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Pocketmags have a back issues sale ending today - 99p each. BRM and RM and some real rail mags included. Little Bytham in RM is there! Syd

No problem Tony, while I was searching I came across a fret for two front bogie brackets which is a real find as I mislaid same from a Hornby A4. Hornby don't have this as a spare so it's great to get this. I have straightened the motion components on the A2 temporarily and couldn't resist trying it with the GA coaches. It pulled away with just the slightest wheel slip and really belted down the straights. I checked the SE site and I see it's a 'phone call required so I'll try them tomorrow, I guess they'll be closed today. It will be nice to get a new set for this. Regards Syd

Re the A2 Slide Bar: Thanks very much Tony and Theakerr for all your advice, it's invaluable. I'm getting an order sorted so I can get started. While looking for a suitable motion set I found a pair of suitable slide bars and motion brackets. I'll be very careful about the length! Might be worth trying the copper tube mod at the same time. I thought I would change the motion sets but they don't seem to suit the A2, this from Wizard site. I emailed them and the answer was no, unless the dimensions are the same as the A3/A4. It's a pity I don't know what paint was used as I'd like to sort the plates. Regards Syd

A while back I bought a S/H DJH Peppercorn A2 to use with my Golden Age Coaches. At that time I was still working at getting the coaches to perform so set this aside. I got it out recently and it didn't run far before coming to a dead stop. The piston rod has been pulled out by a bent connecting rod, the picture shows it well enough to see, hopefully. What I'm wondering is whether I would be likely to be able to get the bent connecting rod straightened well enough to be acceptable or if DJH sell individual parts, as the piston rod is missing on the other side! Other thought is just to get a new set for each side. I'd appreciate some thoughts on this as I haven't yet built up the gear on the new loco so it's a learning experience.

I would have liked to see your review Tony. It was interesting to hear that even LB's trackwork didn't suit these coaches. Proves they need sorting (the coaches that is). If he does manage to get back into business maybe he'll listen to you this time. My track is the first I had laid so a few areas did need sorted but there is definitely other forces between the couplers (body mounted) and the bogies yet to be resolved. Syd

Hi Tony I don't intend to bash at all, that bit is over, they still have a few issues with running and that is what I want to investigate, then post whatever appears to help. Tonights's information is that I have all eight coaches running perfectly at speed around the outer oval which I mentioned before but I have also now taken them through two crossovers at good speed. This is good because my crossovers are just Peco 75 large radius points but with less than ideal track spacing. That went well at moderate speed and I regards it as a pass. The bad news is purely down to me. The inner oval has quite sharp curves and these coaches haven't run on it before. They have also highlighted some unnoticed laying errors which do not affect any other train. At least now I have more experience at removing ballast and repairing the faults. Dave mentioned retracting the buffers and wiring them back and I believe that is how they operated from a post on my thread. I pushed them all back this evening and used Blu-tac well packed round them as a temporary measure. This worked with some but five buffers at least pinged off. Luckily I recovered them but not all of the springs so far. The stem of the buffer seems to be secured by a small piece of angled wire which is pushed into a wedge and I managed to press some material in in such a way that the piece of wire was dislodged. The running on the inside curves has shown this to be necessary so I'll think up a more permanent solution once I'm sure that was how they ran. If I can get them reliable on this inside oval I'll move on to couplings and corridor connections. I would still buy more of these if they became available again, they look and feel great and I now know how to get them running right, or nearly! Syd

Hi Tony Several wrote, on my thread about the derailments, that they were intended as showcase models. I think that is strange given how long the display case would be for a 'correct' train. They should certainly have been much better in use than they have proven to be though I only know of four people, including yourself, who have complained so perhaps they're right. Your information about the prototype Deltic is great news as I have one of the first NRM models. I'll search it out and modify it. It is really good to have a use for it. Thank you! I will have a few more notes about the running of my coaches, do you mind if I post them here for Dave? I know it's not construction. Syd

Sorry Dave, I only have experience with the coaches which I'm currently hauling with a modified RTR Deltic. It has no problem but I understand 'diesel' models normally outperform RTR steam outline. My problem is my crimson and cream coaches are too early for the Deltic, I think. I added a lot of weight to a RTR Bachmann but it just sits and spins the wheels. Maybe I should try the bearing mods next! Syd

