rembrow

Modern Railways stated that Chiltern put out to tender in Jan this year, for replacement of their Mk3 sets by other loco hauled coaches or dmu. The tender also requires the sets to be available for staff training in 2024 and enter scheduled service in 2025, so clearly can't be new build.

As I mentioned, the added factor is the start of services on the 1st section of the east/west route, from Oxford to Bletchley. Track laying is completed and it is expected that the infrastructure at the Bletchley section will be handed over to Network Rail later this year, for services to commence, extending to Milton Keynes in 2025. Chiltern is the passenger service operator. As east/west will be an evolving route, as the next stage from Milton Keynes to Cambridge is constructed, they may be looking at using currently available stock in the interim, for the truncated first part of the route.

Was reading in Modern Railways the other night, that Chiltern has submitted a requirement to dft for replacement of their Mk3 stock used on London to Birmingham services. They have apparently stated replacement can be dmu or loco hauled. The article stated that Chiltern are interested in the Mk 5 stock, and would want to take all sets, which are a greater number than existing Mk3 sets, so presumably planning some expansion, possibly for the Oxford to Bletchley service, and later to Milton Keynes on the East West line,which is not being electrified.

Just had an e-mail from Rails, that they will be selling an exclusive run of different liveries, 'oo' scale Class 28s from Heljan. This run will include sound fitted options for the first time. So as far as I can see, all liveries will be available in dcc ready and dcc sound. Details on their website.

That's what alerted me, but mine is slightly different, I didn't get a notification requesting a payment but an advice that the balance had been paid, which seems to be incorrect.

This may be an error on the Accurascale system. I've checked my Partial.ly account, who manage tbe part payments and my credit cards and no final payment has been made. Have notified Accurascale Support.

Just had the balance payment taken by Acc, for my crimson Mk 1 non corridors, so assume they are close to completion or on their way.

You may be disappointed. If it's supplied like the Vanwide, which has 8 underframe safety hoops and 4 brake linkage parts for fitting by the purchaser. I'd certainly had enough after fitting these with magnifying glasses, to my three Vanwides.

Received the Bachmann online newsletter yesterday which advised the Thompson full brakes arrival, however only one maroon (the 'a' suffix version) is in the batch. Both crimson and cream have arrived.

Plus they are due to get the ex Hattons Originals warwells this week. Oh what a lovely warehouse.

Yes, looks like there are now several sources, rather than DCC Supplies being the sole source. I don't think Dapol stock any 'oo' gauge spares now. I thought that DCC was just going to be there for warranty work only, and the spares side was going to fade out, but looks like they are still a source.

Not any more. They only hold Dapol spares for warranty work. The official Dapol spares supplier is now Peter's Spares.

But are they? They have no 1st class door markings, so we're the composites declassified to All 2nd in their final years with BR.

You are now trapped, two will become three and on and on.

That is the shortest I could find, 7mm from the nem fitting to the front of the magnet. I wasn't seeking close coupling, but closer coupling than using bar and hook nem couplings, while being able to uncouple readily. You may be able to reduce the gap by shortening the magnetic coupling. I've done it before by sawing close to the nem prongs and then cutting off some of the bar left in front of the magnet box, regluing with cyano (needed as the material is 3d printed).

Hope these will be of use. I have not painted the sides of the magnet housing yet.

No, the Hunt elite ultra is spec at 7mm from end of nem to front of magnet, making a pair of couplings have 14mm gap. Have checked my remaining spares and 14mm connected gap is correct. They are about 3mm longer than the Dapol provided longest coupler.

I've replaced the between coach couplers with Hunt magnetic straight couplers, ultra close version. The brake end hook couplers are also quite long so have replaced these with Accurascale nem couplings that I had spare, they are shorter.

Yes, but having done it I'll pass on a couple of tips. The dc blanking plate is difficult to remove as it is recessed into the lighting bar, and needs to be pulled backwards, but you can't get your fingers around the sides and limited space at the end. I used small bent nose pliers to grab the end, pull down slightly to clear the bar and pull along the bar to release. The roof is easy to unclip but beware, the brake coach needs the handrails releasing. I did this at the roof as they are not glued into the roof. Re clipping the roof is not so easy, as the sides spring out slightly when the roof is removed and part of the roof location is a recessed section at the top of the sides, which locates inside the roof edge. So to replace, the sides need to be gently pushed in at the top while pushing the roof down over it's clips in order that the side top edge locates inside the roof. Best to do this by each pair of clips working along the roof from one end.

Just checked mine and confirm that the coupling hooks have been installed on the wrong side. You can remove the hook by pulling it upwards, while pushing up on its counterweight from below. Then turn the coupling body over and insert the hook the correct way. Am installing West Hill magnetic couplings for the connections in the rake. Am using the ultra close coupling version. Have noticed the coach rooves in the BR crimson livery, have different levels of matt/sheen finish. The brake and composite have the most sheen with the 2nd being least sheen. The BR composites don't have '1' door markings for the first class compartments. Were the declassified in BR days.

Current shipping sites are advising the additional time of tbe routing via the Cape is 10-30 days, however if Dapols shipment was commenced in November, which is what some members were told by them at shows, it's likely the vessel was one of those held away from the Yemen coast when the trouble started, before major shippers decided to use the Cape route. The initial hold back of shipping then rerouting, will ha e caused other problems as ports had to reschedule arrivals. Some containers will have been discharged in different ports than originally intended so they will need to be transhipped. I don't believe that Dapol don't know what ship they were on, as when a previous disruption occurred with the mv Ever Given blocked Suez Canal, they posted details of their consignments thst were on board, thst would be delayed. Dapol are patchy with communication, they posted a Facebook item in Sept that the first 3 versions of the toplights were ready for dispatch and expected to be shipped in early Oct, arriving on shops in mid Nov. This remains the only public posting by them. They told some forum members at shows that they shipped in November. The recent advice that they didn't know what ship they were on was not in a Toplight article, it was a question posted against a different product advice that Dapol had posted on Facebook. They will come when they come, I'm more frustrated by Dapol's patchy communication.

I received a call from Suttons/Rail Exclusive this morning. They were processing my order for a green 25 dc ready. They asked for my new credit card details, despite me updating this before Christmas. I gave them again and was advised I would get Royal Mail tracking details in a few days. So even if you updated your cc details, you may get a call like I did.

Unfortunately the Rails pre order system has not been updated and has deficiencies. The 'In stock' system was updated a couple of years ago. The pre order system does not generate the Tracking delivery ref to the customer. I have to phone to get it. The order also disappears from your pre order listing, so there is no historical record on line, for the customer. Also, from Jan 2023, the pre order system wouldn't accept my Mastercard pre orders. According to my bank, some security changes were not being reflected in the Braintree request to them, so the pre order credit card request was denied. Braintree is the card processor that Rails use for pre orders, whereas In Stock purchases are via Shopify. I have discussed these issues with Rails about three occasions, and I am told every time that a system upgrade is planned. Still waiting.

I suppose they could be on a boat in Nov and yet to arrive, with the increased journey time. I did raise a query with Dapol in December, on their Facebook post of last Sept, where they had stated an expected Nov last year arrival and had not amended it, when retailers amended delivery to Jan this year. They have not responded. Both Adam Warr and Richard Webster of Dapol post on this forum, so perhaps they can give an update.

Rails website advises models due in to them today. When models are imminent/arrived the change from pre order to available usually causes the items to be frozen and unable to order for a short period