RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted September 25, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 25, 2015 Is there any news of whats next in the Class 143/144 pipeline Charlie? Wessex 'Visit Bristol' perhaps?...(apologies if that has been covered earlier in the thread!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALWM92 Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 My 143 arrived today at last after much anticipation and when I opened it would you believe it? I've been sent a FGW liveried example rather than the ATW torqoise example I ordered, I mean the FGW is a nicer colour scheme overall, I would compromise and keep it, I just don't have any excuse for anything from that far south on my layout! A stunning model, just not the right one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 My 143 arrived today at last after much anticipation and when I opened it would you believe it? I've been sent a FGW liveried example rather than the ATW torqoise example I ordered, I mean the FGW is a nicer colour scheme overall, I would compromise and keep it, I just don't have any excuse for anything from that far south on my layout! A stunning model, just not the right one! PM Sent. Charlie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Rossington Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Are you still planning on a regional rail variant Charlie? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGJ Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Charlie, What if any liveries are you planning to do with the 144 that isn't already done? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Charlie, What if any liveries are you planning to do with the 144 that isn't already done? Regional Railways & Metro Red. It will be a while though. Working on other things currently! IE Hush Hush!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 IE Hush Hush!! An Irish Rail dmu, nice one... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Hat Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Regional Railways & Metro Red. It will be a while though. Working on other things currently! IE Hush Hush!! How long before someone reads that and goes - New Annoucement! Realtrack doing Gresley W1!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 How long before someone reads that and goes - New Annoucement! Realtrack doing Gresley W1!!! Better than a P2! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted November 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 2, 2015 Better than a P2! Hmmmmmm...... Something in P4 then! ROFL Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BR Blue Posted November 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 2, 2015 So after the 156 then. Original liveries for 143 and 144 would be great. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Storey Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Regional Railways & Metro Red. It will be a while though. Working on other things currently! IE Hush Hush!! A 2 HAP RTR??!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waverley47708 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 (edited) Was not sure where to post this one. Obituaries? Road Vehicles? Anyway am sure Charlie and Arran will always appreciate a wee bump for the forum relating to their model. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35725299 Sorry edit to cut and past of the link is not working, tried to type it in but must be missing something, anyway if you are interested, the article is "Pacers: The train that the UK has struggled to get rid of". I am sure they mean the full size one rather than the highly acclaimed Realtrack model Edited March 7, 2016 by Waverley47708 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted March 7, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 7, 2016 Was not sure where to post this one. Obituaries? Road Vehicles? Anyway am sure Charlie and Arran will always appreciate a wee bump for the forum relating to their model. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35725299 Sorry edit to cut and past of the link is not working, tried to type it in but must be missing something, anyway if you are interested, the article is "Pacers: The train that the UK has struggled to get rid of". I am sure they mean the full size one rather than the highly acclaimed Realtrack model You have to make a new link as it won't work if you alter the existing link http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35725299 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Was surprised to find that the 'DCC ready' Class 143 requires a visit to a professional decoder-fitter. Is it really so difficult that it requires an expert, and if not, what is a suitable decoder? (CJL) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
metropolitan cammell Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Was surprised to find that the 'DCC ready' Class 143 requires a visit to a professional decoder-fitter. Is it really so difficult that it requires an expert, and if not, what is a suitable decoder? (CJL) It is the most difficult thing I have put a chip in, it is almost impossible to open it with out damaging the added detail, mainly due to the light tubes to the marker lights being wider than the handrails for the doors if I remember correctly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted March 12, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 12, 2016 Was surprised to find that the 'DCC ready' Class 143 requires a visit to a professional decoder-fitter. Is it really so difficult that it requires an expert, and if not, what is a suitable decoder? (CJL) Hi Chris, As someone who has had more than one of the things come across my workbench - I understand why this is a good suggestion. I would go even further and say that people should ask Realtrack to fit the decoder for them. As the previous comment states - these are a very difficult thing to fit a chip in. Even more so when it is a sound chip! One could be forgiven (not sure if Charlie or Arran will though!) for thinking that the factory had intended them as a 'one time assembly model' - ie never to have been opened up by the modeller, just run. Apart from the potential to damage the added detail and the light guides, (very easy to do) there is more potential for the modeller to do damage lurking under the body. The wiring of the whole thing has been done with the finest wire possible and it needed to be, otherwise it wouldn't have been possible to have the lighting features it does. Then, the wiring itself - it's not colour coded, so if you do end up with a loose wire - it is difficult to work out where it should be attached. A colour coded wiring diagram is available from Charlie - but it's not a great help when the wires are plain, unmarked, uncoloured. I hope that Charlie and Arran do not take what I am saying the wrong way - I've kept in constant