Buckley Wells

I've been a loyal supporter of Hattons ventures into novel areas since they launched their Co-Bo a decade or more ago. I was an early buy-in to the RHTT and would have had one of the twins from them, had they not decided to ditch the final livery in the face of competition from Bachmann. I'd never expect anybody to produce anything at a loss, but, I'd been eagerly awaiting my pre-ordered crane so the mail today was a disappointment. It's also a shame as it was one of the few items I had on pre-order after the reduction in their range had resulted in a dramatic decline in my orders from them over the last 12 months.

I'll still be in the market for Northern - even if the name will be gone by the time they are ready!

Sorry folks, been away from the site. I'll see if I can dig the gondolas out and post some pics but the suggestion that the "ladders" (Melmerby is right) could be some kind of load support seems possible.

Strictly speaking always fly at the back in a rearward facing seat.....The only problem with travelling with the folks who turn left is you can find yourself at destinations where the only place you can afford to bed down for the night is the beach ! J

I don't decry the clever engineering Phil, I just question its value. I wont pick up on your use of the word play, but already I've heard people asking why it isn't motorised, rather than being dependent on "the hand of god." I think Bachmann's original Blue Pullmans had a similar wow factor, but all the careful work from research to table lights was there to see as it ran on your layout. Maybe the cranes have paid for themselves with just one sold out run and, if they have, then that makes financial sense for Bachmann. But I was looking over the firm's offer more as a modeler than an investor and, to follow your car analogy, if they are making a profit by filling glass fronted display cabinets, then perhaps that's not good for those who enjoy the hobby in the way I do.

Well this has been a grim old read - lots of opinions on each other and not many on the manufacturer and their plans. For what it's worth, can I throw this out there? I think Bachmann have lost their way a little. For starters, the catalogue, or whatever they're choosing to call it. These things have always been about dreams. There's a bit of the kid in us all, waiting for "Christmas" and the arrival of the goodies. The wait can seem a heck of a long time, but a publication that tells you what's in the shops or a shipping containers shortly to arrive quayside? Well you might as well just use retailer's websites. Their spat with Hattons. I have a few 66s - some from Barwell, some from Kent. Bachmann's are far better quality, but blimey the Hornby ones don't look bad at scale speed and cost 2/3 (thanks to a little shop in Kings Lynn) of even the most heavily discounted 66 from Kernow. The Widnes model looks to be the best of the lot and I will buy one. Now Bachmann can fall out with Hattons, and leave people like me looking to the wrong side of the Pennines for our mail order purchases. But if Accurascale come along with an improved 55 or 37 (the latter selling for less that Bachmann's - even if it's not £30!) well Barwell has no cards to play, other than upping its own game or reducing its prices. Look at how Hornby fitted a loco drive to their 9f AND priced it for Railroad, in the face to Bachmann's lovely new model of the Standard 2-10-0 a few years back. Bachmann have produced some truly excellent models - particularly modern era wagons. But this is a competitive market and recycling stuff like the grain hops which frankly from their pics appear as chunky in places as my self coloured Triang/Hornby one from circa 1972, well they're not going to have many racing out to buy, say three to go in a Speedlink service, for the best part of £100. Yes I hear you say, things cost what they cost, but if not discounted they end up finally becoming competitive due to inflation, after sitting on a retailers shelves for a couple of years. Some will point to the finally delivered the RnR crane, but at what price due to all that over clever engineering. Ok, maybe you can pose it at work. But most will buy it to run as part of a model breakdown train, not to raise the jib and leave it posed on a diorama in corner of the layout. When Hornby delivered the ridiculous moving cab doors on the Class 50 you didn't feel you were paying a fortune for something you would rarely, if ever actually use. In conclusion, I remember being delighted when I saw Hornby's rainbow coloured stable of 66s last year. It was a sign that, as a business, they had got their mojo back, coming out fighting after a some dog-day years - if you can mix your timescales like that! I'm not a businessman, but I can't help wonder if Bachmann, who for so long now, have been the RTR kings of the iron road, have perhaps gone a little off the boil with their latest plans. If so, I hope it's only temporary.

I picked up a couple of corrugated side gondolas for my SW states layout so one of my shortline operators can bring in mineral loads for onwards shipment by ATSF. While I have some first hand experience of the N American scene, it is limited, so was wondering if anyone can help explain the contents of the two Athearn models? Both came with an identical ladder type frame that fits the inside of the wagon, though there is no obvious attachment point. I'm presuming this is some type of frame for steel sheet/beam loads or the like? There were also two square panels with ribs on one side. They fit perfectly inside the gondola but the two would be insufficient to cover the entire load should it need protecting from the elements. Can anyone tell me what they panels and ladder section are?

I still say railway station....it' a yoof not Beeb thing, trust me.

Surely the easy answer is: "how many do you need/want" and if busy with another customer just ask the person inquiring to call back in a little while or offer to ring them? After all, when I ask, either in person or on the 'phone, if a retailer has a Colas Class 37 or Hornby 9f, it would be odd to be told, I can't tell you that.

No problem. I'm sure the Pacers will all come at once - when they do. Just like buses!!

I've been searching to try and establish what hauled these sets and I can't see them with a loco in the green livery. Previous incarnations seem to show an assortment of locos in rail blue. Can anyone tell me, where they given over to Hunslett Barclay haulage, or was that just the Chipman train?

Just wondered what the latest estimate is for when orders may open for the 142s? I know last time we spoke at either Telford or Ally Pally you had your hands full with the 156s

The difference is, unless you're hobby is driving expensive sports cars, you don't wait a year or more for the promised stuff to turn up and find in the interim the price has gone up by 10 percent or more!

Always seek out local supplier when in North America and just had a fruitful stop at Dailey Hobbies in Whitby Ontario. Not the biggest range but some interesting stuff (also some fab old FROG plastic kits). Interestingly the owner told my wife - who got dragged along that they were having people travel hours to them to get paint because of mail restrictions on sending then through the post....and I thought that was just a Royal Mail thing!

Never mind the seventies.....I remember being allowed onto the York to Scarborough line as a non railwayman - I wont bore you with the back story - sometime around 1987. The PPE for the time was a bib that ended at breastbone height! As usual it entered my stock of kit, joining the flying gloves and hard hat. I think my Dad used it for years afterwards to walk the dog on dark nights! Now there's an idea you never see, somebody doing everyday stuff in acquired clothing, be it an NCB donkey jacket or rail bib! Does that put me back on thread?