bluedepot

i will maybe cancel my order and wait for some other options i think. don't really want to start messing around with the coupling or wing mirrors if these are not supposed to be user fitted separate parts because i might cause damage. I would like some 1998 - 2001 suitable models really - one ews and one freightliner. cheers tim

thanks jr_p any ideas which were the first to get the swing buckeye couplings retrofitted? I think it was about 2001 - but later build 66s (66200 and on?) came with the coupling. something like that. anyway all tiny details in n gauge but just trying to choose a number! I will be buying as delivered 66001 or 66004 if they make them. 66004 was the first production loco to haul a regular train so I read. cheers tim

hi which were the first 66/0 locos to have swing buckeye couplings retro fitted and what date was this? or is the buckeye coupling a separate detail part that the user can choose whether to fit or not? in which case it doesn't really matter... just trying to choose a suitable ews loco number... cheers tim

is there any plan to produce 66001 in as delivered state with the red grills and whatever else the differences were? or is a retailer commission on the cards for this? also any news on when ews 66/0 bespoke will be available to order? cheers tim

yeah vanfits are on sale now though I notice - but weren't in the leaflet and there doesn't appear to be a 2024 leaflet. cheers tim

I've not seen them mentioned. I think the brake van market is pretty well saturated. vanfits and pig iron wagons are next in line i believe. tim

wow looks great and also what great scenery on your layout!

glad replacement is working oh ok I was actually going to try running it with a Dapol 156 just for entertainment but if the couplings don't work together I won't bother speed matching them would have been a nuisance as well I might make a review video for youtube if I can get organised and have some time cheers tim

+1 for the 25/3! also class 105 or 117 would be great, as Bachmann have all the drawings and research done anyway for oo. tim

I have been running mine in. I like it. I just turned the interior lights off because really in day time the lights weren't all that noticeable, and the cab lights were annoying me. I'll sort that another time. mine is a bit slow at top speed as well. it actually ran quicker with a different decoder in it I noticed. with a zimo in it is smoother but slower at top speed. if I can get round to it I will speed match it with a 156 and try running it coupled up. I quite like the coupling arrangement but I can imagine some people will bend and break the pins or the holding latch. it is close coupled between the vehicles though so looks good. cheers tim

oh ok bad luck hope you can get a nice running one

are the bogies pushed on properly? maybe remove and reattach them also inspect all the gears to see any debris or splits, maybe use a magnifying lens... good luck tim

yeh disappointing I'll see what else they produce graham farish win this round of the wagon battle .... I believe pig iron wagons and vanfits are next .... tim

agree on being slow some of mine were painfully slow given how heavy some new wagons are nowadays it needs to be a v powerful motor tim

nice present you must be doing something right then

excellent video you just put on youtube neil! happy christmas tim

mine is a bit slow but not dreadful. overall it's a very smooth runner. i think maybe the acceleration rate needs altering a bit or some other cv? my top line speed is only 75 mph so I probably won't bother though. it's a great model I think. tim

this is their new 16 ton mineral wagon https://www.hattons.co.uk/1559120/peco_products_nr_1001b_16_ton_mineral_wagon_mco_in_ex_br_grey_unfitted_b89616/stockdetail

I would buy one or two of each from vev, vmv, bauxite late (with vanwide label), olive zqv... the departmental one for the engineers. the others just to add in when I run a late 70s or early 80s mixed vacuum braked train. I hope rails take the feedback onboard and offer some wagons as singles. i mean they are n gauge vans, they only need a very tiny box to put them in for posting out. doesn't seem that complicated to do. peco are managing it with their vanfit. farish manage it with their 4 wheel vans. tim

that's useful to know that the old body fits on the new chassis an expensive option though but if you want a specific older model with sound may be worth it tim

this is very exciting news! except that i now need to spend many hours researching all the detail variants and then select the running number i want for a bespoke version from rainbows... tim

you should have got your child a class 14 for christmas, and then not let them play with it... yeh i think the non green versions will end up on sale soon enough i got a replacement one now, seem to run ok and less wobble, need to run it in some more. cheers. tim

how is your one running meatloaf? tim

Graham Farish are releasing two 158s in the same livery it seems? 158816 and 158849 both regional railways. That's fair enough as you could run them together. I wonder though if one of them is actually going to appear with EXPRESS on the side? It just seems a bit unlike Bachmann to release two units in the same livery at the same time. Does anyone know what destination blinds will be on the models? I realise they will be tiny so it doesn't really matter v much. I'm just trying to decide which one to order! Cheers Tim

good idea andy cheers tim