BMacdermott

Hello everyone but mainly for Phil (Mallard) I happened to be looking at the Motive Power Miscellany of TI July 1959 (which was published within The Locomotive magazine). It seems that a Castle and two Granges ran light over the SR main line from Exeter to Basingstoke on clearance tests during June that year. Brian

Hello Tony and everyone Dennis Lovett has kindly supplied the following with permission to post here. This fully sums up the situation. Finally, I did omit saying in an earlier post that when makers and retailers show their era systems, they do go to reasonable lengths to explain that they are 'guides' only. Dennis alludes to that below. Brian _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Epoch system has long been part of the continental modelling spectrum. Bachmann’s sister company Lilliput is well versed in it. Back in my Virgin Trains days there was considerable debate on the old MREmag forum run by Pat Hammond asking why we had no such system in the UK? As a result, I suggested one which Pat duly published and there was considerable debate around it. Broadly it seemed to be acceptable to those who saw a benefit in it and unnecessary by those who knew what they were buying. It was appreciated by many that received models as presents ensuring that they no longer received Mark 4 coaches to run behind their LMS liveried steam locomotives! After I joined Bachmann in 2006, it became clear that many were not as knowledgeable about railway history as many on RMweb. It was therefore suggested we adopted an Epoch or Era system to assist both retailers and their customers in identifying suitable products to run on their layouts. The system adopted was similar to the seven era one that appeared on MREmag with two additional eras suggested giving us early emblem / late crest and also Pre-TOPs and TOPs in the BR post steam periods (when five digit class numbers were introduced). At the time, Bachmann challenged various organisations such as the Historical Model Railway Society to devise something better and if they did Bachmann would adopt it. No one did and the Bachmann system became established with retailers, in the model railway press and eventually by other manufacturers. The first eight periods are all in the past and therefore, do not need any great refinement. The only controversy appears of Period 9, the Privatisation era where there have been umpteen changes in franchises, franchise holders, liveries and ownership. Hornby decided to split Era 9 to create two more covering the privatisation period whereas Bachmann have not. The next big change will no doubt come with the creation of Great British Railways, however none of us know how that will pan out over the coming year or so. Of course, the Era descriptions are only a guide. I can recall seeing Network SouthEast EMUs working out of Kings Cross almost ten years after the BR sector ceased to exist. There is now an InterCity Mark 4 set with a Class 91 working on the ECML which was not foreseen when the system was developed, not sure how we explain that one! Nothing beats good research and I expect many on this forum will be able to obtain the information they require from a variety of sources. For those who have neither the time or the inclination to find it for themselves, then the Era system fits the bill. No system will suit everyone’s needs or tastes. The Bachmann Era system was designed to help those who required such information. That it is now widely used seventeen years after it was introduced, shows it is still relevant today. If it was not, it would have disappeared years ago. There will of course be overlaps between eras, changes do not and cannot happen overnight on a specific date although in these days of vinyl stickers they are now quicker than when everything had to be repainted in a major works. Hope this helps Dennis

Hello PLP An Ivo Peters photo taken 12 August 1961 shows the speed limit sign clearly as 55mph. You can find the photo on page 61 of Mike Arlett's book, The Somerset & Dorset at Midford. Chris Osment (Railwest on here) will almost certainly be able to answer the signal query. I guess he will see 'S&D' in your title and respond. If not, I will nudge him. Brian

Hello Tony and everyone As noted, I am not a fan of the era system but - to be fair to at least some makers, including Bachmann - their websites and packaging almost always go into great detail about a model's history. Accurascale, for example, show Era 5 on the box of their No.7812 Erlestoke Manor along with a small photo - but then supply a 16pp A5 loco history booklet in the box. Of course, such a history is fairly easy with the likes of, say, Flying Scotsman and most locos that lasted until BR days or have been built since. It gets harder with PCCS and NPCCS and even harder with wagons (unless built in modern times). I'd rather the system didn't exist but it seems here to stay. Perhaps best to just ignore the fact it's there? Our hobby seems to be growing exponentially and - in these days of 'on-line influencers' - there are bound to be factual errors and confusions. Those who want to research their models more deeply will do so. Those who don't, won't. I applaud the many makers who are now going to extraordinary lengths to give us superb models backed up with researched data. Brian

Hello again I have just looked at the Bachmann 2007 catalogue, and that states that the system was introduced in 2006 "...to provide extra information to new comers to our range..." Brian

Hello Tony and everyone To the best of my knowledge, the 'original' era system was set up by Bachmann - mainly to assist less knowledgeable shop assistants to put stock into broad chronological context. Continental modellers have had the 'Epoch' system for many years, There were, I believe, nine eras originally - and those have been increased by others to the current 11. I'm no fan of the era system myself (!) but can see that it has value to some. I know Dennis Lovett very well (late of Bachmann PR), so will drop him a line to confirm my beliefs above. Brian

