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9 hours ago, Woodcock29 said:

I remember now that advice, however I would say that I've had to adjust my bogies once because they sagged under the weight of the unweighted body. Its does get quite a lot of continuous running as I like to see the Howldens running behind a C12 or D2 when I'm doing work out in the shed.

 

As to when I got it I've just looked at some build photos and they're dated May 2016 so its probably nearer 5 years ago that I got it. I did replace the trussing with brass as Tony did. Biggest issue with mine was I only got one set of brake gear half OO and half EM/P4 so I had to narrow down the brakes for one bogie which was a bit of a pain given how fragile the material is. Here it is below part built. You can also see the marginal turn up of the roof at each end. I must have been able to remove the roof of this one without damage as its not painted yet - I think there was more flex than in the 6 wheelers due to longer sides as I snapped a 6 wheel roof when removing it after I noted one window had shifted in its slot. The 6 wheelers have slots in the sides to fit the windows into rather than being fitted from outside and glued in with varnish under capillary action which actually worked quite well on the coach below. Better add a photo of the finished coach which I think was posted on here back in 2016 or 17. Its meant to be representative of late 30s and probably needs some body weathering.

 

You'll note its got a Kadee on one end and small tension lock on the other as its will get to run on two layouts my own where I use small tension locks (I can visualise Tony shuddering) and Gavin's Spirsby that I posted photos on here of a couple of months ago.  The heavy metal wheels I used are by Steam Era Models in Victoria but they don't make 14 mm disk  anymore as they're really only suitable for British 4mm scale not Aussie HO. But I've got a good supply in stock!

 

Andrew 

 

1207257319_IMG_6013ps50.jpg.5c0c358c3db37cc94d58452b071adc7b.jpg594256936_IMG_6075sharpenedmore60.jpg.ee71da0559faf5255908b3542f9363bd.jpg

 

I'm surprised that the bogie vehicles came with instructions that even went so far as to cover the matter of weighting. My six wheelers came with just a couple of diagrams relating to the wire suspension system, the sliding centre axle, and the suggested (but not employed) magnetically mounted couplings* on a single small sheet of paper. I wasn't satisfied that when the models were un-weighted the suspension for the middle axle was compressing sufficiently at the necessary times to allow the outer wheelsets to remain firmly on the rails, so I added strips of lead under the seat bases, bringing the weight of the longest six wheeler up to about 95g, more or less matching a similar D & S etched brass model. I think the shorter luggage brake was weighted to about 75g. The suspension appears to do its job more convincingly now and the weight per axle in the heaviest carriage, coincidentally, is not dramatically greater than the recommended maximum for the bogie vehicles.

 

*I challenge somebody to use the magnetically mounted couplings on the short 6w luggage brake, along with the brake units on their mountings, as there's no space in which to fit them all!

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30 minutes ago, gr.king said:

I'm surprised that the bogie vehicles came with instructions that even went so far as to cover the matter of weighting. My six wheelers came with just a couple of diagrams relating to the wire suspension system, the sliding centre axle, and the suggested (but not employed) magnetically mounted couplings* on a single small sheet of paper.

 

He "does not write for such dull elves as have not a great deal of Ingenuity themselves".

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10 hours ago, Woodcock29 said:

I remember now that advice, however I would say that I've had to adjust my bogies once because they sagged under the weight of the unweighted body. Its does get quite a lot of continuous running as I like to see the Howldens running behind a C12 or D2 when I'm doing work out in the shed.

 

As to when I got it I've just looked at some build photos and they're dated May 2016 so its probably nearer 5 years ago that I got it. I did replace the trussing with brass as Tony did. Biggest issue with mine was I only got one set of brake gear half OO and half EM/P4 so I had to narrow down the brakes for one bogie which was a bit of a pain given how fragile the material is. Here it is below part built. You can also see the marginal turn up of the roof at each end. I must have been able to remove the roof of this one without damage as its not painted yet - I think there was more flex than in the 6 wheelers due to longer sides as I snapped a 6 wheel roof when removing it after I noted one window had shifted in its slot. The 6 wheelers have slots in the sides to fit the windows into rather than being fitted from outside and glued in with varnish under capillary action which actually worked quite well on the coach below. Better add a photo of the finished coach which I think was posted on here back in 2016 or 17. Its meant to be representative of late 30s and probably needs some body weathering.

