Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[NARSES2]

To, there never was a station that was just 'Telford', but we're dealing with BR here so logical thought is not something that can be assumed.......... 

True, they employed my dad for 30 odd years to start with 

Visitors often ask me why we have so many similarly named stations in this part of South London, they start to understand when you explain that it goes back to the proliferation of companies running commuter services in Victorian lines who all had their own lines and that pre-War there were many more stations. It's actually quite fascinating if you like social history.

[NARSES2]

Phewwww finally caught up with everything on site !

Got back from Telford mid afternoon on Monday after a much better journey back then that up. On the way up the train broke down, but in all fairness to Virgin (a brand I can't stand for various reasons) they sorted my compensation out without me needing to claim and indeed it went into my account this morning. 

Very tiring weekend, but also very enjoyable. Great to meet up with both old and new friends and the show it'self was very good from my point of view. Got basically what I was after and what I didn't has been ordered from the Big H, plus I got a couple of extras 

Need to try and get down to some modelling now. For various reasons I lost my mojo a bit prior to the show, but it's started to creep back from wherever it gallivanted off to now. Must admit though I think I'll start a new project rather than work on a stalled one, might persuade it to stay at home for a bit that way  . Might help if I pick a nice simple build as well, therefore first candidate is the Airfix 1/72 Tomahawk Mk.IIB. We shall see.....hopefully this weekend.

[NARSES2]

Popped in to see the doc this morning and finally stopped pre-varacating over my knees. They really gave me some gyp at Telford and since  So the wheels have been put in motion to get them sorted.

Also decided I need to sort the model room out after spending 45 minutes looking for something yesterday 

[Radish]

Does this mean you'll have a wooden leg?
"Pirate" theme next year?
I call my right knee "Barry", and he's behaving quite well at the moment.
I call my left knee "The Knee Of Doom", and he's "OK" too currently.
But my knees have their moments, often after a boogie at the pub.
Hope your knees improve after treatment....my next door neighbour had his done and he thought it was miraculous. But he's dead now.
Do you wear "explorer" clothing when looking for stuff??

[NARSES2]

Hope your knees improve after treatment....my next door neighbour had his done and he thought it was miraculous. But he's dead now.

Cheers Rad, appreciate it. I think 

I don't know about explorer gear but I could of done with a hard hat !

[jcf]

One for you Chris. 

[NARSES2]

  Tee, hee. I like that 

[NARSES2]

Still now't to report  However I'm determined to start on something over the Xmas period. I just want to see if this current hiatus caused by my eye is a real problem or I'm simply using it as an excuse ? I think it's probably a combination of both ? I'll probably have to lower my sights a tad, modify the way and speed I work (probably the hardest part) but mainly just start and finish something.

Anyway all the best wishes of the season to all and may your stockings contain at least one modelling related item 

Chris

[DogfighterZen]

Sorry to hear about the eye problems again, hope it heals up good and fast. I do understand and admit that such a problem would also sap my mojo. Take it easy and enjoy the season's festivities.

[kitbasher]

Anyway all the best wishes of the season to all and may your stockings contain at least one modelling related item

Hoping my modelling related item in stockings is Helena Christensen 😉

And best Crimbo wishes to you all, wherever and whoever you are.

[TheChronicOne]

I'll second and third all this and provide some pictorial relief:




Merry Christmas and all the rest, Chris!

[NARSES2]

Hoping my modelling related item in stockings is Helena Christensen 😉

Buffy will do me 

Cheers lads 

[NARSES2]

Still now't to report  However I'm determined to start on something over the Xmas period. I just want to see if this current hiatus caused by my eye is a real problem or I'm simply using it as an excuse ? I think it's probably a combination of both ? I'll probably have to lower my sights a tad, modify the way and speed I work (probably the hardest part) but mainly just start and finish something.

Right I got down to starting something and as I suspected the hiatus in my modelling activities has been as much (probably more) psychological than real although the eye does cause problems.

I broke out the recently released Airfix 1/72 Tomahawk Mk IIB which will be built out of the box with the exception of using one of the superb Yahu pre-assembled instrument panels.

So first impressions ? Looks very nice on the sprues although some would say the panel lines are to deep, but they are fine for brush painters like me as they will mostly disappear under two or three coats. The plastic it'self is a little soft and this combined with some slightly odd sprue attachment gates  has caused me a couple of slight problems although if I'd looked at these gates a little more carefully they could have been avoided. Another lesson learned is to follow the instructions ! I thought with all my "years of experience" I knew better ; anyway I didn't and that has meant I will need a little filler at the wing/fuselage seam. I have another boxing of this kit so checked the fit if you follow the instructions, and guess what ? it fits perfectly 

The only real fit issue is the insert for the cowling top which has been tooled separately to allow them to produce various other marks of P-40. Now this is an issue that's been caused by my eye problem. Basically I've got serious problems with judging distances and 3D vision, so when I test fit something it will look fine from one angle but then wrong from another. It's therefore a touch of Hobson's choice and once committed to glue I will inevitably have some cleaning up to do which in all honestly is totally down to me and not the kit. This has been exacerbated on the upper cowling by some of the afore mentioned odd sprue gates.

I've also found that I need to limit the time I spend at the bench in each session. I can do about an hour and then I start to suffer a loss of concentration and frustration as my eyesight starts to tire. I've pushed this a bit to far on a couple of occasions and the build has suffered, so the answer is ; do an hour, walk away, cup of tea, go back to the build.

So overall positive, but some lessons need to be processed and remembered.

[zenrat]

Getting up and walking about is also good musculoskeletaly.

[NARSES2]

Getting up and walking about is also good musculoskeletaly.

The knees can complain a little though