StuTheUseless

Yes I noticed that too. I'd like to hang wires from them but I'm not going to run pan-up but I don't know if they'd be up to that. I agree that they really look the part.

The chap on the Peco stand at the York show last weekend said that the decision had yet to me made whether the portal was to be produced by Sommerfeldt or in-house by Ratio. I recall that this was the position about three years ago when I asked about the portal. He said it was still coming, as the design was done. I'm giving up waiting, this has stalled work on my layout for too long. I know of three alternatives: the N-Brass ones, which might be too much for my meagre abilities, and the ones on Ebay produced by Blueflash90 and Torri Laser. In both cases the absence of registration arms would be a problem for me, I wouldn't be able to scratchbuild those. Any other alternatives that people are aware of?

I asked Peco about the portal at the Glasgow Exhibition, and they said it would hopefully be available this year (but with no guarantees).

Don't suppose Peco had any gantry news at Warley, did they......?

Thanks Tom, Matt, lyneux. At least it's still on their radar, I did wonder if it was being dropped altogether.

Sorry if bumping this made anyone think there was some news! Did anyone notice if the Peco stand at the Glasgow exhibition had the gantry on display?

I've just noticed the TC underframe has two toilet outlet pipes. This could be an exciting first for DMU modelling.

Here's some. This photography thing's harder than it looks. You can't get anything in focus. Note also the tantalising glimpse of my bedroom, something normally only seen by myself and supermodels.

I hadn't noticed that! The flatter-topped Bachmann one looks better to me. Just noticed as well, that the Bachmann has no representation of the separate roof panels, but the Dapol does. I agree, they both look like good efforts. I certainly don't see the need to ditch my Dapol ones now the Bachmann one's here.

I say, here's fun, some side-by-side pictures of the Dapol 121 and the Bachmann 121. OK, they're not at the same angle, the lighting's rubbish, they're dusty, etc. etc. I've brightened the side-on one so you can see the underframe. The guard's door handrails are different on each model, they're two separate rails on the Dapol model. The handrails on the cab are very different, much more prominent on the Bachmann. The Bachmann also has that excellent speedo cable. The Dapol cab has a slightly more angular look which I think might capture the appearance a tiny bit better.

The NSE 117 is reviewed in Rail Express this month and has 'Reading' and 'Gatwick Airport'.

Some Heljan locos on offer here: https://www.modelrailwaysdirect.co.uk/store/search.asp?keyword=SpecialOffersOO, mostly recent 27s and 33s, including the tank packs and the construction double-pack.

My blue 33025 arrived yesterday, and that too is the old body. I should have guessed, for the price. Feel a bit foolish now. I'm going to shove it in the back of the cupboard where I can't see it!

From the pictures on Rails' website, it looks as though they have. Now I think I want Dapol to have my babies.

I asked the helpful chap on the stall about these. He said the manufacture was originally intended to be Sommerfeldt, then changed to Ratio, now they've decided to use Sommerfeldt again, and that decision had only recently been taken. He thought they would appear in the second half of the year. Stu https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartstransport/