Modelling the scene 2018 - Date

[Guest Half-full]

Hi All

 

My modelling interests lie in the following areas...

 

1970 pre-tops Central/West Highland Scotland

1989-91 Speedlink Era North West England

1970-1982 BR/Industrial

1975 Mid West USA

 

All in OO/HO

 

WIth the increasing amount of current/recent models being announced and released, my thoughts are turning to modelling something recent (I baulk at the term Modern Image - thats the transition era for me!)  The lure of shiny is strengthening!

 

Trouble is, I don't really know much about it - the most modern I get is a Class 60!

 

I tend to keep my layouts small, 8ft or so, the max space I have is 10ft 6ins (by 5ft).  Having looked at a lot of layouts on here, I notice that a lot can be done in a small space - despite loco's and stock being generally a bit larger.  My main interest is shunting, but I do like a bit of a run about.

 

So I'm asking some questions to the good folk on here who model this era a few questions? 

 

What I like about the modern scene...

 

60/67's in DB Red

66's in GBRf

68's in DRS plain blue/TPE

Units in Northern Spot livery

 

I've always liked steel trains, and the new wagons being produced by Accurascale are making me dribble.  The hooded coil wagons by Bachmann (BYA?) and Dapol - are they still being used on the network?

 

Looking a pics online I don't seem to see too many with 67 traction (on freight) - are they being used less and less?

 

Apart from nuke, container and engineers traffic, what are 68's used on, freight wise? 

 

HF

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2020 by Half-full
More specific questions

[toolongtoremember]

9mm Plywood and 2 inch by 1 inch timber is where you start

[Guest Half-full]

17 minutes ago, toolongtoremember said:

9mm Plywood and 2 inch by 1 inch timber is where you start

Hahaha yes! Although my preferred method is a 9mm ply sandwich frame with 6mm top!

[Caley 439]

11 hours ago, Half-full said:

 

Apart from nuke, container and engineers traffic, what are 68's used on? 

 

 

 

TPE 68s are used on some passenger services, from experience the Manchester Victoria to Scarborough services - hope this is of some help 

[Guest Half-full]

12 minutes ago, Caley 439 said:

 

TPE 68s are used on some passenger services, from experience the Manchester Victoria to Scarborough services - hope this is of some help 

Thanks, I should have been more specific, I was meaning more in freight flows

 

Thanks again

[Caley 439]

No worries

[newbryford]

You say "apart from nuke, container and engineers's traffic", I can't really think of any other use for 68s on freight.

 

TPE 68s have been very common on freight in the past month or so as they find less use on passenger duty (I think there's only 2 Liverpool-Scarborough diagrams at the moment)

 

This was 68020 two days ago on 6K05 Carlisle-Crewe infrastructure maintenance train.

 

 

This is the third TPE 68 on 6K05 in the past 3-4 weeks. 

(In fact , it;s been a TPE 68 for the best part of those 3-4 weeks- with 68032 and 68028)

Search flickr.com with any of 68020/028/032 and 6K05 as search terms - some of the trains have been 1-2 wagons only)

 

They have also been working Crewe-Toton IM trains as well. 6K97 - check the pic of a Chiltern AND TPE double header on 22/5/20

 

6U77 is another regular for turning up 68s. But this isn't a short train.

 

BYAs are still in regular use - but not regularly in the north-west. 

Pretty certain that the Dapol VTG hooded wagons have now all gone.