What's on the workbench!

[Charlie_c67]

Saturday 20th September 2025
As HBO is making the Harry Potter TV series they have changed the uniforms amongst other things.. The only Ho train set is provided by The Bradford Exchange underlicence through Bachmann. The carriages in my opinion look toyish but contain sound. Lionel has the larger gauge.

That sounds a little ominous. Does that mean we're going to end up with a Union Pacific "Jupiter" or Baldwin "Inyo" playing the part of the Hogwarts express? 

[scooter]

Saturday 20th September 2025
As HBO is making the Harry Potter TV series they have changed the uniforms amongst other things.. The only Ho train set is provided by The Bradford Exchange underlicence through Bachmann. The carriages in my opinion look toyish but contain sound. Lionel has the larger gauge.

That sounds a little ominous. Does that mean we're going to end up with a Union Pacific "Jupiter" or Baldwin "Inyo" playing the part of the Hogwarts express? 

There's also the Class J 4-8-4

[McColm]

No, they have found another Hall Class steam locomotive which I think is running on the Bluebell Line. It would make sense just to tart-up one of the stations along the line as the make-believe Hogsmeade in my humble opinion.

[McColm]

Sunday 21st September 2025

The Revell 1/48 Eurofighter two seater Typhoon kit arrived yesterday along with the SAC medal landing gear and the 1/72 A & A Models Basler BT-67 Dakota.
As you know I have a resin 1/50 desktop twin seater Eurofighter Typhoon so I have ordered some superglue as the Revell kit will be used for parts, the kit is secondhand with a few of the decals removed.
I've read a few of the Basler BT-67 model reviews and although it's a very good kit, there's a few issues with the windows and gaps in the wings when gluing them to the fuselage. I might have a go and cast a batch of engines. These will be used on the Lockheed Constellation, Avro Shackleton and DC-6B.

[McColm]

Tuesday 23rd September 2025

My work rota for October has been changed, busy for the first two weeks and then going back to weekends only.
The 1/72 Italeri Fairchild Stingray MR.1 has been fitted with a pair of Rolls-Royce Griffon engines, whereas the Avro Doncaster GRA.1 has the guns, radar and searchlight taken from the kit. The upper turret has been removed and a single rear gun at the rear.
The twin Rotodyne remains in the boxes for now, yes bought another one just to be on the safe side.

I rung Royal Greenwich about my council tax and they said that I'm up to date with my payments so ignore any previous correspondence.
The trees from my bedroom window are changing colours different shades of orange leaves, looks a bit blustery outside, haircut tomorrow with a bit of food shopping.

[McColm]

Wednesday 24th September 2025

At last my holiday leave has been approved 13-17 October, some of the outstanding jobs around my flat can be dealt with whilst November will be an early Christmas for me with all these added shifts.
The Avro Doncaster is looking like a Avro Shackleton MR.2 gunship variant apart from the wings and turboprop engines. As for the Fairchild PC-119A/MR.1 Stingray this has a pair of Rolls-Royce Griffons engines at the moment. Another pair will be added later.
The Twin Rotodyne is now a 80 seater, PSR to follow and the 1/50 two seater Eurofighter Typhoon now has a pair of cut-down ejection seats with a reconnaissance nose fairing, rear nozzles fitted and the vehicle tail fin from the Revell 1/48 model kit fitted.

[McColm]

Thursday 25th September 2025

I got the call today to cover Coca-Cola at Wimpole Street London, free lunch of a hotdog freshly cooked on the barbecue with salad and the trimmings. I also picked up some Danish pastries in the afternoon. The site has changed and so has the technology for visitors entering the building. It was a hands-on training day for me.
The Jubilee Tube train got it's doors stuck at Waterloo Station, luckily there was a train right behind it and I saw Alan Titchmarsh the well-known gardener he was on the same carriage as me probably going to the BBC Radio, along Oxford Street.

[McColm]

Tuesday 30th September 2025

It's the last day of September and the year seems to be passing by very quickly, tomorrow I start 12 shift stint with no rest days until the 13th of October, then it's back to weekends on the day shift.
The 1/144 SJMc Space Ferry is almost finished, tyres and windows to be painted. The hodgepodge of decals looks good. As for the Space Shuttle C concept Deep Bay this will be on hold for now. The base crawler stand needs two metal rods to secure the booster rockets and I need to buy a drill plus other stuff in order to finish it.

I've gone back to Flickr as I don't have access to imgur.com anymore. Just need to read up about how to post the images.

[McColm]

Friday 3rd October 2025

There's been a few technical issues at BBVA London Branch but at last these have been sorted out and it wasn't my fault just a glitch in the software.
I was to have started a 12 shift roster at 17 Devonshire Square tomorrow but I noticed that the shifts are no longer available.  I rang the schedulers and they said to ring my contracts manager as they didn't know why I have been pulled out.  I called my manager but he said that he would call me back as it wasn't convenient at the time.
I've got the weekend off,  stocked up with pasta and tuna chunks. It's a cheap and tasty meal 😋.
The two Airfix Classic Fairey Rotodyne kits arrived, so some slicing over the weekend will be done. Still have to work out how to post my photos on Flickr or the one Kit uses unless there's an easier alternative 🤔.

