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This is an extract from a spreadsheet I use to keep track of Hall and Modified Hall tender variations: Primary Variation HALL CLASS 4901 - 4942: 3500 Churchward style tender as built 4943 - 4957: 3500 Collett tender as built 4901 - 4957 subsequently given Collett 4000 tender 4958 - 5920: 4000 Collett tender as built 5921 - 6905: 4000 gallon Collett, fire iron tunnel, as built 49xx - 4000 gallon Hawksworth tender swap post War (GWR) 49xx - 4000 gallon Hawksworth tender swap post War (BR early and late emblems) 49xx - 8 wheel temporary tender 4000 gallon Collett 6906 - 6958: wartime cab without side windows, 4000 Collett, plain black 6906 - 6958: wartime loco's rebuilt with side windows and repainted GWR green OIL BURNERS 39xx oil burner - 3500 gallon Churchward type 39xx oil burner - 4000 gallon Collett MODIFIED HALL CLASS 6959 - 6970: wartime build, cab without side windows, 4000 Collett tender, plain black 6959 - 6970: 4000 gallon Collett subsequent repaints and cab side windows 6959 - 6970: Hawksworth tender swap by BR (early and late emblems) 6971 - 6980: Hawksworth tender as GW built until November 1947 completion 6981 - 6990: Hawksworth tender GWR built but completed early 1948 {'BRITISH RAILWAYS') 6991 - 7929: Hawksworth tender as BR built: November 1948-August 1950 (early lion) 6971 - 6980: Collett tender swap by BR 6981 - 7929: Collett tender swap by BR I have done a quick revision so supplied As-Is.

I have only a low interest in BR blue and grey era (cannot buy everything) but thought I should grab a few of the BR MK2 coaches now available at bargain prices from Hattons. As far as blue loco's go, I have an all blue Airfix class 31 (runs like a watch, no tick), blue class 45 and class 46, also class 50 and class 56 in Revised livery with big arrows which is my favourite blue livery. Looking at the list of available stock I got confused by two types of coach - Mk2A and MK2S plus four states of blue and grey livery, viz., first blue grey, second blue grey, first intercity, second intercity. Then there is no mention of any Western Region ones. And I thought steam era was complicated.

I frequently trawl through the eHattons web page to see what is new, what is selling or sticking, what is about to run out, and for bargains. For several months there have been listed some MK2 coaches in blue and grey or its intercity version at 12 quid a pop. Anyone with an interest in this period can pick up brand new coaches for a lot less than used tat sells for on ebay. In the 1980s I spent many a sunny day photographing blue and grey trains headed by a loco in the big arrows livery but apart from a few blue diesels I have little model interest in the blue era and do not buy any more. Why are these coaches so cheap?

From the pictures shown in the previous post it seems that 7903 will not now have a Hawksworth tender. I was looking forward to the 'as built' version in black with straight sided tender. Bachmann has saved me some money because I shall not buy any of these new models.

My opinion is that Bachmann will use the recent 'proper' Hall as a basis for the retooled Modified Hall rather than bother with the Replica body moulding. Referring to my picture in post #10, I base this on the fact that on the normal Hall model the smokebox saddle, steam pipes and reverser cross shaft are all separate mouldings which can be substitued by alternative parts including the frame extension. Apart from that a different bogie is advisable and the cab hand rail should be L-shaped. I am pleased that Bachmann is bringing out the black version but if for any reason it does not come out, it is easy to convert a Hall to a Modified Hall.

I was looking forward to buying Foremarke Hall with Hawksworth tender in black, and maybe another one to rob for a tender to go behind a standard Hall but iIf they come out as listed in the catalogue, I shall not buy either loco because they duplicate previous releases.

In the aircraft industry, light alloy components are often glass bead blasted before being chemically cleaned and painted. The glass beads are very small and about the size of coarse sand. I wonder how glass beads would work in an ultrasonic cleaner or small bowl type vibratory cleaner.

Combined volume just arrived from HMRS. Excellent books. Thanks.

When a new GWR loco comes out I try to buy one as cheaply as possible to take it apart with a view to making other similar models not available in ready to run (RTR). To this end I bought a second Bachmann 'Kinlet Hall' to see if it could be made into another Hall version, a better Modified Hall or a Saint. Now that Bachmann will introduce an improved Modified Hall that saves one task. As shown in the attached pictures, the loco body breaks down into three main parts. Here it should be said that to slide the cab upwards from the firebox it is first necessary to pull the handrails out of the holes in the cab spectacle plate, otherwise the wires will be bent out of shape. Also, when removing the cab, care is required to avoid braking the 'hoop' that forms the cab vertical grab rails. It is glued into holes in the metal (zinc alloy?) that is used for the running plate unit. Not so obviously seen is that the smokebox saddle, motion bracket above the running plate and reversing lever are separate parts that can easily be substituted to make a different loco. The splasher fronts are separate pieces that can be substituted by others pre-painted in a different livery. Alternative tall and short safety valves can be used as well as different chimneys and with or without whistle shields. Other options are the straight pre-war cab hand rails or post-war L-shaped ones. It is assumed that this Hall contruction with suitable modification will be used by Bachmann for the forthcoming updated Modified Hall models. Here, credit should be given to Godfrey Hayes who suggested this method of construction to Kader (makers of Bachmann products) when he set up Replica Railways in the mid 1980s. In his business plan he envisaged a range of GWR 4-6-0 and 2-8-0 loco's using as many common parts as possible. All this was of course only possible due to the standardisation imposed on the GWR by George Jackson Churchward nearly one hundred years ago.

Top marks to Bachmann for listing a Modified Hall with Hawksworth tender in LNWR-style lined black because it was near the top of my wants list. I shall buy 'Foremarke Hall' when it comes out and probably another one to rob the tender to go behind a standard 'Hall'. Now is a good time to buy a spare 'Ragley Hall' to rob the tender to hang behind 'Swithland Hall' if the colours are a good match. In anticipation of the new releases I dug out my Halls, Modified Halls and Hornby Granges to compare so I can decide what to do with the Bachmann Modified Halls from about twenty years ago. I bought all the various names and several the same if the tenders were useful for mixing and matching to get what I want which is basically the years 1946 to 1956. At a quick look there is no contest between the Bachmann 4000 gallon Collett tenders on old Replica -inspired Modified Hall and the recent standard Halls which are the same except for the tender draw bar. The main differences between the old Modified Hall loco body and the recent production Bachmann Halls are: the boiler bands are less pronounced yet not as fine as the Hornby Grange, the lip on the cab roof is finer, the firebox seems to be a better shape and the whistle shield is smaller. The main improvement in the Hall models which will probably be carried over to the retooled Modified Halls is the loco chassis which runs better than the old split block version. I have taken both types apart to see if the new chassis will go under an old body and it could be done but the new loco body is so much better there would need to be a good reason. Essentially, if an older Modified Hall is a good runner and some insulated axles are kept in stock for repairs, the old version is good enough. As to price, I bought most of my Modified Halls for 47.50 each when they came out: the new one is listed as 108.95 Pounds RRP so assuming they sell for 85 percent of RRP will cost about 92.60gbp when they come out, reducing if and when they are slow seller at the end of the run. Currently, 'Ragley Hall' can be bought for about 82 quid if you are a Liverpool supporter but less if you scan the web sites. The bottom line is that the upgraded version of the Modified Hall is preferred if someone is starting out but the old ones are good enough if they still run and did not cost much. Some pictures attached show Bachmann 'Witherslack Hall' in the foreground, Bachmann 'Saint Edmund Hall in the middle and a Hornby 'Derwent Grange' in the background. The Halls have a 4000 gallon Collett tender whereas the Grange has the smaller 3500 gallon Collett version.

