TheEngineShed

More weirdness with the radiator grills. The internal stiffeners on the TMC economy green units don't seem to show. They come through just fine on D15, the blue unit, but are lacking on D12. D11 on the TMC website in delivery green, also shows the internal stiffeners. The only conclusion I can draw is that the paint on the economy green units is thicker, obscuring the internal stiffeners. I might try masking the areas where the stiffeners are on both bodyside grills and airbrushing some black over them.

The LNER coaches do look nice! Is this the only livery in this latest delivery?

I tried to get the roof off one of mine and decided to wait... I would guess there are two lighting units, one for four wheel and one for six wheel coaches. The LED spacing is such that all compartments are lighted. No need for another lighting unit for a full brake. There are some excellent photos of the lighting units here: https://albionyard.com/2020/10/27/transformation-tuesday-genesis/

I am a pretops modeller and those droplight access plates were a post tops addition, just confirmed by looking at tops photos. That explains that, thank you. But when the Peaks were delivered they only had two builders plates, under the drivers side window on each side. Heljan has put both builders plates on the No. 2 end, printed over the access panels. TMC, Rails, and the regular run of pretops units were delivered with one plate printed in the wrong location. If doing a repaint into an early livery, it would be easy to sand these access covers off... On a positive note, I was impressed with the grill blanking plate on the No.2 end. In pre-production photos, they looked like rectangular slabs. Very thin on the model, could pass for brass etches. They are loud on the rolling road, at speed. I'm not certain if they quieted down, or I had some hearing loss after an hour plus... 😀

That is unfortunate, my sympathies for the three keepers. In this day and age, I wonder why we still have individuals pushing gates against traffic? Whats wrong with automatic gates? Train approaches, sensors go off, lights go on, gates then come down. By the time the heritage train arrives, traffic is already stopped. Granted it is more expensive then the traditional approach, but compared to the cost of a bridge? Or the poor soul trying to stop traffic?

I have two of the TMC special editions. Both have all the five pointy gubbins extending downward without damage, that is eight total sets of gubbins between the two. They seem fine on the rolling road and are fine switching at home. They haven't stretched their legs at the club yet, but nothing seems amiss at this point. It also isn't a surprise regarding the roof profile, it wasn't like we were not forewarned, the early photos demonstrated that aspect. What I find amusing / annoying, is the four, six bolt access panels under each cab window. They seem to function as builders plates on the number 2 end. How does that happen? Crewe and Derby plates had four, not six bolts on the plates and they should be under the drivers side window only. A direct copy of the O gauge models, did not the O gauge crowd complain? Don't answer that, I suspect they aren't as discerning as the double O crowd (runs for cover). My pair seem fit for purpose, but I feel your pain if you got a growly motor. That part is unacceptable. The rest, well you vote with your wallet...

I was questioning the need for a bridge, either railway or road. What would be wrong with lights and a crossing gate? Seems far cheaper than a bridge, and it is hard to believe the road traffic would be disrupted with a couple of closures an hour, if there would even by that much rail traffic. Heritage Railways don't operate much in the winter anyway...

I'm overseas, Hattons always deducts VAT on used items I order. Other merchants have told me they can't deduct VAT on used items only new. I've always wondered about that.

That is just crazy, the need for a bridge. Its not like a heritage railway will be running HSTs...

Has anyone ever sold an item to Hattons and then seen that item listed? I have always wondered what their mark-up is... I can't imagine Hattons paying much for an item they just sold out of.

So I have D12 in economy green coming, I was going to renumber to D14, but had a thought about those vertical recesses in the nose door. A couple of vertical strips of clear decal applied where the recesses would be, could be used to simulate the recess. It would be raised, not recessed, but with some weathering, might look the part...

Opps, you might have caught one! Just had a look at photos, 15 had definitely lost them when she had center head code and dual brakes fitted, but appears to have had rear boxes as D15. The missing sand boxes are in the parts baggy...

TMC's own photos on the website didn't show the doors well on the yellow nosed unit. Hard to see on bright yellow if the lighting doesn't provide any shadows. Lesson here is get out the diluted grimy black and have a go at the door edges and nose seam. Those nose seams certainly look better than the early Bachy ones. Remember when they forgot the seam, and you had to carve it yourself! Then on the next run, the mad trencher had a go, and it looked like the Suez Canal...

Yep just paid the postage quote, going via FedEx so hopefully they will be over the pond by the weekend. 😁

I paid for one 48-61 set and three 61 plus sets. I realize they are a year out, but the era is right up my alley. I'm voting with my wallet, and hope that the funds encourage the development of more Accurascale wagons suitable for the 1960s. An early nuclear flask wagon, please...

I wish I'd had colour film in the camera on this visit to the local shed...

Wishful thinking on my part, no doubt! 😁 Kernow would have to draw the line somewhere, on some of the early Warship differences. The only Heljan 45s I ordered were from TMC. They sprung for the original 5 Class 45 Peaks, split head code boxes with doors. Brilliant choice, but they didn't offer the slight recess on the nose doors on D11 and D12 as an option.

Wouldn't though, with short notice so no time to save... London Paddington. by Keith Long, on Flickr

There are thirteen original Warships, D800 to D812, so you could argue it is a Class with more than 11... 🙂 Route indicator headcode frames and different body side grills. Names like Formidable, Avenger, Champion... Maybe Bachmann is about to release Class 42s?

Payment was just requested for D12 and D15. "Your pre-order is due into stock very soon."

I've capitulated and joined the John Isherwood club! 🙂 Black pre-order changed to green. I'll add an early crest and numbers in the correct font. Of course, I have lost my earlier pre-order spot, two months of queue time...

Well that certainly puts the photo analysis to shame! 10800 would have been green in Ron and Dai's photos which have '58 '59 dates. A green 10800 with early crests would have been much more useful, maybe I need to consider switching my pre-order from black to green. The crests and renumbering are an easy enough fix...

Hattons need to update their descriptions. Go to Rails of Sheffield, the descriptions match the latest photos and Heljan product numbers. Then you can determine, if what you ordered, is what you wanted...

This gets interesting, the top photo is Ron Bowyer's transparency on flickr. Less green than Dai's image. Ron states that he loaned the slide to Colour-Rail for scanning. C-R's scan of Ron's image has a power pole, so Ron has removed the offending pole jutting out from Fell, on his flickr stream. I'm guilty of that! Using the pole filter. C-R didn't shop the pole out of the scan, but it does have more green than Ron's scan. I'm not certain who Dai Pickup is, but his image on the Heys site is taken from the exact position as Ron's image. You can't see it on the screen capture above, but if you look at the location of the jack along the brick wall relative to the right edge of the right buffer, it is dead on the same location. It really looks like Dai has shopped the bogies, desaturated them, so they look "black" next to the "green" body. A sky with clouds has also been photo shopped onto the Dai image, clues are the details on the front of the roof are missing, as is the top of the hand rail. Plus that missing power pole. I don't know that I would trust the colours on "Dai's" image on Heys' site. I'm still in the weathered black, tinted by the ambient lighting, camp. I'd hate to think I ordered a black one when it should have been green...