Patriot87003

My two 87s are run-in and working lovely and smooth - really pleased with them. I hope they’re good sellers for Hornby and they’ll announce different liveries going forward. One minor issue on mine I’ve noticed is that a few of the electrical pickup strips to the wheels aren’t touching. I’ve managed to bend the strips so they now touch ok. Have any others had this?

Both 87s are now unboxed and work perfectly, very smooth runners and good turn of speed. I can’t see any quality control issues - both look lovely models - really pleased. Hopefully attached are a few pictures, to show them well protected in the box, the bag of goodies (including etched plates) the underside to show the day-night switch also an action shot to show the front lights. The Brecknell Willis pantograph detaches itself easily (useful while getting the poseable height setting correct - oops!

I’ve just collected my two pre-ordered 87s from a certain shop in Sheffield and aboard a train home following a work meeting. I’ll hope to take a few pictures when home a bit later. They do look good though .... I couldn’t wait for them to be posted! Good timing as well as it’s my wife’s birthday in a few weeks ...

Hornby website now showing as ‘New Tooling’, the ‘Pre-Order’ label has been removed, but it’s now showing as ‘Out of Stock’! Pressing the F5 refresh button to monitor the next update! Hopefully that means the pre-orders are being sent out to each retail shop this week?

Maybe the missing component is one of these ... and there’s currently a boat going around in circles somewhere in the ocean with a container of dizzy 87s?

The latest edition of Hornby’s Engine Shed blog has an informative update about the Class 87s. Both the BR Blue and Intercity versions are hitting the shelves imminently. But they’ve had problems with one of the suppliers, so sounds like the Virgin version maybe further delayed next year. https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/news/the-engine-shed/lots-of-running-samples-and-new-releases

How's the preparations going for this weekend? I'm looking forward to attending the show on Friday and seeing Aberdeen Kirkhill in the flesh again ... and every time I've seen your layout, I've spent much more than 5 minutes admiring it! I really like the excellent slow speed running, protypical shunting moves, variety and quality of the motive power and rakes of rolling stock. I'm lucky enough to have a family trip to the Highlands this half term, and permission for a jolly to Glasgow to attend the show, and I'll probably be seeing Kirkhill at my local show in Nottingham as well in a few weeks time ... bonus!

I also enjoyed seeing Dallam today at the Stafford show. Looked to be performing well when I visited. I didn't got a chance to speak to you Simon as each time I passed by the layout had a healthy number of keen watchers with ongoing conversations keeping you busy! Hopefully I'll get a chance to see Dallam and get to speak at a future layout soon. Good luck tomorrow, hope it's another successful day.

Another excellent show, enjoyable layouts and some good bargains as well. Credit to the car parking attendants trying their best to spot free places on the tarmac sections in the sleet and drizzly conditions. Look forward to revisiting during 2019. Hope tomorrow is another successful day for the show!

Here's the Oxford Mk3 coupled to the Bachmann Class 47 Fire Fly, 47834.

I regularly use the hoover function of the Dapol track cleaner on my layout - it's scary how much dust, hair and small bits it manages to suck up each time I lift off the lid to empty it! The hoover function is the cleaner's best function in my opinion. I use it coupled to a CMX track cleaner with some Track Magic as the cleaning fluid, with one of the detailed and heavier Hornby Class 31's to haul/push it around. I've been impressed with Track Magic since I've started using it, especially when using it to clean the wheels of my loco's and rolling stock. It also lasts quite a long time. I might try IPA next time to see how it compares.

Great choice for your second 87! I've been following your layout threat for a while and have enjoyed and admired your progress .... really captures the essence of that section of route around Dallam as well as the services, rolling stock and loco's passing through. I'm planning to attend the Stafford show in two weeks time and looking forward to seeing the layout in the flesh.

Well I succumbed ... and bought one of each of those available so far. Overall I'm very impressed, lovely smooth and free running and no derailments so far from being hauled or pushed. I agree with the observations above regarding the footboards probably benefiting from a touch of glue to secure. I think they could benefit from further closer coupling, possibly using Kadees? I've taken a couple of pictures, the first comparing to a recent Hornby Mk3 and the second coupled up to an 87. I'll let others judge which shade is closer to being correct for the lower body side!

