Thanks for the tip on the magnetic pick-up tool, Ian, I didn't know such things were available ready-made. I suppose it is too big for 3-links, but it might be handy for other things around the workbench.

With all your creative work to model the early railways, it must be a bit odd for you to see all these new  models coming on to the market from Hornby? Or tempting? I know that Tinories is H0 scale but some of the Hornby items do look very attractive.

Thanks, @Mikkel. I just took a cheap telescopic pick-up tool, like the ones at the top of the photo below,  and bent the thin metal near the head through 90 degrees  with a pair of pliers: 

I think they would be great for uncoupling three-link couplings, but absolutely useless for coupling them. A tiny disc magnet glued on the end of a thin piece of wood or plasticard might work, but would probably be too strong to leave the links coupled when it is removed?

I love the new R-T-R early models, and I really hope we see some period layouts as a result. Given the small size of the prototypes, I think it would be possible to add these models to an H0 layout without too many problems, but the prices are a bit eye-watering. Of course they reflect the very high quality of the models, but I'm personally a big fan of cheap and cheerful. So not tempting for me personally, but I can definitely see the appeal and I'm delighted they are available to others who have an interest in the era!

Rocket and Lion were only used for a few years on a short, fascinating and historically important northern English railway, so  for purists they are a bit limited geographically. But they're fine for free-lance railways, so modellers don't have to restrict them to a single line between Liverpool and Manchester!

As I'm actually playing around 009 at the moment, that is a really useful tip Ian!  Thanks for the blog post.

Rich

Thank you for more info on the telescopic pick-up tool Ian, I see they also come with LEDs.

Yes the Hornby early stock is a bit costly, though I am so enamoured by Queen Adelaide's Saloon that I think I'm going to get one just for decorative purposes.

6 hours ago, Mikkel said:

... Yes the Hornby early stock is a bit costly, though I am so enamoured by Queen Adelaide's Saloon that I think I'm going to get one just for decorative purposes.

Yes, the coaches do look especially nice!

As an aside on the cost debate, I think this Budget Model Railways video is interesting. Mike Potter is arguing that we are returning to an earlier do-it-yourself approach to modelling, but with newer techniques and technologies:

Although I personally wouldn't dismiss people who buy expensive and accurate models as "boring Bob" just because they have different priorities to me! I hope there will always be room for everyone in our hobby. 

Okay, that last sentence was a bit too sanctimonious to end on. So let's cheer ourselves up with the thought that craft modelling can be a revolutionary act against global capitalism :

I tend to take a live and let live approach to this, but it does seem like a time for reflection in the hobby, i.e. where are we going and how.

So far my principle is that I buy RTR stock if it fits directly in my plans, but I can see the slippery slope: Some of the new stuff creates opportunities I hadn't considered before, which could easily lead to a situation where the product is driving my modelling rather than the other way around. Queen Adelaide's coach being a possible case in point! 🙂

On 14/02/2024 at 07:13, Mikkel said:

...  could easily lead to a situation where the product is driving my modelling rather than the other way around. Queen Adelaide's coach being a possible case in point! 

 

That's a fascinating thought, Mikkel. It's only natural that new opportunities affect our modelling choices. At the moment a surprising number of the small band of British H0 modellers are buying Trix's new Flying Scotsman, which is an absolutely amazing model but has a matching price tag of around £500. I don't know one of them who models the East Coast main line. It will be interesting to see if this changes as a result of their purchases.  

If the product does end up driving your own modelling, I'm definitely looking forward to your mid-19th century layout!