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sjgardiner

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    https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/

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  • Location
    Toronto, Ontario Canada
  • Interests
    Canadian Railways, British Railways, Football, Hockey, Baseball, Photography, HO Scale Modelling, OO Gauge Modelling, Great Western Railway BLT's

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  1. That’s what the sign says (said sadly)…
  2. Well, as promised Saturday thoughts on my Kernow Steam Rail Motor. It is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. Sadly, a life in my display cases mostly awaits it, but it looks and sounds fantastic. A full post on my Blog with more pictures and video is here: https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2024/03/09/a-self-propelled-railcar-of-a-different-kind/ A couple of minor notes: - Destination Boards fit. Bewdley fit fine, Bridgnorth seemed to be a different size and not want to fit. A gentle pinch to put just a touch of a bow in it, and it popped into place and held. - To those who seem to have had slide bar issues, there is maybe an audible hint of a tic in the motion, but no sign of any of the alignment issues others seem to have quickly sent theirs back over. Given the distance for me to ship it back, it would have to be pretty bad to actually warrant any complaining. All in all, long story short, I am super happy with my purchase, glad I have one, and glad it looks like Kernow is on the way to a sellout of the first run. Hopefully that means more runs in the future for anyone who missed out. I've never actually physically visited either of Kernow's stores, but I am going to be passing close by Guildford in April and am hoping to stop in and continue to be a customer in person for once at least! Regards, Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON, Canada
  3. Well, my better half paid the postie their $64cdn pound of flesh for taxes and processing of calculating taxes…because of course it arrived on an in-office day when I am out tonight too after work, so it will be hours before I can get home and do my best impersonation of a kid at Christmas tearing into the box to see my SRM!! Trans Atlantic updates to come this weekend! Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON, Canada
  4. Well, they must be plowing their way through the remaining decoder fittings for sound. My end of August 2023 order shipped today (notice of shipping email came in this morning). Now to hope the Royal Mail/Canada Post types manage to get it to me without incident! Glad its shipped now, was actually slightly worried that if it slipped much longer it might arrive in Canada while I’m in the UK after Easter creating mail pickup headaches! Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON, Canada
  5. Not familiar with Zimo decoders and Staco keep alives as they are not common in NA, I found the YouChoos site selling them, which version of the keep alive is this you installed? Will want one for my sound equipped once Kernow gets to my order and it wings its way across the ocean. I need to get on getting my ModelU crew figures painted so I only need to open it up once when I do have it to install the crew and the keep alive. Thanks, Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON, Canada
  6. Modelling question, while I wait on my No85 crossing the Atlantic, I do have the ModelU crew pack in hand waiting to get painted and installed. What colours of uniforms would GWR crews have worn in the 1912-22 era for this paint scheme? I’m assuming white shirts and plain black jackets, but willing to be surprised if it was something else. Cheers, Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON, Canada
  7. Not too worried about the timing, as I gather the DCC Sound ones are getting prepped before shipping, and my order was only placed last fall, so late in the line. What I am curious about is if Kernow is sending emails confirming shipment? Always nice to know when things are moving given the vagaries of international mail some days to be watching for things coming so you can get alarmed if they take too long or go awol! Cheers, Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON, Canada
  8. The pesky challenges of a 4 digit dcc system that works great for North America 4 digit numbering but less so with longer numbers! I wound up going with 3743 and dropped the zero. Given the limited number of locomotives in my layout, that doesn’t clash with any CN or CP number I am likely to use as that number series on both is not a loco I would model. I know think the class 37 won’t negotiate my layout designed for 4 axle first generation diesels and 0-6-0 steam, but I do like to get my larger locos out and my British models and let them at least run and provide an audio backdrop to workbench time! Stephen
