Beacon

Yes please! A red and gold 50 would be amazing!

Yes, there are some details in one of the Facebook posts: https://www.facebook.com/groups/uplymevillagenoticeboard/permalink/7044139552275043/?app=fbl A very talented scratch builder. I have no connection with the project but am fairly local so happen to have seen it reported on and hoping to see it some day. I'm guessing it is currently on display somewhere in Axminster but not 100% sure.

I'm not sure if any of you are aware but if you are on Facebook then via this link you can see details of a community layout based in Axminster focused on the Axminster to Lyme branch: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551662745914 If you're not on Facebook, then you can read a bit about it here: https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/23689658.model-railway-built-axminster-lyme-regis-line/ and here: https://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/23984775.axminster-celebrates-re-opening-forgotten-railway/

May I ask what are the dimensions of your layout/room?

There's also plastic kit options of course, for example this one from Vollmer: https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/vollmer-vo43759.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw5P2aBhAlEiwAAdY7dDdg-lFe9rqUZpys0iIeI0oOBmNLZmTzV2cb4bT1zt-PKovDuRHHyxoCyW0QAvD_BwE

I bought it quite a few years back as a download. Having printed and built Scalescenes download kits before, I'd say this was simpler. Obviously more complex and time-consuming than Superquick or Metcalfe type kits which come on pre-cut card. The plus side is that they're much simpler to adapt, combine etc.

Have you seen this one? https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/kx011-oo-small-town--village-fire-station-kit---ooho-176-scale-9885-p.asp It looks similar to the Kingsway one but perhaps the windows are better?

I finally decided to go for one of these with some of the great pre-owned prices recently. Only arrived yesterday and generally impressed for the price I paid. The problem is that the cab handrails are missing one end which was not mentioned in the description or shown in the images. Hattons have said they’ll take it back for a refund or knock a bit of the price if I want to keep it. However, they don’t stock this as a spare part. My question therefore is whether there is a simple way to sort this if I choose to keep the model or am I best just returning it? It is obviously a very visible part to be missing and annoying that it isn’t available as a spare. I’ve never tried to replace something like that myself with wire but would it be fairly simple to do so?

Mine appeared at lunchtime today on my ipad.

I'm generally not that bothered - it'll come when it comes. It's a bit silly though when you get an email a few days before telling you it's available on Dec 26th then isn't there still on 27th... someone obviously forgot to press a button somewhere!

No, not working here either.

Completely agree with this. The national curriculum for history at primary school includes: "a significant turning point in British history, for example, the first railways." As part of a planned topic on the development of the railways with 7-9 years olds recently, I was trying to organise an educational visit much as you suggest here and found it very difficult. Most venues offered nothing in the way of educational materials or anyone who could talk to the children - it was just a group ticket rate and that's it. Several implied it was a desire for the future. I understand why this is with tight budgets etc but as I had to plan this to be led by teachers who didn't know what I do about the railways, the current offer just wouldn't have achieved as much. There is a lot of potential here to capture the interest of young children and make some important links to science and technology as well as history. This would be worthwhile investment in the future of many such heritage railways.

Had a great time on Saturday. My three year old daughter was delighted to be able to drive Thomas and Bill by herself and hasn't stopped talking about it since. She was also fascinated by the Meccano models. A nice mix of layouts to view, all well set out. Nice, friendly atmosphere too. Thanks to all involved in putting it on.

To be honest I'm surprised too... if I'd realised the email was so rare (!) I'd have shared it at the time... unlike DJ emails themselves there was no request to keep it hush hush Anyway, I've unearthed it from my deleted emails and here is the full text: "Following the closing down of DJ Models LTD, the development of this model has been suspended. As you have registered your interest previously, your details have been added to our Hattons Dreamlistnotification service and, should this model or a similar design be produced by another manufacturer, we will contact you with full information on this new item. For more details on the Hattons Dreamlist service please click here. Current stock of OO gauge GWR 'King' locomotives can be viewed here. If you have any further queries regarding this, please don't hesitate to get in touch via email or telephone."

