Torn-on-the-platform

@Burnham-on-sea - Thank you to you and everyone else involved for putting on this lovely show. It was indeed a very friendly show! I heard club members expressing their pleasure at how busy it was for a Sunday. It looked like there was a good mix of enthusiasts and families, and I think it was a really good advert for the hobby! It was my third show with my son, just turned two, since I had a bit of a hiatus from attending model railway exhibitions. It was our favourite so far, with a well balanced mix of layouts in scale and theme. The other two we have been to have been very diesel-heavy, even the 1960s layouts, so it was lovely to see a bit of everything. The operator on Happy Valley was so friendly and kind, I was able to have a sit down in front of the layout whilst he picked out some of my son's favourite Thomas characters, Gordon being a particular highlight. The chaps on Seabury Town noticed his interest in their lovely O gauge Flying Scotsman and ensured it was pressed into service on the next train (I also really enjoyed all the moving cameos on this layout, especially the representation of a Gauge O guild layout!). Sandling was also great fun, with the operators giving us a closer look at their collection of terriers when they noticed our interest, whilst also operating a very intensive service with an intriguing fiddle yard/cassette technique. @ColinK we really enjoyed your layout too! Always something going on and it was great fun watching your huge locos chasing after each other! It's a good job that the wall in the photo you have posted is low enough to allow the swing of your larger steam loco's running plate to pass over it! I also appreciated Bampton in OO, representing something similar to what I would like to one day achieve. Smethurst was top quality and the TT and N gauge layouts were great fun. Sorry to not mention all the layouts but they were all very enjoyable. We did a bit of trade with SMTF, picking up a Peco Bowsider and a Bachmann 4MT (75014, having enjoyed a ride behind the real thing last weekend at Cheddleton, it would have been rude not to buy it!). The 20% show discount made the prices very competitive. Finally, the ladies on the front door were very cheerful and welcoming. My little one left with a few free goodies such as a colouring sheet and a Thomas book. Thanks again, great show and we will look out for it again next year.

I agree wholeheartedly. The current livery is beautiful whilst being a nod to the loco's origins. I can never find where I read this but I'm sure No 27 is planned to be outshopped in Maunsell Olive. Presumably having been restored from a rather life expired state, 178 could also be a relatively speedy overhaul?

Superb layout, lovely to see it in the flesh today!

These look superb and the livery options are very exciting. It's nice to see a sudden influx of non-chocolate and cream GWR liveries too (forthcoming auto coach and Kernow's railmotor included). My question below might seem a bit strange, but please bear with me. I am trying to justify purchasing one, and certainly can't justify a rake of 6. I am wondering about the physical practicalities of tagging an all third on the end of another rake, specifically in a preservation era context. Reading between the lines of the lives of these coaches, it sounds thoroughly un-prototypical in their normal working lives. I currently run a 3 set of Hornby Collett corridor bow-enders, which if anything, is a bit too uniform for a GWR preserved rake! I am thinking about getting an all third as a strengthening vehicle, but I note the 'outer' ends of the brakes have longer buffers. For a preservation society to use one of the 'inner' coaches in this way, would it likely need significant modification?

I like this question! The stand out for me is the BCC Fairburn in CR Blue. I don't know why exactly. I am fond of the Fairburns for their Southern connections, but the real thing wore this livery before I was alive and as far as I'm aware, never visited other railways in this condition. I have plenty of Pullmans but I also regret missing out on the Hornby 12 wheelers. I held off buying an Olive S15, hoping that a preserved example, or at least one with the flush sided tender would follow. Not too late I suppose. Similar for the Hattons P, but at least they are doing a re-run!

Excellent! Great to see it back. Thank you Dave and the Hattons team. Missed out on an olive example last time. Very good price too, I believe it is actually cheaper than the last run when first released?

I discovered this having snapped up W numbered crimson-cream MK1s, a further solitary W numbered MK1 (SO I think it is) was released a few years later but the darker, ribless roof sticks out like a sore thumb. Unpopular opinion I'm sure but I prefer the ribs to completely smooth! I'm sure a happy medium could have been achieved. I personally don't want to see an all-new Mk1. I agree with the comments that both Hornby and Bachman variants stand up well. An all singing, all dancing model will surely cost similar to the current prices which make rake building a rather eyewatering prospect, whilst at regular viewing distances, I can't imagine the benefits will be that obvious, aside from the ribs of course! Having said that, I am happy to join the calls for further BR (S) Bulleids! Will be nice to see what else comes in the OO9 range too. Hopefully Bachmann America will announce Dolgogh to follow on from Tallylyn at some point.

