RPNaylor0301

Bonkers - big fan personally, love that they're having some fun with the liveries. Still hoping for NSE and the sectors, RES and maybe even unbranded Virgin if they can get away with it (for a little burst of my youth!) Hell, Midland Mainline Teal might even work...😏

I think Dapol themselves broke down the costs as a reason for discontinuing the dummy loco / MUs in N gauge. By the time the R&D / tooling / modified tooling for a dummy chassis etc had been done, the removal of the motor and electrics saved next to nothing. Obviously all relative so as DCC models get more complicated the saving gap might widen, but I struggle to see the manufacturers being able to deliver for an effective difference in price.

Given how visible these machines were on the network while in undercoat, it'd be a nice touch if Bachmann did release one in this guise.

Ah , they're not too far off then. Better start clearing the cupboards out onto eBay, expecting the DCC sound examples to be a good £300 plus and enough liveries to need to catch em all! Very exciting, got a weird soft spot for zombie locos like the 57s and 69s...

Spent a few minutes stood next to the 1:1 scale 47727 the other morning - I'd say yours is a cracking representation

Ah . Here's hoping eBay run a cheap listing weekend over Easter...looks like I've got to make some room! 💸

The 73/9 would get me - both the minions and the GBRf variants I think 🤑

Always good to see one of your efforts appear on here!

Brave choice but I'd echo the others in saying that I think it's the right choice. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with next - thought they were an excellent effort so with a few years of modelling experience under your belt I'm sure #2 will be a must follow!

...I could even fit that one on my layout 👌

I'm in trouble if we get the HNRC 37405 and / or the other 97/3s 😖

That Central Trains 150 made me feel like a kid again... Incredible work, always enjoy your builds and this has a really nice feel of that refurbished WCML

That'd be perfect for the 'When the real thing looks like a model' thread. There's even the generic little mound of spare ballast and offcuts of 'some metal'.

I think apart from a handful of 37/4s (mostly celebrity liveries) and a few 57/3s DRS are almost all 66/68 now. How times change!

I had the poster from the introduction of the sector liveries when I was a kid. Four 60s in coal, construction, petroleum and metals livery lined up outside Toton (although in much better condition than those currently lined up outside Toton!) Brought back some very fond memories, amazing work as always!

I raise you this one

Looking for spare light lenses / light guide / cab / buffer beams / bogie frames (14) for a ViTrains Class 47. If you've got anything to shift let me know, happy to discuss terms. Based in Derby if you'd prefer to deal in cash but otherwise PayPal etc all fine.

You're probably right. I'm just a lil' steamed because I always fancied one but could never justify the ebay prices. Wishful thinking... Although I think I'm far more interested in the FNA-D

Think we can all expect the Bachmann collectors club FNAs to stop clearing £100 to get a more modern approximation now. ... Pain in the backside for me though. I was using the lack of a modern flask to justify not grabbing the accurascale 37s / Dapol 68s and taking the layout back to the ubiquitous DRS shed. Think these might tip me over, especially with the low level waste wagons being so well handled.

Here's hoping Bachmann do that one when their 69 appears. I'm definitely on board!

Not a bad crop but nothing for me this time... The release of the deluxe 47s has just reaffirmed my fear that the 69s are going to be £300+ sound fitted when they land (new tooling with? +12 months to go before release, maybe nearer £400 if they do deluxe spec on them). ... That said by then we might have a few more special liveries to go at too! (And maybe the GBRf 47s just to boot the credit card a little harder). The 769s have genuinely got me looking at the possibility of an N gauge tailchaser though. Real soft spot for the 319s from childhood but don't fancy building OHLE.

One of my favourite locations, following with interest!

Real long shot here - but is there any prospect of the Driving Trailer being released separately (given that TPE have 13 sets + a spare DVT)? Reason I ask is that the layout definitely isn't long enough for loco +5, but having seen a couple of photos of the spare being moved solo I might be able to swing that (and it's such a superb model I'd love to swing it!) Cheers R

'Quick and dirty' picture of the precision horns on 37682. Excellent for £2 a pair, will probably swap the ViTrains originals on the 97s shortly (pic for comparison!)

DRS tractor 37682 pays a visit after struggling from the RTC. She'll be moved in once the coalfish have been shifted to one of the sidings... Then we'll see if she can make it to Gresty!