What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Monday 12th January 2026

Good news my prescription has been approved and should be arriving around the 14th January,  I still haven't received a reason why it was suspended back in September and I have been buying the eye drops for dry eyes over the counter at my local pharmacy. I received notification from PharmacyForU that I don't need to pay for my medication due to NHS records,  I don't know why this has been changed as I did tick the box to say that I was no longer receiving Universal Credit when I went back to work in November 2024, unless it falls under the Low Pay Allowance.

I rang the scheduling office to find out whether or not I'm working on Tuesday and for the rest of the month at Newday,York Way, King's Cross but they haven't been told that a new security company has taken over. I'll check again tomorrow morning.

I've put up a new 3 tier rack in my bedroom and started the assembly of the Bookend lit-up shop.I should have built this before taking on the other 3D wooden puzzle. I might buy another one and get the construction correct on each of the buildings before the main assembly, testing the London Eye so that it rotates next time.

I also have been testing fitting the fuselage halves of the C-27J on the Airfix Shorts Sunderland Mk.3. I think an amphibious version is doable .

[McColm]

Tuesday 13th January 2026

You know when your gut is telling you that something is wrong and you want to double check it, weii that's what happened today. I had a bit of information, so I double checked and I was correct. The site on the former coal yard has been taken over by another security company but the scheduling office didn't update my rota, likewise I got a phone call at 7:30pm asking why I wasn't at work. 'We haven't got the site anymore ', was my reply.
 I started a stretched twin rotor build using two Airfix Fairey Rotodyne kits which by my own admission isn't going to plan but it has dawned on me that VEB produced a 1/100 scale model kit of the JAK 24P helicopter, they also did the il-62 airliner which looks like a  plausible VC 10 when the decals are changed, and the de Havilland/ Hawker Sidley Trident. Three kits that are within my budget. I have in the past tried to build these kits or use them as part of a kitbash. The 'plastic' can be a bit brittle . The Be-6 is still on my list of being modernised to the Be-12 Mail using parts from the Mach 2 Br.1150 Atlantic.

Queuing up on the workbench are builds ready for paint whilst the PSR continues on the Avro Turbo York. I might need to change the name as I have an idea to cut the rear tail end and glue it at a right-angle for rear loading with some ramps found in the spares box.

[McColm]

Thursday 15th January 2026

The bookend wizardry shop is almost done, I can't work out the wiring for the lights so I'll be creating my own system. I'm working over the weekend at the Diabetes UK Wells office in Whitechapel and have picked up a day shift at Westferry Canary Wharf for Tuesday. According to the scheduling office they want me to do additional training for the fire control and the goods office in the basement. With some training on other sites when they become available.
I received my medication today enough to last until April, I think Easter is early this year, well a few of the supermarkets have hotcross buns for sale so it won't be long until the Easter Eggs appear. Seems like these are getting smaller and the chocolate doesn't taste the same as when I was a kid 🤔.

The workbench is very messy, I should start to put things away and label them. I'm still surprised with what I have created and for the first time I know what they are supposed to look like when they get finished.
I think it's about time that I start working on my model railway layout, the alternative foundation of using flat-packed furniture with a baseboard on top, this will provide storage for the carriages and rolling stock. Somewhere to store the stash.
Hornby Railroad was supposed to be cheap and cheerful but the prices have shot up, yes I know that we are in the digital age and metal is back replacing the plastic but to the novice or those who are returning to the hobby they are going to price themselves out of business. On the other hand if you are a Beatles fan you'll be bitterly disappointed with the rolling stock for this year.

[NARSES2]

I think Easter is early this year, well a few of the supermarkets have hotcross buns for sale so it won't be long until the Easter Eggs appear. Seems like these are getting smaller and the chocolate doesn't taste the same as when I was a kid 🤔.

"Hot Cross Buns" are the norm all year round nowadays in my local supermarkets. You can't get ordinary current buns, you can get teacakes but they are not quite the same. As for Easter Eggs ? They've been in my local shops since just after New Years 

[McColm]

I think Easter is early this year, well a few of the supermarkets have hotcross buns for sale so it won't be long until the Easter Eggs appear. Seems like these are getting smaller and the chocolate doesn't taste the same as when I was a kid 🤔.

"Hot Cross Buns" are the norm all year round nowadays in my local supermarkets. You can't get ordinary current buns, you can get teacakes but they are not quite the same. As for Easter Eggs ? They've been in my local shops since just after New Years 

Lidel has Easter Eggs for sale although there's a very limited range at the moment.

[McColm]

Saturday 17th January 2026

Woke up with a bad back and took a couple of paracetamol to ease the pain,  the Diabetes UK is having a meeting with the runners raising money for the charity during the London marathon 2026. Out of 40 who have signed up only 27 made it in this morning.
When I got home there was a new pair of cadet shoes and the model kit of the Yak-24 helicopter unfortunately the instructions are not in English so it will be a case of studying photos of the real thing.
I did notice that the white lines were being painted on the road without any lane closure along the East India Road, the markings were for the bus lane.
Should be an easier day tomorrow.

