[Dapol OO Gauge Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0]

On 13/03/2024 at 01:27, Nova Scotian said:

Just preordered a Port of London Authority one from Rails.

I seem to have fallen down an industrial shunter hole. Wallet is hurt, but not as hurt as if I were on a Merchant Navy spending spree!

 

Looking forward to this.

 

Also couldn't resist the Cadburys vent van to go with it. (pre-order)

 

Me too and I thought I would be quickly satisfied on the industrial front. Helas no. The first small industrial tanks were not really easy to fit sound into them, but these are. And just when I thought Dapol had satisfied my thirst for a noisy small 0-4-0 industrial shunter, Rapido offer more of them... And thus we are condemned to make an industrial plank, what with all those wonderful Accurascale and Bachmann cement wagons... A cement works it will be....

[Hornby 2023 - Bluetooth decoders and control system]

13 minutes ago, RAF96 said:

2/ - Function list here - https://d63oxfkn1m8sf.cloudfront.net/8917/0868/1362/SD027_-_4VEP_Function_List.pdf

Excellent. Look forwards to this.

[Hornby 2023 - Bluetooth decoders and control system]

3 hours ago, Jenny Emily said:

I have recorded a video showing fitting of decoder and speaker into a class 401 as well as running through the sounds of the forthcoming class 423/4VEP sound profile:

 

 

 

Thanks Jenny. I have just a couple of questions if I may please.

1/ Is there a compresseur sound? (very distinctive on these EMUs coming on almost after every braking action)

2/ The sound seemed a little off (tinish) to my mind, could that be the recording? Or wires taped to the top of the speaker (not sure if this has an effect)? 

[At last some new 33s]

On 12/04/2024 at 11:06, Carver Bridge TMD said:

Forgive me if this has been covered in the previous 29 pages but does anyone have a problem with frequent derailing over pointwork? Is the detail fouling the bogey? Is there a well known workaround for this problem? Thanks

 

In general no. But sometimes when new, the screw link coupling can block a bogie from turning by fowling the NEM pocket. It can be folded up onto the hook or loosened up by moving it a bit so that it is no longer stiff.

[RCH 1907 Private Owner Wagons - with added 2024 range.]

Kernow's MOGER arrived. Lovely wagon, shown below next to a 15 year old Dapol MOGER wagon which is longer and uses a different running number (couplings replaced with modern slim tension locks).

It was the last RCH I ordered and yet the first to arrive....

I feel Bachmann's E4 looks a little big with this pair, so hopefully we'll get E1 110 to run instead 😉

 

Some quick snaps:

 

 

 

 

EDIT : EXTRA PICTURES:

After Rapido saw some other LBSCR loco with their RCH wagon today, they decided to go ahead with E1 110, so that I'll have their LBSCR loco with their wagon LOL

 

 

 

 

[Heljan OO Gauge Co-Bo Returns - Exclusively at Rails]

On 14/04/2024 at 14:53, Michael Hodgson said:

 

What does that mean - the fact that they're also doing a weathered version?

I can't see any obvious changes.

FWIW, Hattons original run included weathered versions.

[Refurbished class 411 3-CEP 4-CEP (class 422 4-TEP)]

19 hours ago, SRman said:

I have never been impressed with previously available sound files for the SR EMUs in general, so your comments regarding Bachmann's sounds are of great interest to me. Is there a chance you could post a video to demonstrate the sounds at all?
 

 

I posted a video on the The Monday Club Jenny Kirk Facebook page. I have not posted anything to Youtube for about a decade!

[RCH 1907 Private Owner Wagons - with added 2024 range.]

4 hours ago, Ronny said:

 

I sooo want a couple of these but I'm far, far away ..... :-(

 

Me too, I'm planning  on taking a train to England to get one (used to be a member of the Chatham club too).

