JohnR

As reported by Oxford last month https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/blogs/news-1/an-update-on-taff?_kx=X_INYaM5Xx0uzP7tlRHRUMZQzzlTlBdzAR6oYq5jowA.UvyHL7

Thats probably why it will prove difficult to offload some of that stock in the Hornby warehouse - the retailers are already carrying some of it. Of course, in years past, Hattons would have taken a lot of stock of Hornby's hands (at the right price), and bailed them out of a mess. Thats not an option any more.

Peco have templates of all their points available for download from their website. Youi will find that the code 75 streamline points have a different geometry - so the track needs to be spaced aprt by 50mm, rather than 67mm, and even the small radius points have a larger radius that settrack points, so they will take up more space. You're probably going to end up taking up a lot of your trackwork in order to fit them in.

Having upgraded a Hornby 101 with updated bogie frames to get NEM pockets, I can confirm that even on the dummy car, you can swap over the frames without issue.

The other thing to note is that these cheap bargains are of the Southern Malachite livery - effectively 1946-48. The BR(S) Green ones were sold out long ago. I'm guessing Hornby made too many of the SR Malachite ones.

DCC Concepts are specifically marketing theirs as a plug and play replacement, as they took have a socket on their decoders/stay alives.

I know, and I've built some. However, I know they're not painted as well as an RTR version would be.

Given the problems with Hornby's 1/800 van, heres hoping Rapido follow up there 1/801 van with a model of that too.

I have to say I do prefer @Harlequin version - it has a much better "flow" to it, and the bay/siding is better sited with regards the run round loop.

Have you tried fitting the blanking plug the other way around?

Its hardly much of a saving, is it? Looking on ebay, a Dapol O gauge pannier "From China" is listed as £178. The Royal Mail (or whoever delivers it to your door) will charge you for the VAT - 20% - taking the total up to £213. They may charge extra as a "handling fee" - Royal Mail's is £8, others pay be cheaper or more expensive. The exact same model is in stock with a certain Sheffield based retailer for £223. So you are saving maybe £2, and loosing the customer support if something is wrong. Fault with the model, are you going to send it back to the seller in China?

A list of the locos launched by Triang: 1957 Jinty 0-6-0 GWR Castle 4-6-0 1959 Original Merchant Navy 4-6-2 Class 08 0-6-0 Class 31 1960 Britannia 4-6-2 1961 GWR Prairie 2-6-2 1963 Class 104 DMU So 8 locos released over 5-6 years.

Also worth comparing with the roll out of TT3 by Triang in the 50s. It took a few years for that to get going as well - and it seemed to be killed off before it had reached a reasonable level.

I dont think its something you've missed - its more a case of it went live too early - the TT120 announcement is next week.

Thats ok - I cant claim the set-up to be unique!

That could be me!

Brilliant, thanks Duncan. Please pass on my thanks to Mike @ CRA and keep us updated on when the first volume of that book on Scottish Traders is out!

A good point was made earlier about Frasers stores stocking TT120. We've often moaned about the lack of visibility of model railways in the wider retail market, and perhaps this is something that Frasers can assist with - stocking Hornby product, making it visible to the buying public - and what better thing to do that the scale were Hornby are (effectively) the only suppliers?

Lets not run away with ourselves here. Mike Ashley can only asset strip or sell off brands if he gets control of Hornby. He currently has less than 9%, and can only get control if the largest shareholder, Phoenix, wants to sell to him. Which really doesnt seem to be what they want, nor is it their usual way of doing business.

Fife coal would have be worked by the NBR, surely? I've seen pictures of wagons from the Fife coalfields in Dundee and Arbroath, but not in Brechin or Forfar.

Given the success of TT, I suspect the result will be to lean into it, not abandon it.

I think you have to be a member to post on their forum (yes, I know I ought to join up) Indeed. On similar instructions, I've sometimes seen a reference to the company where the colliery is located (eg GWR, MR, etc), which would suggest this was on the Caley somewhere in Scotland (so probably not Fife, then?)

Its the Co-Op history thats led me to this. The Brechin United Co-Op was one of the earliest, being founded in 1833. However, it shared its profits according to a share, rather than the dividend method of the Rochdale pioneers. When in 1861 some members failed to get the United to change to the Rochdale system, they set up their own - hence the Brechin Equitable Co-Op. Both co-ops had several shops throughout the town, as well as separate coal yards at the station. However, they eventually merged under the Brechin United name in 1912. Several mergers and take overs later, they're now part of ScotMid, who sadly dont seem to have much information about them.

Could very well be a fancy S - I had thought it might be an ampersand, given there seemed to be some space preceding and following it. It is named as Eddleswood colliery on the RAILSCOT page, however? https://www.railscot.co.uk/companies/H/Hamilton_and_Strathaven_Railway/