Dungrange

No, these events were unconnected. I believe that the BP branding (ie the letters BP in the shield shaped logo) had gone by about 2004. I think this was simply that the logo was obsolete and was removed without replacement. However, the wagons at that point were still in the ownership of BP Oils Ltd and carried BPO prefixes to the numbers. However, in 2010, VTG acquired the remaining wagons on a leaseback deal, which meant that ownership of the wagons changed but because of their age and limited life they have remained in green but with VTG number prefixes. In time these will be withdrawn and replaced by newer tanks as repairs make it uneconomic to keep them in the VTG fleet.

Thanks, I thought they were the same wagon when I saw the Oxford Rail announcement, but wasn't sure. How do you know that Oxford Rail are producing a version with the side extensions? Looking at the descriptions on their website, apart from the triple pack (OR76WW004) having MODA prefixes and being TOPS coded KWA, I don't see any specific reference to these being the latest variant of these wagons. I'm assuming that these may, like the versions proposed by Hattons, be the same body with a current or recent livery. Happy to be proved wrong by those who are more knowlegable.

For someone who is not entirely familiar with the details of the prototype wagons, what is the difference between the model that Hattons are producing and the version recently announced by Oxford Rail? Are they the same prototype or do they represent slightly different versions of Warwell?

Mike, Unfortunately no. The last e-mail that I received from S-Kits was sent from the e-mail address on the June 2016 price list, but that was in August 2016. I have however tried to send an e-mail from Yahoo this evening to check whether I get the same message as you. So far nothing has bounced back, but if I get a reply, I'll hopefully be able to confirm that the Scherelien bogies are cast whitemetal and postage costs to France. I'm not sure what else you were wanting to ask.

You'll need an N gauge legal profession for that!!! Seriously, I would agree with you. I can't see the market characteristics being the same in all three scales. If I was to collect cars and put them in a display case, I'd buy the 1:43 scale models. I suspect that potentially the majority of 1:43 scale models end up on display with car enthusiasts rather than find a place on a model railway, with the split between collectors and model railway enthusiasts being say 60% / 40%. In 1:76 scale, I'd expect that split to be reversed, with the majority of models being for model railways, but with some collecting in this scale due to space or financial constraints. At 1:148, I'd expect 95% of models to end up on a model railway layout. That therefore means that what sells well in one scale wouldn't necessarily translate to another scale, in my opinion.

Mike, The only S-kits bogies that I have are white metal castings, so I assume that the Schlieren bogies will be too. That said, S-Kits do sell resin products. I have to agree that it is rather difficult to find out what S-Kits actually do stock / sell because of their lack of a web presence, which is why you obviously weren't aware that S-Kits apparently produce them. Whilst I have no issues with S-Kits, both of the orders that I have sent have taken a while - maybe seven or eight weeks from when I post the cheque to when the goods actually arrive. In our current 'I want it immediately society' that is on the slow side, but I understand that George (the owner) has another full time job, so you just have to be patient. I hope you're not in a hurry!! I've no idea how to change the topic title.

I guess the fact that a new version is planned explains why the ACE is 'out of stock' on the Sig-Na-Trak website. No small manufacturer is going to want to be left with stock of a soon to be superseded / discontinued model. If that same manufacturer is going to look after his retail stockists (Coastal DCC, Digitrax, and DCC Train Operation), then it's probably best to pass business their way before any major publicity about the 'new' model. That is, apart from your post, I was unaware that a new version was to be released and therefore I may have purchased one in blissful ignorance of an upcoming update. Unfortunately, the publishing deadlines for magazines means that the decision to advertise the ACE-2 was probably made before the situation on stock levels could be fully known. I note that Sig-Na-Trak are to be at Model Rail Scotland in a couple of weeks and I hope to be able to catch up with them at their stand to see how user friendly the interface is. I'm not a current DCC user, but will probably be looking for a capable starter set later this year. The ACE looks to be a contender from what I've read about it. £192 seems like quite a price hike from £158, but if the new version includes the USB Interface, which is currently £30, then that's only an extra £4. Hardly a big enough saving to make me rush out and buy something without seeing it.

The S-Kits price list that I have (June last year) has these bogies as catalogue item BG31 at £5.10 per pair. Unfortunately I don't have any to post a picture to compare with the ones that you are developing. S Kits list June 16.pdf

My forum name is be the name of the proposed station on my layout (if I ever get that far). It's not a real place, but I think sounds plausible as a settlement in Central Scotland. My Avatar logo belongs to 'Linkin Park', one of my favourite bands. As my real name is David, I find that's often taken on forums.

One of the units that carries / carried SPT Carmine and Cream livery. At least one would look good alongside the First Scotrail 'Barbie' version that I have on order with you. Circa 2007 condition would be great!!!

Given that the first issue was dated December 2016 and the next was to be 'in two months time', by my reckoning that means that the second issue should be dated February 2017, which is still next month. I know that magazines dated March may in the shops already, but I'd think we may need to wait another week or so before we can start speculating on the future of MREmag.

