The grass is growing!

As it is late November the grass outside shouldn't be growing and my lawn mower, cosy in its Winter hibernation in the shed, hopes that is the case. However in Woody's World in his man cave grass has been growing as I begin to bring some life to the valley sides.

I am using a static grass applicator to put an initial layer of short grass made up of 2mm long winter grass fibers and fine turf on the valley sides. Once this is done it will give a base layer to apply some more varied vegetation. Generally in the sort of location that I am trying to recreate the vegetation will be unkempt and wild!

The static grass applicator provides a static charge to the grass fibers as they are shaken through a mesh at the bottom end of the tool. The red wire is connected to the area being grassed and the PP9 battery in the applicator completes the circuit and as the grass fibers leave the  tool it is statically charged so that it stands upright in the glue applied to the area to be grassed. There is a special glue which is supposed to be electrically conductive.

Leaving this to dry overnight before going any further. Hope it doesn't grow too much!

Testing Times!

Arriving at the Rocks by Rail Museum this morning it wa obvious just how much rain had fallen in the last few days.

Having negotited the flood waters it was another day of vegetation butchery!

Back in the warmth and dry of the workshop things are moving on with Elizabeth with much painting.

John has obviously got the painting bug as he has moved onto the brake van.

Harriet the JCB now has a step.

I am not sure to be honoured or offended as I was asked to be the first to test the step. Apparently my weight was the best test it could have! Testing times indeed!

Winter has arrived so lets put some colour into it!

I think Winter has arrived. Mrs. Woody had to defrost her car windscreen this morning and I discarded my cycling shorts for long cycling trousers for my ride this morning but still froze! Never mind, it encourages me to pedal faster to keep warm!

Following on from yesterday visit to the Sleaford Model Makers Show where I was not going to spend any money this is what I came out with.

An unboxed and early Airfix 1/35 scale kit which is unusual as most of their early stuff was to 1/32 scale. £5 for this!

This kit was £10. How could I resist!

This unusual amphibious transporter was a mere £15.

£30 cash for 4 wagons. 

As I explained to Mrs. Woody model making is not an expensive hobby! I just hope she never sells my other stuff for the price I told her it cost or someone will get a real bargain!

Back at WMD with it being such a dark Winter day I added some colour to my landscaping for my 00 gauge layout. The green looks toy like at the moment but it will be covered with static grass and other vegetation. The road was sprayed up with a mottled selection of greys just sprayed randomly. The canal was also sprayed randomly in browns, greens and greys followed by some gloss varnish.

Starting to come together - at last! 

A great day out at the Sleaford Model Makers Show 2022!

I cannot believe that it is a year ago that I went to the 2021 Sleaford Model Makers Show. It was the first event that Mrs. Woody and me had been to since the pandemic and that post is here if you want to read up on that show.

This year I saw adverts for the show some weeks ago and given the experience last year I decided that Mrs. Woody would really want to go and I would facilitate this by taking her there. Well that argument works in my mind but as I have said before my mind is a strange place! We did actually go and it was a great show. A bit of everything there. Have a look at this selection of photos to see.

There were five model railway layouts starting with this one set in Winter.

This circular 009 narrow gauge one shows you don't need a lot of space for a layout.

This 00 Gauge engine shed layout was based on a supposed Lincolnshire preservation railway. Nice way to show your loco collection.

This n gauge layout was about 4 foot long again proving you don't need mega space.

Meanwhile the 00 gauge Inglenook shunting puzzle layout proved a interesting draw for those wanting to do some shunting as well as providing a home for a collection of military vehicles.

Talking of military vehicles there were a lot of these on display around the show.

These 1.76 scale models show just how detailed these small scale kits can be.

I did like the bulldozer and grader.

Moving up to the more popular 1/35 scale there were some great models on display.

Moving up to 1/16th scale and there were some interesting radio controlled vehicles as well as some interesting painted figures!

A strange looking Matador truck but actually based upon a prototype developed towards the end of WW2. Only 4 of these half tracks were built and all were scrapped within a year of being built.

 

Brilliant figure painting in this scene.

There was a strange display of the so called WW2 German flying disc which apparently was known as V7. Talking to the modeller there was a theory put forward that the disc was captured by the US and taken to Area 51. In 1947 the USA enginerred version was supposed to have crashed at Roswell and the whole incident was covered up by a Alien craft and beings story. An interesting take on the Roswell theory and one I would not right off but equally without proof not one I would proclaim as being right. Never say random conversation can't educate!

There were also planes...

boats....

Figures like these rare Airfix ones

Thunderbirds also got a look in.

There were also Dolls house type dioramas. 

Love Grand Dad and his Ghetto Blaster radio!

Finally some fairground equipment.

The only problem with this years event is that there were traders with bargains!!!!! How could I resist but more on that another time.

Hopefully Mrs. Woody will want to go again next year so I will have to take her again!