ben_m

Is there an update to the estimated arrival? How long does the journey from China take? I.e. if they haven't shipped yet, the earliest from now they can arrive.

Thanks so much for taking the time to dig those out Gerry! Hmmm... Looks very tempting.

Unfortunately they don't state any curve radius requirements/compatibilities on their site.

This looks really interesting, but my layout is very compact 9 inch radius curves- will the 56xx be happy on these?

Thanks Les, good to know 68061 never had a tall bunker. I've got to modify a couple of other smokebox doors to remove BR numberplates, so I'll guess I'll add this to the list. The steps shouldn't be a problem to clip off it a third set are present. I'm avoiding MRC number 85 and Errol Lonsdale, as I want to avoid repainting the coupling rods, and definately the wheels!

Unfortunately Dave's new list doesn't mention bunker heights, and has dropped the LNER versions completely. The current options are: NCB No.7 in Littleton Colliery, lined blue livery MSC Grey No. 85 LMR Blue No. 196 Errol Lonsdale 3806 Wilbert, Rev. W. Awdry O.B.E. 3889 NCB No. 65 NCB 69 No. 2 Area Lined Black NCB 1763 Peckfield Colliery, lined maroon with chevrons NCB Bickershaw Colliery Hurricane lined green BR Black (early crest) No. 68061 BR Black (late crest) No. 68049 The ones he was going to offer as per announcement in September 2013 (and current pre-order at Hattons) was: 68023 BR Early Crest Black with tall coal bunker 68061 ‘British Railways’ original bunker height 8064 LNER with original bunker height 8023 LNER with original bunker height 68068 ‘British Railways’ with tall bunker weathered I've gone for 'BR Black (early crest) No. 68061', and I hope that it will look like the OO version of 68061 with 'British Railways' on the tank, i.e. no red coupling rods and short bunker.

I'm about to put in an expression of interest on Dave's site for the n gauge J94. I'll be repainting as a War Department engine from late in WW2- maybe a grey one or green. I'd like to know which of the options Dave offers would be closest to the WD spec; ideally I'd just like to repaint, rather than have to modify the model as well. Its a pity that there isn't a WD option on these, and that Farish haven't done a typical WD scheme for their WD 2-8-0 or upcoming 8F.

I'm n gauge too, and was reading down this thread with the idea of 'consisting' some of these under the base board with bigger-than-loco-sized-speakers, as static sound decoders. I may have some larger locomotives in the future, that could take speakers (e.g. Farish WD), but I'll also always have some small tank engines that won't ever take a speaker, and I think the mix of sound an non-sound would be worse than no sound at all. With static sound decoders, all the space in the engines can then be used for capacitors. I'm not a purist, and as long as it sounds OK-ish, it is probably better value for my needs. Does anyone know if there are issues with e.g. these econamai in consist mode without a motor connected? I saw in another thread someone had rigged up a motor and gearbox to provide a load under the board.

I was planning on using these from Fox: http://fox-transfers.co.uk/transfers/gwr-locomotive-initials-yellow-red-for-black-engines I've just noticed the URL explicitly says they are for black engines, which is not mentioned on the page. I had just assumed black engines wouldn't have had the black shadow. Looks like these are the right ones. I thought you might mean the sans serif version, which some source (wiki?) mentioned was used at one works paint shop.

Excellent, sounds like the Q1 is not ruled out!

If I may induce a little thread drift... I am modelling a fictional location near Oxford in 1945 during wartime, based loosely on Cowley aircraft scrap yard. I'm modelling in n gauge, and need advice ton the most appropriate locomotives. I have some siding that I'd like to be used by a tank engine for shunting, and a main line which I want a big tender engine to pull long trains on. I was thinking of a austerity tank 0-6-0 for the shunter, and a WD 2-8-0 for the main line. But I am tempted by the GWR 2884 (in black with GWR on tender) instead of the WD; but were these all used for the Welsh coal trains? I like the Q1 too, but I guess it would be out of the question for a SR engine to come into the GWR to deliver crashed aircraft parts? Would a pannier be just a suitable for the shunter? Where were WD tanks used- is my scenario plausible?