[Rapido LB&SCR Class E1 0-6-0T]

3 hours ago, greatcoleswoodhalt said:

 

With the order book deadline today (15th), I guess not long to find out if the minimum order was met...  Here's hoping! 🤞

 

 

I've been out and about on social media, gathered quite a few likes, lets hope each one equals an order.

[Manning Wardle 'L' Class 0-6-0]

3 hours ago, alexl102 said:

Just noticed that the MWs aren't even on the delivery schedule on Rapido's website but are still being advertised by some retailers as delivery expected 2024!

Without wishing to sound like I'm being critical, I'm curious to know why Rapido announced these and the S160s when they did, given that they've announced a number of models since which are way much further on in production, and there's been no update on either more or less since they were announced back in August. It doesn't seem to fit with the timing/stage of other recent announceents by them. Had another manufacturer had the same ideas, maybe?

EDIT: Unless my web browser is playing up, the S160 is no longer mentioned on the Rapido website...

 

Info leaked out from elsewhere forcing them to reveal their hand. Little risk of them appearing this year though. 2025 at best or 2026 .

[RCH 1907 Private Owner Wagons - with added 2024 range.]

3 hours ago, Chatham.mrc said:

Cheers for sharing I was gunna post it in here today. Absolutely stunning model of it and by far the best one made of it

 

July is a long time to wait ;-)

 

[Refurbished class 411 3-CEP 4-CEP (class 422 4-TEP)]

14 minutes ago, SRman said:

 

That's really funny, because I actually do use Kadees on my class 33/1s that are used exclusively for the push-pull work (the rest retain tension locks). Unfortunately, those are the very few class 33s from Heljan that don't suffer any coupling droop, so I had to introduce a downward bend in the shafts of the Kadees.

 

Interesting, I don't think my 33s have ever suffered droop but then I only fit Kadees on one end and I guess pull mode holds them up under tension.

[Refurbished class 411 3-CEP 4-CEP (class 422 4-TEP)]

Just now, SRman said:

 

Thanks also. 😊

I don't know if this will be relevant to your mode of operating, but for ease of consisting, and standardisation, I equip all of the Bachmann units with Kadee #20 couplings at the cab ends. If your curve radii are a little easier than my minimum 3rd radius, you may be able to reduce the gap by using #19s.

 

Thanks. very useful as my sharpest curves are 26in radius. Oddly I use Kadee #20 on my class 33s (except those on push pull work which use Roco style). It avoids removing pipe detail.

[Refurbished class 411 3-CEP 4-CEP (class 422 4-TEP)]

7 hours ago, SRman said:

Thanks for the review. They are still lovely looking units, and the livery applications are still well done by Bachmann.

 

I would draw your attention to the original units actually did have a space for fitting a speaker - there is a removable section of seats in the middle of the powered car in all of the variants, right from the first releases.

I was seriously considering getting one of the SWT 3 CEPs or NSE 4 CEPs but in the end, plumped for a non-sound jaffa cake 4 CEP, which has all the good and bad features you have highlighted in your unit. Like you, the expense is just too great at present to buy two or three of these units in one hit. I did post a video on YouTube of the refurbished unit running with an original blue/grey unit and a jaffa cake MLV.

I have never been impressed with previously available sound files for the SR EMUs in general, so your comments regarding Bachmann's sounds are of great interest to me. Is there a chance you could post a video to demonstrate the sounds at all?

All of my current 4 CEPs and MLVs have Lenz Standard + decoders (v1 and v2) fitted, and all will work happily together in consists without any adjustments having been made, although I do alter the inertia/momentum settings on all of them: I standardised long ago on CV3 = 25 and CV4 = 18.
 

 

 

 

Thanks for the consist settings. That is indeed something I'm looking at for a full boat train. Great video.

[Refurbished class 411 3-CEP 4-CEP (class 422 4-TEP)]

So lets get the negatives out of the way first.

 

Couplings!

 

These were curse on the original CEPs. The BEP versions were somewhat more of a struggle to get in. The refurbished CEP keeps the same cursed system and they are harder then ever to get in. As seen below, the contacts of the bar forms a step which refuses to duck under into the hole of the pocket.

