Saturday Film Club - Happy Birthday Groudle Glen Railway!

A bumper set of videos to celebrate the GGR's birthday today. 

 

 

Shaun the Sheep, and the man who can't do maths...

 

Before his stroke, my Dad and I used to enjoy watching Shaun the Sheep each morning. It's more fun than the news for a start. He really appreciated the effort required for the stop-motion animation. I loved the way a complicated story could be told in five minutes with no dialogue. We both enjoyed the stories. 

Anyway, Big Chris at the railway club offered to 3D print some sheep for me. In G scale. But, along the way, he got his scales a bit wrong. So we have G scale sheep, and something along the lines of 1:12 ones!

The Shaun printed, is the version from the Wallace and Gromit film, A Close Shave. He's got a jumper on. 

Those who know the film well, will have spotted that the red line around the cuffs should be a zig-zag, but it's hard enough to paint a straight one, so if it bothers you, tough.  

 

Dad's train

 

A nice sunny Thursday evening gave me the chance to take out the newly named locomotive "Brian" and give it a run on the club track. 

Initially, all went well. 

But after three circuits, the loco stopped, making a grinding noise. Investigation showed the gears had eaten themselves. 

This wasn't good. However, to compound matters, the reason this happened is, because I am STUPID. Talking to Boot Lane, it seems there is a little bottle of oil in the package, which I seem to have lost. In the instructions, which I didn't read properly, is a note that the gears MUST be lightly oiled. Something I didn't do. 

They have kindly provided me with replacement gears, and oil, which I have been sternly told, should be used this time! 

Colourful graffiti

 

 

Spotted in York earlier this year, a nice piece of colourful graffiti at the top of a building. 

Graffiti is a fact of life, and has been for many years. Replicating it on a model is challenging, as some of it is distasteful, and we like our models to be suitable for a family audience, at least at an exhibition. This could be copied though, and would be safe for young eyes, as well as adding a splash of colour to a model.  

Putting Puffin on the water

Time to launch the second of my Dad's boats, for his celebration day on the 31st. I've already sailed his Victorian launch, but the other vessel I really wanted to see in action is "Puffin", a small tugboat. 

Scratchbuilt from a Basset-Lowke drawing, I think, I've always liked this model, but it's especially important as Dad built absolutely everything. OK, I did the paintwork and electronics, but otherwise, it's all him. 

Inside, there were a few issues. The battery pack had died through lack of use, and it was fitted with 27mHz radio gear. A new pack was ordered from Howes, and a spare RadioLink receiver fitted. I'm not using Planet this time as I want the opportunity to sail three boats, and I only have two Planet transmitters. I'll probably change it over eventually, but right now, it all seems to work. 

Carefully placed on the water, it seems the model is stupidly fast, or at least it would be if I opened it up! A couple of clicks on the transmitter, and we were plodding around at a suitable speed for the tugboat. 

Puffin sits well on the water, and doesn't seem to let any in. The day was a bit breezy, but there was very little roll. All the weight that gets the model down to the waterline, and broad beam, see to this!

I managed 10 minutes sailing, but there was no sign of the battery running out of charge, so we should be good for a long enough sail on the big day. 

You did a good job there Dad.