Mel_H

If this has been mentioned before, I apologise. Browsing, I've noticed that the LYR tank in lined BR is a 'bargain' at Rails. It appears substantially cheaper than other outlets, and appears also to be generally low in stock (or sold out) elsewhere. Hopefully, this is helpful to someone?

Didn't know there were any spare Mk4 bodyshells - do you mean the part-built Met Cam Nightstar stock?

When you've bought too many 91s...

No, it was only the one shade. Indeed, it didn't survive in traffic long enough with GNER to need a repaint. The GNER blue appeared very dark, especially on dull days.

BTW, Captain Tom's Just Giving page closed six hours ago - giving a final total raised of £38.969m (including Gift Aid of £6.173m) https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tomswalkforthenhs I'm proud to be one of the 1.5m who was able to make a donation.

And, here is the current updated description on Hornby's page for R30069, which includes an explanation of what's been happening and an apology about the website being overwhelmed. Here is the link, to save searching for the model in the shop https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/gbrf-class-66-captain-tom-moore-a-true-british-inspiration.html

Well, if there are any other early birds; the worm is currently available and the ground (sorry, website) is yielding easily...

If you sign up to Hornby's email newsletter, then you'll get updates generally (slightly) before RMweb, and you don't have to keep an eye on this site. That said, this is a pretty exceptional announcement...

This is very interesting; I recall going around Glasgow Works sometime afterwards where there was a burnt-out Mk3 in one of the sheds. I took a photo (not very good), and recall that it was by then rusty. I assumed it was vandalism, but had always curious what it was - and now I have the answer!

In the very early 1980s I bought a 4-character headcode blind box, complete with blinds, from Collectors Corner. Tell you what, it was bl**dy heavy carting it onto the train at Euston! My plan was to take pictures on film (way before digital), and then cut them out (having done the maths to get the correct distance away, etc) and illuminate them from behind. The only snag was that the winding/actuating handles had been removed (I suspect when the headcode box was taken out of use), which made it a right pain to change the blinds. The label said that it came from Stratford, but I don't know which loco. I guess it might have been a 47, as if it was a 31, then the handles presumably would 'go down', rather than 'come up'. One day, when I have time (the year 2045?!!) I might revisit this..

Nice. Curiously, some time ago a relatively rare picture of D15 in blue was on another thread here. Notice the steam-era shedplate and the name 'Holbeck' stencilled in white on the buffer stocks

It will be the pricing bot coming back from a tea break... I read a fascinating article on this sometime ago about how a book (that no-one was buying) ended up being priced at £14,000 due to pricing bot algorithim failings. Anyway, that's OT. Keeping looking chaps!

Don't have enough container flats? Then use an open wagon. That's what the Australians did to solve their problem. It's a CDY Open Wagon, available here http://www.auscisionmodels.com.au/CDY-Open-Wagon.htm

My modelling skills probably don't extend to doing all the remedial work that you had to do, so fingers crossed. I must say that your description of how you overcame the problems was very helpful and I'd be inspired to have a go. P.S. And, before any 'keyboard warriors' attack me too, I stand by my statement that your video is 'fair comment' and once you'd been alerted to the changes Hattons' has made to its procedures you highlighted this in the captions. I think some of the flack you've suffered is overly harsh (especially as your video includes much helpful information too) - but then when you stick your head up, that's what happens on here. It's why I'm only an occasional visitor to RMweb. I'd come more often if it was a friendlier place...

Thanks for the video - it's nicely produced and has a good commentary. From what I've read on this thread since the first 66s were delivered to customers, it's a fair review being 'warts and all' - and certainly is 'fair comment'. It's also good to see a video from someone who does actual modelling and has a layout that's 'finished'. Nice layout! Crucially, you make it very clear that the sound project and quality is excellent, as is the detailing and livery application (despite some errors). You are also fair in not comparing it with the Bachmann product, because it is from a different era. Taking close scrutiny is fair comment given, as you have pointed out, the claims Hattons makes about the overall standard of the loco. When a manufacturer says that it is raising the bar on detail ('Setting higher standards', another one once said), then it invites close examination to see if its claims stand up. In terms of QC, it is clear that Hattons' factory has not delivered fully on this aspect. Obviously we don't have figures, but it appears that QC issues are higher than new products from other manufacturers. The drive shaft issue is interesting. It may be that it fell out in the post; this was an issue with the Lima 67. Although with these you could easily tell as there was a rattling sound. The root cause was that the central can motor too easily 'popped out' of its mounting if roughly handled in transit. I picked up a few very cheap Lima 67s from eBay, which had the description "doesn't run, rattling sound', but I digress. These problems can be fixed (Heljan had similar problems with bits falling off in earlier times) and we all accept that the assembly is very fiddly and the quantity of glue used has to be sparing, otherwise you end up with 'blobs'. But that's the arena anyone enters when they choose to go into manufacturing their own locomotives and stock. Hopefully Hattons will take note of yours (and others') comments, and introduce QC improvements to subsequent production runs. In terms of the returns issues etc, it does again highlight some of the internal problems that Hattons has with communications to customers - again this is not hard to deal with, if Hattons wants to. I've got a 66 on order, and have been 'umming and ahhing' about whether the cancel, based on other people's (and now yours) feedback. At the moment, I'm going to 'take the risk' and if it's a dud, return it. Again, thanks for such an honest, and balanced, appraisal of our 'toy trains'...