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bill_schmidt1

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Posts posted by bill_schmidt1

    GWR Iron Mink

    in Rapido Trains

    Posted

    33 minutes ago, Skinnylinny said:


    Hi Bill,

    While researching for these models, we found that many of these wagons didn't have those rivets on the axlebox guides when they were built. This is borne out by the GA drawing from which we worked, too. Unfortunately, it would have been prohibitively expensive to tool two different underframes, so we made the decision that it would be easier for a modeller to add the rivets should they want them (Archer's rivet transfers, for example - other brands are available!) than to make a neat job of removing them.

    Thanks,

    Linny



    Fair enough. Be interested to know when the rivets started being added and I wonder if it was a batch thing as there are pictures of new ones (at least fairly new) with the rivets.

    • Like 1
    • Interesting/Thought-provoking 1

    GWR Iron Mink

    in Rapido Trains

    Posted

    On 11/02/2023 at 16:40, Skinnylinny said:

    So, I know I'm part of the design team for these models, but I have to say, I'm impressed!

    We like to see just how much detail we can cram onto our models, and one of the UK design team decided to give the mouldmakers and injection moulders in China a bit of a challenge. He added the ' 4" OK ' lettering to the axlebox covers, expecting that we might get a raised area in roughly the right shape, which would give the right impression. 

    My own models arrived today, and not only have the team in China managed to get the relief detail on the axleboxes, they've managed to legibly emboss the lettering on each one!

    20230211_090244.jpg

    Apologies for the quality of the photo, getting my camera to focus on something that small was rather a challenge. It's a privilege to work with a manufacturing team who can turn our designs into such lovely models, and push the limits of what we thought was mouldable!

    For comparison, a photograph from the Bluebell Railway Carriage and Wagon Works: 
    https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/cw_news/gwr87782_restoration.html

    ap-red-s8002859.jpg



    Having taken the time to put the tiny lettering on the axle boxes I would have thought putting the row of rivets either side of the axle box on the W iron would have been simple enough to do.. 

    KR Models to make SR Class 4DD

    in KR Models

    Posted

    21 minutes ago, JDW said:

    Reading through some of the KR threads, I do think we need to be careful to make sure comments are directed properly (ie at the business or model rather than personally), though with small or 'one-man-band' companies that's always going to overlap. Criticising KR is pretty much criticising Keith and Michael. Criticising Hornby is criticising some nameless designer or team effort in a office. 


    Sorry, I don't buy that one at all. Whether you criticise KR or Hornby or Bachman it doesn't matter if they are a one-man-band or 1000-band-man. What matters is whether the criticism is warranted or not and how it is dealt with.

    • Like 1
    • Agree 4

    Hornby - Warley Model Railway Exhibition Special announcement 26.11.22

    in Hornby

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Vistisen said:

    Remember DJM King Class, 14xx and 71? Hornby were accused of gazumping then. DJM was proclaimed as the saviour of modelling in 'OO'. Hornby at least got all their models made. With hindsight the DJM 14xx was not that well designed on the mechanical side of things. The DJM class71 was swings and roundabouts compared to Hornby's. As for the King... well we'll never know whether it would have been better that the Hornby version.

    As far as I can see, it takes about the same amount of time for all manufacturers to produce models. So, if Hornby announce a model just after someone else has, and can get it in the shops a year before. they probably started work on it a year before as well. 

    I will concede that the Terrier against RAILS, and the many 66 liveries on an old moulding against Hattons class 66 stink of throttling competition. Not Hornby’s finest moment, As for the Titfield farce, there is no excuse for that.


    Thing is, and it been said a lot, No one really knows who has done,doing what first. What can be said is its always Hornby that get accused of gazumping!

    • Agree 4

    Hornby - Warley Model Railway Exhibition Special announcement 26.11.22

    in Hornby

    Posted

    24 minutes ago, wombatofludham said:

    No I won't.

