Roy L S

Indeed, I had great hopes for this loco, in my case I wanted one as a basis for conversion to an LNER G5 with (I had thought) a much improved chassis over the old one and DCC capability. Sadly it just hasn't turned out that way and I wouldn't touch one of these new ones with a proverbial barge-pole even if ludicrously discounted (which they may well need to be to sell them at all). The extent of the problem is pretty clear from the reports we are seeing and Dapol's reply to Haddocksrock which he shared on 6th July is utterly laughable. With the new people like Adam on board at Dapol I am hopeful that we will now see a much greater focus on quality in N so that it no longer looks like a poor relation in comparison to their O Gauge models. In this respect I am looking forward keenly to the Ivatt Tank, but really it is going to be the brand new models like the GW Mogul and West Country (if it ever materialises) that will confirm it. Roy

Are you sure? According to Rails' website all 6 J94s are still showing as "pre-order" items and I don't think they are showing as available anywhere else, certainly nowhere I can find anyway🤔.

Mine too, I already have a rake of the Blood & Custard ones but didn't need any persuading to add some maroon ones, they look exquisite in the pictures and I am sure they won't disappoint. Roy

On a more general level I am more than a little curious to know if the idea of producing N Gauge models has/will progress. Roy

Good, hopefully that means the four maroon ones I have preordered won't be too far away. Roy

The problem with any catering vehicle, but especially a restaurant car is that you will not even need one in every express passenger rake you possess. This makes the RMB more useful and viable for a manufacturer as it will be used in a greater number of trains. This is also doubtless the reason we haven't seen Thompson or Stanier catering vehicles - they just wouldn't sell enough.

At the risk of being "slapped down" on here (again 🫢), I have kept an eye on the RevolutioN website but it hasn't been updated since the note I mentioned on June 16th (above). I would appreciate clarification of whether the PCBs have indeed now been replaced and if the models are anywhere near ready to be shipped. If they are not, then assuming they will be arriving by sea the September date is beginning to appear unachievable? Roy

Here's hoping you don't find yourself waiting another four years for the TT 120 ones to show up! As I understand it these little N Gauge beauties will be with us within a couple of months or thereabouts, so I thought it rude not to order a couple 🙂

Yes, confirmed by Bachmann that the Black Five is still tender driven with 6pin DCC socket in the tender. Unlike the Standard Five, to provide Next 18 and a speaker would require a complete retool with loco drive, and I guess that just isn't cost effective given that the existing tooling isn't that old and the loco is already a pretty decent model.

Actually I did pick it up, see my post at 10.25 yesterday 🙂

Under the terms of trade with retailers Bachmann do not permit a discount of more than 15%, I can't recall how long it applies for but you won't get a better deal than that from any dealer initially.

The J94 in N is an inspired choice and is bound to be popular as a place can be found for it on practically any post-nationalisation layout. I have been hoping for a long time that a manufacturer would pick up this model following the withdrawal of the very long in the tooth old Farish model and the unsurprising "no-show" of the touted DJM one. It is a model with so many potential variations both in detail and livery that it will provide EFE with an almost limitless pool of potential future releases, and the price-point with the usually allowed 15% discount pitches it at a very realistic (for most people in this day and age) £106 ish. I will certainly be ordering a couple as soon as they are listed by my chosen retailer, in my case the BR one with the hopper bunker and an NCB green one will do very nicely. Well done to all involved! Roy

As Ed Says, it is described as having a 6 pin DCC socket and there is no mention of loco-drive or DCC sound so this will be a re-run of the 2010 version with tender-drive, and in fact you can see in the picture there is an inner chassis within the tender which confirms it. I have a couple, and find that as long as pickups are properly adjusted and motion/crankpins kept free from fluff and fibres they operate quite nicely.

Maroon Thompsons - what's not to like about that, I shall definitely be adding a few of those to my layout! The Black Five is bound to be popular, I had wondered if this loco might be one that would be retooled with loco-drive and sound, but to be fair it is still a very nice model as it is in existing tender-driven form. Roy

In terms of back-to backs in N, in the spirit of trying to be helpful, here is a link to N Brass: - N Brass Locos, Kits in N, 3mm, OO and O, Standard and Narrow Gauge Reference 23992 if you search the alphabetical list of headings it comes under "gauge" (sorry, I can't seem to post a direct link). This sets B2Bs at 7.45mm and when I have needed to check and reset back-to backs I have found it very good. Best wishes Roy

I wasn't using the RM Web demographic as any kind of benchmark, and perhaps I could have worded what I said better on reflection. Amongst those in the model railway club I belong to the overwhelming majority of models owned are of British prototype and this is what gets operated on a layout representing British practice. Of course in the "safety" of the Clubroom in particular anything goes, and I confess to having a couple of continental models myself, so perhaps what I would have been more accurate saying is the majority don't routinely run British and overseas models together on the same layout. For sure, if having consistently scaled models from different countries on the same layout is your "thing" then TT120 becomes the best if not only option in the Ready to Run space. Roy

