BMacdermott

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

Hello Graham I very much enjoyed seeing the layout on Sunday.👍 I would have said 'hello' but you were tied up and my visit time was restricted, precluding any return. All the best. Brian

Hello Train Times Many congratulations on a bold, new venture - we wish you every success with the project!🙂👍 We listed the Diag.1433 (with the IoW Fish variant) in The 00 Wishlist Poll for the first time in 2022 and it came in with a very creditable Middle Polling position, about half way overall. All the best! Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Easy for me...I'm less than 10 minutes by car.🙂 Brian

But I am, and I'm going!🙂 Brian

Hello Phil It has been in The Top 50 of The 00 Wishlist Poll since 2016. A 'sleeper in waiting'?? Brian

Hello everyone This might be slightly off topic (although related) and I don't actually have a 15xx (at the moment - but it's 'under consideration' for the future). I note that some readers have had problems with downhill running, My layout has a long run of about 1 in 160 to climb over itself. I use All Components handheld controllers where the feedback has been switched to virtually zero for me. The only items that I have ever had downhill problems with are my three Class 105 DMUs (of the original production time). I noticed that they 'surged' and this really precluded me running them. There is a slight improvement when I use my old Kent Panel Controls unit with switched feedback on - but I don't want to use that unit full-time! A solution I found was to put some tightly folded kitchen roll under the two non-powered axles of the motor coaches. The weight of the motor still enables the wheels to turn. They run beautifully now as a 2-car unit with a 4-car one (or all combined if needed). I'm not sure if this will help anyone with a 15xx - but the concept might be of value? I know some might say that I'm 'introducing drag' to the motors, but I would say it's no worse than a loco having a string of coaches attached. Brian

Hello Bazza All the 'oddballs' of recent years - such as the S-160, Bulleid Leader, Big Bertha, 18000 and the Jones Goods - have all been consistently Top 50 and/or High Polling. Having said that, though, the Toplight 'Mainline & City' stock was at the bottom of the GWR Coaches category for the two years we listed it prior to its announcement. We'd really need to hear 'a good case' to consider re-listing the 97xx Condensing class. Brian

Hello Phil The 00 Poll Team removed the class from The 00 Wishlist Poll 2022 as it had been consistently Low Polling over the years, with no sign of any upward progression. Do readers here want it back in? Brian

Hello Tony and everyone Does anyone know if J17s, J19s or J20s worked from Cambridge to Hitchin and back c.1959? Many thanks Brian

Hello everyone A frequency question for you... For as long as I recall, Heathrow Director has been 120.4 but has - seemingly - been replaced by (what was/is) Heathrow Radar on 127.525. Can anyone explain? (Note for context for those who may not know: Heathrow Director is the controller who receives inbounds from Heathrow's northern holds (Bovingdon and Lambourne) and merges them with the southern ones (Ockham and Biggin) to form a single line of traffic before handing them off to Heathrow Tower). Brian

Many thanks for your concern and continued interest, Tony - much appreciated! I had done a small amount of net research on 60860 as I only have one specifically V2 book in my library. Funnily enough, I'm pretty certain it was that very photo you mention above that set me thinking about what livery she ran with in mid-1959! For the time being, she will run in black.🙂 Thanks again! Brian

Hello Tony and everyone I have Bachmann's V2 No.60860 Durham School in lined black livery with early emblem. Could anyone tell me if she ran as this during mid-1959? This is the time-frame in which I run my layout when it is in 'Hitchin mode'. Many thanks Brian

Hello Accurascale and everyone Another 'positive' for the Manor... My two Manors are to replace my ageing Bachmann versions. When my layout is in 'WR mode' (an 'impression of' Newton Abbot, run in DC) my Manors are often used as pilots so I was a tad worried that the new locos wouldn't 'performance match' my Halls, Castles, Counties and Kings. I'm pleased to say that at 'South Devon speeds', they are as close as makes no odds for the few feet that I double-head to the reverse loops off-scene and back.🙂 With most of the locos as light engines, the Manor is slightly slower; this is good because they become 'matched' when the train loco takes the coaching stock load. If there was any marginally noticeable disparity, it is with the Counties - hint, hint to Accurascale to make the class please! My order for three is sitting here waiting to go! Brian