A Chesham set perhaps? Would be wonderful! I think the Met E class might have been more up Hornby's street in the past but I feel with the recent move to pushing out large named locomotives I won't hold my breath. Continuing a Bluebell theme, I'd like to see the S15 back in Olive livery. I missed out on the previous issues. Obviously 847 would be my preference, but I would be in the market for any Olive S15. I wonder if they may be put off by the length of time the consecutive numbered black versions seemed to hang around. I've said elsewhere I'd like to see Stepney in A1x IEG livery and Fenchurch in A1 Umber livery (or IEG as it has just emerged) I would prefer that the competitor released these but having spoken to RoS staff, there doesn't seem to be any active plans for a further run of the competing terrier. Hopefully I am wrong and they were keeping their cards close to their chests! Whoever produces them first (if at all) would get my money! Whatever happens, the future Terrier liveries will be interesting.

Having given up on predictions due to never having got one right, I decided not to comment on the Bachmann Christmas announcement thread that I thought the surprise model would be a mainline Hunslet with a tender... So, with renewed enthusiasm, my prediction is that if the Black 5 is being redone, the Rebuilt MN is due for a revamp too. I would like to stress 'due' rather than 'required' as I think most post 'super detail' era models stand up pretty well to scrutiny. I'd rather see new ground covered like a SR U, SR Q or LNER K4. Failing that, as others have suggested, perhaps the 8F is in line at some point. Another that I appreciate can be improved, but doesn't necessarily need it. It will be interesting to see if the move in TT leads to a slightly watered down feeling to the OO announcement.

This is a very kind offer. Thank you. The ones that Nigel has posted have been quite interesting in that there appear to be a combination of small sets with additional loose coaches of different types. Order placed for the R set.

Thanks Phil! My layout is BR(s) but I'm pretty much one of those rule one people. I do like my trains to at least 'look right' though. So what I'm really asking is what could set 69 (or identical sets) in BR(s) green realistically be coupled to?

Please could someone advise what the 2-car R sets would be marshalled in with when part of longer trains? The blood and custard pages are a really good resource but I've not managed to find the information I'm looking for. I've seen lots of references to how they can represent a branch-line portion of mainline trains. Would they be seen tagged onto the end of H or L sets? Or even in combination with 59' 3-car sets or formations of Maunsells/Mk1s? Ideally I'd prefer a H set in BR Green, but as with those waiting for maroon Thompsons, who knows if and when we will see that, and who knows what the price of a single carriage will be by the time they appear.

If no spares are available it makes listing a broken one at £80 seem a bit unfair https://www.hattons.co.uk/949062/hattons_originals_h4_p_008_po08_secr_p_class_0_6_0t_31323_in_br_black_with_late_crest_pre_owned_missing_chimne/stockdetail What on earth happened to this poor thing? https://www.hattons.co.uk/971047/hattons_originals_h4_p_004_po08_secr_p_class_0_6_0t_a325_in_sr_lined_maunsell_green_with_maunsell_lettering_pre/stockdetail

I would love to know if there is another run of OO Terriers on the way with Rails of Sheffield. I have never actually asked whilst in the shop as I assume that if there are plans, they will be announced in good time! I'd put in pre-orders straight away for Bluebell's terriers in preserved liveries if announced, and whilst I have only purchased the Dapol/Rails terriers and would prefer to keep it that way, if the competition got there first, I would probably have my head turned! -A1x condition No.55 Stepney in IEG -A1 condition No.672 Fenchurch, preferably in umber, but I'd also be happy with IEG as it is about to appear in reality. Brighton Works in IEG would be great too. I've been really pleased with my recent Dapol locos. 2 Terriers, D class, B4, Mogul and Manor, all excellent.

Thank you No Decorum and Ruston! I had heard that these generic Chinese motors were good, but that was from a 'polarising' youtuber. I will give this a go when time allows and report back. This may well be beyond my capabilities, but is worth a try.