Looking for a copy of Keith Parkin's book today I found 6 copies on Amazon for 75 quid each so I did not buy. Likewise the set of CDs for 350 Pounds that cost 100 when released. Further searching turned up the following link to line drawings of coaches which some may find helpful. http://www.easybuildcoaches.co.uk/TOP/DRAWINGS.html

I managed to get an 'unused' Hornby R4188B [M233M] ex_LMS 12-wheel Restaurant on ebay for 11.50 plus 3.00 p&p. For that sort of price, and the supporting evidence in previous posts, I think it will be well used in various scenarios. Thank you gents.

There is not much scope for an 00 scale ready to run restaurant car in a GWR train besides the Hornby representation of a Collett Diagram H33 restaurant or, in WR days, the Collett again or one of the BR Mk1 restaurant or buffet coaches from Hornby or Bachmann. I particularly like the 6-wheel LMS dining car but would need a bit of modeller's licence to use one. However, having lived mostly near GWR/ LMS joint lines and as LMS stock passed through Bristol maybe this provides a cop out. I should like to know how far south and west the LMS 6-wheel dining cars did roam in steam days. As a diversion, How about ex LNER catering coaches? link to picture: http://www.ehattons.com/51194/Hornby_Model_Railways_R4188C_68ft_12_wheel_dining_car_in_BR_crimson_cream_Due_3rd_qtr/StockDetail.aspx

Checked Rails of Sheffield on 21 January for special offer of 5x GWR Hawksworth - web page says sold out.

I was not sure if it was permitted to take buses across the steel flyover to St. Mary Redcliffe roundabout but before they closed it I drove an empty double decker over it one Sunday morning when the traffic was light around Temple Meads. Usually it is a nightmare and I avoid the area these days. We used to have family living in Hotwells and I watched the trains and Bristol City Supporters using the rail track from the goods shed at Cannons Marsh to Ashton Meadows. I thought that the goods shed could make a terminus for a train service from Temple Meads to the The (Tramway) Centre but the route along the main line to Parson Street and then through Ashton, across the railway swing bridge near Junction Lock Bridge was a bit around the houses. An option could have been to use the goods line to Redcliffe and then ontoe the goods line that runs between Cumberland Road and The New Cut to Cumberland Basin near the Underfall to get onto the line from Ashton and then go alongside Hotwell Road to the terminus. Not easy but where there is a will and enough money most schemes can be made to work. In the years of nationalisation with the Tory road lobby out to destroy the railways, and ships still being built in Charles Hiil's yard, it could not happen. Too late now because the track bed is either demolished or built over.

If you have identity theft protection software installed on your computer and enter any of your identities into a third party program like this ebay checker tool it will assume it is the action of a hacker and may block it. Usually you will get a message asking you to accept or reject the action. Some identity theft software is more protective than others.

Tried it again with a different handle and it worked OK so not sure what I did wrong the first time. Goofbay gave lower feedback score than ebay. For the seller I checked, Ebay said 100% but Goofbay said 99.3%.

Another good reason to put a list of all your userids and passwords with your Will. If it is a password protected file on a CDR or USB data stick, you need only tell your next of kin what that password is. The password needs to be something relevant to them that they will recall easily because you will not need to. Having children or grandchildren who are ebay savvy and can contact your ebay customers to explain the situation would help. If ebay is advised of a death, I assume they freeze all accounts immediately, the same as would the banks. Yet another good reason for joint accounts even if the second second person is only half interested.

I entered my own ebay handle into this Goofbay checker and it said I had zero feedback, so, the items I bought and sold this past 12 months, and my 100 percent feedback, must have been a dream.

If you suspect shill bidding, send a message to ebay. They will tell you they cannot disclose what they do about it but they do take action. I know someone who was using his wife's account to bid up some of his items. Someone must have complained because, wthout warning, ebay cancelled both their accounts. They had to re-register and set up all the accounts again. I have reported suspicious activity several times and once I knew the seller and bidder were father and son because I had dealt with them by post from a magazine advert. If you are suspicious enough, without going paranoid, you can watch for strange patterns and multiple listings.