contact with them and they are aware of it. These are all the reasons why it says to get the DCC fitted by a professional. Thanks ps - No product bashing here - I still have one myself and having fitted sound to it (and a couple of others) - I speak from experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Hi Chris, As someone who has had more than one of the things come across my workbench - I understand why this is a good suggestion. I would go even further and say that people should ask Realtrack to fit the decoder for them. As the previous comment states - these are a very difficult thing to fit a chip in. Even more so when it is a sound chip! One could be forgiven (not sure if Charlie or Arran will though!) for thinking that the factory had intended them as a 'one time assembly model' - ie never to have been opened up by the modeller, just run. Apart from the potential to damage the added detail and the light guides, (very easy to do) there is more potential for the modeller to do damage lurking under the body. The wiring of the whole thing has been done with the finest wire possible and it needed to be, otherwise it wouldn't have been possible to have the lighting features it does. Then, the wiring itself - it's not colour coded, so if you do end up with a loose wire - it is difficult to work out where it should be attached. A colour coded wiring diagram is available from Charlie - but it's not a great help when the wires are plain, unmarked, uncoloured. I hope that Charlie and Arran do not take what I am saying the wrong way - I've kept in constant contact with them and they are aware of it. These are all the reasons why it says to get the DCC fitted by a professional. Thanks ps - No product bashing here - I still have one myself and having fitted sound to it (and a couple of others) - I speak from experience. Thanks, for the advice. I spoke to Charlie at the Glasgow show and he didn't really give a hint that it was this difficult. I'll be making arrangements for him to do it - I'm committed to a layout which I built mainly to run the 143 on! It's such a nice model, it's worth having a special layout for it. I've already fitted up all the DCC on the layout and was just starting to fit decoders to Hornby 153s etc when I stumbled on this issue with the 143. I must say, given that it's Charlie and Arran, and knowing who manufactured it, (it's state of the art in most respects) I would have thought that easy DCC installation would have been a priority. Actually, I'm surprised it didn't come with a decoder already fitted. I'm an old fogey and I know I SHOULD resent paying for a pre-fitted decoder when I'm using a model on analog, but actually I feel that a decoder should be a standard fitting now in every model. We weren't given a choice over VHS or Betamax, or between cassette tapes and CDs. We were forced to move to what the manufacturers wanted. Producing models (as Hornby does) with and without decoders, must push the costs up, so the non-DCC user will end up paying more anyway. Sorry, slightly off topic. (CJL) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted March 13, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) At a time when costs are soaring , why would you add even more cost by fitting a decoder. Large numbers still don't need one, others will want the decoder of their choice. The way to go is make it easier to install decoder. Edited March 13, 2016 by Legend Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Which manufacturer was it that put the decoder socket into the battery boxes under a loco? That always seemed like a good option to me. Going back on topic I chickened out and ordered the DCC-fitted version when they were released having read reviews around the difficulties described above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekstuart Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 I take it that taking these apart for a repaint is not something that people overly recommend either? I have heard the glazing is easy to break if you try and remove it from the body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted March 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 13, 2016 I take it that taking these apart for a repaint is not something that people overly recommend either? I have heard the glazing is easy to break if you try and remove it from the body. Hi Derek, It's not so much the glazing breaking - just it comes loose and securing it again can be difficult. What livery were you thinking of painting one in? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekstuart Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Hi Phil The original Provincial livery. I know the seating isn't correct for the era and there have been some modifications to the Chassis- especially on the first rail examples, but I can live with that. After working through the underframe of a 156 (thanks again for your advice on it) it would be nice just to open a model, strip, paint, re-fit, look at- without having to pull out any files, blades or saws. I am as guilty as the next for taking on too many projects and thus getting none done. Hi Derek, It's not so much the glazing breaking - just it comes loose and securing it again can be difficult. What livery were you thinking of painting one in? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted March 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) Hi Derek, No problem.... Just wait for my next vehicle posting if you think you are taking a long time to complete things! In the past it was a lot easier 'just to take off the body and get the work done' than now. That's the price of progress. I've lost count of the number of Cl25/26/27/31/35/37/ (read that as any pre 90's model) that I have given the full works. There were times when the cost of all the brass and white metal was more than the base model it went on. Always remember - It's your model! So do what you want with it. If you really want to paint your own livery on one - ask if there are any returned models with faulty paintwork and what price they would be? Thanks Edited March 13, 2016 by Scottish Modeller 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekstuart Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Hi Phil I did see a thread with some of your work on it, but lost it. Interesting to see your list of pre 90's models includes the 26/27. With the benefit of hindsight, are they/were they as bad models as people say? Reading through the work that people are having to do to their Heljan models to get them right it seems no more or less than the work required for Lima/ Hornby, but at 5 times the price. That is what is so encouraging about Realtrack (or even some of the DC Kits) the detail is already there and you don't have to start remedying silly mistakes. Sorry Realtrack for the o/t. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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