HRH_Dan_Hull

Hmmm, with all this mention of parcels and tracking, perhaps I should get a GPS tracker added to the spec of the Class 44s.... 🤔

3 minutes ago, Corbs said:

 

I think the warehouse has been snowed-in when the pallets were due to be collected.

I can confirm, the Rails shipment was picked up this evening, also a number of direct orders were also picked up. And yes the weather has been terrible down here, I had to abandon my car on my way home on Sunday night due to the snow, this photo was Monday morning...
 

However rest assured, the small Rapido warehouse team have worked their fingers to the bone to get these out as fast as possible.

Just now, jjb1970 said:

I tend to just fit the alternative knuckle couplers that come with Japanese models. They seem to be cheap, generic alternatives to a well known US brand but they work fine and make a vast improvement to looks (though Japanese trains use knuckle couples anyway so it looks prototypical in a way that they don't on many British and European trains).

I guess they suffer from the same issue as the larger 'rapido' couplers though, they can be eager to couple but not so eager to uncouple and uncoupling magnets or ramps are just not reliable enough. But I guess they do look better in size terms.

4 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

Something this highlights yet again is how awful the rapido coupler looks. Maybe 30 years ago it wasn't such an issue but when we have such lovely models it just stands out like a sore thumb. I much prefer models to have a knuckle coupler as a default changeable to rapido rather than the other way around.

It's a good job that it comes fitted with NEM pockets then so they can easily be removed or swapped, but then again what would you swap it with? I'm not aware of anyone doing an MTL style coupler with NEM compatibility only makes that have external springs that tend to 'ping' into the abyss...! 🙄

1 hour ago, Nova Scotian said:

No one else wince when he goes to open up the box with the box cutter facing straight down? I guess that’s why the second piece of cardboard is under there.

To be fair after opening up it's fair share of the other boxes, it was getting rather blunt by the point of filming. 🙂

1 minute ago, rogerzilla said:

What's the min curve difference between the large radius and small radius versions?  The retailers are listing both options!

 

I ordered large radius as it will be a more or less end to end layout with the largest radius points - but will it go around my Kato v6 "outer oval" test track?

The 'radius' refers to the corners top corners of the small yellow panels on the ends of the locomotive, not the locomotives ability to run on curved track.

Some class 28s had more of an arc in the top corners of the yellow panel referred to as 'large radius' others had much more of a corner, referred to as small radius. I can confirm any of the models will be more than happy on a Kato V6 test track, this is what I was running the EP1 sample on at the ESNG show.

22 hours ago, Mr chapman said:

Excellent news! I'll definitely be buying a couple of packs. 

 

I wonder if you might consider a bluebell pack or their preserved wagons?

Given that the Bluebell's preserved examples were released in OO, I strongly suspect that the same wagons will appear within the announced packs.

On 09/04/2022 at 00:05, Claude_Dreyfus said:

I have never had the pleasure of the narrow gauge series. One day, I hope.

 

In terms of the Great Railway Journeys of the World, the UK version is probably my least favourite (although still enjoyable). For me, the most interesting was probably South Africa with Michael Wood, with Miles Kington's Peru a close second.

I totally agree, not that Palin and his episode are bad, far from it, just some really great ones, I'd suggest that probably the most informative is 'The Long Straight' with Michael Frayn, but Miles Kington was phenomenal too, and apparently it was his episode of Great Railway Journey's that ultimately lead to him considering Steam Days.

A little while ago I was building a kit of a 38 class for a friend and couldn't resist the opportunity to remake the legendary film 'A Steam Train Passes' at least in part...

For comparison, original here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uFJs-xoTMM

5 hours ago, woodenhead said:

And I never liked the Wrenn ones either lol.

 

Thing is, today we have different expectations about the models and you have Rapido, Accurascale et al  turning out some beautiful models and then up pop some non authentic liveries.  Should we expect to see some of the SECR wagons with LMS / GWR lettering?  For years we've had standard 3 /5 / 7 plank wagons in various pre nationalisation lettering but the same wagon and now we have them coming, proper versions of wagons appropriate to the company lettering they receive.

 

Ok I am probably narked about something else today and this has tipped me over, in the big scheme of things it's not the end of the world but I kinda expected something different from Rapido and maybe I feel a little let down.

Sometimes it can be hard being on the outside because you don't know the inside economics. I may be new to the business but the understanding I have gained is this;

To make a production run of models financially successful you need to hit a certain quota of orders. However, say your authentic liveries have sold short of your target and your product isn't as lucrative as it really ought to be? what do you do? 

There are two options, 1.either you go ahead and the whole venture proves to lack sufficient profit to pay for tooling the next product or worse, makes a loss. 2. You offer extra variants of your model in a fictional livery that expands the operational scope of a model i.e. an earlier or later era which will appeal to new groups of modellers who were previously not interested.

Whether you like or dislike the fictional liveries or not I hope you'll accept they are a practical solution which  can make the difference between the next model going to tooling or not. And by allowing the next model to be tooled, well overall that will give us more authentic models in the long run.

I fitted mine with a 59827 Lokpilot 5 Micro this evening and discovered that the running is erratic, I applied the same CV changes as I did to the Bachmann Thomas & Percy which also are fitted with Lokpilot 5 micros and it solved the running issues.

I've put the relevant CV settings in a handy Jpeg for anyone else who needs them, feel free to save and refer to when needed.

Any news on which order the dispatches are taking place?

