[Hunt Elite Couplings: fracturing fishtail problem]

On 28/02/2024 at 09:49, BluenGreyAnorak said:

I've had a similar experience and on a couple of occasions have resorted to gluing them in rather than throwing away. They're not so cheap that the failure rate is insignificant, unfortunately. 

 

I've predominantly used them to join shorter rakes of coaches to make one train that are stored on two cassettes, with the Bachmann solid bar between the rest of the vehicles. On other passenger trains that get broken down more regularly, I've been pleasantly surprised by the Hornby magnetic couplings, which are injection molded and much more resilient. I wouldn't use the West Hill ones again unless they were the only viable option.

Gluing doesn`t work for my layout which features Georgemas junction as the rakes are shunted into separate portions so I have had to abandon these couplings . and seek an alternative  

[Hunt Elite Couplings: fracturing fishtail problem]

On 25/02/2024 at 20:56, Kaput said:

Pretty much my experience of hunt couplings, the 3D printing process is too variable and the material too brittle that there is very little consistancy over a pack of them.

Yes, i also have had this problem, The material is brittle and easily snaps , made worse as they sometimes need a little tweaking to make them stay in the NEM pocket but the tweaking will often cause them to snap. I gave up on them quickly.

[HS2]

16 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

Potholes

J

Which will be potholes again in 12 months time if the repairs are anything like those my local council attempt.  Cheapest possible materials used, hopeless

 

Nothing more than political grandstanding 

[Bachmann Class 37 - fitting Kadees]

I have one of the new Bachmann 37`s, which i tried to fit Kadee`s  to with the help of @TravisM and his Bachmann mk 1s. Coaches worked fine but when attaching the 37 to the coaches the coupler head on the 37 was too low . We used no 20s 

Any suggestions please to get round this problem ? 

[Peco Highland Railway [Helmsdale] Signal Cabin]

On 31/12/2023 at 18:32, Enfys_Rainbow said:

Interesting - I didn't know Intentio did one. I've not seen that, and it's not listed on their website.

 

Was it based on a prototype cabin?

 

Matt

 

Only just seen this thread. That customer was me for Forsinard on my far north layout. Pics below. I am sure if you want one or both Phil at Intentio would happily sell you them. They are excellent.

 

[HS2]

40 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

Once the land has been sold off, it will be uber expensive to reacquire, if it hasn't been developed already. I think phase 2 is dead and buried, deliberately so.

Probably correct BUT, it hasn`t been sold off and who is going to buy it knowing that it MIGHT be subject to compulsory purchase n the future. This government has a maximum of 11 months to run, most likely less. 

[HS2]

7 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I agree but the cynic in me suggests that the contracts/design were too advanced so that cha ges would have cost more than they saved.  However with very few trains scheduled to use the north facing chords at the Delta Junction there may well be scope for some services either calling at Curzon Street to reverse or for some Birmi gham to Scotland services to use that route.  Only time will tell. 

 

Jamie

I am sure you are right regarding contracts being too far advanced so this guff about future capacity is the government putting a positive spin on something they really have no choice over unless they want a total redesign costing squillions for a much smaller station.  

[HS2]

8 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I've just wTched a video about the start of work at Curzon Street.  It stated that the station will have 7 platforms.  That's going to seem like ludicrous over provision now that Euston is only going to have 6.

 

Jamie

There`s a mention of this in February`s "Modern Railways". Apparently the government decided to continue with all 7 platforms to give Birmingham additional capacity in the future stating that it was a relatively easy job to add a chord to the south so some services could free up space in New St. Also, despite what this government is saying I can`t personally imagine HS2 staying at phase 1 only. At some point the Brum - Manchester section needs something doing to it , even if it isn`t called HS2 and then that capacity will be needed. For once we are doing the right thing and looking ahead beyond the end of next week !

[HS2]

9 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

Good grief. This government is really trying to set a record for how much damage it can do to the country.

..........and doing a pretty good job it seems !

[WCRC - the ongoing battle with ORR.]

Just now, rodent279 said:

Why exactly is this a problem? Doesn't bother me in the slightest, I don't need to be told either, but I'm quite happy for it to be printed on a cup, it's no skin off my nose.

 

Just now, rodent279 said:

 

Actually it doesn`t bother me either, I am simple making a point that it is uneccesary and nanny state at its worst. We expect water in the hot tap to be hot surely ?.

[WCRC - the ongoing battle with ORR.]

6 hours ago, Northmoor said:

As we have discussed ad nauseum on this thread, what exactly is "Common Sense"?  Did none of the 325 who died on BR have it?