I had an email from Hattons a few days ago about this because I'd expressed interest in a OO King ages ago when first announced. The jist of the email was that this is like a wishlist feature which will help them gauge interest in order to possibly inform future commissions... no promises though and no mention of deals on existing tooling or anything.

Well it was a slightly tongue in cheek comment but hey ho!

I don't think the full potential of digital advertising has taken off in most of the modelling magazines although BRM comes the closest... If an advert contains a direct link or there is a link to buying a product straight from a review or a 'how to' then I'm more likely to make a purchase than through a paper magazine. As an aside I'd also argue that I can read my copy no problem in a power cut as my ipad can manage a good few days without the need to be plugged in and you can also have charger packs on standby that require no mains electricity then for quite some time... long after your candle has burned out!

I tried multiple times over the weekend and couldn't get it to work no matter what I did so unfortunately it looks like I'll just have to miss out on future emails.

I think the format could easily resemble the recent Lego challenge. This seemed to work well and I could see a similar style working for model railways. This involved collaboration (pairs), the same stock/equipment available to all teams, timed elements, creative challenges/themes. I know these shows all want drama and tension/stress, sometimes artificial... but they do also raise the profile of a hobby/interest and mostly show those involved as likeable and relatively normal!

I'd agree with that. I only realised there was extra content after reading this thread. The Bachmann video was great but I'd dismissed it initially as an error on the page as it just showed a YouTube style link stuck in the middle of the page. These are the things I think make the digital issue well worthwhile.

This is what appeals to me. I've tried various digital magazines and most I find uninspiring as they're just the same magazine but on a screen. I like BRM because it has extra features that exploit the digital platform like extra images, video and audio to add to the written content. One thing that surprises me is how little has been made of weblinks in digital magazines. I'm no great fan of advertising especially but it pays the bills in both paper and digital formats and we're all used to clicking links from websites to other related content which may in this case be online articles, Youtube videos, RMWeb threads, or websites where items used in an article may be purchased or a manufacturer's range can be viewed.

Should I have received an invoice by now?

A bit of an insight into the Oxford approach to pricing within the Facebook postings of their new releases yesterday evening: "When I was last here the Brexit vote had not taken place, but the polls were indicating a victory for the remain, subsequently as we know, the result was to leave. This has repercussions on all companies like us, as of course our products are made overseas, so overnight the costs of us getting products to the UK increased by around 15%, indeed if you go back exactly 1 year the costs have increased by over 20%, This impacts on the tooling investment as well. I was surprised to see some companies increase their prices overnight as there is a lag in these costs working their way through the supply chain. I have taken a softer decision on pricing, looking at the overall costs of the business – my 40 years training means that my view is: If we all work 20% harder some of these costs can be offset Some would argue that a return to UK manufacturing would avoid these increases, unfortunately they wouldn’t because: Our base costs labour and overheads would be higher to start with Raw Materials are imported because we don’t have the base materials Prices for plastic and zinc are dollar based. And the point of all of this is – don’t trust polls."

Received 'Wilbert' this morning when the postman practically battered the door down trying to deliver it quickly in the pouring rain! Nicely packaged with a Limited Edition certificate of which mine is No. 5. I haven't tested it out yet but on looks alone it is very smart and the printing on the nameplate is excellent.

I usually hate the sort of posts like the one I'm about to write but... That recess looks awful! Maybe it's made worse in close-up photos but then I don't have any option than to rely on those since this is an exclusive model for Hattons. In a time when money is tight I am seriously reconsidering my pre-order and will very likely cancel my King pre-order too. I guess this is unlikely to make any difference to Hattons on its own (hence my usual dislike of this kind of post) but if enough people share the same view, maybe it can still be changed... I really hope so!