They do look good indeed! This year is going to be quite expensive for me with the Hornby 87s, Bachmann 90s and Mark 2Fs arriving ... I had though I was content with my existing Mk3s but having seen these pictures, the temptation is getting the better of me! Does anyone know if they're arriving in any other shops besides Hattons? I have a work meeting today and will be passing through Sheffield later, so it's tempting to go via a certain shop ...

Good news to see the announcement of the Class 87 in Virgin livery. Interesting to see that the RRP on Hornby's website is a whopping £1 cheaper than the 2017 BR Blue and IC Swallow versions!

My main modelling aim is to complete the wiring of the colour light signals and Heathcote control modules. Also at least one decent running session per month as too much time in recent months has been spent progressing the layout. I also aim to pluck up the courage (and find time) to create a layout thread to show and share my layout. I've been mostly a lurker on RMweb for far too long! I really enjoy reading and viewing the efforts of others, the trials and tribulations along the way, the many useful tips as they've been a great help to me.

Be careful .... simple systems like TPWS, speed traps etc only work best where the braking rates of the various types of train are similar. In the UK, even where TPWS is fitted, there is no guarantee that all collision or derailment scenarios will be prevented (e.g. Heavily loaded freight train with poorer braking rate and with slippy rails). Likewise, TPWS penalises trains that have a superior braking rate in terms of performance, with extended journey times, caused by drivers driving defensively in order to avoid a TPWS activation. I've read it reported that the advance warning board for the 30mph speed restriction was located two miles in advance of the actual start point of the restriction/curve. No doubt that this will be around the location where a heavily loaded freight train will require the brakes to be applied (plus a factor of safety distance allowance) to reduce safely to 30mph, but the braking distance from line speed to 30mph for a modern passenger train is likely to be much much less than two miles, probably as little as half a mile (if similar to UK passenger train braking rates). For a passenger train driver running at the full line speed, this will be around about a minute after passing the advance speed board, during which time there is plenty of time to be distracted.

Hmmm! The offer doesn't seem to have made its way t'up norf to the northern powerhouse home of the Pacers and non-electrified MML WH Smith's at Sheffield Station .... both BRM and Hornby Magazine were showing full fat prices when scanned in Maybe to subsidise Pacer replacement and electrification?!)

Is that the estimated arrival year? Good news it's been brought forward 18 years .... I might not be here though to see it!

Brilliant! Many thanks for posting this, as I'm very tempted to model this cameo scene .... "Once upon a time, Deltic had a trip to Dawlish sea wall. The tide was in. However, Jaws was lurking, and very very hungry .... And his favourite food is Deltic marker lights .... Mmmmm ..... Tasty!" I'm so tempted to bid, but drats .... I can't find a Jaws in OO gauge .... I'm gutted, looks like I won't be able to do this cameo!!!

Time to revive this thread ..... and it's good news for modellers of UK OHLE! I attended this year's Warley exhibition and didn't see it .. but apparently on the PECO stand, a range/demo of UK OHLE was displayed, a revival of the previously announced but paused range from about 2009. I contacted PECO direct to ask about the OHLE seen at Warley and they kindly replied to say that they are planning to develop and release a 'robust and quality' catenary system in conjuction with Sommerfeldt for OO modellers with further details to be published in the February edition of the Railway Modeller. Fantastic news!

Just seen this on the Dapol website posted earlier today ... looks like the catenary wires are on the way! In Stock and Being Sent to Stockists OOWIRE1 OO Catenary Wires 337 mm Pack of 5 RRP £24.95 OOWIRE2 OO Catenary Wires 203 mm Pack of 10 RRP £27.95 OOWIRE3 OO Catenary Wires 177 mm Pack of 10 RRP £24.95 OOWIRE4 OO Catenary Wires 155 mm Pack of 10 RRP £22.95 OOWIRE5 OO Catenary Wires 138 mm Pack of 10 RRP £20.95 http://Dapol.co.uk/index.php?route=information/news&news_id=132