    My frustration with Hornby is based on their poor attitude to those who prefer to model non-steam outline, or for whom steam is a minority interest, plus their constant chopping and changing of their support for their retailers.  Simon Kohler let the cat out of the bag when he spontaneously announced that he thought 2steam has more charisma" in the last product launch video which should have been a chance for them to tackle critics like me who have berated them for being lackadaisical towards the growing non-steam market, having made some serious investment in new and revamped non-steam models.  As a company their first duty is to their shareholders and investors, and targeting the steam collector grey pound has been a sensible move for them, but that market will diminish over time, which is probably why they have taken the brave decision to try and create a whole new market in TT because they know their once quite respectable position with the non-steam market has taken a hit with new "disruptor" companies picking off their range whilst they played out the steam market.

    I will continue to criticise Hornby where they deserve it, I'm not alone and if you don't like Hornby to be criticised then I suggest you use the hide function.


    Thing is Hornby haven't done a new tooled loco/stock announcement at Warley for some time and do all that around Christmas, so why this announcement is such a let down to you and a few others who seem to want to bash/mock/etc Hornby all the time is rather funny. 
    Its the same old thing. Hornby announce this, "moan moan moan.. duplication.. bad Hornby.. Blah blah blah". Another manufacturer makes a duplication announcement and everyones happy. It's pathetic.

    If you don't like Hornby then just don't buy Hornby.

    • Like 2
    • Agree 2
    • Round of applause 3

    Locomotion & Rails of Sheffield announce SE&CR D Class

    in Rails of Sheffield

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

    Yes, it would be nice if the numbers were straight, and they should be - but aren't. So we have options.

     

    Pass up the model because it doesn't quite come up to expectations. As I always say on these occasions - we may wait a long time for a better one.

     

    Learn not to pre-order (I haven't and almost never do) in which case some models may be dropped for apparent lack of interest.

     

    Get all brave and try to rectify the error. Plenty of people manage that sort of thing, I see in RMweb.

     

    Live with it, because like people you know and quite like, it is imperfect but close enough. 


    Thats the problem though. This forum is full of manufacturers threads with people clamouring for the latest products. They then seem happy to let errors go but then start up the next round of "we need a new tooled/ upgraded X Y or Z" when it could of just been right the first time. 
    In this case its a silly error that should be right and as you point out people could fix it but why should they?
    If this was a Hornby model we'd be at 100+ pages of people saying it should of been right and Hornby should know better. 

    Locomotion & Rails of Sheffield announce SE&CR D Class

    in Rails of Sheffield

    Posted

    5 hours ago, Darius43 said:

    Reading through the last few pages of threads, it strikes me that there is an almost puritanical desperation in some folks to be disappointed in the efforts of retailers and manufacturers that produce ever more superb models.

     

    It reminds me of an episode of Frasier where Daphne asks Niles and Frasier how they liked a concert, to be told the performance was magnificent but with one tiny flaw that they will pick apart for the rest of the evening.  “Oh good”, she says, “just the way you like it”.

     

    Cheers

     

    Darius

     

    Oh I dunno. Would be nice on a nearly £200 loco if the numbers were straight. As you say, we keep getting ever more superb models so it would be nice if they got the simple things right. 

    Seems more and more thought that people want ever better/upgraded models and are also happy for them to carry mistakes.

    • Agree 2

    SE&CR 5 and 7 plank open wagons.

    in Rapido Trains

    Posted

    3 hours ago, MartinTrucks said:

    One of the 7-plank SECR design wagons we have on Bluebell (it is numbered 5542 and is in SECR grey livery despite being a SR-built wagon) has 3-hole disc wheels, but these are not standard and have tyres!

    Regards,

    Martin


    Having built a couple of the Cambrian kits recently it only took me a few minutes to look through a few books to see that in later SR and then BR days that some picked up 3-hole disc wheels. 

    • Like 1
    • Agree 1

    Show us yours - Realistic modelling

    in Get Britain Modelling

    Posted

    1 hour ago, John Besley said:

    Is that a cement works judging by the dusty grime?