[McColm]

Monday 19th January 2026

I have been taking Nurofen tablets to ease the pain in my back and they are really working, it's almost back to normal.  The 1/100 Trident with the dodgy decals and the il-62 with the wrong box lid. All the parts are there so they will be going in the stash pile. I have made a start on the 1/100 scale Yak-24 Horse and modified the cockpit canopy for a better fit. The interior windows have been fitted and I have glued the two fuselage halves together.
I ate the leftovers from the Chinese takeaway for breakfast and lunch, the Phoenix and the Dragon portions are on the large side even for one person.
Just taking things easy today, back to work tomorrow.

[McColm]

Wednesday 21st  January 2026

The 1/100 Yak-24 Horse helicopter has had a pair of rear sponsors with landing gear glued on at the rear, the nose wheel came from the original model kit. I also reglued the clear plastic divider in the cockpit area along with the cockpit seating. I got stuck on the rotor blades and couldn't work out how to attach them. I think an alternative part will be used.
As for the 1/72 amphibious flying boat the Handley Page-Martin Sea Victor R.1,the landing gear has come from the Italeri Lockheed Martin C-27J Spartan. I removed the middle section of the cargo bay floor which made the plastic more flexible when attaching it to the underside of the Mach2 Martin SeaMaster fuselage, then added the nose wheel landing gear at the rear to prevent a tail sitter. I am determined to get this build finished this year. More parts from the C-27J kit will be used.
During the evening the book American Secret Projects 3 US Airliners  since 1962 arrived. I had a brief look through the pages and was amazed that a couple of my started builds are almost the same as the line drawings in the back, the SJMc Harlequin C.1 for example along with a couple of finished builds. These will get a new backstory and photos of the line drawings or concepts.
I now know what to do with the Mach2 HS 748/Andover as this was considered by the USNavy as a C.O.D. aircraft with folding wings and an arrestor hook. I don't have a Boeing 727 kit to hand but the 1/100 HS Trident with a new paint scheme.
Another chapter has the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and the concepts that didn't make it into mass production, got to check and see if there's a 1/100 C-130 kit available otherwise it's another Mach 2 model stripped for parts for the jet powered version tri-engine layout.
V/-STOL is covered in great detail for the USNAVY and also maritime patrol aircraft that are carrier compatible.
There's a lot of new whiffery to be turned into plastic models and builds to be updated.

[McColm]

Friday 23rd January 2026

It's looking like I will have next week as five days paid leave due to the shortage of work for January, got lots of tidying-up to do. Sort of early Spring Cleaning.
On the workbench the 1/100 il-62 airliner is starting to look very similar to the VC10 but with the dogtooth wings and fairings under the fuselage. There's quite a lot of PSR to do.
I have started on the 1/100 HS Trident, this time I have painted the windows black after I glued them in place (there's a few windows missing on the il-62). The fuselage halves have been glued together and I remembered to include the third engine's air intake. I trimmed the T-tail so its a snug fit. I will be researching the nose wheel landing gear as I think it isn't in-line with the fuselage/off to one side.
The 1/24 Japanese 1/24 Ford Capri Mk1 is being restored, looks like it was battery powered to run in a straight line. Maybe a hallway or large flat surface 🤔.
I bought some lighting for the Bookend 'Charmcraft, The Wizard Wand' shop/store. The lights work and I will need to buy an extension lead for the shelf with a couple of USB plugs. Just need to wire up the lights and test them in the store.

2026 marks 25 years of the Harry Potter film series and they are going to be released during the year at the local cinema. No doubt the Warner Brothers London Studio Tour will have something lined up for the occasion.

The South Circular road up by Stoneleigh Retail Park is getting a new roundabout with vegetation (trees-silver birch). I'm still plodding through the American Secret Projects 3 book. Chapter 1,the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.

[McColm]

Monday 26th January 2026

I'm on holiday until the phone rings from the scheduling office. As per usual my list of places to visit within the Borough of Royal Greenwich especially the maritime museum and the market edges a bit closer as my mobility improves. Although I still get tired very easily, I thought that this would get better. I'm expecting a couple of packages today so it's the continuing of the Twin-Eland build/Twin Hercules.
Sanding the il-62 Classic and the HS Trident. The A-90 Orlyonok ekranoplan could do with a bit of PSR and a bit of spring cleaning. See how things go today.
The interior of the C-130 is being painted and the cargo bay floor added along with the fuselage glazing. A dry test with both fuselage halves and although there's hardly any gaps along the top, there's a 2mm gap underneath. I haven't detailed the cockpit as I can't see alot with the canopy fitted. Seems as if I will be adding a different nose radome as one half is missing. Still got the 'Snoopy nose ' or I could use the one from the P-3C Orion.

