Bernard Lamb

Good morning Alan, What I find frustrating is that Hornby have the solution readily available in most instances, or if not, quite a simply alteration to make it better. As a world leader I expect them to be on the ball and to have a QA system that actually includes review meetings to discuss what they are going to make. This model should not have made it into productio. Simples. Having worked in QA for a world leading company in its field, it probably grates with me rather more than with most people. However, putting the clock back around 30 years, with the smoke box dart, should be a sign to most people that all is not well in the Hornby camp. To twist a phrase. They cannot be serious. As I wrote many years ago. We all love Hornby and want them to do well. I do not view this model as progress. Continuous improvement it certainly is not. I await the next backward step with interest. I am also interested to see the prie they will set for the next fully new steam locomotive. It has to be knocking on the door of £300 going by this model, unless they cut corners again. If they do I can see the ceiling being breached in respect of customer loyalty. Bernard

The Germany state pension people require my wife to send in a form every year. It seems to be the norm if you live in a different country to the one that pays the money. Bernard

Quite so. This model is a new issue and not a new model. Would you like a full on updated version? I reckon about another £50. 😀 I just find myself unable to take Hornby in a serious way amy more. I flip from ' lost the plot '. ' to taking the micky '. Bernard

I take it that you are not a reader of MRJ? Fortunately there is no law compelling people to do business in a certain way. It might well put off some customers. They probably do not want these customers. As I have said before, one major retail chain has a perception of its customer. It is doing rather well in limiting its customer base to that market. Bernard

I use the lines quite frequently to visit TNA at Kew and to get to the Dalston area. The service is usually very good. Better than the connecting service on the WCML north of Watford. What I do find interesting is that it is not just people travelling for business or leisure, as on many other lines. It actually provides a local service for people without cars. There is always a selection of baby buggies, bikes/scooters, animals and mucical instruments. As well as all manner of trades people, often with large tool boxes, The overground certainly caters for a need. Bernard

That helps to explain why we now have an X5. There seems to be quite a few changes of late, with several old route numbers appearing in different forms. Bernard

Since then it has been Intu and now Atria. If we call the whole district aroind watford Harry Potter Land folk will get to the right place. Bernard

William Rufus? Good or bad it has certainly got people discussing it. Which is presumably what the Mayor wanted. In general I like the idea and most of the names seem to be rather well choosen, with a good mix of periods. Bernard

I would suggest a search on the forum for carnet. Then come back with specific questions. Bernard

They do show up just how small a radius curve is required to get the track layout into a reasonable space. Tony does a brilliant job in his photographs to conceal this. Bernard

At a very early age I had a HD 80xxx. I thought that this was the dogs whatsits at the time. Partly because they were used on the local service to London. About ten years later I took it apart and rebuilt the valve gear nearer to scale, and converted it to 2 rail. Some years later, in my teenage years, I sold all my HD 3 rail. I often have an idea of getting hold of some more. Modern stuff that will last? Much more difficult. Accurascle Deltic? Nothing, from the main players in recent times. generates any emotional feelings for me Bernard

Another good issue. I have used various types of black paper origami corridor connectors. My current method is very similar to that used in The Bachmann Mk 1 article. However I make all the folds on mine the same height, the lower end fold to fit inside the existing moulding looks like a worthwhile improvement. Simple ideas are often the best. Bernard

As above. But round tube works just as well, but needs to be held in place before soldering. I use the tubes for location and electrical connection, but I also use a tapered piece of wood as a guide to slide the cassette into rougly the right position and the use the tubes to line up the last gnats of misalignment. Bernard

You need a flag and a nameplate. Having come to regard the GDR as my second home for around the last 18 years of its existence I could hardly not be tempted to model the area. Given the interest in the narrow gauge lines in Eastern Europe I am surprised that there are not more exhibition layouts. I suppose a lack of RTR motive power, especially for the smaller locomotives contributes to this situation. Bernard

Back in the day, around the early 1960s I would think, I used to buy it for use in testing varnished surfaces on coated paper. I had to have an invoice on the firms headed paper and sign the register at the local chemists. Was that a legal requirement back then or just a chemist/company rule? Bernard

What bearing does that have on what I wrote Mr Bear? Each one of them will be subject to due legal process. It is very easy to draw up a proposal, but a very different kettle of fish to actually get it delivered. As Nearholmer points out, different people on the same side view the situation very differently. There may be trouble ahead, as the old song puts it. Bernard

What would you consider to be a fair margin? Bearing in mind they are doing it as a full time job? With all the overheads and legal requirements that are involved in doing that. Bernard

A quick rough and ready count on an OS map gives 23. There could well be more private crossings, but as these are not marked more work would be needed to get an accurate number. Any attempt to close that lot will take years, and a lot of cash. Bernard

I would agree. The people at Contikits are very good to deal with. The other side of the coin is that their selling prices are just as realistic. You don't see items in their lists hanging around forever at silly prices. Bernard

At one time Skoda built Sentinel steam lorries under a licence arrangement. I did come across an H0 model, no idea who made it, back in the late 198os. Unfortunately I did not by it as we were in a hurry to get somewhere. Keep up the good work. Bernard

It is quite straightforward, providing you do a dry run and identify all the parts. Otherwise you will end up with not enough of some of them and too many of others. If you do find yourself in that situation, it is fairly simple to make them from plastic sections. In fact it might be quicker to just built it, in the knowledge that you will have to scratch build a few items. It makes up into a nice kit. I found it to be rather too small and wish I had bought at least one more kit. Bernard

Short yes, but it packs a heck of a lot of operational detail into that time. Bernard

The St Albans examples are definately a modernish introduction. I have seen photographs of grids in place on the Tollesbury line, dated from just beore closure, so very early 1950s. However pre war photographs of the line are rather rare. I have not come across any that show grids, although I have not see photographs of all the locations. Bernard