Dungrange

I think I also need something cheaper to practise on. Any ideas? Regards David

Dave, I'll second these. Any modern departmental stock would be welcome, but what I would really like is a rake of 'Salmon' track panel carriers. Given their long lifespan, I would have though that they would be viable. My vote would obviously be for an air braked version. Thanks for asking. Regards David Edit: I should have said my request would be for 4mm scale models.

Can anyone confirm that this will be the original version of the Transit Connect released in 2002 rather than the current 2nd generation model released last year? I ask because unfortunately most of the new Jaguar Land Rover models are the latest models, which make them slightly too new for my purposes. Looking at the line drawing on Hatton's website, it looks like the earlier version to me. Assuming it is, I'll find a place for one of these. Regards David

Jonathan, I'd be interested in one of these, although there are a few points that I'd like to clarify before committing to purchase one. If I'm correct, the prototypes entered service around 2001 (which places it within my time frame). I'm assuming that they also operate in Scotland. You stated in post 1 that the kit will cost £120: are the transfers that you indicated would be produced included within that price or an extra? You also state that the kit is designed to accomodate a pair of black beetle motors (one powered and one unpowered). Given that they would seem to cost £43.82 and £15.13 respectively from DC Kits, these are obviously not included within the kit and therefore need to be purchased separately. Apart from paint, solder, glue etc, is there anything else that would be needed to complete the kit? Finally, have you any idea how long it would take a professional kit builder to construct the kit? I'm not sure that I'll be up to building the said kit and therefore that would be another cost that would need to be factored into any decision with regards purchasing one of these machines. Regards David

I assume that means that there are five of these on the UK network with 79261-79265 paired up with 79271-79275. Since they seem to have been introduced in 2003, that means that one would fit my time period nicely. I'm not so keen on a kit: I'd rather it was ready to run, but I could be persuaded to have a go, depending on price. Regards David

Well I'm glad to hear that it's "postponed" rather than "cancelled". It may still see the light of day before I get the track laid to run them on! Regards David

According to Eric Gent in his book "British Railway Brakevans and Ballast Ploughs", Olive Green was offically superceded in 1983. Dutch livery was first applied to a Shark in 1983, but only to those vehicles passing through Doncaster Wagon Works. Other repair depots appear to have continued to use remaining stocks of olive or black. Within five years, approximately 70 ballast ploughs received this colour scheme and ultimately 92 are known to have received this livery (although to some, Dutch livery may have been applied as late as the onset of shadow privatisation). I don't know which ones were repainted when, although there is a photograph of ZUV DB993927 at Toton on 16th April 1984 carrying Dutch livery. On that basis, I see no reason why you could not operate a black, olive or Dutch shark with your bauxite and olive sealions, although black would have been very rare after 1984. 993767 apparently went from Black to Dutch in 1984 and was among the last survivors in Black. You are correct in that sealions were dual braked (air and AFI vacuum brakes). Regards David

The new tooled Hornby and Lima models represent vehicles built at different times, which had different bogies. The Lima model (and also the Bachmann model) represent the batch built from 1971, which had riveted construction and were mounted on Gloucester bogies. The newly tooled Hornby model represents the later variants, which entered service from 1981. These are welded construction and are mounted on Y27 bogies. I'm not an expert on bogies, but I understand that the bogies under the Lima model are actually a European prototype, which have a passing resemblance to the Gloucester type rather than actually being the correct type. As far as I am aware the Y27 bogies on the newly tooled Hornby model are of the correct pattern for the welded versions, as are the Gloucester type under the Bachmann model. I'm not sure about the bogies under Hornby's reissue of the former Lima model: I don't know if Hornby corrected them or continue to use the incorrect Lima bogies. References to Sealion and Seacow refer to the braking not the build dates. Sealions were dual braked (air and AFI vacuum) whereas Seacows are air braked only (although originally built with a through vacuum pipe). The article at http://www.ltsv.com/w_profile_012.php may be of interest. Regards David

Mike, According to the Hornby Website 3rd radius is 505 mm; 4th radius is 572 mm. I believe that these figures relate to the centre-line of the track. Regards David

Roger, Thanks for that. I guess that I wont be adding one of these to my wish list then, as trips north of the border must have been very rare. I've only found one reference to 960011 making it into Scotland in 2001 /02 on a video survey. (see http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/page/Class+122 - half way down the page, "A former Class 121 Pressed Steel single-car 960011 (vehicle 977859) in Railtrack livery visited Scotland in 2001 and 2002, while in use as a video survey unit.") Since Wikipedia indicates that the two Network Rail Yellow versions went into store in December 2007, my best excuse for buying one of these would probably be to imagine instead of being stored, they were transferred north of the border, although I'm not sure why. By then, I think all sandite duties would be covered by a MPV and video surveys would be undertaken by the class 950. Regards David

Having notices that both Hattons and Kernow have commissioned various departmental versions of these units (class 960) suitable for the Railtrack / Network Rail era, I was wondering if anyone can advise as to how extensive their geographical operation was in the recent past. I'm assuming that since they seem to have been based at Aylesbury, they have primarily been used for sandite / route learning / video survey duties in the south of England, in which case justifying one on a Scottish layout in 2007 would be difficult? Regards David

That's what I thought too. Both the Corsa B (1993 - 2000) and Corsa C (2000 - 2006) are are high on my wish list and therefore I would happily buy several of either, but the current Corsa D (produced since 2006) is a little too modern (although I could justify one). Unfortunately, I can't find any details elsewhere to confirm, so I will just have to wait and see what turns up unless Oxford become more specific when they update their website. Interestingly an earlier version of Globe indicated 50 new sets of tooling, and I don't think that many new models have been announced, so hopefully there is more to come: a Ford Focus Mk I remains top of my wish list for now. Regards David

