BMacdermott

Hello Ceptic The Mk1 FO is a 'different animal' compared with a Maunsell FK. The Mk1 has - arguably - much more potential, both for the latter-day modeller and manufacturer. Brian Macdermott

Hello everyone Have managed to get hold of a 'foto' - looks like a 'Twin FO' to me! Brian Macdermott http://halfpennygreen.zenfolio.com/img/s5/v130/p395590321-3.jpg

Hello everyone Graham 'Muz' has used the terms 'foxtrot oscar' and (sic) 'Fairly Obvious' in recent postings (but with my bold addition). F + O = ? Brian Macdermott

Congratulations to Hattons on these announcements. In The Wishlist Poll 2015: The 1940s Warwell was the most-wanted pre-1948 Freight Stock item and was in the Top 50. The 1970s Warwell was the most-wanted post-1963 Freight Stock item and was in the upper echelons of the High Polling segment. The Beilhack Snowplough was in the upper echelons of the Middle Polling segment. Brian Madermott (on behalf of The Poll Team)

Congratulations to Hattons on these announcements. In The Wishlist Poll 2015: The 1940s Warwell was the most-wanted pre-1948 Freight Stock item and was in the Top 50. The 1970s Warwell was the most-wanted post-1963 Freight Stock item and was in the upper echelons of the High Polling segment. The Beilhack Snowplough was in the upper echelons of the Middle Polling segment. Brian Madermott (on behalf of The Poll Team)

Hello everyone They say perception is reality, but I have just carried out a very brief survey of the content of last week (the last week of three issues and prior to 'change discussion'). 48 = The number of published letters (Have your Say) 21 = The number posted by individual names appearing once only 8 = Four people sent two postings each 6 = Two people sent three postings each 5= One person sent five. Additional to that, I sent eight postings: 5 = Personally, all answering raised questions. 2 = On behalf of The Poll Team 1 = Personally, submitting a photo of the USA Class Brian

Thanks for the comments, everyone. As promised, I will pass them on. Brian

Hello everyone Although I check the 'new content' list at least twice a day, this thread somehow evaded me until today! I have read and contributed to MREmag almost from its very start and hope that the planned changes will enable some form of continuation of what I - and many others - see as a valid, relevant, informative and highly enjoyable 'magazine'. It is 'dear to the heart' of many. Someone wrote to me yesterday and said: "I feel like I have just lost a very good friend." I'm sure the Board of MREmag would be interested to hear from Paftrain (#3) as to why he has 'switched off'. Personally, I feel that Phil has done a grand job without ever missing a single publication date (to the best of my knowledge). He has been a delight to work with since day one of his tenure. He is 'holding the fort' until the end of the year and my thanks go out to him for that. I fully understand his reasons for moving on (next year). If Paftrain doesn't want to speak publicly, then he can feel free to PM his comments to me and I will pass them forward. Indeed, I will offer to do the same for anyone else - as long as they are reasonably brief, polite and constructive; that includes anything you feel is 'wrong'. Some friends and I will be doing all we can to provide the Board with ideas for a secure future. All is not lost - the ride is just a bit turbulent and foggy at the moment! Brian

Hello Stationmaster (#30) According to what we say in The Guide to The Wishlist Poll, they lasted generally to the mid-50s. Poll Team member, John Lewis, photographed one in the mid-60s. It had not long been withdrawn from service. Brian Macdermott (on behalf of The Poll Team)

Hello GWRrob The Van received 134 votes in The Wishlist Poll 2015. That placed it in the upper echelons of the Middle Polling segment. It was about the same in 2014. By comparison (in 2015), Heljan's Tank Wagon had 138 votes; Oxford's LNER 6-plank had 126 votes; Hornby's Coke Hopper had 125; and Oxford's LNER Cattle Wagon had 124. Brian Macdermott (on behalf of The Poll Team)

Hello Iain Sorry......my plan seems to have loaded sideways! Brian

Hello Iain That looks really good! And thanks for the extra detail of your thoughts - I can now see why you want Camden side too be 'off the wall'. I have attached a (very!) rough sketch plan. It may look complex at first sight, but it's dead easy and only involves four points, which saves a heck of a lot of money. It has a 'Lower Reverse Loop' at 0". Trains emerge from one of two linear hidden roads into the 'Camden Scenic Area'. Just prior to emerging, the baseboards would be starting to angle upwards, as the trains need to climb 3" to clear the Lower Reverse Loop. It works out at about 1 in 120 between A and B. My own layout has no problem with 10-coach trains. The positives are: Only four points (less cost, less risk of derailment etc) Loads of storage space. The negatives are Harder to build. Needs DPDT polarity reversal switches. There is only little option for bringing trains out of the sidings. It might be harder for the workbench positioning. I'll PM some photos of my layout to you later. Brian

