What's on the workbench!

[McColm]

Phew what a relief, the Universal Credit people came through and have paid my travel fares for the month. An extra hour in bed, just a bus from literally outside the kitchen to North Greenwich Underground Station, Jubilee Line to Bond Street and a five minute walk. There's road works along Oxford Street/Regents Street and a lot of the buses are not stopping at Oxford Circus Underground Station, the 453 terminating at Trafalgar Square.
It's lets dig up the road before the snow starts!

[NARSES2]

  

[McColm]

Thursday 14th November 2024

It's the day after my final training on the night shift at 1A Whimpole Street London which is next door to the Royal Medical Society close to Cavendish Square.
I think that I impressed the security officer who was training me as he kept giving information that he wouldn't have told the other security officers. I did two patrols and the unlocking patrol around 5am.I got to see inside the offices and walk around the famous roof garden. There's a video on YouTube which gives a guided tour of the building, sort of introduction to people visiting the site.
The what to do 'in the case of an emergency 'and who to contact is very straight forward. It seems that Whimpole Street is very busy during the night.
I'm also getting used to travelling on the tube, as the roadworks by Thames Water something to do with the superloop gains momentum around Oxford Circus Underground Station and Regents Street Junction making the traffic worse than usual.
I will be finding out about if the buses are running over the Christmas period as the network shuts down as not everyone celebrates the 25th of December, maybe the night bus. Best put some money aside for the occasion when I get paid on December 13th.
 I'm starting to get used to all the walking around, not as tired as I was on Sunday but I will have to pace myself with the upcoming shifts.
 The Universal Credit people are being a little bit quite than usual, eventually I will have to sign off sort of what happens next period.

[NARSES2]

Doubt if there will be any public transport Christmas Day. Best to check, but I doubt it.

[McColm]

Saturday 16th November 2024

If I ever get my hands on the old Airfix 1/72 BAe Nimrod MR.2/R.1 model kit or kits one will be the MR.1 and the other either an airliner the C6 or a AEW using the Hawkeye spinning top.
For the maritime version a few of the earlier versions were fitted with the avionics carried over from the Avro Shackleton MR.3 Phase 3.I have the radar screen bench/table from the Airfix MR.2 kit which could be used if I created an opened cargo door. A floor with some seats. Interior lights could be fitted with the batteries in the weapons bay with a switch.
 I will be decorating the 3D Hogwarts Castle printed card model for the festive season, you've heard of Hogwarts in the snow so mine is without the snow. A few lights and a bit of tinsel.
Things might go a little bit quiet as I will be on nights starting from tomorrow. Three nights, two off and then four nights with four off, then back to three four, four four, subject to change and sore feet.

[McColm]

Sunday 17th November 2024

It had to happen, I'm back at work on the night shift. The westend of London is a bit damp and the wind is picking up, 9°C and cloudy. Starting to drag but there's plenty of things to keep me occupied. Got free WiFi connection so I can read what you've been doing and some of those started projects that never got finished. I've had my first Natural Smoothie and got a splash on my shirt collar.
I have been impressed with the TEMU handheld clothes steamer/travel iron. Lightweight and very easy to use, I'll probably buy something bigger in the January sales, so as long as no one asks me to take my jacket off I'm okay.
Seems like the artifacts have increased within the building and I didn't know you could get cinnamon flavoured Coca-Cola. Cherry has been available for quite some time and lemon is fairly new.
The miniature cans would probably fit on a flatbed wagon for a model train layout, they have a 1930s style car made from a can of Coca-Cola, could be just a promotional piece. Although there's a Jeep converted into a mini-bus and a toy truck on one of the shelves, the glass Boeing 747 has a broken tail fin looks like a 1/200 scale desktop model engraved. I would have thought that they might have sponsored an airliner something similar to what Pepsi did on Concorde, maybe something American. Whiffery ideas, probably better than the song that they released.

[McColm]

Monday 18th November 2024

Where's all the commuters, prepandemic the Jubilee line would have been packed at 7:30am and yet I managed to get a seat all the way to North Greenwich Underground Station. Even the bus was empty. Feeling a bit tired, been up for 15 hours.
So it's day two and I have an idea to convert the Airfix/Revell/Frog Avro Shackleton into a passenger/freighter. I have decided not to build anything for the GB instead concentrate on finishing my current builds.
I can create a new stash or buy things for my 00/ho model railway. It will probably combine several layouts on two levels. Even an upper oval. Then later on buy a TT gauge for the Hogwarts Castle Hotel Resort.
I'll have a power nap before getting ready for work tonight.

[kerick]

Try not to over do it. It will affect your work and people might notice.

[McColm]

Well the cool as a cucumber has paid off, the fire alarm activated at 17:45hrs this evening. I was able to take control, sending a security officer to check the area. We disabled the zone and the engineer has been called. Next door are annoyed as they can't reset their fire alarm system until the all clear is given. Going to be a long night.

[McColm]

I think that it's tools down for the rest of the year, whiffery will return in the new year. I should get a few extra shifts as it's a new month as I didn't complete a full week when I started. Towards the end of this month I will get my final Universal Credit allowance. Most of it will go towards my travel fares after my utility bills have been paid.
Might have a go at a pasta bake or a stew.

[McColm]

Wednesday 20th November 2024

It's nearly 2am on Wednesday morning and the tiredness is creeping in, if I have another cup of coffee I won't be able to sleep when I get home from my third night shift. Definitely getting colder, heating is on but the control room gets too warm. Uniform is a suit no jumper or coat supplied.
Coca-Cola is playing host to the Americans, I wondered why there's more artifacts on display.
The real test will be the four nights in a row, plane sailing after that, could be worse just watching a homeless man trying to get some sleep on the CCTV in a doorway. Been there got the T-shirt. Odd how life throws you a curve ball. I've got a warm flat to return to.
I've worked out the commuter problem, get to the station early in the afternoon and the train is almost empty, wait 40 minutes and everyone has left work. A day in bed then laundry.

[McColm]

Thursday 21st November 2024

Yesterday I slept for most of the day only waking up to use the bathroom. Today I have tackled the laundry.
I've also been online and found that there's a 1/72 turbo Dakota model kit. It looks as if the engines come separately. I will be taking moulds of these and experimenting on the Lockheed Constellation and Shackleton model kits. A square peg for a round hole. There will be a bit of sanding and recasting until I have the funds to get my own 3D printer.
Another idea is for the Avro York instead of having a shoulder wing, could I cut the front and rear ends off,then rotate the fuselage. With a bit of PSR what ever wing I chose, probably taken from a Avro Shackleton should fit and a bomb bay scratch built or left as a troop transport/freighter.
I have a few ideas which uses the Heller Nord Noratlas another kit that I never got to finish. Sort of is it a whiff or did someone think of that first kind of thing.
 Plus the kit prices are affordable.