  9. Well, my 37043 arrived in Toronto on Wednesday from Rails, collected from the post office after the tax man was paid yesterday, and today started to explore it. It seems, it mostly survived its trip around the world well. One buffer was loose laying in the bubble, and one of the small wire steps that is behind the plow is missing (and tbh I can’t be sure if it was off from when it arrived or if I knocked it off installing the plow and cables). I’ll send an email to Accurascale support about that, hopefully can combine a replacement step with the crew figures when they come into stock. Thus far, I am quite pleased with it in terms of appearance, the sound is fantastic, the large speakers really do make such a difference in how a locomotive sounds. The only problem I’ve had to be honest is I realized I can’t give it the locomotive address I would normally give a 5 digit UK loco of the last 4 digits as I already have a 7043 on my layout! I am also, more than pleasantly surprised at how easy getting the shell off is without damaging detailed hoses and chains beneath the body line. I’ve wrestled with too many locomotives where taking it apart for servicing is a near impossibility, not here. It’s a pleasant change. Looking forward to running it in on the rollers tomorrow and then finding a home for it in the display cases until a suitable diorama for it to be on is completed. Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON
  10. I guess this is a question for @Accurascale Fran or @McC, I see on your site you have BR Era crew figure sets for the Class 37's that appear to be sold out. Do you have any idea when they will be restocked? While I wait on my 37043 winging its way across the Atlantic from Rails, I would like to get the Crew Set for it. I have family visiting the UK at months end and that's the type of item that makes more sense to ship to pickup in the UK than across the Atlantic at postal/package rates. Thanks in advance, Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON
  11. I searched, and saw threads in the past that touched on these, but nothing specific that I could find. I figured the group here might be interested in recent trip reports if anyone is ever thinking of coming over to do any of the isolated lifeline trains in Ontario. I have written up my recent experiences on VIA Rail's Sudbury-White River Trains 185/186 and the RDC's, and on Ontario Northland Railways "Polar Bear Express" from Cochrane to Moosonee. Both are linked below: VIA 185/186 - https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2023/05/14/via-rail-train-185-186-sudbury-white-river-trip-report-may-6-7-2023/ ONR Polar Bear Express - https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2023/05/14/ontario-northland-railway-may-8-2023-trip-report-polar-bear-express-cochrane-moosonee-cochrane/ Happy to try and answer any questions anyone does have about doing these two trips. Cheers, Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON
  12. I'll just settle for it continuing to slip so I can pay off the current large credit card bill from the trip I just took rather than having to find money for the locomotive right now. I know at least two are headed Toronto direction once they do arrive as myself and a friend both have 37043 on order! Stephen
  13. The Manor is not in service, and if the Budd coach was the first or last coach in the train, which judging by the closed blinds it was, it’s also not in service. All trains using the 1955 CPR Budd cars or HEP coaches are currently required to have a buffer car at either end of the occupied consist because of concerns of metal fatigue in the frames of the old cars. Eric Gagnon has been blogging about it, this post contains the Hatch Engineering Report summary and links to his earlier posting on the issue: http://tracksidetreasure.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-report-that-hatched-buffer-cars.html?m=1 It has meant you get weird looks like this early December consist on Number 1: There is both a barrier car and a deadheading park behind the in service park car. Because of the buffer, it’s easier to just move deadheads behind the train instead of at the front as normal, this is the same as during covid restrictions when the dome cars were closed. Saves splitting the train and having to cut power if deadheads are on the tail. I have not yet heard any results from the testing at the National Research Council in Ottawa about when repairs required to eliminate buffers have been identified and then of course, if VIA can actually afford to make the repairs. Regards, Stephen Gardiner Toronto, ON
  14. I’ve seen lots of chatter in the main Class 37 thread, but unless I am really really blind, none of the teaser images and delivery updates have said anything about the Scottish ones? I have a Loch Lomond on order and am quite looking forward to it, as it will push me into finally building a proper Scottish diorama/mini layout of some sort. Any update from Accurascale specifically on this part of the run would no doubt be appreciated by more than just me! Cheers Stephen
  15. Quite possibly. I had the same when I opened mine in Canada today after picking it up from the post office. Haven’t had a chance to put it on the test track, or even pull out the ugly coupler at the front, but had to get it out and at least take a quick couple of pictures! EDIT: Wrote a quick blog post with a couple of brief testing videos. Will need to run in properly over the weekend before figuring out which display case she is going in. Early returns are I am very happy! https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2022/01/21/something-blue-and-beautiful-and-completely-not-for-the-layout/ Cheers, Stephen
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