Les1952

It is not the coupling that is redundant but the kinematic mechanism - the two air tanks mean it hardly moves at all. Les

I had a chat with one of the guys on the Hornby stand, giving some feedback on the 08 and what could be improved in future 0-6-0 chassis in terms of running- I did learn the following. The J94 is ON for 2025, probably an open secret. There is another loco coming earlier than this that has not been announced or (he thought) included in any of the "phase" lists. 21-ton hopper wagons are in the pipeline though he didn't say how far along.... He took on board that the axle bearing pickup used by Bachmann and others was more reliable than the wipers on the 08. He also agreed that the kinematic coupling at the nose end of the 08 was a little redundant. I added feedback that the channel at the top of the 08 chassis was best omitted from future models as it restricted the chip that could be got into there. I came away from Malc's Models' posh new stand with a couple of Peco wagons so I can now compare them with my Hornby vans, though I can't run them until after Warley as I'm preparing Bregenbach im Schwarzwald for Nottingham and Warley and NO PLACE for Retford until then... Les

They are not that intrusive but I'm finding that they don't always stay coupled when I need them to and don't uncouple all that easily when I want them to... For stuff that I want to stay coupled lap after lap I've switched most things over to Hunt magnetic couplings. For stuff I want to uncouple out front (reliably) I've switched to Dapol Easi-shunt couplings, which work better in TT than in N due to the heavier wagons. My point was that small details on wagons are normally harder to see on a layout than the somewhat larger couplings, yet on RMWeb folks go to great lengths to point out these missing or incorrect details ignoring the much larger incorrect prototypical detail of the coupling, whatever type it is.... Les

As far as incorrect or missing details are concerned- I'm going to wait until I can see them standing on the layout, and moving on the layout. Then I'm going to see just how much I'm able to spot wrong with them in the circumstances I want them to perform under. Out of the showcase and away from the magnifying glass I suspect the biggest thing I notice will be the unprototypical buckeye couplings (Easi-shunts) Les

Everybody does NOT do that today- a lot because they don't want to and many (including me with RSI and mild dyspraxia) because they can't. The number of people on the various Farcebook forums for TT:120 has now gone well over 10, 000. I wonder how that compares with the 3mm scale association. Les

I'm using the Hunt couplings extensively on my TT gauge stuff - basically the vast majority of the stuff I don't want to shunt. They fit the NEM pockets very well- I've only broken one coupler head by shoving too hard, which given my dyspraxia is better than I would expect... For stuff I have to shunt I'm using the Dapol N-gauge Easi-shunts, which work better on TT than they do on N. This is because the centring springs are stronger on TT stock, meaning that when the coupler pin gets moved to one side, rather than the whole coupler going with the pin, the jaws actually open almost every time. In addition the heavier stick means that the couplers stay coupled when being pulled and stock stays closer rather better when being pushed. Les

Hang onto them and leave your descendants a goodly chunk of cash when they sell them on...... Les

Neither of the Farcebook links in the previous half-dozen posts work- access restricted by FB to the poster and a small group who have particular access to them. Les

Opposite end from me, but you'll have to come over to B7 and see N-gauge Barry and his German fellow trainspotter..... Les

Bregenbach im Schwarzwald will be there. The layout is being erected for testing on Saturday afternoon when NO PLACE gets back from Hinckley with the shared trestles.. Les

Bregenbach im Schwarzwald will be stand B7, tucked away in the corner where Squires used to be..... Come over and chat. That far out of the middle it might be quiet... Les

When they ask for information you provide it. That is how new entrants grow into competent and experienced modellers. This hobby shouldn't have room for cliques. Les

My local shop rang this morning to say Peco had emailed them the price and to confirm my pre-order. Les

My local model shop enquired on Monday and reported back to me- they are at Peco's warehouse but can't be shipped out until the price has been decided. As a result the shop can't put in my pre-order. Les