A friend with order number 47124 has told me he's received confirmation of dispatch, I'm order number 17421 and have yet to hear anything, should this be taken as I've been forgotten?

9 minutes ago, Roy L S said:

I would like something LNER for a change, preferably a tank loco as that is the most neglected area of steam RTR.

 

Roy

LNER is 'neglected' - J39, B1, A1, A2, A3, A4, B17, O6, O7,  J38, J39,  J27, J26 , J25, J11, D11, D16/3, B12, Q2, D20.  19 different classes of engine RTR, admitted no tank engines though.

10 minutes ago, Crepello said:

It's got to be an N2!

If you desperately need an N2, this print can be used to make a very nice one with minimal fuss;
https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZQWZJJEEC/lner-n2-body-shell?optionId=62299307&li=user-profile

We haven't even got this new model yet and everyone is busy speculating what will follow.

People, you should be excited about what we are about to get.

And Sonic Models, if you follow this thread, maybe starting a new thread for those who want let you know their wishlists could be a good idea?

3 minutes ago, Mr chapman said:

Are those not for 00? I personally really like the roxey disks but they don't do N. Not hard to make certainly, just observing that they have the part in the armoury... Why not use it. 

Definitely for N, here is one stuck to a lamp iron on my C Class:

6 minutes ago, Crepello said:

Agreed. They really are essential for a Southern model. Maybe there's another source somewhere?

16 hours ago, Mr chapman said:

Really is a lovely model. Just a pity they didn't throw in a couple of route disks like the N. Or sell them separately!

Having spoken to Graham Muz about this back in the summer, he suggested purchasing a leather belt punch and using it on a sheet of plasticard if you have many locomotives in need of discs.

However another option is this product from fox transfers: https://fox-transfers.co.uk/br-southern-region-train-reporting-discs-77700

12 hours ago, acourtrail said:

I bought a BR black C class at the Weymouth model railway show at the beginning of November, and I have been fairly pleased with mine so far.  Its not a very good puller (eight 16ton mineral wagons with the Farish Coal loads in them plus a pillbox brake van is the maximum it has wanted to pull), but so far it has run well otherwise.  While I am sure in real life the C class would have pulled a lot heavier trains earlier on in their lives, I would have thought that they would have been relegated to the branch lines in BR days, so my model's lack of pulling power shouldn't be much of an issue.

As shown in my review, the C class could only manage 13wagons +BV up the hill on my layout. However i have since added bullfrog snot to just the trailing set of driving wheels, though not confirmed exactly how many it can now manage it has pulled 20+ wagons up the same hill with no fuss. and interestingly it seems to have cured the connecting rods 'waggling'.

I am tempted to come and have a look. What will there be by way of N?

Here is a review in case anyone is interested;

33 minutes ago, Roy L S said:

 

Hi Jerry

 

The notion came from the review in the Railway modeller where they said: -

 

"As the photo below demonstrates, the motor itself is fully enclosed inside the bodywork so is not user serviceable save for oiling as indicated in the instruction sheet".

 

I am delighted that this is not the case, I just wish RM had not set such a hare running when your pics show it is clearly not factually correct. I am grateful for your clarification. 

 

Regards

 

Roy

Totally agreed, re-reading the review it feels like it was a hurried one to get it in before going to print, surely such a milestone model (the first all new Farish steam locomotive for about a year and the first ever RTR N Gauge C class)  deserved a more thorough/well researched review that covered at least 2 pages!

Just some initial thoughts after having read this thread and the one on the NGF;

Haulage - so this is potentially yet another model to require bullfrog snot. (Like the Castle did).

Chassis/body - this does not bode well, seen as I have ordered an 8F to use the chassis under an 8K (O4) body.

To my mind Farish have yet to better the N class model, it is the the peak of their development, in changing the fundamental layout of future designs they are shooting themselves in the foot. Not only the the N great as an N, but I have bought no less than 3 more to turn into other things using 3D printed bodies and parts! that is 300% extra sales from one customer alone. The 8F could be another of these useful models, giving the chance to build a decent 8K (O4), 7F, Maunsell Z, and probably many others...


And a footnote:

Has anyone actually managed to the the 'body' off the C class loco yet? I fail to see how a motor can be placed inside such a thing, sure it is not cast around the motor and geartrain so there must be a way to separate the 'body' and 'chassis'?

Thanks Dan, but I'd rather not shell out on a shell(!) which requires a chassis that I'll have to modify and face a write-off.

It's not that difficult to put together and it's hard to see how any manufacturer will top the quality of that body shell, I used to be like you, too scared to try anything through fear of 'writing things off', but I started with low risk projects and gained confidence, I urge you and anyone like you to do the same, there are some great items out there that are so nearly RTR that i fear you may miss out on. You know there is even a quad art you can get that would go very nicely with that N2.

The N2 in particular for me please.

Here: https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZQWZJJEEC/lner-n2-body-shell?optionId=62299307

Makes a good N2 and it's not that hard to put together, no need to wait for a RTR one.

Let's just be happy with the 56xx for now before bombarding them with other things we want and can't be bothered to build ourselves?

If you had to pick just one GWR livery I would suggest shirtbutton is the most appealing for a GWR release, simply because it is much easier to remove a shirt button and reletter IF you wish to change the period of your model so this gives the most options to modellers, imagine how much harder it would be to remove 'great western' and add a shirtbutton if you wanted to go the other way!

Oh and for the record, my personal preference is 'great western' but I am unsure for a business point of view it is the best idea seen as that was short lived on this class and predates a number of class members construction.