JSpencer

These coaches are FANTASTIC! They arrived this morning so a quick few pics... Just as the Bachmann ones were a huge leap over Hornby/Lima, these ones are a just a big leap over the Bachmann ones! There is an awful lot of detail pre-fitted with packets of more detail to add if desired. And A3 size drawings showing you where. The Boxes are compact and solid, the coaches have weight, I thought the parcel I received was a loco! Lights - once they are charged, they stay on for a very long time. During the photos below, I had taken one of the coaches off the rails for a couple of minutes. The interiors are brilliant, these models are shouting out for figures. looking forwards to the 2C's Edit: Lighting can be switched on/off via wand and works under both DC and DCC.

I fitted buckeyes (the longest ones, number 20 I believe) to mine avoid snipping off stuff. Then use a convertor vehicle. (I do this a lot with Heljan).

All Rapido... A V16 sandwiched between Rapido's 15xx and a Rapido Iron Mink. At the back of the train (very fuzzy) is a 6 wheel (ex SECR) Rapido Brake Van

And Lord Nelson which I don't think was there before either.

I ran one Bachmann 4MT for over 30 minutes. And stopped running after it had that hot motor type smell. I could feel the heat coming through the plastic body. I took her apart thinking maybe the chip or the motor. But it was Bachmann's bit of electrical circuitry where the 8 pin plug goes in. Power supply was a Hornby DCC system, although the loco was controlled via blue tooth app only. I have 2 other Bachmann locos (5MT, 9F) with an identical set up, so I will try those to see if they too get hot after 30 minutes. I would imagine, this will happen whether or not the loco is running or simply static waiting for instructions. No stay alive in any of these. The 4MT found a few dirt spots on the layout which the track rubber solved on the first few laps (pick ups are drivers only on this loco).

Yeah I thought it was odd too...

Well I received a second van today. A V16 vs V17 that I received before. The body between them are the same but underframe and roof details differ.

Bachmann have done at least 3 runs of the original CEPs in Green and Blue/grey. The 4-VEPs have only had 1 run of each all blue, NSE (initial run) then blue/grey a few years later that was discounted within a couple of months in a fire sale never to be seen again until recently in later liveries. It is rather odd looking flea bay right now. Green CEP for around £150, refurbished CEP for over £550 non sound!!

Yeah I could do a layout with only Bulleids like as if he became chief mechanical engineer of BR. And thus it came to be for the whole of BR was full with Bulleid diesels, Bulleid Electrics, the west countries growing to cover all regions, the merchant navies on all the mainlines, the Q1s covering all freights, but even all of those would bow before the Leaders.... (Edit : F*in autocorrect)

Perso, I was finding KR themselves to be relatively quiet but as they were at the show over the weekend, it was good to hear something about them. Despite it's flaws, I am tempted to order a second leader....

Thanks for the news. Good to see an update as I thought things were a bit quiet here recently.

I've still a few of those left to build! The palvan was never on my list as a model to build but being in RTR, I can get a few to add my already nice range of mixed BR (and BR coloured) vans. I did recently complete 7 Cambrian kits of SECR types (in SECR colours). All but 1 are now done by Rapido and Bachmann. And I have all the Bachmann/Rapido models, but this still did not stop buying and building Cambrian versions. Are they equal to the RTR offerings? No. Are they cheaper, yes, even with paint transfers etc, I get 2 kits done for the price of 1 RTR wagon. Can they run next to each other or with each other? yes they can. I also complete my kits with full working link couplings something few RTR ones have.

Very welcome news. Looking at the variants that they are suggesting, I'll be in for a few. And what is also good, is that Bachmann now recognise that some modelers need a little more time to save up between announcement (of all new tooling) and availability and that the quarterly news was often not enough time for people to do so. (Admittedly a van is not normally something that will break the bank, however items at the other end of the scale like a refurbished 4-CEP probably sunk a few hearts on how were they going to find the funds for it quickly). Details will be out in May but you can bet Johnny Walker will be amoung them.

Would that be Non DCC fitted or DCC fitted but without sound?

In practice, what you say happens IF the cost of goods is above 150eur, however below that, under IOSS, I have to send a French customs receipt back to the UK shop for them to credit me back the VAT which they (the UK shop) then reclaim from French Customs..... Believe me I have been through this exercise enough times over the past couple of years. On the plus side, sometimes they forget to charge VAT as well!

https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/7bfb45b8-1f40-48b5-88e0-07960bf7ff9e_fr?filename=TAXUD-2022-00827-00-00-FR-TRA-00.pdf

I agree with who is responsible, but the rules are written whereby the its the sender who refunds and not the customs!

Why? IMHO Bramble is much better than Freelance....

In my case, it went to the E-BAY warehouse and was perfectly and correctly marked out with all the IOSS labels and still some idiot missed it at customs. And because it was less than £140, you have to reclaim it back from E-Bay. The thing is, if I ask for the thing to be delivered to someone in the UK, I pay no VAT at all! In the UK, you can buy it for say £100 with £5 postage. We get £100 + £20 VAT + £9 admin + £15 postage (£144 so far). And if customs miss it, then another £30 on top (admin + VAT) so £174..... This leads to things like a perfect condition secondhand class 33 which would normally sell for £10 or £20 cheaper than new, that ends up costing more than new by almost 40%.... (with no warranty).

Of course, I'll let them figure it out but when I worked for the signal box, foreign sales were 15% of them.

When you buy on e-bay a UK based item outside the UK, even if it is a private sale, E-bay gives you a VAT/Importation charge. And this does not avoid you paying additional importing charges when the item arrives anyway (and a right cow to get the money the back). I've given up on E-Bay now. Waste of time. Rails does sometimes post PO on their own website which is more efficient for me.

To war with the WD version of the van. Mixed with other WD/Military wagons and 2 Rapido SECR brake vans....

An pre-grouping loco on a PO mineral train is quite impressive site. The ones here are Bachmann (seven 1990s versions with big couplings and metal wheels note also the crude brake gear, 2 later ones with better chassis and NEM pockets) all except one from other regions, the rest being Dapol (EKR, KESR and Kent based POs). These Dapol wagons all have metal wheels and NEM sockets but use old Dublo (?) bodies. The brake vans are Rapido. Next Year it will be great to see Rapîdo RCH replace most of these wagons and O1 on the front 😀

Indeed I feel £180 is about right.

It should also be noted that the Rapido GN wagon has "Loco" marked on it meaning it would have been used for loco coal use and I guess would never have quitted the GN. There are GWR and GCR in the first RCH batch which I have ordered.