1981, not that far from withdrawal- A3s at that stage were being used on loose-coupled goods. Hornby's blinker fitted A3 could well be used so, as could A4 William Whitelaw, which I saw shunting 21-ton hopper wagons at Grieveson & Whitwell's coal drops at Faverdale, Darlington. No camera with me as I was waiting for the bus back to school at lunchtime, heard the sounds and dashed up to investigate. Ah, the days when school lunchtimes were long enough to get a bus home, have lunch and get the bus back, indeed when there were buses enough to do it.... Les

It was only comparatively recently that one of the preserved Deltics was used on some freights in the Ashington/Lynemouth area. In their early days freight workings were definitely frowned upon (but probably not impossible). On unusual workings, there was a Northbound (oil?) train off the SR that was worked by a pair of Class 33s as far as York. If the scheduled class 37 replacements were unavailable the Class 33s continued up the East Coast Main line to Tyne Yard, bringing unusual power to the North Eastern Region. Les

Yes. I thought they were made in County Durham then I remember those were Tudor Crisps from Peterlee. Les

Hornby's class 66 has Arnold variants planned. Les

Bill Hoole also took his turn firing on stretches where the train was moving a little more slowly (ie up Stoke Bank) or the signals easier to read, thus giving his fireman a break and also helping him gain experience of driving ready for promotion. In general Top Shed drivers considered it a point of honour to get to their destination on time, even when they had taken the train over late. In the fifties there were rather more obstacles to that, partly due to reconstruction and the temporary speed restrictions that caused. Les

The brake wasn't necessarily at the tail, and the train would be screw coupled. As to a smooth ride on the loco, yes if it was a Gresley, no if a Peppercorn, and definitely no for a Thompson. Bill Hoole also famously managed to dislodge all the floor boards on a B1 hitting Potters Bar pointwork at full line speed. Another reason why the fastest trains had locos with trailing trucks. Les

A goodly proportion of LNE fitted stock (later Eastern, North Eastern and Scottish Regions were screw coupled and plated to run at 75mph up to about 1960 when Headquarters slowed everything down to 60mph maximum. These were short wheelbase vans/wagons, brown in BR days. As the train was fully fitted the brake van was not usually at the tail, but a few vehicles in. Wagons added to the train en route were added behind the brake van. Peter Coster's book (either one of the Pacific books or the one on the V2s) states that there were 18 freight paths in each direction between Doncaster and Peterborough timed to run at a start to stop AVERAGE of 60mph. This helps to explain the 202 Pacifics and 184 V2s. The down Scotch Goods was an A4 rostered train whenever one was available, and substitutes were A1s for preference. The return working was also an A4 turn. Les

A4s were rostered for express goods even before WW2. There is also the famous (true) story of Bill Hoole keeping his express goods ahead of the (Elizabethan?) for a goodly number of miles without holding it up before being stopped with a hot axlebox on one of the wagons- and signalbox records showing another occasion when an A4 on a Southbound express goods was being held up by the streamliner, running mile after mile behind it on ambers and double ambers.... Maybe not as silly as one might think.... BR Eastern Region had eighteen paths in each direction for fast goods between Doncaster and Peterborough that had to average 60mph start to stop (until about 1960 when everything was slowed down). That involved climbing Stoke bank in each direction. What sort of speeds were they doing down the other side? The only authenticated 100mph achieved by a V2 was on a goods train going down Stoke bank. Les

production slots? China has production problems with all goods as far as I recall........ Les

If it doesn't have round windows it is less likely to be a J26. Admittedly some did get shaped windows, but no balance weights to the wheels. Les

I have the same problem with my Continental N gauge sounds. Minitrix (?uniquely?) uses f2 to toggle the sound on or off. All others have short horn or whistle on this. One of my locos has the guards whistle on f3 while others have a long whistle. Many have the guards whistle on f7, which is loco whistle on Minitrix and platform announcements on at least one other loco. There should have been a nem standard for which function key does what, but I'm afraid that horse has bolted.... Les