[McColm]

Asphalt 8 Airborne, as l have said it's been ages since I last played this online car/motorcycle racing game. In the past the yellow and purple credits would have allowed you to purchase cars and motorbikes by watching batches of 20 videos or completing competitions which are free and they can reveal up to four cars per day of course you are after the boosters to make your cars go a bit faster. Whether you are driving in London, Rio, Area 51 , the great Wall of China, Nevada or in space.
There's a lot of crashes before you home your skills and they encourage this, there's the odd Formula 1 racing car and the Dodge Tomahawk which has a mind of it's own as it's very hard to control. I'm getting very good at performing the stunts on the motorbikes and have accummalated 65 vehicles without spending any money.
I suppose due to licensing some of the cars aren't available in this game especially the British and European countries, you can add various colour schemes or wraps but always take suitable breaks.

[McColm]

Wednesday 28th January 2026

The two part filler/putty arrived this morning and I also received a text message from King's College Hospital stating that they have booked me in for 10am on the 25th February for an eye check. The holiday/payroll department at work have booked this as a days paid leave.
I have almost finished the second wooden 3D printed puzzle ROKR Marble Travel-London, I thought that second time around would be easier but decided to prebuild each building first before adding them to the base. The Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) doesn't lean although I had to cut Tower Bridge in half to get it to fit. The lights have taken a different route than those in the instructions. At least the London Eye now rotates or the skeleton does just have to add the pods tomorrow along with the fancy framework. Plus the side trimmings.

[McColm]

Thursday 29th January 2026

The second ROKR Marble Travel-London kit was tested but the lights didn't work so I have replaced some of the buildings and the London Eye on the original one, I've run out of white wood glue so it's not quite finished.
The tidying-up has started, dug out the handheld steamer and the kitchen floor is a lot clearer nearer the sink cupboards, I'm using the steamer to get to those hard to reach places.
I woke up too early to see the fog rolling in from the River Thames by about 9am it had disappeared. Been watching an article on YouTube about ships being repurposed. Paddle steamers changed into training aircraft carriers for the USNAVY pilots during World War II and the British Royal Navy converted a few of their destroyers into aircraft carriers when there was a shortage unfortunately most of them were sunk by German U-boats. A couple of cargo ships had hit the rocks around the Cornish coast both of them were salvaged by cutting the good ends off. The front end of one was rebuilt in Belfast and then towed down to Falmouth to be bolted together whilst the other one got a completely new front end from a ship with a slightly wider beam.
If what I'm seeing is true Rolls-Royce has gone into the motor home/RV category although some people have used their cars to convert them into campervans. I still haven't seen any of the LEVC campervans apart from the prototype, I'd like to see them produce a longer wheelbase van. Would it be that difficult to convert it into a hybrid. I'm sure someone would have done this by now.

[McColm]

Tuesday 3rd February 2026

It's always good to have a moan of the lack of shifts at work, then whoosh from out of nowhere they appear. February was looking a little bleak with only three shifts, I put in a request for six days leave which was approved and now next week I will be working at the Spanish Bank BBVA on the late shift at Canada Square,  Canary Wharf. On Wednesday a refresher training day in Great Marlborough Street near Soho in the Westend then the 13th, 16th  through to the 20th covering the reception  With the following week off to finish my GB build.
I saw my first daffodil so spring is on the way!

[McColm]

Wednesday 4th February 2026

Things are looking good for the first week of March workwise, as I have been given the late shifts for BBVA Canada Square.

On the bench PSR continues on both of the 1/72 Twin-engined Hercules. I know that I have the parts to finish the Sea Hercules SC-130J Twin-engined version just need to find them.
The Revell 1/144 A-90 Orlyonok ekranoplan for the GB build is awaiting paint and a raid in the spare parts boxes for extra lumps & bumps.
 The turboprop Avro York, a good idea at the time to change the wings and add parts from the Grumman E-2CJ Hawkeye but leaning towards a rear-swing tail for loading. It will need a roof, floor and sides made from plastic card plus a ramp.
 The miniature Argosy Italeri Fairchild C-119 with Tyne turboprop engines and resin FASS radomes. I have found the original turbojet pods so they will be added after loads of PSR.
Work continues with the Jaguar E-Type Ute just trying to sort out the wheels whilst taking down cardboard boxes for recycling to the wheelie bins, good exercise but after three trips I'm very tired, so time to watch reruns of Mid Summer Murders 'but falling asleep after 20 minutes.

Getting back to work,  I received an email from the HR department saying that they don't have a copy of my contract on file. I explained to them that I came over under TUPE and that my existing contract conditions should have been honoured but haven't.  I sent them a copy of my contract Terms and Conditions Statement plus a letter sent from their senior manager back in November 2023 for continuous service.
So I should be getting my full 28 days holiday leave and 60 hours a week back with a minimum of 48 hours per week.
Bedroom furniture and bookshelves will be the top priority, then I can move my finished builds into the bookshelves and use the racking as part of the base structure for my model train layout. Then slowly completing a few DIY projects over the next years.

No I haven't forgotten that I will be able to claim my free bus pass in July.