Clearwater

Railwayana & Model Train Online Auction - Leonard Auction www.leonardauction.com/auction/auction-310/ This is quite the collection up for auction in the States. Loads of GWR plates. The O gauge stock is also pretty stunning. According to facebook, belonged to a guy called Tom E Jones

For those of us of a certain vintage, this thread, has gone all Rail riders!

Presumably a castle did pass through Little Bytham in roughly that guise in 1923/24 on the exchange trials? Though hauling teak stock not clerestories! David

Midget box compared to the Accurascale ones! They're nudging 1:1. Well O gauge at least!!

Looks like they removed it per Hatton's site. Though @Coach bogie I think will confirm the spelling is actually correct but wrong if it is supposed to represent an initial day in service!

Gantt chart style presentation might work well. Eg a set of blocks for the different batches of castles with thin lines back to precursor ‘activities’ where a new technique was introduced that led to the differences in the new batch. suspect that the evolution of design with rebuilds and heavy overhauls complicates the picture though and not as simple as just new locomotive builds.

Yes and yes. very good on identifying differences between the batches.

Sounds like one of those irregular verbs: I say its a plausible substitution You say its rule 1 He says its my train set and I'll run what I want to!

There was a very good NAO report on the history of CTRL/LCR, its collapse, rescue, original traffic forecasts etc.

They sold to HICL a few years ago. There were various issues with CTRL, as it was originally known, with the traffic forecasts being woefully inaccurate leading London and Continental Railways unable to list as they had planned. This led to a rescue financing into the link in the CTRL 1 and CTRL 2 both effectively backed by the government through the issue of Government Guaranteed Bonds. Once the link was opened, the concession was restructured to the current 30 year link with de facto volume guarantees, supported by Gov, for the domestic and international services. A privatisation process was run in, from memory, 2010. Was a competitive auction. Ironically, a colleague and I pitched buying it to HICL but they weren't interested at the time. From memory, OTPP and OMERS won and later, as is the way, elected to sell the asset one when it was brought by HICL. HICL is quoted on the stock exchange - you can buy shares in it should you so desire. Depending on how they structure the infrastructure charges will define whether it is attractive for overseas yield focused investors to buy.

I’ve invested in the new issue Hornby castle. The green seems a bit improved to me but still feels a bit insipid. For comparison, next to Accurascale’s new manor. The manor look superior in almost every respect. The smokebox colour and chimney is better, the green richer and the shirbutton really stands out. You can also see the differences in contemporary tooling to 2010(? - not sure exactly when Hornby tooled this version). David

Yes - a real place of faded glory. A similar feeling across the whole ride to Swansea. Llanelli and, particularly, Camarthan which seemed a shadow of what it must have been. I'd visited the PUMA storage depot earlier in the day and my distinct sense was the oil traffic is what keeps that line open. Given the countryside is lovely, I almost wondered whether the line would be more effective as a heritage / tourist route. A bit like the Scottish line to Fort William for the Jacobite or the Shakespeare Express. One thing that puzzled me was the footbridge at Haverfordwest was replaced relatively recently. An odd decision to spend money to connect a pretty much unused platform.

I was all to aware where I was given the infrequency of trains and journey times east!

Given I wasnt collecting, I mean investing, when these first came out, mine is on its way… will update on the green in the wild later this week !

I've taken some (camera phone) pictures of the Dapol and Accurascale side by side. I think there are some parallax / lens distortion issues going on in some of the shorts and I've not done this too scientifically. For me the points that stand out: 1) The difference in the greens - Accurascale is definitely richer; Dapol looks more like a Hornby green (I've taken below with them both ways around) 2) The shininess of the Dapol safety valve stands out to me - again I prefer Accurascale 3) The Dapol firebox looks a touch fatter and a less smooth transition from firebox to boiler barrel 4) It feels like the Dapol model is a smidgen longer - I doubt noticeable at any normal range. Personally I prefer the Accurascale one however I was also keen to support Dapol. If we want more RTR goodies, we have to give manufacturers a reason to keep making them! David

With respect, so what? He's entitled to his view and you can debate whether you agree with him or not. People may not like Sam's views (personally I don't watch box opening youtube videos) or agree with his views, but there's no denying he reaches an audience that others do not. Rather than commenting here, have you commented on his youtube page? However, to say, as these posts imply, that if you've not see the original in mainline operation, then you can't comment could be considered quite rude by younger modellers. An awful lot of us who've brought this, and other steam outline, models are way too young to have seen mainline steam. You have to be at least 60 to have any recollection at all and, realistically older than that to have a proper memory. Without Sam's generation taking an interest in steam outline models, you may find that quite quickly you don't have any new ones produce.

Hi Mike Per above, I took the approach of comparing a picture in the book to a mock-up. Personally, I feel they’re excellent albums for exactly the exercise you describe. However, if I was a company like Hornby and relying on the pictures/caption for my own professional work, I’d want to do some verification / diligence of the photos/captions to check they show what they think they do. David

Any errors of mine, please educate me. I find it bizarre that they wouldn’t check a new book for pictures. And then not realise their own tooling is capable of actually delivering a more accurate model. David

When they announced the catalogue, I emailed Hornby with some pictures pointing out the errors relative to sources (the relatively new Maidment book.). Didn’t get an answer. As I don’t own anywhere near enough castles, I’ll probably get these despite the flaws and re number to a better example.

Thanks Tony - very useful pictures. If I recall correctly from visiting, although the prototype is on a gradient, your track baseboard is actually level with part of the illusion of the gradient created by the different levels of the land as you move through the sections? Unlike say Graham's Shap which is actually on a slope? I've a plan in mind for what I'd like to have (albeit currently lack the space) but am using my mind to start to work out how I'd do it. Something I won't scrimp on is getting someone who knows what they're doing when it comes to woodwork. Whilst my grandfather was a skilled crafstman, trained at MetCam in Birmingham in the 20s, I think its fair to say its not a talent thats passed down the generations! Though I suspect that as with most craftsmen, you need to be quite clear about what you want to do and what outcome you're looking for. David

Thanks for posting this shot Tony of LB under construction. It’s really helpful for those of us who struggle to think in three dimensions to see how the scenery is built up from the base board to create the perspective. Much as I like shots of layouts in magazines that are artfully produced, seeing aspects like the one above help you understand how the layout is actually built. Equally I’m a fan of overall layout shots to see what space is required and how physical constraints like joists and chimney breasts have been overcome. I have also, on occasion, been disappointed when I’ve seen a layout at an exhibition that I’ve seen photographed in a magazine. The photos can be so good and from a non typical viewing angle that you get a false perspective of what the layout’s really like. The photos have (successfully) tricked the mind into seeing beyond the edge of the photo and when you realise that what you’ve seen is heavily cropped and there isn’t more, you can feel a slight sense of disappointment. David

Thanks Mike. Would the class generally have gone to WOlverhampton for overhauls?

Thanks - most helpful. My main focus is 1920s/30s though I'm elastic at the edges / not too rigid about it! Yes - a quick google has found that photo. Agree it's an excellent shot. With what looks like the Birmingham suburban sets.

Did the 44xx series work in the Midlands? I can’t see any on an initial search on Warwickshire railways but would appreciate a view from the cognoscenti!

My accurascale Manor has arrived. Excellent service from Kernow who delayed sending it whilst I was away. I’ve compared it to my Dapol version. It’s noticeably more finessed particularly around the safety valve and firebox. Colours on accurascale also much better imo. David