natterjack

While this thread is active, does anyone have a clear photo of the tender side frame fuel and water cocks? I'm in the throes of scratch building a TT120 GT3.

I think some people imagine it is the axle end point that provides the 'bearing contact' whereas it should be the angular interaction of the cone and cup/hole edge- hence no surprise your solution has worked. and well done for pointing it out.

I stand corrected; 'Liquid Lead' is still sold by DCC. And I thought actual lead shot was a thing of the past.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the shunting planks with a front coupler fitted Duchess.

Depends upon the circumstances.

We seem to be using some potentially confusing terms and I don't know of any liquid lead that isn't molten and rather hot. 'Liquid Gravity' as sold by Deluxe is, I think, some form of manganese shot (probably manganese steel as used by the fishing fraternity). As such it should be rather dense but most applications I have found it to be less so than solid steel (in fact around half as dense- must have something to do with so much air between the balls).

There is a handy database for dating the various Farish loco model numbers; https://www.modelraildatabase.com/grahamfarish/locomotives/

I have mentioned this elsewhere but the thing about 3D printing is that, in our terms, it is in essence a domestic or cottage based industry- so the chances are that you can find somebody local to work with to get the results you are seeking at considerably lower costs than the likes of Shapeways Moreover, you develop personal collaborations to enhance future projects.

When we can print at 0.1mm thickness with 0.05mm surface detail and fully developed curvature I'll concede brass has lost much of its role. Meanwhile, Worsley Works provide aids rather than kits with much to be sourced or made by the modeller, a situation not helped by the recent closure of N Brass Locos.

One has to remember many, even most, of the older kits were made pre-CAD and thus offer little comparison to what be generated today from a desk-top.

While I appreciate and encourage developments in 3D printing, I don't see much mention of etched brass, and weren't some of the Finney and Edge O and O kits reduced for 3mm scale? To my mind mixed media of brass and 3D print would offer the required fidelity to those prepared to build their own, and yes gears etc are available and I have made my own bespoke wheels with 3D centres and N Gauge tyres.

In due course it will be very interesting to see how the ratio of TT120 Class 66 sales pans out in UK and European 'home markets'.

Weren't those the outcome of a collaboration (pre Hornby Rivarossi seems to come to mind)?

Despite all the anti Hornby blether and defiant defence of the Heljan 'capitulation' there is little evidence of this and, for the currently niche market truly grow in size, it would make considerable business sense to have multiple suppliers but without unnecessary duplication. As has been mentioned many times, the Southern Railway is an example market that remains an open field with not so much as the hint of a Merchant Navy from Horrnby (at least not within their current 3 to 4 year projections). I do, however, have continuing hopes for a Brighton Belle.

I suspect quite a few customers have, like me, received boxed items marked with Hornby warehouse batch details. These figures are not really that secret.