I've only become aware of this part work through this thread, but a quick Google indicates that there is some information on this site with some photographs of the intended layout, magazine articles and costs of the first four issues. http://www.cashforpartworks.co.uk/year/2017/hachette-partworks/mill-town-model-railway.html The brakevan looks okay in these pictures, although it's not really my period.

To a certain extent, I agree, although it will be difficult to mix the existing flat bottom rail with the new bullhead as per real life, which is what many of us want to do. New lines in flat bottom (preferably Code 82/83) and sidings etc still in bullhead (using the new track that Peco have now produced). At the moment I use the C&L / Exactoscale product for flat bottom plain line, but that has concrete sleepers. Matching turnouts is the biggest gap in the market and the market for these would probably be largest if it was created with timber bearers (given that concrete point and crossing work is largely confined to the 21st Century).

I'm sorry - I just can't tell what gauge that is!!! Surely it can't be 00.. :-) Out of interest, did you fix the grass before or after ballasting? I need to create a similarly overgrown engineer's siding.

The first Ford Focus body style for me please (although I'd also by a second body style). It's disappointing to hear that Oxford don't want to produce ordinary cars, but perhaps they need to hear more of us telling them that is what we want. However, I can understand why they would perceive that different livery transits and sports cars sell. I've certainly bought too many transit vans because of the liveries offered.

Where is the hand up button when you need one. :-)

Charlie, I'm not complaining that you haven't banked cheques or taken credit card deposits - the debit will appear in my account soon enough - especially when delivery will be several months away. I appreciate that the end of the year can be a busy time, although sometimes every month can seem busy. Enjoy your 'free' lunch, but just remember that nothing is really 'free'!

Well, I ordered on-line giving my card details, but nothing has been charged to my account yet, so I suspect that your cheque possibly hasn't been banked either. However, I'm sure that Charlie will be along to confirm soon.

Well, there was an idea on here that everyone would construct a number of modules to the standards set out here - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/forum/252-rmweb-modular-project/ It didn't really take off with little interest / momentum outside of a small group in the southeast of England. However, there are some groups working to Freemo standards to model both North America and Europe in the manner you suggest. Effectively this is what you are proposing but in an exhibition rather than social context. The main problem in what you propose is that at the exhibitions I attend, each club layout is generally representative of the interests of the majority of members (we use members stock to operate our club layouts) and also most exhibiting clubs at any exhibition tend to be reasonably local. In general, we rarely exhibit more than around 60 miles from our club rooms, with a few exceptions (this year it is Doncaster). Therefore, to make your proposal work, you are potentially looking at involving several clubs in the same part of the county who have members who share the same interests both with regards era, gauge and standard of modelling. Personally I don't think you'll find interest in the concept because it would be difficult to manage. If you want era or scale specific shows, you will find them scattered around the country. The DEMU Showcase event may be of interest to you if you live anywhere near Derbyshire. Details of last years event can be found on the DEMU website at http://www.demu.org.uk/showcase2016. I assume that the 2017 dates will also be in early June.

Having run my first set of these on the club layout, the bar coupling between the inner wagons seems to be a weakness in the design. The set stayed in the track fine and I had no problems with derailments, but the set uncoupled several times in the fiddle yard and therefore I'm tempted to try something like this. When doing your drawbar test, did you undertake any tests with a trailing load? I'm interested to know how they'd preform with a second set of MRA wagons (ie a 10 unit set) or alternatively with several other infrastructure wagons such as the JJA and JNA wagons towards the end of the rake.

Although they've already been mentioned, I would definitely recommend Harburn Hobbies in Edinburgh. Quite a collection of locomotives, wagons and coaching stock on display (N & 00) and they sell a range of accessories, track, tools, kits, paints and diecast vehicles. There is also some dolls house stuff, but railways and diescast vehicles make up the majority of their stock. Of course they also commission a number or limited edition ready to run models and sell their own Harburn Hamlet range. When I used to live in Glasgow, I always paid them a visit when I was through in Edinburgh. Now that I live in Edinburgh, I've no need to go anywhere else for a lot of things. No association other than as a happy customer.

Thanks, but since I don't do Facebook, that probably explains why I've never found a list of models, bar what others have posted in this thread. It's a pity that information wasn't available on their website. I do have an online account but whilst yesterday it said 'next parcel 22/12/16', I logged on today to find that it now says 'next parcel 19/01/17' and no new invoice has been generated - in fact the last one is dated May. I think it previously said something like next parcel 9/11/16, which became next parcel 1/12/16, which was changed to today's date and now says next month. I'm not sure why it keeps doing that unless they have run out of whatever model they intended to send. Still, I assume that I may get all of the models one day.

There was a previous thread about this on RMWeb http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67420-Hornby-class-101-tank-engine-is-real/page-2 which has a photograph but no drawings. Given that I understand it was a bit of a test bed, it may be a problem getting a definitive set of drawings.

Well, there are bay platforms at both ends of Edinburgh Waverley station and the platform numbering is undertaken in a clockwise direction starting at the northeast corner of the station. However, since each of the through roads are long enough to accommodate two trains, they each have two platform numbers: one of the east half and a second for the west end. I assume that isn't what you have here. As for which doors are opened when you have a single track bay platform, I'd have thought that would have been dependent on where the station exit is and which platform is wider.