 

Your assumption above is flawed by many criteria:

1. Did someone fall from that train on its return journey or later that day/week?
2. How many people die on Moroccan railways by falling from trains, every year?  You have travelled on one journey and extrapolated that to assume no-one ever dies.  For all we know, someone might die every week, but I suspect neither of us read Moroccan newspapers to know either way.  Well worth remembering that more than one person dies EVERY DAY on Indian Railways, mostly crossing the track, but do we hear about it?
3. How many people who fell out of British trains in the 1980s, could actually see that the door was open?
4. Does you actually think its acceptable for a train to travel with doors open?  It happen occasionally on London Underground and believe me, such reports are treated very seriously.  Would you drive your car, retained by your seat belt, if you knew the drivers door could swing open when you braked?

Tolerating something and it being acceptable, are not the same thing, neither in law nor if management of safety.

I wasn`t suggesting for one second UK trains should travel with doors open , keep your hair  on , merely trying to stimulate debate. Of course I have no idea about other services on other days but H & S in the UK is turning people into brainless morons unable to think for themselves. H &S in the UK is out of control and common sense in many (not all) instances would suffice. It stops people thinking for themselves 

A simple example which we have all seen is on coffee cups "warning, the content of this cup might be hot" and similar, If I buy a coffee I hope it is hot. if I turn on the hot tap in a hotel it had better be hot,. I don`t need to be told it MIGHT be hot. 

[WCRC - the ongoing battle with ORR.]

A month ago I escaped to Marrakech in Morocco for a week and took the opportunity to travel on the trains there, travelling from Marrakech to Rabat and back. The stock was ex SNCF. Travelling  first class with compartments the comparison in comfort with IET seats was stark but the point I wish to make here is on the return journey I noticed the door on my coach did not properly close - see photo ! 

I estimate the speed this train reaches between Rabat and Casablanca  is 100 mph (it is the same track as used by the new high speed service to Tangier) 

No one fell out despite many walking past the door to the toilet. Common sense seems to be in greater supply on the African continent !

[HS2]

7 hours ago, 62613 said:

There was a report in one of the newspapers yesterday (might have been the Manchester Evening Sun  News) that Mayors Burnham and Street are jointly looking for private funding to do phases 2a and 2b. 

 

Wasn't the part of the line from Manchester Airport to Piccadilly meant to double up as part of NPR?

Which is a bad move. It`s not just looking at private funding for 2a but variations of route etc which means starting again.  If they succeed in getting their new plans adopted it will take 10 years before spades are in the ground and how much in consultants fees I wonder ? The plans exist as does parliamentary approval for stage 2a. GET ON WITH IT, it will have to be done once the idiot politicians realise the truth about the bottlenecks, that stage 2a is actually fairly cheap and solves all those problems . 

[HS2]

15 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

The Latest Green Signal podcast has some good news about the Phase 2a land sell off.  Apparently it isn't going to be possible till after the election due to the procedures that are necessary.   Also according to Modern Railways quite a lot more land is in the process of being bought and these purchases will still have to go through perhaps there is a tiny glimmer of hope at the other end of the tunnel. 

 

Jamie

That`s the good news.

The worrying news is this evening K Starmer has said he will NOT resurrect HS2. What he means by that is open to interpretation, does he mean he will not build it full or not build anymore after part 1? 

[Recreating St Bees station and a portion of the Cumbrian Coast line between 2017 and 2018]

Much better in my opinion but do remember you need to engineer it so the gradient starts with a section of straight track to ease into the gradient

[Why was HS1 built with so much less fuss than HS2?]

2 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

I hope you’ve got deep pockets for your next Jag.

Tata have decided to turn them into a luxury EV brand, by all accounts.

Prices starting circa £100k according to motoring press reports.

 

 

Fully aware of that which is why i bought the present one whilst they are at reasonable prices ! 

Apologies again for going off topic

[Why was HS1 built with so much less fuss than HS2?]

On 06/10/2023 at 09:27, david.hill64 said:

If it is a new Jag it will be a diesel hybrid.  Still have waiting times of 6-9 months on most models.

Sorry this is totally off topic but yes it is a hybrid and I must say in answer to Ron Ron above having driven all the german alternatives before purchase the jag is a way better ride yet still handles well leaving the likes of Mercedes way behind , more comfortable, it is beyond me why everyone goes german. Follow the herd I guess ? And before anyone sites reliability this is my fifth Jag (new) in just under 20 years and haven`t had a single issue which friends with BMW`s etc cannot say. They certainy are not the last word in reliability

 

Sorry to go off topic.

[Why was HS1 built with so much less fuss than HS2?]

19 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

I don't think we'll ever see any work start for a lot (most?) of the things on that list.

 

My personal attitude incidentally is very simple - as Govt, by its own actions - is clearly not really interested in progressing towards Net Zero for transport and hasn't been ever since it announced its ideas, I will follow their lead.   Accordingly when I need to replace my car - if my wife can afford to pay for a replacement? - I shall seek out another one with an  internal combustion engine in full, but unspoken, support of what Govt does as opposed to what it says.

agreed, have just bought a new diesel Jag, it`s fantastic and I can achieve around 800 miles on a full tank (long journeys) . It`s some time before electric cars will manage that  

[HS2]

12 hours ago, papagolfjuliet said:

 

Yes I know. That was a joke.

