Bunkerbarge

Sadly, pretty much as I expected simply writing off feedback as grumbling with a condescending comment and avoiding the point being made regarding the inclusion of 32 pages of irrelevent content as a means of justifying a huge price hike. If the only reply from the moderating team is to be as equally dismissive as that from the editorial team it only confirms what I see as a lack of respect for the readership.

The cover price of the March edition is £9.99. The reason for this, I can only gather, is becuase it is a 180 page special and includes the section of TRACTION magazine and a CD. The 32 pages of TRACTION magazine have simply been lifted from a sister publication and while they may provide associated interest, I suspect the audience is quite limited. I also notice at the end of this 32 page section the line: "To be concluded in TRACTION 280". So even if you are interested in this subject matter you don't actually get that entire article. I'm afraid I didn't pay attention at the newsagents when I bought this edition so getting it home and discovering I had paid ten pounds for a magazine becuase it contains an additional 32 pages of a subject I have absolutely no interest in and has no value whatsoever to the majority of model railway enthusiasts led me to write an e-mail to the editorial and publishing team. Reading the editorial comment in this edition, which states quite clearly that this process is to be repeated simply confirmed my decision not to buy another copy of BRM again. I am also aware of a freind who telephoned the editorial team with a similar complaint and was informed that it is his responsibility to check the price before buying. I would be very much interested in the forum's views on this.

I have now received my LNER version 8011 with factory fitted sound decoder. It ran briefly but then stopped and would no longer run. I put it on the programming track but it did not even recognise the loco. After a lot of messing around I sent it back and received a replacement. This one ran for 5-10 minutes around the layout then started to get a little unreliable, which I put down to dirty track. Eventually it stopped and refused to budge. Again putting it on the programming track the controller did not see the loco. Later in the evening it worked for a few minutes then stopped again. Has anyone else had any similar running problems with a factory fitted sound decoder version? My concern is that with two locomotives doing the same thing maybe my track is the problem, although all other locos run fine, which would tend to disprove that. I am also concerned that they sent me the same loco back after perhaps testing it and found it worked OK at that time. I would be interested to hear of anyone else's experience with this same loco.

Make your own. If you haven't got a modelling lathe I would seriously think of investing in one, for no more than the cost of a couple of locomotives you will have an invaluable tool for life. If you haven't, put a piece of plastic rod into a hand drill, clamp the drill in a vice and turn down the rod with files and abrasives. Making your own funnel has to be a fairly straightforward job.

Does anyone have a Bachmann Brewery Boiler House, 44-059, that they would like to sell? I can't find one anywhere.

Exactly, plus why has it been available to pre-order from Oxford rail for well over a year, yet now is also available from Hornby. If you go to Rails Of Sheffield they are now taking pre-orders for the Oxford Rails version, Code: OS76R003, at £31.50 as well as exactly the same item listed as a Hornby product, Code: R7282, for erm, £35.09!! I wonder if we will be waiting another year for Hornby to get it on the shelf!!

I have had the above item on pre-order now from Rails of Sheffield for well over a year. I have phoned Oxford Rail, who seem unable or unwilling to say anything as regards a release date and if you suggest they try to contact the Chinese manufacturer you get the impression you have just swore over the phone. Rails Of Sheffield also throw their arms up in the air and join the ever increasing circle of vendors who all claim to be victims of a system and they have no powers to do anything about it. I still tend to think that if they suddenly stopped purchasing items from the manufacturer they might find they get a slightly better response but that seems to be far too logical and basic an approach nowadays. So imagine my surprise to see this very same item now listed in the Hornby 2020 new releases, with an expected release date of Summer 2020. I'm sure there are plenty of members here "in the know" so my question is simply does anyone know what the hell is going on?

OK, got it, thanks.

I think nowadays most model shops that have premises sell through Ebay as well as in store. In this particular case a RRP of £10.00 directly from a model shop isn't too far away from £14.00 including postage if, as is the case with a high percentage of us nowadays, you are a good distance from your nearest model shop. Can you say why you would not recommend that models are not purchased direct from Coopercraft?

Model Scene also do a range of period vehicles as plastic kits: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Model-Scene-5136-Thornycroft-PB-4ton-Lorry-GWR-Livery-OO-scale-kit/223768011973?hash=item34199ce4c5:g:R4wAAOSwkxtd3TJ-

Put Eames kit into Ebay, there are around 9 on there at the moment. They are white metal kits of around the 1920s and 1930s. Unfortunately no longer manufactured but you can still find unmade kits. Lovely kits which can be made into very nice models. This is one I purchased recently:

If it was operational it would need the converted personnel coach as well. Mine is set in 1947, the year the gun was decommissioned, so assumed to be no longer operational!

I fancied having a go at individualising my Gladiator a little. I added some details such as internals in the machinery space, which you cannot see, some machinery cases and tarpaulins, a few figures, I replaced the photo etched hand rails with rope, a Gladiator crest tampion in the barrel and added some missing detail to the bogie sides. Then a light weathering with washes and pigments, mainly around the bogies but, in line with many photos, much heavier heat staining of the barrel.

As they are not stated as having a Stay Alive fitted I would not expect one to be included. Consequently you will have to add one yourself. I spoke to Rails of Sheffield and to Oxford Rail when I ordered my own loco and eventually Oxford Rail did tell me via Rails that they believed the decoder was to be an ESU Loksound decoder, with their own bespoke file loaded. If that is so the price is very good and the quality should be good.

Many thanks for the feedback. I was also tempted by the initial price and ordered the LNER version with sound decoder over a year ago. I suspect I will also find it a bit frustrating to have different functions on buttons I am not used to however if the sound quality is there then maybe the total of £160.00 will compare favourably with the £230.00 to £250.00 you could expect to pay with a high end sound decoder. There again you will not have a stay alive fitted either so that is another consideration.