steve1023

Hi Andy. Daft question time if I may. Way back when you converted your National to dual door what did you use/how did you get a clean cut across the top of the door to get the door out? Thanks Steve

Just had an email from Rails. Dapol have announced a 2nd batch if these. 6 variations including the 3 original liveries. If Dapol do a good job of the chocolate and cream version I will probably get it.

I think this may have happened at Eastleigh as part of the 150 celebrations. A series of short circular tours had a 4TC, 33119 and 33008 - 008 was on the outside. I believe 008 was powered when the TC was being pushed but clearly 008 didn't have push-pull equipment so I imagine it and 119 were using the blue star equipment. Steve

Hi Chsrlie & Arran. Apologies if ths has been mentioned previously, but if I order the Rugby cement twin pack do you get one of each pack (E & F) or is it a bit of a lucky dip or too guarantee one of each pack should I just order 1 of pack E and 1 of pack F. Many thanks Steve

Platform 5 publishing I believe stock this range of books and they have just opened an online store at platform5.com, however they had been shut down due to corona so not sure if they would have it in stock yet....might be worth a call (not connected in any way...)

From RevolutioN via RevOlutiOn to RevolutiOn.

Really good work there fella. Looks brilliant.

So without checking pics I believe the Dapol model doesn't have the headlamp and other 90s mods, so you are correct when you say the font should be in the sans-serif pre-tops style so yes to a renumber for accuracy. In total 008 carried 5 variations of its green livery, 4 versions between 86 and 89ish, each one a modification of the previous version, then it carried departmental grey, dutch and then around 92 it got version 5 of green but by then it would have 90s mods such as headlamp, the small radio roof pods on the cab roofs etc. When it was released from Eastleigh in 1992 in green the white waistband actually had a very thin red pinstripe underneath it, but i'm sure thus was later removed. Steve Edit: Just re-checked the images of the model and apart from the position and incorrect font of the numbers, the model is accurate for the period Oct 87 - Mar 90. Another edit: Images also show the fibre glass engine room covers painted when the loco emerged from Eastleigh in June 86 but I'm not sure if they are black or green. This is not present on the model.

Hornby blue & Bachmann blue (and for that matter the grey) are different. The blue on Hornby is much darker. I don't know what they look like together in the same rake, I have never done it. My OCD won't allow it. Assuming I have got my facts correct here, but a slight irony given that for many years Bachmann were the go to company for Mk1s (I always assumed if an RB was coming it would be done by Bachmann) is that the Engine shed article contains a shot of M1712 by Dennis Taylor - wasn't there somebody by that name who worked for Bachmann. Steve

Yes you are correct about the models fading, I realise that, but in fairness you are writing about models that were produced maybe 40 odd years ago, truthfully i'm not surprised after all this time to see them fade/yellow. Yes you are correct that Hornby have only ever done 1 green class 33 and no 26/27s...... Yes, I know my Railroad 33 doesn't have the same finesse as later models, but at least I can put it on the track and just have a bit of fun with it with having to spend ages trying to remove all buffer beam pipes (and inevitably failing) to carry out said task without breaking any. Finally, you seem to be quite bitter in your closing comments in both replies to me just because I like my old clunky Railroad 33. Any reason why? Steve

Already got it thanks. Point still stands - both Hornby & Lima were getting basic liveries right years ago, but not a single release of the Heljan class 33 turns up without something not being quite right somewhere . I'll admit i'm not a big fan of Heljan, not really sure how many times you need to get it right but until someone else has a go at it, it's either them or old Lima models, although in fairness the 33/2 tooling is pretty good.

Hornby got it right with it's Railroad Crompton.

If we are wishlisting could I add a new tooling HAA and VxA type wagon (especiallyVDA)

Honestly, you are doing a great job on this mate - given the base kits weren't great it looks superb.

Rails have images on their website. Same shade of blue used as before. Font is something Dapol's factory seem to struggle with. All my Dapol Mk3s have the dodgy font and (slightly ot) it looks like the blue 33 comes complete with ED depot stickers again.

Just recently got my copy of RI through the post and read your article James - really good piece. Thanks.

Look forward to this one Andy. Thanks for posting.

8 car as well.

The livery is the same as the model. The way the orange cantrail stripes turn up from the body over the cab door is wrong.

Version 1 was plain green body, full yellow ends, grey roof and orange cantrail stripe. Released from Eastleigh works June 86. Lasted about 1 month. Version 2 was as above but added the white body stripe (this is the version Heljan have done) - also lasted roughly a month. Version 3 added white cab window surrounds to the above - maybe lasted 2 months. Version 4 was the big change - small yellow panels, white body stripe all the way round too look like the original green livery. This lasted to around 1990 ish when it was replaced by departmental grey, then dutch and then..... Version 5 which was similar to version 4 but with subtle differences, namely 1990's mods such as roof pod, headlights, incorrect TOPS style number font and initially it had a very thin red stripe at the bottom of the white body stripe although ISTR this being later removed. This was sometime in 1992 and it remained in this livery until it had the bodywork overhaul at Cranmore a couple of years ago. Dates are approx. as I remember..... Steve

May I ask, which version are you thinking of doing? The annoying thing for me is the shot in post 1 of 33025 with orange stripe is perfect for my desired renumber to 33027, however the production version has turned up without the stripe at all so lost sale there.

Hi BR Blue. They have got the cantrail stripe on this wrong - there plenty of pictures of it online to show. It did have the cantrail stripe from the 1st version of green it carried but not like on the model - the errors are the way Heljan have turned the stripe up over the cab doors - both ends on the model are different and both are incorrect. Steve Edit: As I said in my earlier post, Lima did get it right on both it's versions of 33008.

Disappointed about no chocolate and cream 142. Shame.

D6560

Nope, I believe both ends are wrong. IIRC Lima did get it right.