OK, it wasn`t clear to me at least, apologies

[HS2]

12 hours ago, papagolfjuliet said:

 

Well quite. If you get to work twenty minutes early you're not going to do an extra twenty minutes' work. You're going to have a cup of tea.

and that entirely misses the point about HS2,. 

HS2 just happens to cut of 30 or so minutes to Brum (not 20 as popularly quoted) but that is a by product of the line. 

The real purpose is it takes off the WCML most of the express trains which eat up capacity freeing it up for local services and freight. 

This argument has been made many zillions of times  but still the popular, Daily Express myth about 20 mins to brum persists

 

If you build a new line you build it using technology of the day ie 200 mph. The Victorians built to the fastest of THEIR day . No doubt many were saying 150 years ago why build to 60 mph , we only need go at the speed of horse drawn coaches ie 15 / 20 mph . Incidentally, the cost of building to 200 mph rather than 100 mph is minimal and NOT where the money has gone. 

[Mallaig and the Road To The Isles]

1 hour ago, mallaig1983 said:

Not a great deal of modelling to report of late but I am pottering with the signalman’s bungalow and more sheds. Progress is slow but it had been summer (apparently) and other events have taken priority with my time. I have been making sure that my amazing grandkids get time at the beach whenever possible because the joy on their faces outweighs any joy I derive from modelling on a day we could have been at the beach.

 

However, the seasons are a changing and the perfectly timed SLW mini exhibition at Crewe this weekend has kickstarted the modelling season. After I rewired the layout some weeks ago I emptied the swear box which to be fair did Brimmeth over. I had used language I wouldn’t normally use especially in front of Mother! So I decided I had waited long enough and been a patient boy  24/0 although a lovely SLW model was not needed so I was excited when they announced the class 25. Sadly nothing in the first tranche for me, patiently waiting and praying for 25228 in a future project. Scottish 24/1s are then announced, Oo we’re getting closer. Slight regrets of not following my Georgemass Junction, Dingwall or Achnashean daydreams. At the time of the swear box decanting 25083 and 086 were announced and that’s it, I’m spending money. 083 was an Eastfield loco from 76 to 78 and fits perfectly for when I go all late 70s Babysulzer. Recently announced 25244 was also at Eastfield at this time and is an example of the earlier body style (my absolute favourite loco) and before I knew it Phil had guided me to a chair and Jennie was taking an order. So there will definitely be two time periods for the layout now.

 

Anyway it was a really good event at Crewe this weekend with not only a wonderful display of SLW 24s and 25s but two of my favourite exhibition layouts, Mostyn and Portcuillen were in attendance so I lost myself viewing these with no crowds or backpacks.

 

Brian from Braeside @brylonscamel was there and I enjoyed a a good long chat, some very useful pointers, a chance of a way to move the ‘Railway Buildings’ forward and a general chewing of the cud with a very nice gent. Really nice to meet you Brian.

 

So, fully enthused and back in the modelling season we push on with renewed vigour and enthusiasm.

 

Thanks to Philip and Jennie for putting on such a wonderful event and for the invitation to attend.

Also went to Crewe yesterday and judging by the quality of the 25`s on display the Highland 24/1`s are going to be worth the wait. I have 3 on order !

 

 

 

[Sutton's Locomotive Works *NEW* Class 25]

19 hours ago, Zunnan said:

Starting to arrive this month, depending on the model. Of the models I have ordered I was told that 25160 should be here by the end of October, 25324 by Christmas. The boiler /2s are also due by the end of the year and the 25/1s spring/summer. I didn’t think to ask about the 24/1s but I’d guess they’re within that timeframe.

Unfortunately the 24/1`s will not be arriving with the 25`s, I was in Crewe yesterday afternoon and was told they were delayed until 2024.

[Sutton's Locomotive Works *NEW* Class 25]

That was my understanding. My question was - will the 24`s get pushed back into the New Year and the answer from SLW was "yes, that`s likely". I did read it that it wasn`t to be too far into the NY though 

[Sutton's Locomotive Works *NEW* Class 25]

7 hours ago, 55020 said:

Highland 24s becoming an ever more distant promise? 🥹

 

Announced October 2018, EPs saw the light of day July 2022, and then .......... ??

 

 

Steve

My understanding is the New Year

[HS2]

8 hours ago, melmerby said:

Neutered at the London end and amputated at the other end, the patient is dying.

Sadly I can't see me ever going on this line, I''ll be dead by the time it's finished, if it ever is.

What a utterly disgraceful way this is being treated by a bunch of total incompetents, they ought to be ashamed of themselves in Westmister.

All this time, money and hardship for what? Basically nothing.

Don`t forget HS1 wasn`t built in one go, it had a 60 mph crawl into Waterloo until France shamed us into doing the job properly. Could well be the same here into that once the rump (whatever that ends up being) is open there will be demands to go further. In the mean time we, as a country need to look closely into how to do infrastructure as a whole cheaper.