Dapol Dave, Thanks for sharing this update with us. Whilst I'm disappointed at the length of the delay indicated, at least I now know that I wont be getting a blue / grey MRA set for Christmas! Seriously, I would much rather know that I have to wait until May 2013 rather than constantly wonder whether they may be arriving on these shores next week or the week after. Information is definately better than no information, even if the news is not what I wanted to hear: at least I can plan what I will purchase in the meantime. Thanks David

Obviously it's not looking like an October delivery date for the Network Rail branded Blue / Grey sets. Hopefully they will make an appearance early next month. Out of interest, when did Network Rail start overbranding former Railtrack stock with their own logo? Regards David

I sympathise with kit manuafcturers who having invested in tooling for a kit, need to generate sufficient sales to cover their investment costs, generate a profit and hopefully a continuing income stream from that investment. However, I can't agree with the sentiment that if there is already a kit available none of the ready to run manufacturers should make a ready to run model available. It may be true that some modellers enjoy building kits, but personally, like many others, I'd much rather have a ready to run version. I've tried a few plastic kits, but have never been happy with the results. I'd much rather spend my time operating trains and if I have to spend time 'constructing' something, then it has to be baseboards, track, wiring etc, that are not so easy to produce in a ready to run format! I don't have enough time to also construct locomotives, wagons etc. As for an earlier suggestion that kit makers should concentrate on prototypes that are unlikely to be produced ready to run, I can appreciate that kit designers and retailers need big sellers: I think the suggestion is that concentrating on models that are unlikely to be available ready to run reduces the risk to a kit manufacturer that the economics of a major tooling investment is suddenly changed adversely because a major manufacturer has announced a ready to run model. Therein lies the problem though: it may mean that no-one is likely to compete with the obscure kit, but it also means that the sales will be lower, the income stream will be much slower and therefore it will take considerably longer to cover the tooling investment costs. This means that more capital is tied up in the business and the return on that capital is lower. As for the 'sharks', I'd have thought that comments on CAD drawings would have been helpful. Surely it is cheaper to have criticism before the model progresses to the tooling stage rather than when the model is actually released, reviews are critical and sales are impacted? I'm sure that much of the criticism is intended to be helpful and you can always choose to ignore it. To return to topic, thanks Dave for updating us on when to expect these Turbots. They don't exactly fit my time period and I'd never buy a kit, but I could be tempted by a few ready to run versions. Regards David

Does anyone know when Oxford bring out new catalogues: I notice that the latest catalogue on their website is labelled June to September 2012? I know that it's not yet the middle of October, but when should we expect an October to December catalogue? I'm hoping for virtually any car from the late 1990s in 1:76 scale: especially if it is a Ford or a Vauxhall. Regards David

Does anyone produce a kit for these masts (or any mobile phone masts for that matter)? I seem to remember seeing a plastic kit for sale at an exhibition a number of years ago (probably five or six), but I can't remember the manufacturer and I don't recall ever having seen a kit for a mobile phone mast since. I would therefore be grateful if someone can reasure me that I wasn't imagining that I saw something that I didn't. Regards David

Dave, Hope you enjoyed your holiday. Is there any update on the Network Rail branded Blue / Grey Mk 1 version of the MRA? I'm assuming that if production started in July that they are probably now in transit. Can we still expect them to be in the shops early next month? Regards David

Gordon, You might have to wait for an update as I understand DapolDave is off on holiday until the end of August. Hopefully he will update us all when he gets back. Regards David

Dave, Does the delay delivering the Network Rail yellow versions mean that all subsequent versions are also delayed or is the timing of the subsequent batches still in line with your earlier post? It doesn't matter too much, but I'm curious as to whether I should expect the Network Rail Blue / Grey version in August / September or some time in mid October (ie 6-8 weeks after the first batch hit the shops. Regards David

John, I believe that the five-wagon set is around 1.2 metres (4') in length. However I would like to know how they are coupled together, or more precisely, how easy it is to separate the wagons for transit. I'm hoping for a push fit connection rather than having to screw each bar connection together, which will make assembly of a rake on the club layout rather time consuming. Regards David

Thanks guys, It looks like you are saying kits produced by D&S Model have generally held their value pretty well over time. I believe that I paid £13 for the kit in the mid 1990's, so adjusting for inflation, that would be around £20 in today's money. Anyway, I decided to pass it to my wife to sell on e-bay: she seems to be in a selling mood at the moment. I now just need to hope that it sells for more than 99p and if it fetches a good price I won't have to justify the cost of the JJA Autoballasters that should hopefully arrive in the post next month! Regards David

Many years ago I purchased one of these kits when I aspired to build an LNER layout, but a change in interests means that it has lain un-made in a drawer for the past 15-20 years and in all honesty I am unlikely to ever build it. I notice some of the posts in this thread indicate that some D&S kits have been reissued recently, although I see no reference to kit DS 305 described as a LNER 32' 'General' Van built in 1926 to Diagram 86. Any idea how much this particular kit might be worth? An indication of value will help me decide whether to list it on e-bay or keep it for practising my kit building skills. Regards David

Pity, it's the BCC versions that operate out of Oxwellmains that that I am interested in purchasing. I'm sure that they will be worth the wait when they eventually see the light of day. Regards David