[McColm]

Sunday 5th October 2025

Two builds on the bench, the 1/72 SJMc Mongrel CV-1 and the Fairchild C-94 Eland. The engines from the Airfix Fairey Rotodyne are a good fit for the outer wings but filler/putty will be required for the inner ones. Sanding using up my wet and dry papers until my arm started hurting. Cup of coffee time then back to the Mongrel CV-1, rear doors glued on and a pair of kitbashed helicopter engines glued on the rear rotor stack. The rotor blades have been assembled so that they rotate in different directions to each other but not glued on the shafts. More fettling to do, but the overall shape is pretty much complete. Another set of wheels will be used at the middle. I will be adding a nose radome at a later stage as there's a lot of PSR but it's turned out better than my previous attempt.

Thanks again for all your help with the Flickr Tutorial and comments as I will be posting photos plus editing my posts so concept artwork or real world reference can be seen and my alterations shown.

[McColm]

Monday 6th October 2025

I'm on standby this week, so it's a good job that I have next week booked as leave. I hope that I can pick up a few shifts for the rest of October.
It's back to square one with uploading photos from Flickr, the local library or Internet cafe will do until I can afford a cheap laptop.
I will be adding the links but I know its not the same. My Flickr account name is Steven McColm.

On the workbench the Fairchild C-94 Eland and the SJMc Mongrel CV-1 until the filler runs out or wet 'n' dry papers are depleted.
Still got the 1/72 SJMc Skua HAR.1 with its contra-rotating rotor blades and the Sikorsky Super Sea Lion AEW.2 to paint.
The Revell Breguet Atlantic now has the Sidetrack wingtip pods and resin tail.The front radar set will be fitted in the nose so there's a name change to the Breguet Sidetracker AEW.1.

[McColm]

Wednesday 8th October 2025

I just got a call from Control for me to work the night shift at the London Headquarters of Coca-Cola, today and tomorrow so if I can remember my password for this forum I shall be using incognito and not upsetting the I.T. Department who monitors the websites of the users. I will arrive early so that I can familiar myself with the changes that has happened to the night shift duties and read the assignment instructions. I might even scrounge some food that the kitchen leaves out for the cleaning staff.
Unfortunately I can't upload my photos whilst working on the night shift at Coca-Cola but I have been given the task of covering all the weekends on nights at another site, so it's a win win starting this weekend.

[McColm]

Thursday 9th October 2025

I might have the weekend off 'famous last words 'just in time for my five days leave next week.
There's a bit of a do on tonight at work, snacks and nibbles. Not much has changed but some of my ideas have been implemented but watered-down for the facilities management to understand.
Last night was fairly quiet but I must admit that not all 26 brands are on display or available in the fridges.
The drink Monster has a new flavour Peach ,I prefer the Mango myself although the ginseng one isn't always available.
It seems that the pairing up with an alcoholic brands is the way to go. In reception there's a portable CD player with a cooler for a beverage or two. Not plugged in with a few die-cast vehicles.
Ah well see how tonight goes.

[McColm]

Friday 10th October 2025

After finishing work in the morning the bus ride back to New Cross bus station took me on a magical mystery tour of the back streets of London, more of the Christmas lights are being put up so a few of the major roads have been temporarily closed to traffic. It usually takes 3-4 weeks to put up the Christmas lights, I'm not too sure if they are the same ones or recycled in different patterns.
New Cross bus station and this time I caught the 177 to Charlton Station/-Woolwich Road. The council in its wisdom is putting in cycle lanes, apart from the London Marathon I haven't seen hordes of cyclists in Royal Greenwich. Electric scooters or mobility scooters would have been a better use for them.
The day has been spent sleeping, getting up for a snack of mushrooms lightly fried and cups of black coffee. I've signed up online for membership of Charlton House library, I think that I will be catching a bus,  then walking home,  the hill will do me good when my stamina returns.

The push for finishing the majority of my current builds is on, if I'm only working weekends with the occasional shifts meaning 7 shifts is a month is doable but 11 shifts or more is comfortable.  The Avro Shackleton MR.1 will have to wait until next year along with the Avro Lincoln B.2.

[McColm]

Sunday 12th October 2025

The 1/72 SJMc Skua HAS.1 is now a HC.1 painted all over in semi-gloss red enamel paint,  the Revell Chinook rotor blades which one broke free have been separated from the rotor stack. I have a set of decals from the Freightdogmodels.co.uk which I will adapt as the experimental research aircraft. This will allow me to use the Airfix Fairey Rotodyne rotor blades from the kit.
 The 1/72 SJMc C-94 Eland now has the main landing gear fitted, it's a tailsitter at the moment and progress is steady.

The invasion of the ladybirds has begun in Charlton Southeast London, swarms of the bugs are settling down for the winter. I've battened down the hatches and sprayed insect replant around the windows as I know that they will eventually get in through a gap. The double glazing isn't new and the windows don't close snuggly.
I have been doing an autumn clean around my flat which is enough exercise for my body and several trips to the recycling bins. ♻️