dibber25

Personally, I doubt that the Cambridge system will ever open. The local buses have slogans on them, saying "When will I run on the busway?" What beggars belief is that the Luton-Dunstable scheme has got approval without waiting to see if the Cambridge shambles can be sorted out. It's a classic 21st (well 20th actually) century version of the atmospheric railway - a half-baked scheme that someone decided to build without really thinking the idea through. The only advantage it had was that it didn't need to use Cambridge's useless, badly sited, one-platform station. But then, as has been said, it DID need to use Cambridge's equally awful road system. And where did 'Two Jags' decide to build lots more houses?? You couldn't make it up! CHRIS LEIGH

Authors are usually working off 35mm transparencies (slides) and they're usually looking at them through a small magnifier or a 'linen tester'. It's very easy to make mistakes under those circumstances. I know, I've made a few. It isn't practical to use screens and projectors while you're working - indeed the slides might even be unmounted, as they would have to be later for scanning, and therefore couldn't be projected. CHRIS LEIGH

They were converted in 1961 and painted dark green. At least one was 'light green' - the early DMU greeen - to match the Gloucester Cross-Country sets, although I also remember one in the later 'dark' DMU green, presumably intended to match a repainted DMU in 'dark green' with yellow warning panel. Unfortunately it appeared in a light green set! It shows up very well in some of Mike Mensing's black & white photos. I shall certainly attempt a slip coach conversion as soon as I can get my hands on a BCK. However, I have already suggested to Simon that Hornby does this version - so maybe next year??.... Now imagine it with a DCC-operated coupling so that it could actually be slipped. What? Bring 'play value' back into model railways? Surely not..... CHRIS LEIGH

From memory (I don't have access to my books at present) there were three of these, numbered in the W78xx series. They were initially painted light DMU green but later at least one was painted dark green (with droplights 'borrowed' from a maroon vehicle!) although it still ran in a light green DMU formation! They were used to expand the Gloucester 3-car cross-country sets (Class 119) used on the fast Paddington-Oxford service to four cars and they provided compartment accommodation which wasn't normal in DMUs. I seem to recall posting a colour picture on the old RMweb site. CHRIS LEIGH

VERY few - if any - passenger Hawksworths would have lasted into the 1970s. Just one or two lasted long enough to get blue and grey. The BGs (in all-over blue) survived a lot longer than the rest. By the mid-1960s Hawksworths weren't common on front-line work - nearly all of which was Mk1s. I recall two (in maroon) forming the 13.25 (SO) Oxford-Moreton-in-Marsh all stations stopper in 1965 with 6868 Penrhos Grange. They turned up on secondary services all over the place - look for pictures of the Gloucester-Ross-Hereford trains for instance, and behind Class 22s on branch services to Helston, Newquay etc before the DMUs took over. I recall seeing a photo of the Milton derailment in the 1950s, where there were a number of Hawksworths in the excursion train and the complete side of one vehicle had separated from the rest of the body. CHRIS LEIGH

The GWR numberplate is not likely to be moulded in, otherwise it would have to appear on all the models. It will either be printed or a separate etched plate, or possibly both. We don't have any info about axle sizes or mechanical details as yet - We await the first engineering sample for that. CHRIS LEIGH

Latest (final) CADs herewith. Cutting of metal is about to start.... Sentinel Specification Tooling designed to allow GWR, LNER, LMS, BR, industrial and Irish variants Etched steel ventilation grilles (0, 2 or 4 grilles as appropriate) Dapol ‘Super Creep’ motor with low gearing for slow speed operation and maximum haulage power Alternative chimney, whistle, injector and vacuum brake pipe components appropriate to prototypes All-wheel pick-up and drive 8-pin DCC decoder socket in cab ‘Friction free’ mechanism with electrical pick-up via pin-point axles Tungsten alloy chassis Detachable couplings in NEM pockets Separate handrails and lamp brackets Sprung metal buffers

However no doubt one of the usual suspects in the etched bits sector will come up with suitable extra grills for those needing a later loco (quote) Dapol has now confirmed that the model will be available with at least three body variants – with four, two or no cab ventilation grilles. We are also currently investigating the options for chimneys and tank fillers. (quote from MR post)

Attached are the latest CAD images of the ‘OO’ gauge Sentinel locomotive being designed and produced for Model Rail magazine by Dapol. As you can see, the model now has a mechanism designed in. To make the Sentinel as closely matched as possible to your requirements, we’d like to know what you think of it as it stands. The mechanism has been designed to be as unobtrusive as possible without compromising running quality or robustness. Dapol has now confirmed that the model will be available with at least three body variants – with four, two or no cab ventilation grilles. We are also currently investigating the options for chimneys and tank fillers. No delivery date or price has yet been confirmed, but we will update you again as soon as this vital information is available. Just to confirm; the Sentinel will have an eight-pin DCC decoder socket inside the body, along with a low profile Dapol ‘super creep’ motor. The latter will allow realistic open space inside the body. Kind Regards from all the Model Rail team.

