rembrow

One other problem is the overall height, as the model is too low. The buffer face top edge, locates at the middle of other wagon buffers. I've had to deepen the plate of the floating wheelsets, in order to raise the body. I don't know if this is caused by having wheels of a smaller diameter.

Don't forget, the retail price of the Victories increases to £150 from 1 January, as published in PI'S last newsletter and also yesterday by Rails on their website, so decision time, shall I get a green un to go with the black and red.

Great news, hopefully I'll be able to get the quad and quint articulated coach sets, that I missed when Ian was producing them.

Overall am pleased with my Yeoman liveried version, however there are some weaknesses that may be due to the models long gestation period. Opening doors--- why! they don't stay open as they are sprung loaded. They are a toy like feature that has no model scenario benefit and lead to the model looking poor, with excessive shutlines and the door positioning distorted as the spring pushes it against the frame, causing it to be at an angle along the body. I've opened the doors fully, to distort the spring, thus deactivating it and then gluing the doors shut, but in line with the body. Second annoying issue is the dc lighting options. Although there is a 3 position switch for dc lighting options, this doesn't allow the cab lights to be turned off without also turning off the directional lighting. Luckily the directional lighting is wired directly in the chassis, while the cab lights have contact pads in the chassis and sprung loaded contacts in the body, so I've put insulating tape over the chassis contact pads. Also had the roof grill incorrectly fitted, raised at one end. This seems to be fitted with tabs that go into slots in the body in the grille aperture. I was able to lift the end and push the tabs further down.

You may not be aware, but when a further run of gate stock coaches were produced for release in the EFE range, Kernow retooled the chassis to correct the errors in the positioning of the brake components and battery boxes. I have both original and later EFE branded releases in BR livery and can confirm the changes, which weren't widely advertised. They even retooled the seating to correct a bench seat that went across the corridor connection.

I suggest checking with TMC about their pricing. There quoted normal price of £194 is wrong as Heljan's release states the normal price as £229 per set. Heljan operate a minimum price that retailers can use on new releases, which is 15% below the normal recommended price, which makes it just over £194. TMC seem to have taken the discounted price and then applied a further 15%. Hope it is not a selling tactic.

Oh I don't know. I ordered a pack of MHA spoil wagons on Friday, received 20% black friday reduction and still received a loyalty credit as well.

Bachmann only sell model railway items under the Bachmann or Graham Farish brands where they are the developer and the model is produced by Kader factories( the parent company). The EFE rail brand was set up to market models where the models are produced in non Kader factories and in most cases where the tooling is owned by a third party. In this case I suggest the tooling is owned by Kernow Models, using the chassis from the Spa wagon that they purchased the tooling from FTG Models. If so it is a model that Kernow are not selling first, via their own brand, but have gone straight to EFE.

Apologies that the last photos were quite dark, we had a dark cloud and rain at the time. Have taken a couple more to try and show the changes to the roof and mid body window, on the side that is incorrect for the changes made after production.

I've completed the roof changes and mid body grille change from the incorrect window fitted to the BR green version and have patch painted. I had to darken the Precision paints BR loco green a little, to avoid the paint in sections looking lighter. At present I haven't added the nose end grilles that I've made and painted. The scribing method makes the grille seperation too wide I think, anyway have added a photo of them laid on one end. Anyway some photos to show progress, I'll probably wait to see if Corsairs friend can make better printed nose end grilles.

Found that out from Rails yesterday, when I phoned to check my credit card, as this order pre dates all my current cards, from Jan 2018. They advised that as the green ones are expected imminently, they are holding the c&c ones for those who also ordered green versions, to combine the dispatch and save postage. As the dance hall brake vans are also expected with the green bulleids, they are going to try and combine that for me as well.

One thing to mention to your etcher, is to allow for the thickness of the plastic in the model moulding. This will affect the two boxes for the new filler and exhaust apertures, if it's intended to secure the new part to the underside of the roof, after cutting out . The roof thickness is the issue, as after cutting the holes for the new parts, the roof thickness will form part of the depth, if using 3d printed plastic. If brass is used and is intended to be flush with the top of the roof, this won't be a problem. The roof moulding is surprisingly thick and differs in thickness. The part of the roof where the new filler aperture is located, is about 1.5mm at the highest point on the roof and the exhaust aperture 1mm.

Thank you for doing this. Having mulled over how to do the changes, I thought I'd use plasticard for the new roof apertures. I also experimented with using a new scriber, to create grille like features in plasticard. So far I've moulded and fitted a plasticard curved piece for the incorrectly positioned filler aperture. I also made a reasonable grille for the mid body, so went ahead and opened up the mid body glazed aperture to take the grille. Having got that far, decided I'd gone too far to turn back, so cut holes in the roof for the correct filler and exhaust aperture, then fashioned the three sides and base for each. Finally constructed an exhaust and silencer from Evergreen plastic rod. Currently they have received one coat of Precision paints BR green, now waiting, 2-3 days for the second coat. Will try and post a photo when painting is complete. I have left the nose grilles, as an etched brass part will be better replacement, to match the existing grilles, than scribed plasticard, so hoping your project is successful. Sorry, I haven't got photos or sizes as the work progressed as it was done on the hoof.

