Stevelewis

I hope that I am not deviating from the original thread here. but................ Likewise around the same time I purchased a Hornby-Dublo Co-Bo and 6 Gunpowder vans around the same time (66/67) and have dealt with them ever since (yet another order placed today) only wish I had purchased some of the Wrenn Streamlined Coronatiion class locos when they were on offer at £25.00!

There was the Rivarossi unrebuilt Royal Scot LMS livery 6100 and a couple of LMS coaches in the 70s, I had the loco and some coaches which I ran on my Garden Railway!! Didnt Fleischhmann do a Warship and some Bullied Coaches in HO scale in the 70s I believe that 'British Trix when they introduced their revamped range' around the same time as the above used a scale of approx 3.8m/foot. The range included some quite good for the time) LNER locos A2 & A4, also a Britannia and I think an L1 Electric, The factory was just up the road from me so to speak in Wrexham

Thanks for the info as a localish resident I suppose it may come in handy if the price is right, These days though I find its actually cheaper to order on line which I do quite regularly. Snag with Chester is the parking cost, almost equals a well known retailer's postage cost, and thats before the transport cost! I do work occasionally in some of the nearby retail outlets so no doubt will have a look in when i have the time.

Well that is quite economical actually, This refers to post #158 If I were to actually drive to Hattons it would take up at least 2 hours driving time most likeley more for the double journey, then time in the shop to sort out the purchase. Then theres the cost of fuel! The round trip is around 55 miles so at around £6.00 a gallon is around £8.50 and then The Mersey Tunnel Tolls x 2 (actually not sure what the toll is these days but it was around £1.30 last time i used it) So my cost would be around £10.00, I could actually avoid the Tunnel by using the Widnes/Runcorn bridge route off the M 56 but that is longer mileage and driving wise and more likely to have delays! So I save both time and money by using online sales

Perhaps the word ' eventually' should be added as well!!! Seriously though Yodel Deliveries from the actual Yodel Vans are just about acceptable, but we have had some real issues with the courier deliveries (ie the private car) I have had deliveries left at the wrong address, and thrown in next doors garage, and a couple of occasions quite valuable orders just dumped by the front door in clear view of passing pedestrians, I always state City Link deliveries when ordering from Hattons, unless its less than 2 KG and then I use Royal Mail

What memories that brings, that is the window through which I glimpsed WRENN Streamlined Coronation Class locos being cleared for £25.00 silly me i didnt buy any, and a few years later they were selling for Hundreds!

Yes its very much like that with Hattons, I have dealt with them for many years I used to call in the shop when my calls took me to Liverpool which was very frequently!!, These days it is much cheaper to Mail order ( although on a clear day we can see Liverpool from a nearby hill!!) I reckon I order on average every 2 weeks!!

Just a quick aside here re 8 coupled locos: We found the superbly performing Hornby 01 2-8-0 would easily haul around 45 to 50 plastic 4 wheel wagons (95% of these being Bachmann) Whereas the Hornby 8f ( the most recent weathered version around 2yrs old) would slip with more than 20 of the same wagons on . Not really able to give a reason, the locos weigh approx the same, the tender wheels on both are free running, the 01 has a flywheel but this is such a small diameter one that I cant see that making much difference to the haulage capacity

Yes I forgot to add that in the good old days, we used to get up before the sun went down played with our trains for 10 minutes wnt to work for 25 hrs cam home ( to our shoe box ) to eat the left overs from last week!! I was only thinking the other day, we dont see much of Monty Python on TV these days I nearly added ' You've never had it so good' to the end of my post but thought that a bit too political!!

As an old modeller!!!!!! Long before computers and probably any meaningful magazine reveiws, I can say in the old days, we were happy just to get a new loco manufactured usually just one a year if we were lucky! I remember the elation that was felt when Triang announced their 'Sothern Electric', back in around '58 (thats a guess), It didnt matter if it was anywhere near the correct length or not or if the gaps between cars was grossly overscale, we were just glad to have something that we didnt have before. I think a lot of the critisim these days comes from the fact that it is far too easy to check correctness ( internet, forums etc) and then become disappointed that all is not quite correct but often not far from being so. I applaud the manufaturers of today for continuing to produce items which would be unheard of even a few years ago ( P2, D.O.G., GWR Citities, Duke, and now The Met B0 B0 electric) Long may it continue

Trans Pennine 6 car DMU class 124 in Both N & 00 Though perhaps there are too many car variations within the set, i don't know I used to ride them quite often (usually in the Griddle Car)

LMS/BR BEYER GARRATT in N 71000 Duke of Gloucester in N B17/5 Streamlined East Anglian & City of London in 00

Emkail from HATTONS Beyer-Garratts due 'early in the new year' they will post more specific info when they can

A light rub over with Virgin Olive Oil!l works well

But surely if you take 'all arms' of Bachmann's Business in model railways into consideration, Hornby would be a long way behind, not trying to knock Hornby but surely they must get their act together quickly or the downward spiral wil continue I hope they do get it together I have been a customer for many years since the TRIANG - Hornby days!l

I dont think they are the brand leaders, one retailer said to me that the ratio of loco sales alone is about 3 to 4 other 'main' manufacturer to Hornby's one One of the big drawbacks being Hornby just dont deliver the stock!

Re the Price £185 is very acceptable no doubt there will be discounting, As mentioned above by PaulRhb, there are lots of NG locos out there, some around 3 times the proposed Heljan RRP, Theres a BEMO Saxon Meyer in a retailer in Lancashire ( saxon Meyer 0-4-4-0T articulated loco) its around £500.00 beuatiful model but the line has had to be drawn somewhere!!

Just keep your fingers crossed, after all faulty ones are a very small proportion I would hope

The only Dapol Western to arrive here didn't actually have much of a chance to derail!, It wobbled so violently on initial test run that it was on its way back to the retailer within the hour, ( it was also missing a windscreen wiper, and part of the window glazing from 1 cab), so we tend to stick with the Blue boxes these days!

I used to go to N WISSENDEN'S shop for 0 gauge, I am not sure if it is still trading, i believe it was sold some years back. I just googled and there is an entry showing with a website under construction and an address id Stalybridge.

Yes you are correct its R3177 which is now in stock (NRM?) I did not bother to read all 4 eMails Hattons sent me just now they are all the same referring just to R3177!! I

23/08/2013 Hattons have received stock of 2nd run 2 BILS

Dont know what the cause is, I havnt really been following this thread recently has the SR version sold out now? Or was it the slowest of the three to move through the system, perhaps Hornby don't perceive that it would be worth producing another run

Just got a notification from HATTONS R3161 2BIL SR Livery production Cancelled

I import quite a bit of 0n30 from the states (from Micromark.com) There is no duty on Model railway items from the states but VAT is chargeable if the total value is over £18.00. so I have to remembr to ad 20% when doing my calculations ( and there is also an £8.00 flat rate service charge as well!!)