Quite a while back he wrote a lengthy document alleging that his bankers had failed him in some way, over export credits if I remember correctly. His web site is still up but no stock available and the updates column is empty. Then this from Companies House : Next accounts made up to 31 December 2018 due by 30 September 2019. Last accounts made up to 31 December 2017. There is a red warning that they are overdue as well. Certainly doesn't look good. Syd

Re:Golden Age Dave I don't know how to make a link but I just tried copying and pasting 00 wheelsets with non-pinpoint ends, do they exist? ,the thread title into search and it came up. Let us know how you get on with the mod, hopefully it will work for you. I would have loved to have got an A4 but I was a late arrival to their product and they were already out of stock. Hi Tony We're battened down here and so far OK thanks. In a way it was good to hear you had such mixed fortunes with GA, I thought it might just be me until Dave's post appeared. That is certainly quite a list of flaws. Your pictures really show how attractive they were. A great pity how it all went bad. Should have said Gilbert got some Gresleys and thought they didn't look right. He returned them. I had mine coming in the post by then but reckoned they were at least better than the Hornby versions. Syd

Re:Golden Age Hi Dave I had a lot of trouble with my Gresley coaches, so after a lot of trying to sort it myself I started a thread, called "OO wheelsets with non-pinpoint ends, do they exist?" after a first thread didn't get much attention. I was convinced it must be the fine looking flanges that were the problem but I now know they're not fine! I had previously tried filing the top and bottom of the springs and adjusting the length, didn't help. There were some very useful replies and I would have worked through more of them but basically as suggested by Grovenor I just removed all the springs. (Washers aren't necessary). That left most of the coaches running well but still two would derail without any reason that I could see. I detached them and just ran with six. I went up to the loft today and ran the six again (not used in winter) and still great. I decided to try again with the others and discovered that some of the screws were not able to screw in fully. Grovenor also suggested reaming the hole in the bogie a little but I haven't done that yet but I would say it could help if there was further trouble. About ten minutes work and all eight are now able to run round my 9*30 foot oval at full speed with no problem at all. These coaches have been very frustrating as I find the couplings are awkward and have a few faults which I mentioned on the thread, the corridor connections are great looking but the couplings have actually levered some of them off. I want now to devise a Keen-type solution and get alternative corridor connections and fitting Kadee couplers. Syd

They are certainly something to keep in mind for future use on other stock maico but after some trials I finally decided to drill a hole in the full brake coach and use a fine screw and some nuts to bring a Kadee down to the required level. A bit drastic but successful. I had got to the point that I would have tried anything to get some use out of these coaches. I have all of the vertical springs removed from the bogies which means the bogie drops down and swings about when they're lifted off the track but together with some straightening of each of the couplers they are now pretty reliable. They can, rarely, uncouple but its rare but they do need well laid track. I have also relaid a few lengths of track which were less than perfect but which everything else had no trouble with. They certainly have a nice sound when traveling fast though they do require a powerful loco.

I placed an order with Markits last Tuesday and received the items Saturday morning. I also had a useful chat about the parts by 'phone. Syd

The 2015 BRM Annual is available on Pocketmags (digital edition). £3.99. Syd

They seem to be listed starting at £89 on Ebay, though this one has a Lenz Gold decoder on board. A new Lenz Gold sells at £35ish, this one is not the latest series but is virtually unused so should add c.£15 to the price, or at least make it more desirable to some modellers. Syd

I really like the first pic of the two, in particular the people are very realistic looking. Syd

These Kirks look to me to have less of a turnunder than many others. From what I've read (I'm very far from knowledgeable!) these seem to match the real coaches more accurately? Beautiful anyway. Syd

Is the six wheeler a M.A.R.C.s one? Syd

Thanks for the coupler tip Ray, guess who trimmed the coach body! I'll know next time... Syd

I agree, I have Bachmann Mk1s running close coupled plus Hornby some having Hornby, some Roco close couple devices, some with Keene couplers. All look and run great. I also have the Hornby Gresleys which I really like but got put off them when the more serious modellers rubbished them. When Rails got hold of these I assumed they would be 'flawless', slight mistake. I do really like them, certainly now that they are running great though I have a suspicion that they were used models, given how the lights were installed. I have not queried this and don't intend to, can't say I was even slightly pleased with Rails' reply when I got in touch with them about the derailing. Something close to 'we're very sorry, our technical department doesn't know anything about these coaches"! I just read tonight someone posted a while back that they use Rocos with the uncoupler bit removed and then the coupler used upside down to raise them up, hiding them better. Well pleased with the outcome of my post, thanks again to all. Syd