As you will have seen on here already from those who are retailers, they weren't given the opportunity to be involved. Many of us value our retailers, be it by direct visit or by on line use, I do both and I have seen and discussed with two I know, the treatment they have been meeted out by Hornby. I have much greater interest and respect for the retailers I use, as they have supported me for many years. I lost one retailer that I'd known for 35 years, five years ago, when they gave up primarily due to Hornb's actions with it's smaller customers. RMweb may be small in terms of overall purchasers, but we are a dedicated group of enthusiasts and as such are statistically important to any new model railway project. Most who have posted have little interest in this, as we are committed already to one or more guages. Let's not forget that 'n' gauge is much smaller in overall sales than 'oo' despite being marketed for years as the gauge for smaller areas. Yes there will be a place for 'tt' but I suspect no more in volume than 'n'

I agree and I wouldn't be surprised if retailers, having seen the writing on the wall with the allocation fiasco, withdrawal of area reps and now this confirmation that Hornby us pulling the rug out from under them, use remaining time to diversify and expand brand recognition of the other brands in the market. That would take the rug out from Hornby, who are reliant still on retail sales until this takes off or not. I feel Hornby need a big kick up the backside from those they have been kicking. Others produce in multiple scales, all that has happened is that Hornby want to be a big slug in the cabbage patch. I gave up with Hornby after the allocation fiasco and the double 10% price rises. I knoe they are not interested in me as I model in oo. I don't really know where they believe the large level of new interest will be. Model railways do not have the widespread interest they had in the period before the millenium and I don't think a new gauge will do anything to garner the interest they need to make it profitable.

I used my first coupon, which was for all my collected points, by redeeming against a pack of banana vans. That order started a new level of points, with a bonus for a 'first order'. Then today, paid the balance on a Class 92 pre order, and received points for the amount paid and received a 'second order' bonus. So having spent just over £192, I received a points credit of over £10. Is it correct that having taken a full credit coupon, you get first and second order bonus points?

Rails have posted a release update from Dapol, covering new releases in Oct/Nov and the 59s are included.

Managed to use my coupon for a discount against a pre order for a set of banana vans. I had to order a single set to get the voucher to work. Also found that the voucher code was no longer showing in my Accurascale account, so had to search out the e-mail that was sent when I converted my points to a voucher. Very grateful and appreciative for the credit, but the system to redeem it seems very convoluted, reminds me of cutting out vouchers in mags, and taking them to a shop to redeem. Would it be possible to link an order being made, to the users credit in their account and allow them to select the amount from their available credit, with the credit then being reduced.

I think it will be an historical loco, around a film Hornby is making, about a group of enthusiasts trying to save a branch line, and who use a vintage loco. It will be Sanspareil and will be in a film pack called The Thunderfield Titbolt.

Thanks for the photos, they confirm to me, the main visual error is the curve from the bodyside to the roof, starts too high up the body. This gives the cab doors a flat profile, whereas they should have a curve at the top, to match the bodyside to roof transition. Still happy to go ahead with my green order.

I gave a suggested reason for and contemporary examples of model blunders, which you ignored. To clarify I have no disagreement that KR have made significant errors, however I have decided to live with it and accept it. That is my decision and should be respected, same as I respect those who raise concern, seek to return etc. I have decided to withdraw from this thread

This is exactly the concern I have. Why are you assuming I would complain about others decisions to buy or not to buy, that is an individuals decision that I respect and would not pass comment about. To say you respect others opinions and then post that comment, clearly is contradictory. I raised examples of earlier howlers, as you quoted some 80s examples as standing the test of time. To be more contemporary, the Dapol Pendolino set, which had plug in roof parts to differentiate the different cars, poor joints and poor fitting. The DJ models commision of a GWR pannier tank which was produced with wheel splashers, where none existed on the prototype. Most of these errors were made by small model businesses who had/have small research capability and rely on Chinese producers to carry out the cad work from the research material. This can invariably lead to innacuracy in the research and errors in the cad, as material is sent between China and UK/Canada. It does lead to errors.

You are looking back at previous models by certain manufacturers with heavily rose tinted glasses. There were many poorly and innacurately designed models, some of which were almost certainly done for cost saving reasons. To give a few examples: Lima class 117. One car totally inaccurate on all sides as they only tooled the dmbs and not the dms. Had to be addressed by after market parts to change the sides. Lima class 101. The first releases of the BR green livery included radio roof pods and additional body louvre, to avoid having two tools. Lima Class 156. All central underbody parts moulded in one rectangular blob with low definition. Dapol Class 150. Windows in the wrong place and underbody parts with no depth Dapol Class 155. Similar to 150. Most recent example was Bachmanns Modified Hall where the tooling of the loco front area used the noticeably different original hall firebox supports and running plate shape. So there have been a number of models where probable cost has led to significant inaccuracy to the prototype. For what it's worth I bought a BR green fell, became aware early on of it's potential inaccuracies, but am content to have it as it is the only Fell model that there is likely to be. I am not able to work on brass models, so there is no alternative. Please accept my decision, as I'm finding it distasteful thst some are seeking to undermine and belittle those who express satisfaction with this product.

A possible source for a modification set of etches and cast parts could be Brassmasters, who have a history of producing etched parts to modify rtr models . They produced a set of etches to modify the previous version of Bachmanns modified hall class, that unfortunately had design errors that affected the front running plate and smoke box supports, where they used the original hall design. Depends on whether any manufacturer believes there is a sufficient market.

Hopefully not long to wait, as the 'coming sooner' statement indicates it will be their before the Heljan class 45 exclusive, which was stated as 14 days approx.