TRAILRAGE

I would have to agree with that ! am currently using a 15+ year old Guagemaster walkabout with my dads own made transformer box and without doubt it has to be one of the best runners I have. My 4-VEP is actually a very good runner but its like comparing an old lima motor with a 5 pole flywheel drive system the difference is remarkable and hopefully will go a long way to reinforce peoples confidence in Hornby

I didnt Im afraid as I was really only interested in the BR green version Also forgot to mention the lovely bogies have seperate brake blocks and stepboards fitted and are vey free running

Bought my BR green 2-BIL in Modelzone Reading today and it was the last one ( they still have at least 1 SR and 1 NRM version left. ) Im no expert but it certanly looks like a BIL it really is a beautifull model and runs extremely smooth and very very quiet even before running in for 30 mins in each direction and the slow speed control is awesome with a pretty good top speed. The outer buffers are sprung metal heads which bear on a plastic spring and the center buffer is also sprung and just about touches the opposite coach. It also uses a close coupling mechanism (almost identical to the Bachmann EMU's) and uses a small bar to connect the two together resulting in a very close coupled unit. Pick up is firom the motor coach only so no faffing about like on the Vep/BELL. Lots of seperate detail on the underside including bake rigging and seperate conduits on the roof and ends (drainpipes/ water fillers for the loo beleive) only the door handles and roof vents appear to be moulded So am I happy? In a nutshell YES well worth the money and I cant wait for the Blue FYE version (and hopefully a 2-HAL please Hornby!!!!!!)

one of the otheer members on the 4th of feb said they were selling them at £12 a pop plus postage so I thought i'd try but alas nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Just a heads up phoned Bachmann's service dept today NO pantographs availiable and NO indate for any soon

looking forwad to seeing how the grills turned out

Hve a pretty tatty 6car set in me loft so I have feeling this is gonna be well worth watching. keep up the good work

I've got one of these I'm building at the mo it has an even planked body not a bad kit for its time and paid a £1 for it when I got it . the windows are the wrong shape as the corner radius is curved instead of 90 degree angles also the end vents are to round on the top. I have opened the windows out and just need to add frames but have left the vents as they are and still have to add vac tank and brake gear E.T.C. Lanarkshire models make some lovely non sprung cast whitemetal buffers for these family of vans which I'll also fit.

some shops i looked at were saying Jan 15th/16th so not long now!

Just in case you've not seen them the Southern e group have photo's (http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/class205_03.html) of 205001/12/25 and the former one off 205205 (ex 205101) all running in 2-car formation so running them like that will at least be prototypical

AGAIN YOU COME TO THE RESCUE!!!!

From normal viewing distances no one will notice those rivets with a bit of gentle weathering or if your that bothered smooth them down. Personally i think from what I've seen it looks pretty dam good but I'll reserver final judjement until i actually get to see one in the flesh

Ill take two wagons worth if that helps

Dont hold your breath spoke to them at DEMU back in june and was told they get very little in the way of spare parts between 2-4 locos worthover a production run Cant understand it really as they are the manufacturer after all

I have used a humbrol gloss burgandy applied with a cocktail stick before for non working tail lamps looks pretty good

Just out of curiosity were these Apple Green mouldings ? The reason I ask is I have been thinking of buying some for my class 82 project (using an old triang classs 81 as a basis) and have only seen them on the BAY of E from Lenny Apple Green

Managed to get a few pics of the text and roof diagram from the article I can send them to you if you want me to

Really impressed with the 83 model so far its good to see someone taking the plunge to do some real modelling makes me realise how lazy ive become buy wating for someone to do an RTR model LOL JSW's right about the front ends being slightly rounder but understand why you left it alone still very very nice job. Having the same trouble trying to find a decent roof photo of 81017 for my Lilliputt model im detailing. Afraid I cant offer you any photos but if you can find a copy of Practical model railways July 1986 it has Graham Clarks article on converting a Triang 81 into classes 82/83 as he says "not for thepurists" but well worth a read. There is a couple of roof diagrams for both classes but unfortunatly no roof photos of the real locos but it does have one of the models roof. Also as Graham is on the Rm web it may well be worth contacting him to see if he has any photos himself Good luck looking forward to seeing how this progresses

Also got me confirmation email today for me this is the the most eagerly awaited model Ive been over a model since DELTIC Ive always wanted one of these beauties since I read Graham Clark's article in Practical Model Railways March 86

really good going mate looks dam good to me

Thanks mate I appreciate that

Not sure how to get the pics up tried dragging them across but it didnt work

Just thought you might like to know i had my replacement chassis sent to me from Hornby last Monday (12th). My father sent a letter off with some photos of the broken chassis and body on or around I think the 15th Feb so not too bad going on their end considering how many they must have recieved over the last year or so fortuantly the body was only slightly damaged wit 2 cracked corners and a small piece broken out of one end all easily fixed with mek. the only problem was a broken fixing point wich I'll have to replace. The new chassis is different from the original as the fixing points for the pcb are totally different i had to make to of the vertical supports at the cab end as the were too low for the original screws. It just so happens that the plastic shaft from a cotton bud is exactly the right diameter and using and end of a cocktail stick wedged in the hole & the bud shaft cut to the right height the screw was a perfect fit. On the other side it simply pushes over the spigot on the chassis cut to lenght and re-fit the screw. Havent fitted the fan yet as Ive got to midify the holes for the screws as they dont fit either!!!! Will post some pics when I get a chance

Very impressive mate! Really like the weathering to. As you say not an easy kit to build good I know as I have a dozen or so of the easlier versions along with a couple of Kirk Tunneys. The new kit is far superior. Just wish Dapol had done the baskets as the v/b version is really good

Just checked their website neither of which are now listed guess their sold out