Hi Les I appreciate and respect your enthusiasm for the new scale, but it really is a bit of a stretch to categorise A1 and A3 as "different" models. Hornby have been clever (and due credit to them) by producing an A3 and A4 that utilise what is essentially a common chassis to maximise return on investment. Comparing progress to Graham Farish/Bachmann N isn't really comparing apples with apples, British N is a well established scale with a number of manufacturers, they aren't therefore under the same "pressure". In terms of slow delivery of new products or re-runs of existing it would have to be said that Bachmann have had their fair share of criticism, and I have been amongst those doing so, they have hardly got off scot free. I have absolutely no desire to run British and Continental/American trains on the same layout in any scale, and I suspect this is true of the majority, so nice as it may be for some like yourself, in most cases arguably that isn't a primary or overriding reason for electing to go with Hornby's TT120 models. Regards Roy

If you are selective with the "facts" you can make them fit your chosen agenda/outcome quite easily and and TT120 wheel and track standards are no way "considerably better" than N. Firstly, you ignore the fact that pretty much all modern British Outline N will perfectly happily run on British Finescale Code 40 track without issue. Secondly, you seem to hail the "coherent consitant" TT120 wheel/track standard as something revolutionary, whereas it simply follows existing standards in use elsewhere and in terms of look and dimensions is actually pretty coarse. I have just physically compared my new N Gauge Sonic J50 and my TT120 Hornby 08 (the only thing TT120 I haven't boxed up for storage), N is visibly finer both in terms of tread width and flange-depth. If your N Gauge "bumps and lurches all over the shop" then perhaps you should look at your tracklaying because mine doesn't and I run locos and stock from a variety of manufacturers including Farish, Dapol, RevolutioN, Rapido, EFE and Sonic. The only place where it is inarguable that TT120 has an advantage in terms of track is in the scale/gauge ratio where it correctly scales at 4ft 8.5 inches, whereas British N scales out at a tad over 4ft 4 inches so this is a matter of fact. However, let's put that into perspective, 4 inches in scale terms is just over 0.5mm in N which is miniscule and from any normal viewpoint not noticeable. There is a counter argument that there are those who seem just as intent on "bashing" other scales in order to in some cases almost fanatically "defend" TT120. The reality I have seen from the TT120 models I have bought is that in terms of quality, the TT120 items released to date are competent but no more than that, certainly not ground breaking in any respect other than being a new scale and not all free from fault. The hype and "spin" during the TT120 launch phase hasn't played out in reality and has for many stretched credibility, lead times for the initial product range have slipped significantly. In terms of the mentioned Class 37, maybe if we were shown a CAD or EP people would get excited and be inclined to open up a specific thread. However to date it, along with other Phase 3/4 items at this stage, in terms of visible progress, appear little more than a statement of intent. Roy

No Les, Hornby have over-promised and under-delivered as far as TT120 is concerned it is as simple as that, nobody forced them to, they are as aware of prevailing manufacturing headwinds and market conditions as anyone else. Regards Roy

Having made my initial investment in TT120 I have since reached the conclusion that the very "hard sell" initially with promises of a rapidly widening range was to get people engaged, purchasing sets and buying into the scale. As time has passed, it has become increasingly clear to me that those early promises were never truly realistic, and it has got to the point where it is now anyone's guess when we will see phases 2, 3 and 4 products, never mind anything beyond that. About three months ago I therefore reached the conclusion that as no locos and little stock that I would really wish to run will be available at all for probably another two or three years (and then only possibly just a few) there was really little point in continuing with building a layout where I have nothing but an 08 to use on it. I have for that reason parked the idea of a TT120 side-project and for now boxed up and stored the purchases I have made to date, and depending on how things progress will decide in maybe 12 months whether it is worth keeping them or selling them on. Disappointing, but then if Hornby's target market is more those people wanting to run an A3 pulling 3 coaches round an oval of track on a track mat, that isn't me anyway. Roy

I did, a matter of using a manual "pin vice" type hand-drill (obvs not a dremel!) and a drill just larger that the threaded part of the screw. Locate the drill in the centre of what is left of the x-head and carefully and slowly drill it away with the loco inverted in a soft cradle of some kind. What you will be left with is effectively a stud, which I didn't try to remove, the three remaining fixing screws are more than adequate to hold the body securely in place. Hope this helps. Roy

The motor is in the loco and directly drives the loco wheels so there is no need for a drive shaft. From the picture the issue appears to be attaching the drawbar to the tender. From memory there should be a simple plastic spigot as part of the tender chassis that the drawbar fits onto and then a plastic top that should rotate over the spigot to hold the drawbar in position. This is the very early version of the Farish Hall chassis, used between approx 1973 and 1978 by both the early plastic can-motor chassis and the later metal chassis with integral motor shown here, it has wheels that locate in pinpoints in the outer frames, later ones had an internal metal chassis block. You do still see the occasional early loco come up as "spares or repair" on eBay and the like, but there isn't any official source of spares after all this time. Personally I would have a go at making something to do the job, I think it should be pretty straightforward. Roy

For diesels it was my understanding that the correct protocol to follow for "forward" for anything without a "nose end" should always be the fan end which works for the majority of British diesels (but not all - e.g. Deltic) because it is easily identifiable when a model is on the track - it is certainly the way I do it.

For info to those like me who have orders for these models, the RevolutioN website has now been updated as regards the 128. Current status: - "In production replacing faulty PCBs" Est UK delivery: - "September 2023" Roy

Hi Ben As we are approaching the middle of June and the RevolutioN website hasn't been updated (still showing June/July delivery) given your comments above, is there any further news on whether the PCBs arrived and the stated date is likely to be achieved? I appreciate no news isn't necessarily bad news... Regards Roy