Hello McC Will you add a 'go faster stripe' to the shock absorber spec...for those who can't wait five minutes for the delivery?😀 Brian-

Hello Accurascale and everyone I received the first of my two manors on Friday and it has been 'running in' on and off since then. I can say without doubt that this is the best 00 steam loco that I have ever had (with the caveat that I have only had it four days and 'the proof of the pudding will be in the eating'!). I use what used to be Kent Panel Controls DC handheld controllers (now made by All Components) with feedback switched to virtually zero. The start/stop performance is very smooth - akin to that in the DCC video shown earlier. So far, not a single derailment despite being sent through crossovers etc at 'unusually high speed' back and forward. The Manors have been bought in full knowledge that they - like many many other makers' items - are designed for a minimum of Second Radius. My reverse loops are First, Second and Third, so I thought I'd give it a test around First - no problem whatsoever with no 'binding' etc. To my happy surprise, the same was true in reverse! Well done Accurascale! Brian

Hello John I have just had a look at Pat Hammond's Ramsay's Model Trains Catalogue. It seems that this vehicle is an ex-Dapol one that was re-liveried and included in a Hornby train set called Mixed Freight Set (R1126). Brian

Are you a Disabled Modeller in true need of a Mobility Scooter? Hello everyone My disabled wife no longer needs her 4-wheel mobility scooter – an Abilize Stride Comforter (see photo below). We are happy for it to go free, gratis and for nothing to a modeller with mobility problems as long as: 1. You have been registered with RMweb for at least a year; 2. Are in receipt of the same Gov benefits that qualify for the Motability scheme (such as PIP or Armed Forces Injuries etc) or similar. Proof of such will be needed. We’re sorry but a disabled badge alone will not suffice. Collection from Milton Keynes. We will keep the offer open for about a month. In the event of two or more qualifying responses, names will go in a hat. The scooter comes with a charger and an overall driver/scooter rain cover for wet weather use. The seat cover is easily removed if not required. Full details can be found at the company website (Abilizemobiity.co.uk) and in the video link below. https://youtu.be/D08c_mP9kOs?si=NfhpkVOSlCir4ID4 OK…send me a PM if you think you qualify – probably best not to discuss your disability entitlements on a public forum! Brian

Hello Phil Agree there! This is how the County 4-6-0 has fared recently in The 00 Wishlist Poll: 2018 - Entered The Top 50 2019 - Came in just outside The Top 50 2020/21 - Poll didn't run 2022 - Back in The Top 50, but higher up at overall position =17th. I will have at least two and probably three. Brian

Hello Phil At the moment, I think they are looking at poles as opposed to polls.🙂 Brian

Hello Michael This was listed in The Quirky Poll 2021 - but ended up at the overall bottom position.🙂 Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)

Hello everyone This Lancaster was over my house and away before I could get outside for a good shot! However, I did get some footage - from which below is a screen grab - as she circled over north Milton Keynes this afternoon. Brian

Hello everyone Just placed my order for four packs (1x Diag.1/108 and 3 x Diag.1/109). 👍 These will be 'empties' on my layout. Brian

Hello everyone Many congratulations to Accurascale on this comprehensive venture!👍We wish them every success with the project. Within The 00 Wishlist Poll 2022 (and earlier) we didn't list the Diag.1/108 as that had been produced in (comparatively) recent years but we did list the Diag.1/109. It has been in the upper echelons of Middle Polling coming in above the overall halfway mark in 2022. Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello Tony Very much agree there! The J6 hovered in the upper echelons of Middle Polling for many years but went into High Polling in 2019 and then the Top 50 in 2022. It was actually in position =37 overall. The Poll didn't run in 2017, 2020 or 2021. The next Poll to run will be December 2024. Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)