My recommendation is to squeeze the copper (?) contacts as tight as you can, one side at a time. This makes the task of coupling feasible at last. Oh how I wish Bachmann had use the 4-TC couplings on the BEP and this CEP. It would also allow us to have the correct colour headcode boards instead of the user needing to swap end doors or only ever running the set with the powered unit first. Surely not a costly upgrade on a model that was tooled up from scratch? 

 

 

The interior lighting on the refurbished CEP is brighter than the original. Really showing off the excellent interior along with the DCC chip in the powered DMSO. I have to wonder if on a £500 model whether or not they could at least have found a way to hide the DCC chip?

 

Now for the positives.

The DCC sounds are sharp and clear and capture those found CEP noises from when I was younger. Running is absolutely perfect as we have come to expect from Bachmann EMUs (same rugged smooth drive as the original). Bachmann also give you several options of sounds, such as horns and rail clack noises although you will need to test these yourself by setting up the CVs (I think I would have preferred a default random option here). The only sound I thought was missing was flange squeal that was so typical of these units entering terminuses and maybe some station announcements (This is the 9-15 calling at Chatham, Rochester, Bromley South and Victoria only).

 

The body moldings are clean and sharp as we have come to expect. The later hopper windows are a delight, the bogies excellent. The NSE livery is well applied and looked perfect fine colour wise with other NSE EMUs (VEP and HAP shown in photos below). Overall the quality is what we have come to expect from Bachmann EMUs but just maybe sorting those couplings, hiding the DCC chip, allowing blind colours to change direction and a little more thought on the DCC sound files, would lead to perfection.

 

Still compared to 1990s when the thoughts of anyone doing an EMU seemed so distant and unlikely back then whereby you needed to build a kit, my collection has exploded since with about 20 EMUs in service and only one of them (a Southern Pride EPB) being built by myself.

 

NSE CEP nearest, VEP behind. My two full 4 car NSE EMUs

 

 

2-HAP with 4-CEP

 

NSE 4-CEP with Blue Grey 4-BEP

[Refurbished class 411 3-CEP 4-CEP (class 422 4-TEP)]

There does not appear to be separate thread for this one, although there is some discussion in the Winter 2023 announcements and 4BEP threads. 

 

Anyway with prices in some places finally going south of £500 for a 4 car sound fitted unit, I finally brought one.

Now personally I have more memories of the refurbished units and than the originals so this unit is a must. Actually I would like 2 of them but lets be content with just the one. Ironically the 4-BEP cost me as much as 2 original 4-CEPs and 1 MLV. The Refurbished CEP cost as much as all four of those, but it is at least sound fitted. A blessing as on the one hand it is only about £60 or £70 more than the non sound version and also saves you the trouble of fitting sound yourself. 

I had fitted sound to one of my original 4-CEPs and it was a real challenge to get inside it. The clips being very tight. The EPB was much easier having 2 screens, while the MLV was 4 screws.

 

So how does this refurbished model compare to the original? Electrically, the original did not have a dedicated speaker space, although I placed a large speaker on the roof above the slightly visible (through the windows) chip and electronic chip holder. The BEP improved on this by providing a place and solder pads for a sugar cube under the passenger seating. Now you have a choice of a pre-fitted sound version.

 

Build wise, the refurbished CEP is the same as the BEP and the original CEP. In this post, photos showing the refurbished vs the original, and also a Hornby VEP in a couple of them. Note that the Original and Refurbished CEPs have the same under frames (different bogies):

 

 

4-CEP top, Hornby 4-VEP below

 

Original 4-CEP vs Refurbished 4-CEP Below (various vehicles)

[NG7 Announcement (Quarry Hunslet, Slate Waggons & Scenecraft buildings)]

Very tempting... another with an internal battle.

 

Well done Bachmann

[Accurascale – Your Climate Hero]

Very nice initiative. Eqully I feel that reducing packaging helps too. Which will double the impact (I thought the Mk2b were perfect, compact yet do the job required of them).