 

You'll note its got a Kadee on one end and small tension lock on the other as its will get to run on two layouts my own where I use small tension locks (I can visualise Tony shuddering) and Gavin's Spirsby that I posted photos on here of a couple of months ago.  The heavy metal wheels I used are by Steam Era Models in Victoria but they don't make 14 mm disk  anymore as they're really only suitable for British 4mm scale not Aussie HO. But I've got a good supply in stock!

 

Andrew 

 

1207257319_IMG_6013ps50.jpg.5c0c358c3db37cc94d58452b071adc7b.jpg594256936_IMG_6075sharpenedmore60.jpg.ee71da0559faf5255908b3542f9363bd.jpg

Good morning Andrew, lovely build! That's interesting about the weighting/sagging - I'll keep a close eye on my one and see if that happens.

Actually, you saved me from some puzzlement and stress when I read your post about the bogie frets having half OO and half EM/P4. When I'd unpacked the kit I didn't spot the two different types of brake gear on each fret - everything else on the fret being identical - and assumed I'd been sent two identical frets in error. The glazing was missing from the kit, so I thought perhaps the extra fret had been packed instead of the glazing (over-thinking a bit there?!) and I put the spare bogie fret away for use as a spare in case I broke some of the parts. Then, when it came to fitting the braking on my OO coach, I ran into difficulties with wheel clearance using the EM/P4 pair... I thought I must be missing something and there must be a clever knack to fitting them... and just when I was losing fait and contemplating scalpel surgery I read your post and realised my mistake!

With hindsight I should have tried fixing the glazing with wicked-in varnish too, as you've achieved a much cleaner job than I did; I was concerend about whether that method would provide strong enough fixing and how well it would last over time, including possible flexing of the resin - probbly over-cautious I now think.

I've now corrected the roof cornice / gutter strip colour error pointed out by Graeme and the D129 is seen here alongside a Mike Trice ECJS 6-wheel brake which has just had the same mistake rectified:

1761592700_MousaGNRD12920201127(4).jpg.2b21eeac37fbdf0d28cf76995b12d090.jpg

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43 minutes ago, 2750Papyrus said:

 

Depends partly on whether the Bachmann V2 ever sees the light of day.  I think perhaps SR fans may deserve new models of the King Arthur and Schools classes.

 

I wonder what Hornby will plan for the FS centenary.  A new model to latest standards and facilitating the various changes made during her life?

I'm sure the new (long-awaited) Bachmann V2 will be with us in the New Year. 

 

Most of the other suggestions seem to want revisions (improvements) of what's already been available RTR (weren't the two rebuilt 'Jubilees' identical - or near enough - to the rebuilt 'Patriots'?). 

 

I hadn't considered the original 'Royal Scots', but the survivors didn't last long in BR days. Who know, though? 

 

As for different tenders, at least the loco types themselves have been available for years. 

 

I assume every GWR 4-6-0 type has been available RTR in OO. Or, are there some missing?

 

A 'centenary' FLYING SCOTSMAN would be a very interesting idea from Hornby, though they've probably made every (potential) manifestation in one form or another already - boiler fittings and cab heights, A1 or A3, most of the tenders (FS towed every sort at one time or another, even two of the 1948 cut-down 1928 corridor types) and every possible livery. 

 

THE GREAT BEAR? Certainly not in BR days, except in rebuilt 'Castle' form? Neither the Raven A2s I'd think. 