    This part (Tarring Neville) is shared between BR, off of the Seaford branch and the Cement works at South Heighton. I believe the builder of the layout plans to make the cement works as a layout at some point and join the two layouts together. 

    • Informative/Useful 1

    Heljan announce Class 45 in OO

    in Heljan

    Posted

    30 minutes ago, 61661 said:

     

    Turning to the shape of the cabsides, we are surprised that this has suddenly been raised a small number of commenters. To our knowledge it was never identified as a problem on our highly regarded O gauge model (on which the OO model is based) and neither were there any comments about it when the CAD images were published some months ago. Based on the feedback, we will investigate what, if anything, can be done before production starts.

    Finally, once again, please bear in mind that this is a first tooling sample and not the finished article. 



    Whys it up to anyone other than Heljan to check the body shape? No point blaming people not coming forward and identifying the problems for you. After all, who's being paid to do the work? And in the same way you say about engaging with customers, that works both ways. Blame people for not coming forward to point out errors and those people you're pointing the finger at probably won't bother in the future. 

    • Like 1
    • Agree 10

    DJ Models Announcement 01/05/19

    in DJModels

    Posted

    25 minutes ago, classy52 said:

     

    Good job of mincing my words to suit your narrative and accusing me of ranting whether mild or not.

    Seriously go back and read what I said in response to the post I had responded to and then give yourself an uppercut.


    Nicely put :scratch_one-s_head_mini:

    • Like 2

    DJ Models Announcement 01/05/19

    in DJModels

    Posted

    52 minutes ago, wellseasoned said:

    There is a side to things we are not normally privy to, the trade itself. During the early days of the King class announcement i had several emails back and forth with Dave Jones. On this one to one basis he indicated a few instances where it sounded as though he wasn't getting a fair crack of the whip from certain others within the wider trade. I of course have no way of verifying his comments but they did sound plausable.


    A fair crack of the whip? Dave Jones got that.. Kernow, Hatton's, the Irish lads and RevolutioN all put trust in him. Kernow had to bail him out. Hatton's got a hit and miss 14xx, beaten by Hornby to the King and the other two have had mud slung at them for wanting to go their own ways. He had his crack and lost out but of course it wasn't his fault!

    If he means that other manufacturers should of let him do models of items just because he'd announced them first then why? This is business not the playground and just because he's announced X first doesn't mean he hadn't picked it up just because he'd heard someone was working X.. How many times did he drop hints or let slip other manufacturers were working on things?? Hardly going to endear himself to others is it??

    • Like 6
    • Agree 6

    DJ Models Announcement 01/05/19

    in DJModels

    Posted

    There is a hilarious irony in this..

    I mean he's claiming IP to designs that someone else has paid him for and as far as i'm aware he hasn't done the work himself.

    He managed to take over a design/manufacturing role on items for Kernow that I guess he worked on or was slowly working on at Dapol when he was employed by them.

    He's crying foul on anyone thats producing items he is / wants to but doesn't see it that way when he goes to do something someone else is working on or produced..

    He's crying foul on people going direct to factories he uses when thats exactly what he did to start his business.

    Remember the first CADs and EPs for the J94? Weird that they had exactly the same join line on the tanks that the old Dapol/Hornby model had wasn't it!

    People have said for a while that he should just stop with the stupid rants, poor old me routines etc and just get on and produce the stuff that he says he will. Instead he's constantly added more and more to his production list without finishing other things and throws out lame excuse after excuse blaming anyone but himself when things go wrong.

    • Like 3
    • Agree 11
    • Informative/Useful 1

    DJ Models Announcement 01/05/19

    in DJModels

    Posted

    Bit late to clarify things.. Should of engaged the brain before putting out a daft announcement of an announcement and then following through with an even worse announcement. I would of even won some money if I'd taken a friend up on the bet of DJ coming out today and back peddling on the original announcement. This isn't the first time he tried it but hopefully its the last.

    • Like 5
    • Agree 4
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