Hello Iain Could the layout go right up the wall occupied by the workbench, then put the workbench over the curved section so that you are always 'on the inside'? It would probably need to be 'lift off' or 'fold up' style. The 'shed side' could then butt directly up to the wall with the door opening. It would also result in slightly more track space and a wider central operating area (or same area but with a few more hidden siding tracks). Brian

Hello Phil (#6) The SR Cattle Wagon has been in the 'high pollers' of The Wishlist Poll since 2012. Brian

Hello Tony Great to see you and Mo enjoying yourselves at Peterborough this morning and many thanks for showing me the lovely models you had with you. One of the highlights of the show for me! Kind regards Brian

Hello Oz You are right about the SHT/P&M Peckett E Class 0-4-0ST (in GWR/BR livery) polling low....but in the Industrial category, the Industrial 0-4-0ST - Outside Cylinders came in with 291 votes, placing it in The Top 20. Brian (on behalf of The Poll Team)

Dear All Some extracts for you.... Railway Observer May 1960, page 162: The first of a new series of diesel multiple units from the B.R.C.& W. works passed through Birmingham (Snow Hill) on 26th March. Trains Illustrated May 1960, page 305: A photo with the caption: One of Pressed Steel's first three-car diesel multiple units for the Western Region, photographed at Southall. The cars are Nos.W51332/74 and W59484. (Photo L.Harper). The unit was unlined. Trains Illustrated May 1960, page 313: The Birmingham R.C. & W. Co. has completed its first three-car diesel multiple unit for the W.R., cars Nos.51302/17 and 59469, which left the Smethwick works on March 22. Trains Illustrated June 1960, page 378/9: The first Birmingham R.C. & W. three-car diesel multiple unit for the Western Region, Nos.51302*/17 and 59469, arrived at the Harwell Street diesel depot, Plymouth, early in April and was put on crew training between Plymouth and Truro. Page 379 showed a photo of the unit taken by RC Riley on 8 April 1960. It was lined. Notes: 1. * TI stated 59302. 2. There do not appear to be marker lights on either unit. Brian Brian

Thanks Chris L, Chris F, Mike etc for some interesting comments and photos. If you have a look at Class 118 at www.railcar.co.uk you will see a 118 without marker lights. Railway research.....never easy, is it! Brian

Good to see these - and in the 'new style packing'. I was at the NRM (York) a few days ago and thought then that the model display cabinet could do with some 'corporate identity'. I wish Brian and Simon all the best in this worthwhile venture - with more to come. Brian

Hello Julian I'm afraid I can't help with specific formations, but - as I worked within sight of the line just outside Waterloo in 1984/5 - I do have a log of what locos worked the trains. If you're interested, send me a PM and will scan the logs to you. Brian

Hello Andy An amazing achievement! Congratulations on reaching this important milestone. Many thanks for all your hard work (and to those 'behind the scenes'). Long may it continue. Brian

Hello Arthur The survey covered all types of kits - locos, rolling stock, card kits etc. Brian

Hello everyone On the subject of kits, I recently ran a very informal survey on MREmag. I didn't specify what type of kits - just kits in general. There were 104 respondents. The results were: 9% Probably won't make any. 48% Probably will make some. 43% Probably will make all. 40 Respondents had between 1 and 9 kits. 64 Respondents had 10+ kits. Numerous respondents were unable to say how many kits they actually had as they were 'stored away'. Those who were able to reply are as below: 12 Respondents - Between 10 and 49 kits 8 Respondents - Between 50 and 99 kits 7 Respondents - 100+ kits Let me reiterate that this was an informal survey of just MREmag readers and should not be taken as necessarily being representative of all kit buyers. Brian

Hello Tony Firstly, all the very best for 2015 to you and everyone else who contributes to this highly entertaining and informative thread! I am an ex-Quality Manager and firmly believe that the Heljan approach to getting it right - including via you and others here - is entirely the correct way to proceed. The sum of the total will always exceed the sum of the individual parts! I am out of my depth in the technicalities, but I hope the following will help. Over on MREmag, we have had some discussion of late concerning: return cranks; quartering; and leads. I gather from others with 'loco backgrounds' that these areas could benefit from greater fidelity to the prototype in many cases. Please don't ask me, as I don't know; I simply offer the subjects in case they get overlooked. Regards and thanks to you all. Brian

Hello Stationmaster (et al) The following is not 'definitive evidence' and is not intended to detract from anything said earlier (particularly about the name being used locally at Oxford). I was a trainspotter around London in the late 50s/early 60s, and an enthusiast since, but had never heard the term 'Night Owl' until last year. My good friend (and fellow member of the Steam Railway Research Society) penned an article about the class which appeared in Steam Days (May and July 2013) as alluded to in posting #59. 'Night Owl' appears in the sub-title and in the caption to the first photo - but, if I recall correctly, Richard didn't write those elements of the text. I have emailed him about this, but he is often away from his computer. In the book Four Thousand Miles on The Footplate (1952), OS Nock wrote an article about a 47xx working. He refers to them simply as '47s'. I will be ordering Heljan's model asap! Brian