhibition centre, the Shark brake van has now filled the space left by the steam loco. Hopefully it will now dry out ready for another overhaul which will involve a lot of woodwork and painting.

Talking of painting, Pete and Pam have been busy with the Sundew cab which is looking very smart as it gets painted with that cream top coat.

And the painting bug is catching with Martin now painting the dragline excavator!

For me, it was another day of battling the ever growing grass and vegetation! At least as Winter comes that should take a break and maybe I will catch the painting bug and smarten something up!

Dimmed lighting!

 It is time to start painting in some details on the Tiger 1 tank and I have started with the turret mounted spare track links. An initial coat of  Vallejo Rust paint will be a base for further rust treatment.

Painting the details takes a while just like the finishing painting details in the WMD kitchen rebuild. However, after dark, with the lights on, which hides those areas still to paint, it does look good! 

And with the under unit lighting only it looks even better - just like me in dimmed lighting!

Mrs. Woody is really happy with it and thinks it is now the ideal place for me to prepare her meals! Something not quite right with that but I guess just don't say anything is the best thing!

Recycling!

 A fruitful day at WMD today! Unusual but nice!

First off the Tiger 1 has had the third element of its camouflage added in the form of the red brown paint which adds greatly to the character of the tank.

Still lots to do such as adding the tools, tow ropes, hatches and weathering the hull and turret but I am really pleased so far!

Adding t the pleased list is that I have cleared most of the remnants of the kitchen rebuild with the scrap metal having gone off to the recyclers and my bank account added to from the proceeds. No doubt Mrs. Woody has plans to spend that!

And the wood from the ceiling has been trimmed to size to fit in my car to take down to Rocks By Rail Museum where it will be used as the new cab floor for Mr. D. I do like recycling!