Pmorgancym

One brining question, are the J50 we see pictured the real deal or are they 00 models with TT couplers photoshopped on? (As Bachmann were oft to do with Grafar announcements)

Have to say examining the underframe the representation of the drive shaft is beyond hilarious, to the extent they'd probably have been better off not bothering, as cutting the solid triangular monstrosity away and replacing it with some plastic rod looks a helluva task!

Based on what's said there, a direct comparison between the Dapol N, TT, Railroad and full Fat Hornby HSTs might be interesting

That would be clever thinking, because what you need to do is sit down and think what could you build a layout around, look at what else is available

So I have this thing about modelling local, and my local line (the Central Wales Line) is infested with 153s and will be for many years. Browsing my local model shop I found a 153 in Arriva blue languishing on the shelves for a pretty reasonable £85. (Purchasing this has guaranteed the arrival of a Hornby TfW 153 and a Bachmann TfW 150) Now I know there are short comings in the shape, but as a lil project a I'm endeavouring to tart it up, already have some fixedploughs from eBay (quite Cleverly design so you don't have to hack off the new socket), maybe some light weathering. But I'm sorting of struggling as no one seems to really have paid much attention to the 153 so I can't find many articles or blogs etc where people have gone before. Also prototypical pictures I can find close up detailed pictures descriptions on just about anything else. The best pictures I have detail wise are the Heljan 0 gauge test shots!. Pretty certain there really should be some air horns at the front just behind the plough. So has anyone else guilded the lily (or polished the turd?), what did you do??

but the sets aren't marketed as Railroad and if you swallow the BS about TT 'new markets, new people to the hobby etc.'. your presenting them with effectively a starter kit in a big box, track controller etc. put them side by side one just over £100 the other just over £200 which looks better value? Bear in mind you can add a HM7000 to the 00 model and lights if your handy and still come in at less than the TT set. (Nothing against it , if they do a wr HST trainset in TT maybe in intercity it would likely be on my Xmas list)

Look at the train set prices

Is TT120 noticeably cheaper? Looking at the sets, a like for like comparison is the HST set (Yes 00 is railroad but to the uninitiated, they are both 'Hornby 125 sets'). The 00 can be picked up for just over £100, the TT over double.

I wonder if people are poised to see how good the Hornby offerings are and what reception they receive. Part of Hornby's reasoning for TT120 is no completion. I think the 31 is open despite the initial posturing there's not even a cad render, Deltics a natural partner to the A3/A4 not currently on the cards.

Surely all you need is a police box TARDIS and they're fit for any era

Someone produces a decent 153 in any scale preferable TfW and I'll buy it!

Does it rhyme with Lamb's Brains?

I'd say the Saint and County are pretty much open goals for the GWR, maybe a decent mod Hall.

Part of the deal is they have acquired stilofk work xxxx

Amazing that I have to say this, but the suggesting that you had to pay a license fee for copying an existing layout was firmly tongue in cheek...