Godfrey Glyn

I have gone back through my collection of photos of the preserved 2BIL at Shildon and put together some of the bodywork. I certainly couldn't see any rivets on the bodywork. I agree with Colin that the screws used have domed heads. It would appear that sometimes an enthusiastic worker has forced the screw head into the steel sheeting and at other times s/he has not. The screws used on the bolections? certainly appear to be flat headed. Colin I do have some more photos that I took under the unit. I will set about editing and uploading them in the hope that they may be of some use in your next project. best wishes Godfrey

Thank you Howard, I will take your advice and put a few more up. These first three are of the bogie under the driving end of the DTC - lots more underframe detail shots in the Gallery section. Whilst the next three are from the DMBS as modelled by Hornby. I have to say the differences so eloquently described and corrected by Colin have not stopped me buying all three versions but I do aim to try and improve the roof detail by following Colin's 'Book'! best wishes Godfrey

Colin very kindly mentioned that I had taken some photos of the preserved 2BIL whilst I was on a flying visit to Shildon. I have - first attempt so I hope it has worked - uploaded a set of photos into the Gallery in three albums. You can only get at one side of the 2BIL which was rather frustrating but I hope they may be of use to others even if they are too late to help Colin with his masterpiece. I managed to get some high shots using my Canon G1X on the end of a monopod and the 10 sec delay. Unfortunately the monopod wasn't quite long enough to get above the roof but it did produce some decent shots. I think it is fairly easy to identify where the preserved version differs from the Hornby model. I took about 110 photos so if anyone wants one of some other part of the set please do contact me. best wishes Godfrey

Shows up even more clearly in the maroon, taken at the last Eastleigh Open Day - sorry 'tis the real thing. Really looking forward to receiving the model. Godfrey

A question: was the application of SYPs and FYPs systematic by class or was it random across the different classes? I've just done a very quick gander through 4 of my colour books which have photographs of Southern EMUs and the last full green end I found was dated as 1966. The first small yellow panel I could find was in 1964 (though in The Southern Since 1948 by G Freeman Allen there is photo on page 22 of two units with SYPs at Gatwick Airport which claims to be at the station's opening in 1958). Certainly I found a 2BIL with SYP in 1969 and one with a FYP in 1968. It would appear that some EMUs were still around in 1970 with SYPs. Hardly scientific but gives a general view of the time span. Godfrey

Congratulations to Dave and everybody involved in the design and production of this magnificent model, a thing of beauty is a joy for ever! Godfrey

Charlie, Great model! You must, should be delighted that all your hard work has paid off so handsomely! Really looking forward to the 143s! Godfrey

I did my degree at Portsmouth and in 67-68 we had several lectures in a temporary classroom next to the line leading down to the harbour. I have to admit that I often found invertebrate zoology rather dull and used to watch the 2BILs and other EMUs coming out of Portsmouth and Southsea station. It was that time when they were being repainted from green into blue and they were generally so dirty that at an acute angle you couldn't easily distinguish between blue and green ones in mixed formations until they got quite close and broad on to the classroom. Got the degree but not the numbers! Godfrey

Many thanks Dave for posting these, its looking good and I anticipate it costing me a small fortune! Just a few photographs that support the views expressed by Starscream and Meld regarding the conspicuous cables on the bogies, the height of cables on the front of the loco and the small running board at the front of the bogies that is attached to the body. I hope they are of some use. Many thanks for posting the developments, Godfrey

I don't think the CAD is wrong for Calbourne as she is now. It may not be the kit that was attached when they were actually in service. Godfrey

Another photo spot. Terry Gough in his 'The Southern West of Salisbury' identifies set 603 in three photographs ( Plates 45-47) taken at Seaton Junction, Colyton and next to the Axe but no date is given. Godfrey

They certainly did. In Mike King's excellent book 'Southern Pull-Push Stock on page 147 there are two photographs of Set 616. The first was taken at Seaton Junction on 19 April 1963 and the second at Wareham on 18 September 1964 by which time it was being used as a conventional hauled stock after the withdrawal of the M7s. He also states that 616 was one of the very few sets to receive the yellow first class cantrail marking. It will be interesting to see whether Hornby produce it in that livery. Godfrey

JE You are quite right, my mistake I should have said 30055. If I had looked at the back of the Coach Pack (R4534) I would have seen a representation of a 30055 as R3159. I cannot find R3159 in the 2012 catalogue and on their website Hornby certainly has R3159 illustrated as 30029 so there would appear to be some confusion. Sorry to have provided additional confusion. I gather that they are only producing a very small number of them, so if anyone wants one you will need to get an order in with your usual supplier. Godfrey

Graham I presume that at sometime in the future we might see some of the Diagram 2403 1935/36 Brake Composites from Hornby - I seem to remember that they were the ones the Southern Region used to convert to pull-push sets. Given their skill at producing Maunsell coaches Hornby must do a 2-Bil sometime soon (hope upon hope). Godfrey

You wait for ages and then two come along together! Picked up my two sets ( one train pack and one coach pack) this morning from Bob at Alton. I understand that the special edition M7 is to be 30005 and not 30029 which is the one in the train pack. Big hole in the wallet but they are absolutely superb. Congratulations to Hornby! Now why didn't they do the VEP to the same standard? Godfrey

I couldn't possibly say! OK I give in, it's real (12 inches to the foot)! Portsmouth Harbour station, a view from the Spinnaker Tower. Unfortunately I didn't notice it until just before it went out so it was a rushed shot. The pictures I took of the coaches look even more like models to me!

I particularly like the way they modelled the bales of paper. Godfrey

Great news indeed! Godfrey

A model of small town station with a train shed would be great. Chard Central comes to mind and as it still exists is easily surveyed. Happy to help! Godfrey

Just spoken to Geoff at Steam to order D1000.What a really nice man, a real pleasure to do business with him. Godfrey

A front view, sorry can't get the hang of how to load two photos in one post! Godfrey

I don't know if this helps with the curve Godfrey.

I sent my lumpy NSE version back to Hornby. The arrangement of the traction tyres has been changed to a diagonal arrangement and it is now a good runner. I didn't mark the carriage before sending it back so I don't know if they changed the bogie or the whole carriage, it certainly came back very quickly. Back at the end of October I spoke to Simon Kohler at the NRM and he seemed to indicate that it would be easy for them to change the solid compartment moulding. Maybe they will slip them in later, they seem to have a very different policy to Bachmann. I recall that the smoke box door of the original Merchant Navies was corrected and then became available (but only if you were in the know), and the pullman bogies were also changed without much publicity. I sent all mine back to Hornby for replacement, it must have kept their engineer busy for days! My experience of dealing with the public would suggest that when you, or your organisation, make a mistake, put your hands up as soon as possible and try and put it right. Hornby seem to find that difficult. Its a great pity. Godfrey

Wonderful, wonderful news! Cannot possibly have only one set!! Godfrey

I have bought one of each version released so far - I still need to make 'pencil trick' permanent on the BR blue version. My Network South East version did not run well and I simply took it back to Bob at Alton. He sent it back via his Hornby rep and yesterday it arrived back at the shop. Repaired no problem, as iL Dottore says ' Simples'. Godfrey