 

As for conspriacy theorists, just tell them that all Accurascale models are designed to run on a "flat" layout.

[Rapido LB&SCR Class E1 0-6-0T]

On 12/04/2024 at 18:27, stephennicholson said:

Just repeating a question on the circle Facebook group, is what renumber options are there for this model? If there is another legitimate number for an E1 in this condition it might encourage a few more orders. Me included

 

Stroudley Boilers were carried by 110, 123, 142, 686, 690, 693,694 by grouping end. No comments on the liveries but those seem the best possibilities.

 

Edit: replacing laveries with liveries 😅

[Rapido LB&SCR Class E1 0-6-0T]

1 hour ago, lbscfan said:

The answer to the enquiry from Olive Green 1923 is that we are achingly close but not yet quite close enough.  Another 8-10 orders or so will get us across the finishing line.  So if anyone has been wondering about ordering this model, and has not done anything about it, please consider getting your order in before Monday.  The model won't appear without enough support to make the project viable.   

 

We are very grateful to all those who have ordered already.  Please help us get over the line.

 

Nicholas Pryor, Secretary , Brighton Circle

 

I hope you make it. My order is in for a sound one. I urge everyone to post on social media if it helps. 

[KMRC announce Exclusive 00 Gauge 1907 RCH 12T seven plank open wagon in the livery of Moger & Co Ltd]

I have ye-oldee Dapol one which fortunately has a different running number. So I Just ordered this one.

 

Hopefully they won't look too much like chalk and cheese when running in a train.

[Fake Dapol Products]

10 hours ago, pete_mcfarlane said:

BuT wHy WoNt Dapol pOsT tHe LiNk To ThE cHeAp FaKeS sO i CaN aVoId ThEm? 

 

They made it blatantly clear that they do not supply shops etc... selling out of China and such things won't be protected by Dapol.

So IF someone is selling Dapol and they are based in China, then it is not Dapol.

 

And you can always check to see if they a bonafida stockist here: https://www.Dapol.co.uk/pages/store-locator-1

 

Furthermore, posting actual links probably puts them into direct accusation. Likewise scammers can create links faster than anyone else can report them.

[KR Models - New Class 40 EOI]

22 hours ago, 97406 said:

As for getting a 40 up to scratch with what is available at the moment, here’s what can be done with the Bachmann class 40 plus Shawplan screens and West Hill Wagon Works’ chassis detailing kit. I could go even further and add a Shawplan fan grille, but I tend to stick a thumb through them if I’m not careful!

 

If the KR 40 turns out as good, I will be getting a few.

 

 

 

Very nice layout and I will admit, I always fancied trying to do an all BR corporate blue only scene. Sadly I then get tempted by mixing in a bit of  later sector liveries or mixing in a bit of BR green that was still clinging around in the 70s..... 

[Mark 2b, By Accurascale and IRM!]

7 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

 

My batch of four Mk2b's was dispatched to me in Germany 5 weeks ago, but got stopped and sent back on arrival in Germany; unclear whether by customs or by DHL, or why. According to the An Post tracking, they were last recorded having been sorted in Dublin on their return journey over two weeks ago. Accurascale say they are waiting to get them back before sending them out to me again. This is most frustrating, as we know that these models are close to being sold out. If that parcel has got lost, that would proably mean I'd have to wait for another batch to be produced - if there'll ever be one!

 

Long story short: anyone still waiting? Yes!

 

I have found that sometimes the fine electronics in models can make the customs guys go "that is not a model, that is some super secret military hardware..." (or something).

[Mark 2b, By Accurascale and IRM!]

4 hours ago, The Evil Bus Driver said:

Thats a great looking bit of third rail there. 

 

Thanks, its Peco. I used the lowest settings but do get the odd issue (like the APT-E and GWR rail car have plastic parts that rub against it). It is set for Bachmann EMU collector shoes distance.