Lucky to know Ray!

Leaving the bombsite of my Man Cave in its early stages of being moved around I had a day at the Rocks By Rail Museum. In one of those humbling moments, Ray Bennett, one of the Museums great volunteers brought in something to show us. He is a member of the Saltby Airfield History Group, the airfield being located in Leicestershire and was active as a military base between 1941 and 1948 and is still in use today as a gliding centre. Being built as part of World War 2 it has an extensive history including being the base to America’s 9th Troop Carrier Command during 1944, flying paratroopers of the US 82nd Airborne Division to Normandy as part of the liberation of Europe. With the D Day celebrations last week, members of the American military visited the airfield and in amongst other things presented Ray with a plaque for the Airfield History Group.

Despite his youthful looks, Ray is of an age where he lived through the war years and with so few left who have done that, what better person to accept the plaque. 

I am very lucky to know and volunteer with people like Ray!

There is a full run down on what went on at the airfield last weekend on the South Kesteven Website located here.

 

Having a move around!

Playing in the back of my mind for some time has been a certain desire to rearrange the Man Cave. Put simply I have too much stuff but I am sure there is a better way to arrange it! So at the moment the Man Cave looks like a tornado has struck!

It is never easy reorganising and there is a few days work but out of the carnage will come some sense of normality - to satisfy me anyway until the next move around!

Cabling up!

Getting back to some actual model making and picking up on the 3D printed crane, things have moved on. Having already made a hook I needed to attach that to the crane with a cable. Now you can use cotton or a thread of some kind as the cable but they tend to curl and not look very realistic. Not great seeing your supposed heavy hook being curled upwards by the cable! So , my plan involved real cable - electrical cable!

Some scrap cable was found and a suitable length cut off. The plastic sheathing was sliced off revealing the several strands of thin wire.

From the bundle of wires a single strand was extracted and putting against the crane looked right.

Carefully winding the strand of wire around the winding drum required patience as it needed threading through the cranes structure as well!

I was going to cover the whole drum width but after 40 minutes I had enough! There was sufficient cable on the drum and enough left to attach the hook to. I had also primed the plinth that I had previously made ready to be painted up.

With some spots of superglue to hold the cable in place the cable was taken over the pully at the end of the jib and the hook now hangs nice and vertical! It all needs weathering and griming up now but that is a job for another day!

 

Unexpected task!

Asa with all things that get old, like me, parts occasionally fail! In this case it wasn't me that failed but the 12 volt plug on the lead out of my DCC controller to the track. It quite literally just snapped off but I guess after nearly 20 years of being pulled and bent it was going to happen. However it was an unexpected task to do in my hectic lifestyle - please note Mrs. Woody!

The problem is that these factory supplied leads are not designed to be maintained so the cover to the plug has a plastic shroud welded on. I don't have a spare plug so I was left with having to do a bodge job by slicing the shroud in half. As this is a 12v wire I am not to worried but I would not be doing this as part of a repair on the mains side of the controller.

This is the plug on the right. On the left is the heatshrink that I will used to put around the sliced through shroud.

Wires soldered onto the now exposed innards to the plug.

The sliced through shroud back in place but no way will it seal the innerards!

Heatshrink applied and shrunk. It may not look pretty but it works!

 

Now I wonder what unexpected tasks Mrs. W has lined up for me?

Warning - Chocolate will make your clothes shrink!

I always like a good sign and this one on the platform fence at the Stapleford Park Miniature Railway caught my eye and made me and Mrs. Woody laugh and we probably need to heed Warning - Chocolate will make your clothes shrink!

Back to the exhibits I just loved this Showman's tractor and living van. Beautifully restored and a real piece of history.

The inside was pure luxury!

Keeping the theme of trucks this 8 wheeler ERF B series caught my eye. I have driven a few of these many years ago.

And the same with this classic Bedford TK.

Tractors were about too!

This Opperman three wheel Motocart caught my eye. A teenager was in charge of it and was really enthusiastic about this piece of history. 

There were plenty of retail stalls and displays like this one by a local Macano club.

Then of course there was the railway! A 10 inch gauge railway run just like the real thing with a 2 mile line fully signaled and run by steam locos in the main.

The locos are all replicas of real ones.

The guard gets a 'comfy' seat whilst passengers have to sit on the wooden benches but it is worth it!

Not running on the day but there are some diesel locos to.

This was my favorite loco. A USA outline steamer built in America as the builders plate states.

A great afternoon out and so much variety! Must remember to go again next year and also remember that chocolate will make your clothes shrink!

Stapleford Park Miniature Railway 2024 - Part 1

Trying to pick some photos for this blog from yesterdays trip to the Stapleford Park Miniature railway Miniatures and Models Weekend 2024 hasn't been easy. I could have filled this post several times over! I will do it over two days though so lets start todays look at some of my favorite exhibits vehicle wise!

Starting with the car that I would choose to go home with and it is this superb Mk3 Cortina 2 door. A real beauty and brings back many memories of when cars had a personality! 

Fantastic interior with acres of vinyl and masses of imitation wood trim!

That tax disc (remember those) and the number plate dates this car at more than 50 years old and it looks brand new!

This Rover 2000 looked fantastic in that green paint work and with the upgraded alloy wheels.

This Morris Marina was as standard as they come but looked wonderful, just like Mrs. Woody who drove a similar one years ago!

Another Rover 2000, a Morris Minor Traveler and a modernish BMW were also looking good in the sun.

There were also some custom cars including this rather nice Dodge pickup.

However this Bedford CA van was my favorite custom semi resto. From the outside it looks lovingly restored to original condition ...

...but look inside and this very modern and very comfy looking interior awaits. Although I didn't find out, I just know there is going to be a somewhat interesting and powerful engine under the bonnet.

A Land Rover and 4x4 club were on site with some interesting exhibits.

There were a few other Land Rovers there to including this one with several interesting notices on the windows - I do like them!

There was this more modern snorkled and winch fitted model.

There was also a Mk1 from the 1950s and worth a fortune now!

For the ultimate in off road camping - the Land Rover Camper!

There was also a collection of motorbikes.

I couldn't help but admire this mini bike from the 1960s.

I will carry on tomorrow as there were some really interesting things that I want to record!