Geep7

Dare I mention the British Grand Prix (or any F1 grand prix for that matter).....?

Yes it does... Pg 336 to be exact. Pages 333 through to 351 have various drawings, diagrams and photos. That said, Southern Nouveau is an indispensable guide to all things Southern, so worth having anyway.

So sad to hear this news. Seeing Canada Street in MRJ was one of the reasons I started my kit-built wagon fleet. I managed to see the layout in the flesh at last years Farnham exhibition, where I had a very friendly chat with Peter. I will miss Peter's updates on the EM Gauge 70's page, as they were always a source of inspiration. As others have already said, such a great loss to the modelling community, and my thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in peace.

So, I have a rather specific query regarding the 21-Ton HTO/V hoppers. I am modelling a Southern Region branch line in the 1967-1973 period, and envisaging a flow of coal to a concentration depot similar to the one that was on the Chessington branch. My query is that, would they all still have been unfitted and unrebuilt in this period, or would a couple of the vacuum fitted and rebodied variety started to appear towards the end of my modelling period? I.e, do I just have a train of the Parkside PC77 kit, or can I have a couple of the PC78 in the mix? I'm not adverse to stretching my modelling period a little more towards the mid-70's, but as the vast majority of my loco's are pre-TOPs numbered, 1973 seems to be a wise cut-off for now.

Well, who'd have thought I wouldn't put an update on this thread for 6 months or so. But, between normal life events and work, I have been busy beavering away with the layout. As i've spent quite a lot of time working on this, I will apologise that I haven't had much opportunity to take any photos. It has now had an additional board added on the right-hand side, which was to initially extend the platform, taking the length of the layout to a little over 8'6". This, I think, is now taking this layout out of micro layout territory, so this will most likely be my final post within this subsection of the site, and will create a new thread in the main Layout Topics section, once I can think of a name. However, for those who have been following this thread, you'll be interested to know that i've pretty much redesigned the entire trackplan. I'd been battling with a quandary of how to best fit in passenger trains as well as freight, and the original plan just didn't seem to be working for me. I then made a change, which basically almost gave me a double track line running through the layout, but the line had to swing out where it entered the fiddle yard. This always seemed a bit contrived to me, until one day it dawned on me that I could have a centre island platform, with passenger trains reversing beyond the platforms. This has evolved into this trackplan. So the idea is that this was a former through station, with both platforms electrified, and the branch line continuing on to the right (the middle of the 3 top sidings) non-electrified. Electric services would have always terminated here, with the topmost siding electrified with a cleaning platform provided. The rest of the track is all for freight traffic, and is non-electrified. I have given thought to basing this in Kent, and having overhead in the freight sidings, but that would more than likely preclude most of my Western Region stock. So for now, i'll have it non-electrified, and set somewhere on the South Western, just on the fringes of electrification. The siding leading off stage and back to the fiddle-yard will allow me to run all sorts of freight stock. Whilst the goods yard (the bottom 2 RH sidings) will allow for general freight traffic, the off stage siding could lead to any kind of industry. As i've stated before, I have a train of Presflos, but i'm also thinking of making some 21 Ton HTV hoppers for domestic coal traffic. I also have a couple of Warwell's so some military traffic could make an appearance. There is also the possibility to extend to the right-hand side and add another fiddle yard, making it a true through station, although I would still make the electric services terminate and have the rest of the branch non-electrified. I have managed to lay most of the track, I just need to finish the sidings, which I hope to do over the next couple of evenings.

As I model the Southern Region, with a bit of Western Region creeping in, I have succumbed, and ordered a pair. An O.33 in Blue and an O.59 in Maroon. As I model the 1967 - 1973 period, i'll probably remove the NMV lettering on the Blue one, and the Maroon one will probably get a pretty good weathering. They'll look great with my Diesel Hydraulics, and the upcoming Class 31. As an aside, as I use Kadee's, mine will be fitted with them. Has anyone fitted theirs with any yet, and figured out which length to go for? As already mentioned, it looks like a #18 is the best to go for, but has anyone used a #17? If not, I have some #17's and i'll give them a go, and let everyone know how they go. They only other thing left to do is to decide what to do with my slightly breathed on Lima examples.....

Apologies for asking this, if it's been answered somewhere back in the last 28 pages, but which of the models would be appropriate for the 1968 - 1974 period? If i'm right in assuming, Newspapers labelling only started being applied from the late 70's onwards, so definitely not those, but would I be OK with those in blue with TOPS codings (NMV, NNV)? Obviously I could have one or two very heavily weathered Maroon or Carmine/Crimson examples?

