ThaneofFife

OK simon no worries. i was hoping to get £60 for the loco but just seen Hattons have them £44 :0 shock! will be watching this layout develop.........especially the catenary masts. is it freight only or will you have passenger services passing nearby?

yeah this featured Lanark and Law Junctions too didnt it round the other side of the layout? Ive got that article already guys - its a superb layout. youtube has a full cab ride video and footage of their APT as well. I am going 2mm finescale.

thanks for the links. the 1976 photo is bit early but gives a feel for the depot. i doubt it changed much in the following 6-8 years.

ive got a virgin farish 87 for sale if youd be interested. new boxed unused. 87019. the funds will go towards a blue one when farish release them. im planning on doing something similar to dallam but further up the WCML - i am thinking of a 2mm finescale version of Carstairs in br blue days. a farish class 85 wouldnt do us any harm either

I am hoping some folk will be able to direct me to some freely available images of the area including station buildings and ideally a track plan of this station during its BR days circa 1982-1985 when train splitting and joining operations were still common. Also images of on or around the small stabling point would be good to see. I would also like to know a little more about the actual operation in terms of a) typical rakes being joined and split and b) the down platform operation. I know this line allowed for Edinburgh portions to depart off the back of forward running Glasgow portions to go in the up direction and the curve to Edinburgh but was this line ever taken or the platform on that side used for trains heading south on the WCML running over the trailing crossover to gain the up main line? I have found RailScot images useful as well as some grainy images from the Nottingham Model Railways ex-Carstairs layout in 4mm scale, but cant seem to find anymore images in a handy "block" for easy ref.

shame about the windows but good news with the cant rail.

Noticeable? Hmm thats very subjective but to my eyes the tint however slight would be conspicuous by its absence if they went with a completely clear window. a quick look at the photo in post#101 a few posts up will reveal a pretty conclusive answer........

was wondering today whether Dapol have full rights to use the tooling they produced for the 2 x C&M Models limited BR Blue editions with the cleaner front ends (no high intensity headlights) and whether they may spawn new versions maybe in early executive/mainline liveries, anglian, heritage blue, etc. or whether thats the end of anymore Dapol 86s?

Superb so far - order now placed for 2 sets......... But, how easy would it be for the manufacturer to change the plastic they use for the glazing from clear to a slight tint? i can perhaps predict problems in that the door droplights werent not from memory tinted and i dont think the glazing would be in say 3 parts ie; two ends in clear and the main central section in tint so as a compromise i could live with the whole coach being tinted given that the tinted windows are in the majority. that would really set em off for little if no extra cost.....same mouldings just different raw mats. unlike the cant rail referred to earlier, the tinted windows are only too obvious in those proto pics. the silver surrounds would contrast nicely too. i take it the roof variances have been discussed elsewhere at length ie; Dapol only make tooling for the HST cars not loco hauled?

I think I can see the natural progression for more new AC loco models once the aircon Mk2s are released.......... probably from Bachmann - i'll need some convincing by anybody trying to tell me that Bachmanns range of AC locos will stop at the 85. I see some continue to find refuge in the oft used tag line "go do some modelling" to those who talk of detailed RTR ACs to modern standards.........probably because their OK with their hifi RTR 37s, 47s, 56s etc...... sure their not merely feathering their own nests?

it cant be long before they bang out an original blue version of the shove duff with the silver roof too.

I thought the title referred to a new HST power car at first

Im sure it will be worth the wait. Never a good idea to rush a model out. Bound to be a big hit for Dapol.

great pathe film but the 100mph clips were speeded up to more like 120-130 despite the speedo reading. it must have been quite something in 1966 jumping on board one of those new trains over the old class 40s out of euston wheezing up camden bank.

Another 00 AC loco to the latest standards would be nice (especially from Bachmann for obvious reasons) but the 84 just seems so left of field its over the fence and off into the next one - I wouldnt imagine the 84 being a big seller IMO even for hardened WCML enthusiasts. Very strange choice IYAM and if the rumour has any truth to it. I might be slightly biased but from a commercial aspect I would be looking to the 81, (a new correct) 86 or the 87 next and putting the 82, 83 and 84 classes at the bottom of the "what next" pile. As the 84s had a relatively short career and therefore a smaller timeframe in which to model so I would go for the Class 87 which had a much longer career. Im not even sure the 84 went into the paint shop for small yellow warning panels to be added - perhaps it went straight from all over electric blue/white roof to BR TOPS blue? Many missed the 87s only after withdrawal was threatened from mainline service. I dont recall any such feelings over the withdrawal of the 84s. The 81 might be a natural progression from the similar 85 but I would want to release something different next. The 87 had almost 40 years of service on BR and wore lots of liveries, numbers, styles, equipment to give a model manufacturer a real headache deciding which versions to release first! Even if you disagree with all that, the 84 still looked liked it was sticking its bottom lip out when painted in TOPS livery

i see Bachmann want £117 for the new yellow ended version with the earlier batches still at £112.

i just dont see the main ac classes being put out to pasture after the 85 as most of the diesels are now covered by updated models to the latest standards and unless the ball starts rolling again on further mid life upgrades of these diesels the manufacturers must surely be circling over and considering mopping up the electrics with a view to rolling another out in the next 3 or 4 years. i would prefer it to be Bachmann doing the looking though. Dapols move with additional catenary might help to boost interest in overhead locos. who knows.........

I take it GatEx's were D not f then

cheap but they are welcome to them. i dare say plenty of people will be lapping up cheap Mk2d's over the next year.

Me too but that order was quickly cancelled w.e.f. Sunday 10th March

Flood certainly seems to knows his S**t on Aircon Mk2s! Ive had to print off his reply - a handy reference for the future

You pair of leg pullers you

Well I'm sure there are a lot of modellers who hope youve got that right Bob. For example the level of tint to the glazing (we dont want Airfix levels of blacked out glazing) or the degree of tumblehome. Get things like this wrong and it could prove a disappointment. My motto is I would rather have a gun and not need it than need it and not have one. Lets hope Bachmann do indeed take on board any feedback in the early stages if they are to get these long awaited coaches bang on.

Order now placed for 8 x blue and greys dcc fitted 2f's. Cant wait to see them develop. I have no doubt these will be up to the usual superb standards from Bachmann. It would be good if they took on board any pre-production criticisms aired here by those that really knew the details of these vehicles to avoid any glaring errors. An update (of sorts) now on the Bachmann website (Rolling Stock Part 2) but nothing we didnt really know anyway - close coupling mech (so ideal to match up with Bachmanns excellent BG's and Buffets etc), detailed underframe equipment and of course the lighting. Not sure yet about the swallow liveried ones but that could be another 8 so the thick end of £600 to Bachmann from me.