 

But, who knows? The larger, more-exotic RTR types are always more popular with 'locoholics' than the more-mundane (it's the same with loco kits, which means most of them are never successfully completed). Large numbers in a class used to be one reason for the RTR choice, but one-offs (like the W1) seem now to be considered (as they were with the non-steam types - astonishing; aren't we going to see GT3, 'Kerosene Castle' and the Fell on sale soon?). Who'd have believed it? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

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36 minutes ago, gr.king said:

 

I'm surprised that the bogie vehicles came with instructions that even went so far as to cover the matter of weighting. My six wheelers came with just a couple of diagrams relating to the wire suspension system, the sliding centre axle, and the suggested (but not employed) magnetically mounted couplings* on a single small sheet of paper. I wasn't satisfied that when the models were un-weighted the suspension for the middle axle was compressing sufficiently at the necessary times to allow the outer wheelsets to remain firmly on the rails, so I added strips of lead under the seat bases, bringing the weight of the longest six wheeler up to about 95g, more or less matching a similar D & S etched brass model. I think the shorter luggage brake was weighted to about 75g. The suspension appears to do its job more convincingly now and the weight per axle in the heaviest carriage, coincidentally, is not dramatically greater than the recommended maximum for the bogie vehicles.

 

*I challenge somebody to use the magnetically mounted couplings on the short 6w luggage brake, along with the brake units on their mountings, as there's no space in which to fit them all!

Morning Graeme, actually this kit came with three A4 colour-printed sides of instructions; they're more general 'Resin kit' instructions rather than very specific to this diagram and they cover how to prepare, handle and work with the resin, mounting the bogies, glazing, removing a couple of little 'nibs' from one roof end and so forth.

I augmented them by downloading some CAD-type diagrams of Bill's coach construction methods that I found elsewhere on his old site, as well as his picture of a built but unpainted D129 which at that time was the only picture of the kit I had.

 

I'm happy to see that you too can see an improvement in the suspended ride following weighting and it's not just me :).

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1 hour ago, Chamby said:

 

You’d probably be looking at earlier pre-BR stuff like Raven Pacific’s and The Great Bear.  But if we’re including LMS Jubilees then there are a lot of other 4-6-0’s that will also come into play.

Good morning Phil,

 

'there are a lot of other 4-6-0’s that will also come into play.'

 

Which ones have not been available RTR down the years in BR days? The ex-GC B7s? The original 'Royal Scots'? The SR 'Remembrance' rebuilds? Others?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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6 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I'm sure the new (long-awaited) Bachmann V2 will be with us in the New Year...

...

Regards,

 

Tony.  

I very much hope you're right about this Tony - it would be my first RTR loco purchase in a while and I've been looking forward to it very much, especially since seeing your video of three test units (if I remember correctly) on LB.

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7 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Phil,

 

'there are a lot of other 4-6-0’s that will also come into play.'

 

Which ones have not been available RTR down the years in BR days? The ex-GC B7s? The original 'Royal Scots'? The SR 'Remembrance' rebuilds? Others?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

One 4-6-0 that is missing at the moment would be a Caprotti fitted Std. 5, even the DJH kit is no longer available and neither is the Crownline conversion kit.

Chas

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34 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

(weren't the two rebuilt 'Jubilees' identical - or near enough - to the rebuilt 'Patriots'?). 

 

I thought that - then had it pointed out to me that the cab side sheets were of different length. It's obvious once you know to look for it on a photo. 'So what?', you may say. Well, some of the things that get pointed about about differences to LNER pacific boilers seem quite hard to spot to me ... until they're pointed out and then they become obvious!

 

Of course, I only found about the difference between 5735/6 and the rebuilt Pats AFTER I'd renumbered my Hornby model up as 45736 'Phoenix. Ah well ...

 

6_Phoenix_and_photographers_crop.jpg.cef2010f9a07333c4792e616e410cdbc.jpg

(Andy York)

Edited by LNER4479
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44 minutes ago, ScRSG said:

 

One 4-6-0 that is missing at the moment would be a Caprotti fitted Std. 5, even the DJH kit is no longer available and neither is the Crownline conversion kit.

Chas

 

I'm amazed that the Caprotti Black 5s have never been done RTR - I recall seeing my first one at Prestatyn back in the 1960s; impressive, if somewhat lacking in grace!

