Last week we made a short visit to some of my wife's relatives in Oxfordshire. There was an opportunity to visit the Didcot Steam Museum, so a brother-in-law and I took the chance! We had a very enjoyable three hours there wandering around all the exhibits. It was a "Discovery Day", which meant no locomotives in steam, but access to all the sheds and rolling stock on the site. It also meant there were not so many people about. The museum is mainly Great Western Railway locomotives and rolling stock. There is a small café, which was welcome on a very hot day for cold drinks! If you have an interest in trains - which I do, being a railwayman for part of my working life - I can recommend it highly. I am not old enough to remember mainline steam in the UK, though my brother-in-law is, but it is lovely to see them. I would advise sturdy shoes or boots for walking about the site and be aware of potential hazards, these are not always indicated, especially if you have small children or unsteady grandfathers! Here are some photographs:

I remember these from my railway days - a big powerful shunter used at depots.

This is one of the oldest steam locomotives still in existence, from 1857 I think. Sadly it is not in running order.

The big red lights lit up to accompany a commentary when you entered the cab, so they would not be there in normal circumstances.

This was the fitting which went under the tender to scoop up water from the trough when the locomotive was running at speed and could not stop to take on water as normal. I had never seen one, so had to have a picture!

Very different from modern on-train refreshments now! I was working when they still had restaurant cars serving breakfasts, lunches and meals at the table. Happy days!

I had never seen one of these before either. It is a sort of sliding rail contraption which allows access to and exit from the shed from a single line of track, the cab moving the rail back and forth as required.

This was a wooden 'mock-up' for children to climb all over, which was a great idea.

Last month being ACW month, not only did I manage the game, but I also did quite a bit of painting of ACW figures. Here are some pictures:

A Confederate cavalry horse holder. I now have one for each side, but, having added to my cavalry units recently, with more dismounted figures as well, I need some more horse holders! Perhaps someone should do a 28mm hard plastic set of dismounted ACW cavalry and horse holders. I think that would be a good seller. My big wish would be hard plastic artillery teams and limbers!

Reading about ACW battles where one or both sides is well entrenched, it often mentions skirmishers being forward of the main line in rifle pits/fox holes or the equivalent, so I thought I would make a few from left over figures.

A Confederate North Carolina regiment.

Three Union regiments.

Next ACW month I think I will do some artillery and cavalry, to try and keep the balance right!

And I also managed to finish the last Erymanthian dragoon regiment which had been sitting on my desk for ages. One of those units that felt like a chore to paint. Anyway, it's finished. I now have only a cuirassier regiment to paint and that will be all the Erymanthian cavalry done!

Dark blue coat, as is customary for Erymanthian units, with yellow facings. The officers are the figures with black over white plumes. There are four Erymanthian dragoon regiments in all, with one hussar, one lancer, one militia (Cossack-style - there is an underlying Russian theme to Erymanthia when it comes to most of their figures) and two cuirassier regiments, plus a guard regiment and a guard escort squadron, which I think is enough!

I am quite pleased with my new style of flags - smaller and less intricate and easier to draw/paint/colour. The eagle-eyed amongst my small huddle of followers may have spotted the change from the originals of years ago!