A good point, Chris! Within The 00 Wishlist Poll, the R1 has been steadily climbing up the ranks and has been High Polling in 2018, 2019 and 2022. (The Poll didn't run in 2020 or 2021.) Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello everyone Congratulations to Rapido on this announcement. We wish them every success with the project.👍 Within The 00 Wishlist Poll, the class has been steadily climbing and was in High Polling in 2019. In 2022 (the next Poll to run), it had very slightly slipped back into the Middle Polling segment although higher up in the LNER Locos category. Overall, it was still in the top half of overall voting. Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello everyone Many congratulations to Rapido on this announcement which expands their SECR range! Within The 00 Wishlist Poll, the class had been High Polling for some years and entered The Top 50 in 2019. The Poll didn't run in 2020 or 2021 but, in 2022, the class was still in The Top 50. We wish Rapido every success with the project. Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello everyone Congratulations to Rapido on what will no doubt be a very welcome announcement!👍 We were about to list these locos in the forthcoming Quirky Poll but will now replace them with something else. Yet another winner for Quirky! (The Quirky Poll 2023 will run from around mid-December - more details at that time.) Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)

Hello Nick All the best for the next few months! As you know, I have 'been there, done it, and got the T-shirt!" I'm sure it will all be fine and worth the effort.👍 Brian

Hello Phil For lamp irons, I use Peco track pins. I drill a hole into the loco; apply a small dab of superglue to the pin end; push it through the hole to decent depth with a pair of track cutters for good grip; when glue is firmly dry, snip off both ends to correct size. Not totally 'prototype' - but it works. Brian

Hello Phil I have a Hattons/DJM 14xx and it runs fine. I use what were KPC hand-held controllers with feedback tuned to virtually zero. On one occasion, a controller came back from repair with the feedback accidentally 'on' - and the 14xx performed as well as the average kangeroo! (All other locos were fine.) The controller was returned and corrected...and all was well again!🙂 Brian

Hello everyone Congratulations to Bachmann and EFE on these announcements In The 00 Wishlist Poll, the Class 70 has always been High Polling and reached The Top 50 back in 2018 as well as in 2022. Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello cctransuk No.11001 has featured in The Quirky Poll (which we now run every two years). It has been High Polling and you will be able to vote for it when we run in December. Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)

Hello everyone Well done to Bachmann and EFE on these announcements. Plenty there! In relation to The 00 Wishlist Poll, this is how the new tooling items fared: Class 70 - Top 50 The loco has long been very High Polling and went into The Top 50 for 2022 (although it just got in previously in 2018 as well) Thompson BG - Middle Polling This one has consistently been somewhere between High and Middle. DBC HRA - Low Polling This is no particular surprise as air braked freight stock has traditionally been in the lower echelons, and they still seem to sell lots! We listed the Class 411 4 CEP Refurbished combined with the 3 CEP; the latter was announced in August so we can now delete the former as well. Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello Phil Same book, page 33. No.31875 working 1X08 (Bere Alston-Goodrington Sands return). I have looked at the SR loco rosters. The workings are there but not in the same way - perhaps (as was often a case) - they found a way of working things to their convenience? Brian

Hello everyone Phil (Mallard) posted a query as to why an SR Light Pacific could be seen at Newton Abbot shed. I don't have the full story, but can quote from the Summer 1957 WTT... Booked for SR Engines Up were: 2.15pm Plymouth-Exeter. Worked straight through, arriving 4.50pm. 4.32pm Plymouth-Paignton. Worked as far as Newton Abbot (arrive 5.45pm) and changed locos with 5.20pm Paignton-Exeter, departing 5.53pm and arriving Exeter 6.33pm. Booked for SR Engines Down were: 11.35am Exeter-Kingswear. Worked as far as Newton Abbot, arrive 12.25pm. 12.30pm Newton-Abbot-Plymouth. (Was it possible to use the engine arriving 12.25pm?? Unlikely?) 4.30pm Taunton-Newton Abbot. Worked between Exeter and Newton Abbot, arrive 6.34pm 7.40pm Newton Abbot-Plymouth I'll dig further and report back if I find anything. Brian

Hello Phil I will post a reply to the ANTB thread as it is 'off topic' here. Brian

Hello again everyone I had overlooked that - during the latter part of last year following the 2022 Poll - I worked with a number of societies and individuals (notably Mr Compound 2632 of this thread) to improve the listings of specific pre-Group freight stock. I'm pleased to say that Diag.88 was already on the list - so I have deleted it giving us space for another item in 2024. Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello RapidoAndy and everyone Many congratulations to you on this model - we wish you every success with it!👍 Within The 00 Wishlist Poll, we have gradually been adding individual Pre-Grouping vehicles but content space constraints limit us in that respect. However, in the 2022 Poll, we listed LNWR Freight Stock as something of a 'catch-all' - and I'm pleased to say that it was the top-rated item in our category: Freight Stock: Pre-1923, missing a place in The Top 50 by just nine votes! Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello Tony and everyone Has anyone ever noticed the anomalies with the codes printed in the Observer's book series? I attach photos of the 1955, 1960 and 1966 editions. Brian

Hello Tony ECS trains to and from Old Oak Common and Paddington used the same lamp code in BR days - which, I think, was a hang-over from GWR days. Mike Stationmaster will no doubt confirm or correct me. Brian

Hello Tony The headlamp code for ECS was different in LMS days. Attached photo from LMS General Appendix dated March 1937 tfn. Brian

Thanks Graham As many who know me will already be aware, my wife is disabled and going to shows has to be limited to 90 minutes or so - and that includes travel there and back! I have to be 'highly focussed'!🤓 Fortunately, we have four very good shows here in Milton Keynes each year: MKMRS in June; Silver Fox in August; the very much smaller 'local show' at Olney in September; and GETS in October. Sadly, that time also precluded me meeting up 'gwrrob' this time. Brian