Dungrange

That's always a risk with not pre-ordering. I've seen similar increases in the past where the price rises when something comes into stock. I assume that is because the RRP or trade price is higher than Hattons originally estimated and whilst they are usually willing to honor the price at which something was pre-ordered, this doesn't apply to those who wait. I'll probably get a couple of lengths from my local retailer to have a look at and see how it compares with the Exactoscale track I already have.

Any chance of one of these units in SPT carmine and cream livery - as per http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/page/Class+156+SPT+Livery ? I was going to suggest that I'd have one in the earlier ex-National Express livery as well until I discovered that they had all been repainted in 2006, which means that livery isn't appropriate for a c 2007 layout. It's interesting that it survived for longer on both the Class 158 and 170. Anyway, I've now ordered a First Scotrail Barbie unit, so looking forward to delivery next year.

I was wondering the same. I was hoping that someone would post an update after Warley, but I've heard nothing. Flangeway usually attend ModelRail Scotland, so I'm hoping to ask them there if there is no news before then since I'm looking forward to these. However, I suspect that no news means they are still some way off.

Out of interest, where are these models announced? I haven't received anything from Atlas in the last six months and would like to know everything that has been announced in this series (and which I am still awaiting). Hopefully they don't suddenly send me six models at the same time.

I think that it is reasonable as a potential purchaser to have a desire for knowing a potential release date. However, against that if Dave were to say on here that model X will be ready in early 2018, I'm sure that there would be many on this forum claiming on 1st January 2018 that they were 'promised' the model now - where is it? Ultimately there are many business reasons why a model release date may be unknown. In Dave's case, as a small supplier, he will have to carefully manage cash flow whereby the profits from the first model are reinvested in the tooling for the second model and research and development of the third model. In turn the profits from that second model will fund further tooling and so on. As such, giving a release date for a tenth model would need Dave to estimate how quickly all earlier models are going to sell out and also final R&D, CAD and tooling costs for each model. How long will each of the models already announced take to sell out? I doubt that Dave knows the answer to that one. He hopes relatively quickly, but can't be sure. Then there will be delays in arranging production slots in the Chinese factories. I doubt that Dave will want to commit to a particular production slot without knowing that he has the cash flow to pay for the next batch of models. Therefore, whilst its probably fair to expect a manufacturer to be able to confirm a potential release date when the tooling is complete and a first Engineering Prototype produced, until then, I think buyers just have to accept that it's not likely to hit the shops in 2017 and they will just have to wait. If you know where a model is in 'the queue' then you can make your own judgement as to how many months / years before a model is released. I think that Dave has indicated on here previously what he sees as an order of priority, which was generally 00 models, followed by N models followed by 0 models.

My understanding is that the Exactoscale Fast-track bases, which are used to create the C&L thick sleeper flexi-track is the same depth as existing PECO code 75 point work and that these can be used together if desired (ie Exactoscale Fast-track bases with Peco pointwork). I would therefore expect the thick sleepers to be the best match..

The last post in the thread below indicates that the previous owners sold the business and attended their last show in November 2016. Unfortunately I know nothing more. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/62662-p-h-models/?p=2497313

The wheel diameter is always measured across the tread. However the reduction in ride height will only be half of the difference in diameter as the radius (ie the distance between the tread and the centre of the axle) is half the diameter. Therefore, for the diameters you quote the ride height will only be reduced by 0.2 mm. You are correct that the Kadee couplings need to be mounted at the correct height, but I wouldn't have thought 0.2 mm would matter much. You will be lucky if you can fit couplings to that tolerance. It would however be preferable to fit the replacement wheels before fitting the couplings and checking against the Kadee height gauge. How far forward you mount the couplings will be dependent on how tight your curves are. If they are generous radii, then try to mount the Kadees as far back as possible to get relatively close coupling (which looks better). However, since you are using first radius curves, you will have to mount the couplings further forward to avoid buffer locking on your stock on the tightest curves. I will suggest that this is largely a trial and error exercise until you determine how far the couplings have to protrude for your layout to operate satisfactorily.

Okay, it must just have been a glitch in the system this evening when I tried to access it!! It seems to work fine now. Thanks.

Well, I get a message saying "Sorry, the page you've requested isn't here" and I can't see anything when browsing the Issuu site. That's trying to access it via a PC with Chrome or Internet Explorer. Has anyone else accessed the e-zine via a PC?

I assume that therefore implies the need for a 4 Amp power supply to cover each of these four turnout units? This thread has definitely put me off trying the PECO Smart Switches.

But, how many people are there out there who would be willing to pay at least £250+ for a Wickham Trolley (with DCC sound)? Yes, there may be some, but I doubt the market is as big as you think. I knew the Wickham Trolleys were small, but seeing the model placed alongside the Model Rail Y3 (which itself is a pretty small model) just indicates how small these models really are. Perhaps it would be good to see a model of the Wickham sat beside a typical DCC ready socket, sound decoder and speaker just demonstrate how difficult it would be to create a DCC sound fitted version. Personally, I think Bachmann have made the correct choice and judged the market correctly.

But who has said the model isn't DCC compatible? Yes, it would appear to be too small to fit a 'plug and play' socket, but that doesn't make it incompatible with DCC: it just makes it more difficult to convert. If a very small decoder (for that read more expensive decoder) has to be hardwired then it wouldn't be easy for those with a DC set up to remove the decoder and it would add significantly to the cost, which would clearly hit sales. Effectively all Bachmann are doing is leaving each DCC user to make their own decision as to where best to try and incorporate a small hard wired decoder. After all, wherever Bachmann tried to put it, some would prefer that it had been incorporated somewhere else. However, I agree with the need for a crew and it would be good to see the model alongside a larger locomotive such as an 08 shunter to better appreciate the size.

S-Kits price list and order form are below. In his book "Building Modern 4mm Scale Wagons", Nigel Burkin tackles building the S-Kits FEA-F wagon if you need a step by step guide. I think what you are looking for is Wagon Kit W17 at £20.50 (page 2) plus you will need to add wheels separately. Under Container kits (page 3) you then have C16 (the water tank modules) at £8.00, C19 (the jetting module) at £11.00 and C20 (the Sandite module) at £11.00. There may be some other parts of interest. Ordering is by post and cheque and turnaround times aren't particularly quick (six to eight weeks). I can't comment on any of these, but hope they may be of use. S Kits list June 16.pdf order form June 16.pdf JPG list June 16.pdf

S-Kits produce kits for the wagons (FEAs), which are brass construction. They also produce resin kits for the various modules. I'll try and dig out the latest price list that I have.

I also don't see an issue with a rigid NEM pocket on a short wheelbase wagon and I'd prefer not to see any 'slop' in the pocket dimensions. The coupling of choice should ideally be held tightly both horizontally and vertically. I don't know how much of your potential market use 1st radius curves (potentially only in hidden sections), but I'd still be tempted to cater for them if possible. I'm not sure if I'll end up purchasing any of these wagons as I don't think any have made it to Scotland in the post-privatisation period (ie in Lafarge livery), but if I do, the couplings would be replaced with NEM Kadee couplings, so as long as the setback of the pocket from the buffers is in the range 7.11mm (#17 with generous curves) to 11.68mm (#20 with generous curves) there should be a workable solution. I would favor a set back of around 8.5mm, which should permit a #18 coupling, but I don't know what users of alternative couplings would prefer.

Well, you could always have the Britannia Pacific model of the same plough - £50. Against that, £43 isn't that bad, especially when factoring inflation into the equation. Of course the Britannia Pacific model may not be available much longer and it was always a custom produced model. http://www.britanniapacific.co.uk/snowploughs.htm

Are Hattons going to produce any military vehicles that will form a suitable load for these wagons? Suitable vehicles may already be available from Oxford Diecast or some other supplier, but my knowledge of tanks isn't that great. They were originally built to carry Sherman tanks, but presumably post refurbishment, other more modern tanks would be more appropriate.

I have to agree with the posts above. I used to read MREMag every day, but now I rarely visit. When the readers letters were published daily by Pat Hammond, there was almost a 'flow' with a letter the following day either expressing a different point of view or providing further information. When the publishing frequency was cut to three times a week, my interest reduced - it was no longer a daily read. I found RMWeb and this site tends to be my sole source of information nowadays. I liked MREMag because the letters were well written due to Pat's editing, whereas some of the posts on this site are much less clear and discussions can be more heated, but discussions are also much more instantaneous. I can ask a question on this site and find that someone has answered within five minutes. That was never possible with the MREMag format, but when it was a daily publication that didn't matter too much. However, if MREmag becomes a weekly publication, then I can only see it as the demise of the site. It's a bit like Brian's comment on the MREMag site about the rationalisation of the railways during the Beeching Era. Cutting back the publication frequency will, in all honesty, probably result in even fewer readers.

Well, you could always e-mail them directly - I've made suggestions that way in the past. Alternatively, speak to their representative at one of the larger model railway exhibitions. They're always willing to listen, but it doesn't mean that you'll get what ask for.

Okay, that's good to know. I have some lengths of the former Exactoscale think sleeper track that I want to lay straight, so I may purchase a straight Tracksetta template if it is a little too flexible. However I need to build the turnouts first before I can make a start on the flexi-track.

Good summary, but I thought that the C&L thick sleeper track (former Exactoscale range) is not particularly flexible - ie it is better suited to laying straight rather than as sweeping curves.

Darryl, The S-kits price list that I have is dated June 2016 and the wagon kit W10 Yeoman O&K 12 ton hopper wagon is marked as Price - £TBA, which I assume means that it not yet available. It would probably be worthwhile e-mailing George (infoshranel @ btinternet.com) to clarify if these are the wagons you are after.

I agree with the above post, the point being that 2 1/4" to the foot will give the least distorted or most accurate proportions. Moving up the scales to 2 1/2" to the foo, the look of the locomotive will become more like 00 model railways (ie the track gauge is too narrow but acceptable to many). In general the inaccuracy is to a certain extent hidden by the bogies / coupling rods etc. However, if you're looking to go seriously far in the other direction, then you will find it difficult to get a realistic representation of a mainline locomotive as the bogies / axles will start to be wider than the body unless you distort its dimensions. A scale of 2" to the foot (ie 1:6) would be equivalent to a track gauge of 5' 1.5", which is not far off the 5' 3" track gauge in Ireland. Given that some ex-BR stock runs there, I would have thought that 2" to the foot would have been a reasonable scale to work to, but that is still massive. If you want 1:8, then I agree you should reconsider your track gauge.