Crantock

Well as a single bloke with no kids £15 feels toppy. I will try and find another single bloke in the queue, camp it up, and claim we are partners.

Well thanks to the Warners team for allowing this discussion. Having read through I have just bought a one off Digital edition of September. Some observations: The buy process offered all 94 editions of BRM for £60 so back issues are on. I thoroughly enjoyed the digital. The picture quality was excellent. I suspect it was a lack of glare as compared to a mag and being closer. I used a lenova Yoga laptop in tablet mode. I don't think I have got more out of a single edition. May well subscribe. For me as a 21st century flat dweller, cutting down on waste and binning is important so digital is attractive. However, whether it is digital or print, if you are buying sight unseen - all digital and bagged print - then the goodwill and reputation needs to get you past the price barrier. I think that Digital at the reduced price may do it but print at £5 would not. How you introduce a new buyer to digital may be a challenge. Picking up prit is easy. The other digital mag I buy is Railway Herald. I don't think either that or BRM have quite got it digitally. The last Railway Herald seems to have only one advert link (and thats back issues) and one embedded video. Similarly the video within BRM is not that smooth to operate and less than a handful of linked ads. It was disappointing that the Digial version did not have 2D versions of the Pendon pics. Whether to buy BRM or Railway Modeller is a separate Q. But one thing RM leads on is the show listing. That's no longer enough - whilst UKModelshops exits - and I think BRM digital is the way forward for me. Oh and on Digital you get Phil Parker showing you how to fold metal and the quote "I am sure you all have your own vices...." 30 min video to watch..

The other bit, of course, is fishplates - C&L certainly do them. But if you use plastic fishplates, you are probably drifting into the extra complexity of painting the rails so everything matches.

I think you may have jumped the gun. I can't see Brimal Components Ltd anywhere on the website and the terms and conditions are quite clear: Brimal Consultants Ltd trading as Brimal Components - unless of course they have updated it in the last few days

A very good show. I have to say I concentrated on Quorn where they have achieved the near ideal of level connected large halls. As someone who visits lots of shows I was surprised at the number of "new" exhibits I had not seen before. Many others were better displayed (natural daylight). So very good. Appreciated the trolling of a DMU with "Windermere" on the destination blinds. The catering was on the pricey side though £7.50 for burger and chips. BYO next year I think.

I saw a slightly disparaging comment on Hattons financials buried in a Hornby non-announcement thread and, being me, looked them up on Companies house. The accounts for June 2017 became available last month. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05131251/filing-history You have to say "well done". Turnover up 12%, Profit 6.5% of turnover (eh wow). Stock levels reduced, £1.2m bank loan cleared and £400k cash at bank. Hornby must be crying gently. I note that they have written down inventory by some £970k to give a net of £3.3m so there is a lot of dud stuff kicking around. The write off means they are carrying it below the cost to them. So some stuff is probably being sold at a loss. At £13.6m their turnover is not far short of Bachmann Europe's at £15m. The only problem is that they are dependent, to a large extent, on the manufacturers continuing to push out the goods. Another couple of years growth story and Hornby stabilising themselves and I bet they sell up!

An excellent show. My first time visit but will add to the list. One of the best venues visited - i think the 3 large same level halls is the best mix, Staaford and Wigan are similar but Bristol has good bumpy dry grass parking. Also noticeable was that the halls did not overheat. Layouts were all good quality. None transporting dust or blatant displays of collections. Pick for me was Bishopsmead, ex LNWR locos and stock in LMS guise and operations you could understsnd. Very nice. Only criticism is that I could have easily missed hall 3.

Can anyone talk me through that Snow Hill sector plate. In particular the third track on the RHS. Is this just to ensure there is never a point in time when there is not a track connected to the platform road?

Just to note that I received a kit through the post from Lytchett Manor today. It was an order placed and paid for in early January. I had noted the then comments on the website of possible delays as cast to order etc. Then noted the health suspension on here. Accordingly, I never chased and would have been happy to write off the order. Anyway point is that we have a respectable trader doing what they said they would do. Well done and good luck.

I have a couple of these as LNWR. I have used Archer rivets to make good one deficiency but fundamentally they are nice simple locos.

