BernardTPM

Hopefully it will come out as 'Novelty' rather than 'Navalty' like the Lima model!

I looked at the large pics on Hattons' site when these went on sale and was very impressed as to how superior these looked to the original production runs. A bit of a pity the base models fall so far short (or is that long?). You've certainly used the best parts to advantage.

There are some details of the Mk.1 Pullman and some of the later Restaurant interior colours given in the Parkin Mk.1 book, but I would suggest looking through some old BTP DVDs for '50s and '60s colour interior shots; I doubt you'll find many colour interior phots from before the 1960s (I've got some good ones of XP64 in 'Transport Age' from 1964). Another possible lead would be to enquire with some of the larger preserved railways. I believe they have, in some cases, had old upholstery material remade, involving co-operation between them to get a good bulk order together; I'm sure I read that somewhere in the last few years. The Bluebell or Severn Valley would be the obvious ones to contact first. I agree - it does help being able to zoom in (and being able to use layers so the carpet can be 'worn').

Given that in 4mm the Bachmann Mk.1 is the 'default' model, might it be worthwhile making them fit that? The same would apply to the forthcoming Farish ones too. Both types are likely to be current for many years. Here's some of my own efforts (for OO9):

These are included on the HMRS (formerly PC Models) BR coach transfer sheet. They have been printed so that when applied to the inside of the glazing the wording shows outwards. The ones I have are Methfix, but they were done as Pressfix too. I think Fox do them as waterslides. Printed seating material would be good. One familiar type from the '60s was Trojan, a dark grey with small black, white and red squares. Same goes for the wood veneers. I agree that the Peco interiors are very good given they're half-a-century old, though Mk.1s probably got retrimmed many times through their lives so the upholstery patterns better suit the '50s/'60s rather than the '70s or later. Some late ones had laminate finishes too. There are plenty of preserved Mk.1s about, but you'd need to take care; not of of them will be 'authentic' by now.

For a 50 year old piece of tooling it's really very good. Though the bogies are short to scale but the bodywork is pretty much spot on. Just a pity they moulded in ribs for the green livery's orange lining. Interesting fact: the unpowered bogie on the EM2 is on its own separate clip-in floor and there's the fitting moulded in the bodyshell to pivot a second motor bogie, provision not repeated on any other models using the same family of power bogies (Brush Type 2, EE Type 3 and Hymek). If you could get hold of some spare unpowered bogies (which are in black polystyrene) you could probably cut and shut them to the correct scale wheelbase (as well as cutting out the webbing). It would take serious milling machinery to do that to the metal power bogies though!

There were four real Stanier Buffet Cars, but 149 on the SVR is not one of them, though it does look quite like a proper D1948. It was rebuilt in the eighties from a 1936 Vestibule Third. Compared to a genuine buffet, there's an extra half bay at the far passenger end with the gap between the large and small frosted buffet/kitchen windows reduced.

It's true it took a while to sort out teething troubles and then retrofit while construction was under way, but that had been done before the new companies came into existence. It was a new design and even now in advance of some aspects, such as fuel economy, of the Class 70 (even ignoring aesthetics). From the driver's point of view they weren't so great - noisy cab and uncomfortable ride (as told to me by a driver).

I wish I could be more specific, but I can't remember which one it is. There was a Mk.1 Escort van in the same livery on another (DVD actually, so many films collated). The Minor was more of a surprise, I'll admit!

They produced Minor vans up to 1971 and I've seen one in a BTP video in that livery, so that's fine!

I have to admit I was really thinking in terms of the Third when I said about moving at least two windows; just as in the Mk.1 there's enough space between the windows at the First class end. Well done! Your moved window reminds me of the ones I did in a Lima Mk.2 (FK backdating, 2b to 2) but obviously without the frame area to loose the join.

I photographed various experimental versions of the new livery at Temple Mills Wagon Works back in April 1979, including one in grey and yellow, quite a few years before it became the Civil Engineers livery. Note that HEA on Paul's site has non-standard application with the red going right down the ends (as done with vans and opens). A lot of stock was repainted quite quickly in the '79-81 period and some of the later wagons (like SPAs) appeared in red from new so the colours were quite well established on wagons before application to the Class 58s.

'Mr.Therm' was used nationally; I remember he featured on the door of our local North Thames Gas Board showroom (pre- the British Gas triple blue and white era).

I thought that looked like 'Mr. Therm' on the door!

Ooops! Yes, that's that odd typeface they used for a while in the '80s! Nice co-incidence then that the first HAs (cars, not vans) were introduced in 1963 so would have qualified for the original 'A' reg suffix (at least in some places).

Looks brilliant! Presumably the 'R' reg is not original; I'd have thought the last would be V or W (1982 when the first Astravan appeared)?

I'll probably be going there next week; the owner is in the process of retiring, but only a bit at a time! I'll ask about the CMSC range and Sherpas in particular.

There's a really good view of the back of a Mk.2 Escort van here. The Mk.1 looked much the same except that the bumpers were chrome and there was no fog light. This view also shows the extra section above the doors and how much higher up the panel area should go.

Yes, the Mk.1 Escort van is disappointing given that the saloon is pretty good. On the real van the rear doors were carried over from the Mk.3 Anglia van so should be just like those on the Oxford Anglia van - oh dear! The ABS (nee Fleetline) Marina van suffers from a similar lack of height too. I reckon the easiest solution is to build up a new higher roof on the existing one, then blend in the sides and revised doors (file the windows higher) with filler and elbow grease. Or turn it into the estate, then you just need to file it down a bit to get rid of the ribs and reshape the back. If you make it a DER commercial* then the vac-formed plastic panel covered over the side window, saving having to drill it out * TV rental firm that used estates with the windows covered over. Red IIRC.

I remember seeing lots of these little lorries in Redbridge Council blue and cream back in the early '80s some, I think, up to 'S' reg (or 'T'?). Not bad for something so obviously 1940s in appearance. The windscreen always looked odd as it clearly had a crease down the middle where two flat angled screens on the original design had been replaced by a single pane, but to the same shape, on the later builds.

Slight error on that last parcel van livery that should have white brather than yellow and red 'Rail Express Parcels' on the side instead of black. Overall useful, nonetheless.

The Bachmann pannier chassis is a lot better detailed too. Hornby's current pannier has quite a rather nice body rather let down by the old chassis.

Probably not original. The prologue of that film was set during the war (hence the shelter 'kits' on the back) so most likely it's a studio repaint.

An island that used to export railway locomotives to just about every country in the world at one time and was still capable of designing a heavy haul loco that is more fuel efficient than the new 70. Still, in my model world it's 1991 and such travesity is still avoidable.

As the last BR diesel class (and for the time being, the last British-built large main-line diesel locos) they are part of this country's heritage. At the very least 60001 should be donated to the NRM.