MikeParkin65

I entirely agree with the sentiment but surely people can already do this with a credit card?

Thanks Sandra - thats exactly what I wanted to know. Ian - sorry. You have been answering a question that wasn't actually being asked of you.

Sorry Ian - do you speak on behalf of Locomotion or just as someone present at the launch?

Thanks Andy. It would be good to hear categorically from Locomotion that none of the liveries and numbers they are currently offering will be offered in the main Bachmann range at any point in the future or, if that isn't the case, the period of 'exclusivity'.

The point is that I (well more accurately my wife!) paid £140 because I wanted MR 1000 and at the time of that models release the implication was that paying £140 to the NRM was the only way of getting one. I had no problem with that and rationalised that with the contribution to the NRM and the implication that the model wouldn't be a general release in that livery and condition, £140 was a reasonable price to pay. We are now being asked to pay £179 for 251 with scant detail of future production plans for the model. I am not a collector (and rather resent the suggestion that I am buying models for their possible future value) but I want to be clear what I am buying into.

£179?! I hope this model is a proper exclusive for that money. I am still struggling to placate my wife over the £140 she paid for my Christmas present for the 'exclusive' MR 1000 that is now to be available in a general release set complete with coaches for £120 .

Got to say that my D211 has been a reliable and positive runner straight from the box, in fact it is better than average even over the few dead frogs that remain in the shed sidings.

According to the Halfords website what is currently for sale is 'an advanced acrylic formulation fully compatible with cellulose'

I too hope for a smooth running and durable chassis though whether that needs to have brass bearings or not I remain to be convinced. More significant for me will be tender pick ups so that it will reliably traverse the remaining dead frogs on the layout. The crosshead looks more metallic in the Hornby mag photo than on facebook so I remain optimistic that it isn't plastic.

Having seen 40 145 at Shrub Hill on Saturday morning, temptation overcame me and by offering Mrs Parkin a 'shopping trip to Cheltenham' managed to acquire D211 from the well known suppliers in that town. I'm relieved to say that it runs fine straight from the box and I'll use it as a template for future sound fittings so I consider it money well spent! Just having a play with it now - I understand what others have said that this could get expensive. Mrs Parkin is impressed (she has no interest in railways at all) though her favourite sound by far was the 'Guards whistle'!

On the pre production samples it appeared that the window frames were printed\painted onto the glazing. If that's true its obviously going to be less straight forward to repaint than if they were moulded as part of the body. I was going to respray BR maroon but will probably wait until Bachmann produce that livery - can't really understand why they haven't produced it on the first batch to be honest.

So tempted by D211 as my first venture into DCC sound. Accepting the wisdom that the sound can be reblown and an improvement on Bachamnns original, is the basic package of loco, sound chip and speaker fitted good value? Or would it be better value to buy the components (chip, speaker, sound package) from someone like Howes and install in one of my existing fleet? On the face of it it seems Bachmann are only adding about £30 for fitting given the loco retails around £80 on its own and a sound kit to install is about £100.

And Bachmann replacing motors in the A1

Though you shouldn't have to pay to replace substandard parts on a model no more than 12 months old.

There certainly is an element of subjectivity in deciding which 'which of Hornby's RTR models is best'. Reading this forum I think you will struggle to find any model which hasn't had its share of critics whether that be for 'prototypical fidelity', running quality, how well its stuck together or indeed the shape of its chimney. All I know is that my Scot and Patriot both run superbly, look very much like their prototype and were reasonably priced at the time. I think it is very hard to seperate any of the 'golden era' models apart and we are lucky that each of the big four plus BR got at least one top grade model each allowing us to be partisan as to which is the best.

For me as an LMS fan, the Rebuilt Scot and Rebuilt Patriot. Captured the character of these loco's to a tee.

I have had nothing but good service from HMC and if they say they tested it I'm sure they have. In my experience a loco with a pick up issue can run well on straight and level track but will show its true colours (ie poor performance) more readily on a rolling road. I think your experience here mirrors that of others on this thread plus the crew at Barwell - the problem isn't obvious until it occurs. I wouldn't doubt HMC's honesty. I speak purely as a satisfied customer. d

Not entirely true. My 10000 was initially a fine runner but developed the same traits (failure to pass points, flickering lights followed by failure to respond to the DCC controller ) after about an hour and a half. It's currently sat on a siding 'on shed' whilst I work out what to do. 10001 which I bought later is currently ok but hasn't had as long to run. The symptoms are ostensively the same as now being shown by the class 40

Surprising what a difference those 10 spoke wheels make - looking good.

Not convinced about this - but if they are unpainted its a remarkable job!

Back in its box whilst I consider its fate! Most disappointing (and expensive) purchase of the year.

Must be getting closer as Model Rail have just said on Facebook that it is reviewed in the next issue on sale Dec 28th. Also the J11 and the Dukedog.

The tender coupling is a slider with adjustment from virtually touching the loco to a scale 2ft or more. The pickups don't interfere with the coupling though I had to carefully tuck the wires away from the first tender axle as they were dragging it. The tender can be uncoupled by unplugging the pick up wires from their tender sockets though it is a fiddle..

Can I ask how much noise people are getting from the mechanism? Mine makes a lot of 'whirring' and whining from I guess the drive train. It has been back to DCC supplies once already (because of very pronounced wobbling) and it is better but not perfect since its return. I'm wondering if noise is characteristic of the model or whether mine really is 'Western Rogue'.

Unfortunately yes. My maroon SYP has already been back to DCC supplies because of a pronounced wobble but now derails on the same axle at the frog on various straight leg routes from PECO Code 75 live points. To be fair it was doing this before it went back to DCC Supplies the first time although because of the wobble I hadn't tested it over the entire layout at that time - I rather hoped re wheeling would cure it but obviously not. I have a fleet of 40+ steam and diesel and this is the only loco so affected so I'm confident its not my track at fault. Will be going back to DCC Supplies in the near future. Overall I am loosing a little faith in this model - its neither the quietest nor smoothest and because of its ongoing problems is currently being substituted by Bachmann 47's which cost less than half of what the Western did but run beautifully.