 

Since 'oddities' seem to have a particular sales attraction at present, I would think that there would be a good market for them.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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A GWR 4-6-0 that is missing is a decent model of a Saint, particularly given the creation of Lady of Legend. Of course I'm not interested in one but I expect Hornby might do that eventually. They do seem to be more interested in large locos than smaller ones.

 

Andrew

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1 hour ago, LNER4479 said:

I thought that - then had it pointed out to me that the cab side sheets were of different length. It's obvious once you know to look for it on a photo. 'So what?', you may say. Well, some of the things that get pointed about about differences to LNER pacific boilers seem quite hard to spot to me ... until they're pointed out and then they become obvious!

 

Of course, I only found about the difference between 5735/6 and the rebuilt Pats AFTER I'd renumbered my Hornby model up as 45736 'Phoenix. Ah well ...

 

6_Phoenix_and_photographers_crop.jpg.cef2010f9a07333c4792e616e410cdbc.jpg

(Andy York)

 

Was it not Mainline who did the rebuilt Jubilees (as well as the long firebox Jubilees)? Don't know how "correct" the Pats were in light of the above comments re the cabs. Original split chassis, though, replace with Comet.

 

Chas

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3 hours ago, 2750Papyrus said:

 

Depends partly on whether the Bachmann V2 ever sees the light of day.  I think perhaps SR fans may deserve new models of the King Arthur and Schools classes.

 

 

I would have thought that the Hornby SR Arthurs & Schools were both relatively recent and detailed models; the BB/WC model is considerably older and didn't accomodate cab and other variations, and so I would have thought they would be well ahead of the Schools and Arthurs in any queue for refreshing. In terms of SR models we have also never had RTR versions of the U, U1, N15X and L1.

 

As to pre-grouping SR classes there are still more that have never been covered RTR than have been covered!

 

Tony

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1 hour ago, Tony Teague said:

 

I would have thought that the Hornby SR Arthurs & Schools were both relatively recent and detailed models; the BB/WC model is considerably older and didn't accomodate cab and other variations, and so I would have thought they would be well ahead of the Schools and Arthurs in any queue for refreshing. In terms of SR models we have also never had RTR versions of the U, U1, N15X and L1.

 

As to pre-grouping SR classes there are still more that have never been covered RTR than have been covered!

 

Tony

The WC/BB (original) dates from 2001 and the rebuilt versions from around 2006 so they are not particularly old.

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3 hours ago, Headstock said:

Missing  4-6-0? How a bout Fury. Available for the first time ready to run, in works grey, LMS Crimson lake and not so ready to run in LMS burnt orange and black.

Not sure of the latter, especially as someone was killed in that failure. 
 

Tim

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What we (well I) really need is an efficient "plug in" , non drooping, metal replacement for the horrible small tension lock coupling every manufacturer fits these days. And bin that swinging on corner mechanism whatever it is called., it's an even more horrid arrangement than the coupler.

 

I've just bought a small rake of Heljan BOC tank wagons from Hattons at a very good price. Superb wagons but for the above two points. Stop the train to quick and the droopy couplings over ride, sometimes causing derailments. Is a solid bar plug in type available ?

 

Brit15

 

 

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14 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

 

There is a joke in there somewhere, hidden way beyond my comedic ability, about something Craven being on a wishlist. Somebody cleverer than me will have to work it out.

Nothing craven or Cravens about it. It's a Swindon Class 120 Cross-Country unit.

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45 minutes ago, APOLLO said:

What we (well I) really need is an efficient "plug in" , non drooping, metal replacement for the horrible small tension lock coupling every manufacturer fits these days. And bin that swinging on corner mechanism whatever it is called., it's an even more horrid arrangement than the coupler.

 

I've just bought a small rake of Heljan BOC tank wagons from Hattons at a very good price. Superb wagons but for the above two points. Stop the train to quick and the droopy couplings over ride, sometimes causing derailments. Is a solid bar plug in type available ?

 

Brit15

 

 

How about magnetic couplings? I have used some Hunt ones on Retford coaching stock and they seem to work OK.

 

 

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