GordonC

There was always occasional DMU replacements. I've seen photos of Class 50s and 2 coaches, for example, on the Exeter to Barnstaple branch or locos hauling (presumably failed) DMUs

the issues with fuel tanks on the Farish 47/7s ... is that the missing white brake pipes on one side?? Is that not one of the easier 'errors' to correct i.e. stick an extra part on rather than a wrong shape or detail I dont model in N, but would it really be a dealbreaker for that to be missing? Even if it was missing in 00 I'd still buy them as its easy to correct and I'm just happy to have 47/7s released in Scotrail livery to begin with!

But if they want to gather pre-orders and potentially use them to judge interest in models, then how would that be communicated to customers that perhaps dont read RMWeb or internet forums. We have seen cases (perhaps more with Hornby) where announced items have later been postponed or even cancelled with the reason being given as being due to low orders (from retailers). When Bachmann announces its new catalogue it is normally termed as being for the next 18 months rather than 12 (although in some cases items have been getting delayed way past that

Even at £1000 I'd still have one ... of course it'd cost a lot more in that in perfume, flowers and dinners out to get approval from the domestic authorities ... but I'd still sign up for one on the spot!!!

Whatever the cost I'd love a full set if one was done to modern-standards!!

was there more than one pair of those brakevan translators? or was the Allerton pair taken to Ellesmere Port for scrapping?

I'm not exactly sure what your point is ... there wont be a shortage of buyers for a standard Large Logo Blue Class 47 when it comes out!

Heljan have quite a range of locos at least, perhaps not as much rolling stock as Hornby or Bachmann, but they've got to be counted as a 'main' supplier with Classes 14, 15, 16, 17, 23, 26, 27, 28, 33, 35, 47, 52, 58, 86, 128, Lion, DP2, Kestrel, Falcon

That might be what they'd like to charge, but they could be left with an awful lot of stock to sell if thats the price. No doubt we'd then get told 'electric units dont sell'

No, Class 158s replaced the loco-hauled services before they were in turn replaced by the Class 185s

Did they work a service train to get between Edinburgh and Newcastle or did they travel light engine?

Didn't Scotrail locos sometimes work the services when they were en-route to or from Crewe Works for overhaul?

Its possibly difficult to draw a line anywhere of a significant change to the organisation of the railway as a whole to indicate a new 'era'. Franchises come and go, freight companies appear or change livery or ownership but other than Railtrack to Network Rail is there any other obvious large change to the whole railway

'Modern Image' is a very vague term and often relates to anything diesel and electric rather than steam. It probably hasn't moved on in time period from the 1960s or 70s! My interest would probably be classed as modern image too, but I model early 80s to mid 90s and I buy very few models of prototypes from the last 20 years!!

Would Manchester Victoria have counted as a junction where 4 track lines split in years gone by? 4 lines continuing up Miles Platting Bank (not counting the Bury DC lines) and 4 diverging off round by Red Bank/Bury

I cant help but be disappointed that there isn't more progress with it to report by now

Was there not 2 versions of the GNER livery? One with Silver(?) and the other Gold lettering? and similarly with the Mk4 coaches was there not the pre-refurbushed version with the normal livery on the doors and the refurbished version with orange/red doors

How do the Hattons DCC Decoders cope with Heljan models? I'm thinking specifically of the higher current draw generally with Heljan models, does it cause any problems with the Hattons decoders?

you can ... you just cant flush til you have

37326 / 37111 is just one loco, it was renumbered to 37326 for a while along with other Ravenscraig/British Steel dedicated Class 37s at Motherwell depot

Its gone very, very quiet on them!

sectorisation led to ... i.e. BR split into the sectors in 1982 and afterwards new liveries came along is that really so wrong to describe it as a 'complete ficitious rewrite of BR history'???? where is the fiction?

I think its a browser thing. Replying quoting a post seems to work for me in Mozilla Firefox but not IE

I'd be surprised if all the tools were worn out, there must be significant differences in the numbers of some of the characters that have been produced from those tools. The tools for Thomas, Percy, James and possibly Gordon must have had a lot more use than many of the others

are you not wanting a Strathclyde PTE Class 101 to make an appearance too? I'd have to agree about the 3-car version though, had the model they've released been 3 car I'd have had one by now, but when its just 2 car I'm not so sure The Hamilton Class 116s would have come over on the Shotts line