Ah the joys of scratchbuilding ships. Somewhere in store I have the remnants of a personal navy at around 1:600. The evolution was interesting and the first pre-teen stab was a class of 12 frigates held together by sellotape created in 1 day. The next batch of 4 took 1 day, later 1 a day then 1 in a weekend..... The second ship built was an amateur stab at HMS Dreadnought and I remember estimating the parts at some 100+ and realising there was more going on than an airfix kit. The largest card creation was a giant freelance aircraft carrier "South Georgia" (guess the date) but then I moved to plasticard and frameworks similar to the above supporting flowing 10 thou plasticard sides. I do remember from the card era that balsa cement burnt beautifully and a well doped and balsa'd ship could be torched very quickly. Then the plasticard coal wagon adventure started........ Green Ayre looked good last time I saw it.

There used to be a Mainly Trains etch. Spectacle plates and ones with protective bars etc. Another loss and something someone else should pick up.

Very sorry and I hope the cost is not too painful. Was planning on visiting by train but the walk was increasingly moving from "good exercise" to "not pleasant". Hope you can make it work next year.

Well I visited on Sunday. Having done a conflicting move with the car on Saturday I caught the train and bus. Train down was pleasant as students not up but train back reminded me why I drive. Bus was great. Show was good. I liked the layouts with space and which were uncluttered a few too many layouts which were mainly loco collection displays. Yewston Rd and Edge Hill did the depot theme well. Managed to spend next to nothing. Some pricing a bit unrealistic - one trader asking £40+for a smokey joe. Didn’t look at anything else on that stand.

The something for bottles might be called a ramekin. I have two sets one for food and one for flux bottles. Then again there is a pastry brush marked “not for food” (stock duster)

I use 3mm hardboard sheet from B&Q. It’s about 2’ wide and that’s just right. It’s only for painting so don’t need to sit under it etc. The ceramic hob has a length of 3”c2 cut into 5 supports and an elevated bit of board mounted on it. The spray booth fits on this under the extractor fan, It all dismantles easily. You won’t be shocked to learn I live alone.

I think this is still the best historic thread for resin casting discussions http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/101778-starting-out-in-resin-casting/?hl=tiranti As you can see I searched on a supplier "tiranti" it helps clear out the many hits discussing resin kits etc

This seems to be going well so far. Nice glossy mini-catalogue in Railway Modeller and the online sales is being replicated via Hattons which allows Peco to keep the line of not undermining retailers. Hope it works commercially. Wonder if the ratio oo wagons range could be integrated.

I have a couple of Mousa models wagons and they are expensive but exquisite. They are so much more than you might get from a "shapeways" print. I also have some other items with deposits paid. However, the sheer number of items marked as "in preparation" does mean, to my mind, that many of the products listed are aspirational and may never see the light of day. That's not surprising as each has to have demand, be researched and drawn up but it would be good to have some idea of production timing (and there are a number at around 20+ pre orders which you might think there is demand for). Point is that I think much of the website is not so much offering goods for sale as seeking expressions of interest.

Bit of a sea of negativity and a tide of consumerism here. It was good. I went today and it was more enjoyable and less crowded than before. The lighting has improved. looking through the guide if today was Saturday I would return and give more attention to some exhibits. There was a lot that was good. I suspect i was not the only one to end the day looking at Shap. Negatives are all down to the NEC - toilet and escalator maintenance.

Yes but look higher up and there is a pre-grouping 70' - I was correcting myself that there was no PG need for a 70'. It would be nice to have a quality 70' but I suspect that is sufficiently mass market someone could do in plastic.

Which is all somewhat academic as LRM are most unlikely to produce it. Nothing pre-grouping needs 70 ft. edit....WHich may be too sweeping as MRC do offer a 70' pre grouping. http://www.midrailcentre.com/4mm-scale-00-em-p4#anchor Note that web page may be a couple of years out of date.

Indeed it was appreciated. Quality layouts of which Hebble Vale goods was my favourite. Excellent rendition of stone warehouses, retaining walls etc etc http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/layout_hebble.html

David Adams was actually the longest serving Hornby Director on the board. The others are: DK Mulligan Dec 2016 (Group FD) MP George Dec 2016 (non-exec) JEH Wilson Aug 2017 (Phoenix) Lyndon Davies Oct 2017 (Oxford) Not quite the continuity you might expect. Personally I think it would be better if Phoenix took it private and the turnaround could be conducted in private.

I went along yesterday afternoon. I wouldn't say it was overly oldie. I would say it was professionally put together with thought on the mix of traders and quality of presentation. I.e. Those traders that look like junk shops were excluded. The traders also included a reasonable spattering of specialists. Yes the exhibits were mainstream-specifically UK 00 (and other 4mm) n and o. Exclusively UK and predominantly 4mm. But it is a Hornby Mag show. Although a quality Conf centre, I still don't like the layout, small rooms, corridors and pinch points.