I'm delighted to report that removing the springs has dealt with the derailing! I don't know why I didn't think of this, I'm glad there's brains out there more practical than mine. All the replies have added various thoughts that will help me in future when thinking through track/running problems. The idea for making new axles was good, luckily this time it wasn't necessary but a great idea if repairs are ever needed in the future. The suggestion of using a record turntable spirit level was used and luckily I have a nice Clearaudio circular one that I ran along the troublesome areas and it was very good at showing the changes in level almost inch by inch in one stretch. It was in the area that I first laid and ballasted and I can see that I hadn't pinned it down frequently enough before ballasting. To casual observation it looks fine but the level showed it up. Luckily the bogie fix means it can stay as everything else takes it in it's stride, as these coaches do now to. Only one area remains troublesome and I am going to lift it and remodel that area. It's just where a siding track rejoins the mainline on a curve, the tightest on the layout and as has been said above these couplings on the coach bodies rather than the bogies just don't seem to like that. I did indeed have an earlier thread but it didn't attract many replies so I tried again, 3months of head scratching later, certainly glad I did! Thank you everyone for your advice, I can't believe it's sorted. Now, on to rewiring the interior lights that I had to disconnect as the wires were stopping the bogies from turning. Then a better look at the couplers and corridor connectors..... Syd

When I first realised that these coaches had problems I emailed Golden Age's owner but got no reply. His company is locked in a dispute with his bank. I think it's posted on the GA website. Someone did say they felt these were made for display/collectors, could be right!

Just saw this, I'll check that too, thanks Andi Syd

Thanks for these latest suggestions, I will try the various ideas tomorrow later today. I agree that the wheels aren't really the problem, I'd just run out of ideas to modify the bogies and thought the deeper wheel flanges might help. The track problems are - one short length appears to have one rail a tiny bit higher than the other and some of the coaches are worse than others at not being able to tilt the tiny amount without running off the track. Another length has a slight short hump in both rails and again some of the coaches can't cope. I really am talking very small differences and as I said nothing else that I run has any problems right up to max speed. Should be easy to sort but I really don't want to start digging out ballast if I can avoid it. I'm optimistic that the bogie mods, starting with spring removal may well sort things. Given the price of these coaches some of the design is poor, though they are beautiful runners on the long straight sections. They have lovely corridor connections but the rivet on the couplings pivoting just below has pulled several off already, the couplings themselves aren't a patch on Kadees. I never thought of retracting the buffers, I'll sort that too, though I have watched them on the tighter curves and they work well without interlocking etc. The one thing I've just remembered when running over to another track they can be temperamental, so the buffers retracted should help that. Looking forward to later.... Syd

Thanks for the suggestions, much appreciated. I have checked the bogies and they are all perfectly square. I have one of those reamers which has been very useful many times in the past but I would be reluctant to damage these bearings as there would be almost no chance of reversing the process as Golden Age don't answer emails at present so I can't check for spares. I wouldn't rule it out if these other ideas don't work. Back to backs are absolutely bang on correct on every coach. I know that the flanges shouldn't be a problem but it's worth a try. If you look at the attached second pic you'll see why, to my mind, these coaches require perfect track, mine is good but does have the odd area a little less than perfect but is all ballasted so I'm reluctant to start ripping it up, at least until I try these suggestions. I have around 180 or so feet of track and 25ish points. I have also around 100 wagons, 70 coaches and maybe 70 locos and they all run without a problem except for these 8 coaches. If you look at the extra pic you'll see what I think causes the problem. The bogies are attached to the towers with the screw shown and the spring then limits any movement which wouldn't be so bad except the towers are fairly wide and actually everything is quite stiff as the bogie has to pivot over the edge of that flat area. I have never seen anything like it on a coach. I did work at the springs as suggested in a previous thread and it helped but didn't solve the issue quite well enough. I hadn't thought of re-wheeling the axles so I checked and they are 2mm so if I can just work out how to pull the wheels it will be the first thing to try. I'll get back with the results... Syd