It's been running over the weekend, but i've just seen RAILS OF SHEFFIELD have extended their 40% off sale on their eBay listings. It's only available on selected items though, but there may be a bargain or two in there if you were looking for something.

Thanks to Rails of Sheffield's 40% off selected eBay items, I am now a happy owner of a DPM Gold Drywell Inks kit, for just a shade under £30. Was described as used, and in excellent condition. It arrived today, and whilst it must be at least 20 years old (about the time I first bought another issue of the same kit), it's still in it cellophane wrapper. I thought i'd have a look to see how much a brand new issue of the kit is, and Rails of Sheffield can get it ordered in at £113! Somehow, I think I have a bargain.

With a package containing a Dapol Class 52 arriving on my doorstep this morning, I was reminded that whilst I was a Fairwood Junction (nr Westbury) last Summer, taking photos of the endless precession of IEP's, interspersed with the odd DMU and Class 66, I had thought to myself how I would have liked to be there in the early 70's, with all the Diesel Hydraulics, etc. Unfortunately I was born the year after the Westerns were finally withdrawn, so i've never seen any of the hydraulics in service, only on videos or in photos (Railway Elegance is one of my most prized books on my railway bookshelf). I'm not sure i've even seen one in Preservation yet..... I think a trip to Bury or the SVR might be in order.....

Maybe they're too used to building stock for a wider gauge?

The original brass wheels that Heljan fitted to their early locomotives (Class 47, Hymek etc.) whilst not as bad as Lima wheels, would tarnish quicker than you could clean them (OK, I over-exaggerate). I have an early Hymek which I fitted a set of Heljan replacement wheels to, and it transformed it. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any replacement sets available anymore. They were originally available from Howes, when they were the spares agent, but since that has changed to Gaugemaster, i'm not sure if they made any more.

0:48 - That's what happens when you run your model trains on the carpet........

Tbh, pretty much any of the DC Kits kits. I was rather lucky to pick up a 2-Hap kit a few years ago off the 'bay (i've almost finished it), but gave a 3D Oxted kit a miss when it went northwards of £150 on the same action site.

Certainly the Green FYE Class 40 is very tempting...... way out of my region of modelling, but very tempting, especially as I have a photo taken by my father of 40106 in similar condition at Llandudno Junction.......

We'll find out very soon.....

The more I stare at that red blurry blob, it looks like it could be a maroon Warship......

I was sort of thinking that there might have been one in the back of my mind, but I wasn't sure. That image proves I shouldn't ever make assumptions, and also to sometimes trust my memory. Thanks.

That's actually a good point. They probably ended up wearing all blue for about as long as they wore either version of green put together.....

Whilst I definitely agree with you on this, I think, iirc, that Cl117 & 121 only carried GrSYP for a very short time towards the end of the 60's before they got repainted into all blue. The other missing livery not mentioned is the short-lived white with blue stripe, which i'm pretty sure no Cl121 ever carried, but a few Cl117 did.

Ummmm

I think it'd be nice if Bachmann thought of the late-60's / 70's era with their latest multiple unit offerings, and did their 2-Hap, 4-Bep, Class 117 and Class 121 in Green with small yellow panel and BR Blue.

I've gone ahead and bought myself one of the new-run 73's (72120 in BR Blue) digitally fitted, but on first testing it, i've noticed that the cab light, once F4 is switched on, changes with direction, whereas the headcode panel lights, are switched on individually by F2 and F3. Nothing wrong with the model, and i'm presuming this has been done deliberately by Dapol, but it doesn't fit with everything else I own, where the headlights / headcode panels change with directions. So i'm wondering if this is something hard-wired into the PCB board, or something I could change in the CV's via DecoderPro, so that the headcodes change with direction, and the cab lights by F2 and F3?

I wasn't going to get one as I think it's a bit out of my time period, but they are tempting. I think I've mentioned before that I've got a Mil Reyes 269 on pre-order which may arrive at some point this year. A 309 is also very tempting, especially in the Red and Grey.

Yeah, i'm not too keen on that either. Originally I was going to go with a retaining wall along the backscene, so as to make it more of an inner town area, but the more I look at it, being somewhere out in the countryside would be better. I always like the option to extend layouts, even if my wife doesn't. 😄 I have a couple of Cambrian Salmon wagons to build, and this would be ideal for that...... Now, I might just have to extend the fiddle yard a bit as well.....