If so this is a livery she has not been seen in for eighty years (quote) No. CoT was in this livery while entombed in the old Swindon Museum from 196? until 1985. CHRIS LEIGH

Disappointing! CoT is a loco that needs to be 'dressed to kill'. The full array of lining looks great and its a real pity to put it into that drab black frame livery that she had when she was tucked away in the old Swindon Museum. Now she'll just look like any other mid-1930s Great Western loco. As to it being 'correct' for the condition she's in - well, fully lined out with the bauxite/red frames and sandboxes is also 'correct' as that's the livery she carried in 1957. It's a celebration year and a celebrity loco ought to carry a livery which reflects that. Still, at least we won't see that awful BR black again! CHRIS LEIGH

The coal load - a bizarre shape - is not removeable (without cutting). I guess its that shape to allow space for sound equipment. The bogie which I damaged on our review model when cutting off the NEM pocket has been digitally retouched so you won't tell much from looking at the pictures, other than the guard irons are still missing. Nothing else was retouched. CHRIS LEIGH

Both bogies have the coupler pocket. Seems odd but that's the way it is. You're supposed to cut the pocket off one and keep the other for a 'mint' restoration job when you want to sell, I guess. However, it's dead easy to break the thin plastic guard irons off while cutting the pocket off, so its useful to have a spare bogie. You'll also find that the middle frame piece between the two axleboxes is only supplied on the original fitted bogie, so you'll have to break them off and refit them if you use the spare bogie. Not well thought out, in my view. CHRIS LEIGH

The model represents 'Truro' as it is NOW, including the livery - according to our sources at the NRM and the Glos/Warks. However, the hideous modern electrification flashes have been left off and a bogus buffer beam number put on. I understand that some of the gubbins in the right hand side of the cab relates to TPWS. CHRIS LEIGH

Can anyone tell me if wheels are available for it in P4? (quote) It's a complex chassis to modify. Bear in mind that the outside frames are part of the running plate and are therefore cast metal and quite thick. There seems to be quite a lot of play in the driving wheelsets, and the extended axles are quite long. I've never converted anything to 'broad gauge' (life's too short) so I'm not too sure what to look for, but to me this looks like a very complex model to convert. CHRIS LEIGH

It's not as it was, and it's not as it is. (quote) Yes, an odd mixture and not as in any photos, old or recent. Just been fitting the detail parts and they are a real nightmare. Flexi-plastic that's supposed to attach to metal castings. Real danger of damaging a beautiful model by changing the front coupling. Unless you're REALLY keen to change it, and you know what you're doing, I'd leave well alone. CHRIS LEIGH

You're asking me to reveal the entire review on here before it goes in the mag! 8 pick-ups (four driving wheels front and rear tender axles) Loco is in current guise (superheated + top-feed) and current livery but NOT - thank goodness - the modern horrors of yellow overhead warning signs and no TPWS on the footplate. The buffer beam lining is orange (should be yellow) and the model carries 'No. 3440' on the front buffer beam which should not be there. The coal in the tender is a most peculiar heap, presumably to allow space for the decoder and for a speaker which can be fitted in the tender. No more! - You'll need to read the magazine. CHRIS LEIGH

Is it traction tyre free? (quote) Not a traction tyre in sight. Seems to be very cleverly balanced and quite weighty, too. CHRIS LEIGH

I've been 'playing' - testing 3440 on our new part-completed test track. With five on the drawbar I felt the ghost of Moses Clements pushing my hand. On a track with some nice gentle curves you'd get the ton out of this Truro and still have volts to spare. Its a good slow runner, too, and with 12 Hornby Mk1s on, the slipping was only really due to trainset curves. CHRIS LEIGH

Looks suspiciously like Didcot Railway Centre. (quote) Looks even more like Swindon! The year we got it to the GWR Convention weekend at STEAM. (Note the road barrier in the background) Livery of the NRM model seems a bit nondescript to me. I suppose its meant to be the current livery - but surely it doesn't have a buffer beam number and 'No.' on it now? (Unless it was last painted at Doncaster, perhaps!) In 1957 livery the sandboxes were, indeed, painted Indian Red - except that it wasn't Indian Red, just the best they could do. I did hear that it was a mixture of wagon bauxite and buffer beam red! I liked it like that. CHRIS LEIGH

Thanks Chris - what a superb model, you lucky chap! (quote) Not really lucky - I'll be buying mine in due course. The model I've got is a review sample belonging to Model Rail and there are several people in the office who would also like it. We may end up drawing straws for it, or it may remain an office model for long term tests etc. Perhaps we'll get George to paint it in BR lined black - we did that once before, of course! At the moment, my bank balance won't stretch to it. I spent too much at Warley, including buying a Bachmann 3MT so that we'd have one to review in the next issue. Wish I'd bought a 4CEP at the same time, as I'm not sure the review sample will arrive in time. CHRIS LEIGH

Yes plates come with the loco name No & tender plates (quote) Full set of plates inc builder's plates. Also spare front bogie (if you want to cut the coupler box off) and a bag of details including fire irons and spare tender handbrake/water scoop standards incase of breakage. Now we need some decent clerestories...... CHRIS LEIGH

Backhead detail looks good. No wires between tender and engine so assume DCC socket is in the loco, if there is one lol (quote) Sorry, only cursory inspection so far, but: Backhead detail is nice but new Hornby T9 is even better. There ARE wires between loco and tender - the two are supplied coupled by four wires, although there does seem to be a plug. The drawbar can be uncoupled - I'm not sure about the wiring and don't want to interfere with review sample until after it has been photographed. There IS a 21-pin DCC socket. There's lots to say about this model - you can read it in the next Model Rail. Now, about that decorating. It is a former station. The builders have been in since July, the rooms are now ready and I've got 5 weeks in which to decorate before the builder comes back for phase two! So I won't be looking at rmweb too often over Christmas. CHRIS LEIGH 'Truro' on its little-known visit to Parksville, British Columbia:

Guess what I've got. Richard picked one up from the Toddington press launch today and I've borrowed it for the weekend. Will try to post a couple of pics later this evening. Full review in the next Model Rail - looks like another working weekend! (Finished the N gauge Hayling Island at 11.30 last night and was hoping for a couple of days off to do some decorating!) CHRIS LEIGH