Ian Hargrave

No but I’m getting there. Enjoy 😊

Which is dependent on availability of such stock and platform length.

I have done the return trip from FW to Mallaig twice. Once on the Jacobite and latterly by Scotrail 2 X 156 .And for the scenic effect of the line which is really why we do the trip,the diesel unit scores over WCRC Mk 1’s. On the day I last did the trip,it was a return from Rannoch Station which added extra outstanding landscape and gorge delights with panoramic views of the Nevis range from every perspective. The service was well patronised and it seemed that on arrival in Mallaig most passengers headed straight for the many eating places and pubs in the town. In contrast on that day…early September 2021….The Jacobite appeared to be comparatively under patronised. Just a snap experience I know but at the time I felt it was revealing. The return Glasgow Scotrail service was similarly well occupied and on a sunny early evening more delights unfolded. I think the local economy is resilient enough to absorb this setback.

Indeed…..and yet LNWR operate 2x350 units on the WCML stopping at stations with facilities for coping with the front four set only….e.g. Atherstone,RugeleyTV,Hartford,Winsford,Acton Bridge & Liverpool Parkway .Yes,there are walk through connections and the train manager always announces it…..but it’s hardly the stuff of a 21stC mainline.

But,allowing for the frustration and delay,at least in my case,no money has been paid out. I’m very much happy to wait for what will be an exceptional model.

A very interesting series of posts with,it has to be said,some conflicting results.So thanks for that and Andy’s video in particular. ATM,I’m without a Large Prairie and await Dapol’s hopefully improved version.Reluctantly I conclude that for me only the full set of six makes sense.Thus a hefty capital outlay then. However,on the haulage front,not all is lost until their appearance.As I’ve posted earlier,bringing my Heljan Met. electric out of storage would be a suitable alternative. Now that will pull the skins off a whole batch of rice puddings.

Would one needed to acquire a full set of six to make prototypical sense ?

Which,in searching for something I didn’t find,I found. Heljan 9001 Met./BoBo 9 John Milton. A whim purchase at Warley years ago when they were released and never used because I didn’t have suitable stock. It is a beautiful little thing .So then just maybe an excuse for some City Toplights. Just a thought ?

Easy to relate your own experience isn’t it ? I am well aware of their status. But it doesn’t excuse what in my personal concern isn’t a satisfactory state of affairs that could and should have been sorted weeks ago.

This is in fact the second demand for the balance that I have received. I responded to the fist immediately but received no response in return. That was over a month ago. What does irritate is that I..as purchaser am expected to,provide the vendor with details of my purchase. Don’t they keep records ?

So then…do you have any online indication of your original order …i.e. …was it sound/analogue or any documentary evidence other than a couple of emails asking for the balance with the onus upon you as purchaser to provide the vendor with the original order number or …I quote….”in the last resort”….your name ? This is not best practice and is tbh insecure and inexcusable . I simply have no documentation either online or on paper of my order..and now I’m asked to provide such. I paid a deposit and frankly I’d rather let it go to the wind rather than involve myself in what appears to be a haphazard method of conducting a purchase.My name is not a last resort.

From my own personal observation,Idid see one work into Crewe in June 1965 and that on an out & home working.Canton D1500’s ( aka Class 47 ) had by that date also taken regular turns to Crewe on N&W trains.

Drove to the Rails Weekend Event today to look at a Dapol Mogul which was duly purchased. And then….in a small display cabinet cunningly situated on the counter were these……..I honestly wasn’t going to but I did.The beast in its original form seen by me as a state of the art exhibit at the railways part of The Festival Of Britain ,Waterloo East,August 1951. I’m now fully into my dotage… Whatever the motive,it is a cracking model.

Picked up one of the new release Moguls at Rails today ( along with a couple of useful £10 vouchers ) . Have to say I’m immensely impressed by the improvement in performance and yes with the overall finsh ,despite qualms about the livery application. For me a lesson in seeing what you’re buying in a display cabinet rather than the usual virtual experience online. Worth the drive,the ghastly weather and 3 way traffic lights at the road junction outside the rebuilding works at Totley station. And then over Baslow Edge with glorious views to indulge myself at the Chatsworth Farm Shop. Haven’t done that for years. Still have that £10 voucher which is redeemable with online purchases.

Some of you may have heard of OO Works.They don’t “do” DCC. They supply high quality hand built models in all metal construction. You want DCC ? Then you do your own conversion which will negate the warranty. Highly conventional I know and off putting to digital specialists,some of whom have given their thumbs down to them on this forum. Well then,fine….their choice of course. The models are simply superb in terms of both finish and performance. One of them ,an SR liveried Adams Jubilee 0-4-2 ( and please note the wheel arrangement in terms of haulage capacity….it’s 4 coupled kiss of death ) has been hauling my rake of Accurascale Banana vans since they arrived yesterday very sweetly indeed. So then ….finally…….we come to the motor used by OO Works. It’s a “ high quality coreless motor “ gents. And I have no complaints as a non DCC user.

Just a thought. A general election looms later this year and the Scottish vote is likely to be crucial to the result. I just wonder whether or not this might influence events and maybe bring it to a successful ( ? ) conclusion. Time will tell…..

TBH,I think it’s meant only for use in the box initially in transit. As you say,the box does the business in any case.The problem with the film is that it’s adhesive and that can have unforeseen and undesirable consequences .

I did. The stuff is lethal.

Yes,I realised that extra care must be taken with the protective film and needs to be dealt with slowly and with soft surfaces around. There is a seam on each one ….barely visible I know….so pull apart carefully from that with the wagon securely on your lap,making sure that the delicate bits don’t come off with it. I’m assuming that the SR vans operated from Southampton Docks presumably serving at least in the first instance Covent Garden .Thus the train would run ( fairly rapidly ) to Nine Elms for onward transport of the contents to the market. So motive power is the next decision. Here,Mike Morants LSWR collection is helpful though there are no images of the vans. It being the western section of the SR,then IMHO that’s where you need to look and then consider what’s available. If you have kit built models that’s one thing. In rtr,I can source a T9,an Arthur,an S15 a Drummond D15 ,an Adams Jubilee and a Maunsell N. The list obviously isn’t in any way prescriptive and it would be good to have further input on this .

And the expectation is fulfilled. I now understand exactly what the applause these have received is all about.They are indeed very special in every respect. The stone/yellow SR livery throws their detail off to perfection and their running quality is feather smooth. I believe Paul is once again the guiding genius behind these. Bravo !

A fascinating photo. And just maybe a reason for using the Heljan loco ?

Hopefully not Icelandic in origin 🙏

Now featured on the BBC News App. Essentially it’s become a PR standoff with WCRC portrayed as the wronged party by “ a spokesperson “ . No response as yet from the other side.You have to wonder exactly how such a response ( should there be one ) would read. Pure gamesmanship.

Compensation for yesterday’s hiccup in ordering comes in the notification of delivery tomorrow. .An OO Works Adams Jubilee and a Bachmann Dance Hall brake await the pleasure.

He was a Merthyr boy and a natural charmer too. We once enjoyed a post show supper with him at Stratford many years ago.