craigwelsh

That picture of the underside shows the flaw in the hand brake levers on this model in that they have been modelled straight and so would be impossible to use to apply the brakes! They should be 3D to avoid the axleboxes as per most of the new stuff from Bachmann. Andy's mods have improved the model a bit but it does still have a few major cockups such as those axleguards for the price.

From the test pictures of the Bachmann 03 it appears to already feature a beautiful fine etch behind the steps. I don't know if they have done another loco that could have required this unless the 08s should have this feature?

The fact you've managed to cast off that in lost-wax is great news as axleboxes is something I was looking at. I found the material sheet on the website although its red there http://www.finelineprototyping.com/datasheets/prototherm12120.pdf so i'll have to have a go at some designs. Have you done anything curved like the class 24 cab roof shown earlier in this material? It does seem to step a little still at shallow curves but much better than Shapeways method. The price sounds ok too really.

People could reply directly to your message http://www.ultrascale.co.uk/messageboard.php?mid=356&mtit=Heljan+%2F+Hattons+Class+14 , Ultrascale did have a wishlist until recent;y but I cant find it now as it might have closed. I wouldn't expect to see something until Autumn from them though so if you want it quick then Gibsons would be the choice.

I'd quite like one in the BR black, it looked rather good. Has to be prototypical mind so only on the the side .

Yes i'd seen that, I was rather hoping though you'd found a page with a couple of example objects with pricings for them. I'll have to do some drawing and see what they come back with.

Did you contact them to get some prices or find it somewhere in the site? I couldn't see any approximate costings. I would like to see something you've had done by them Geoff as well as info on what material and process you used. There are some great possibilities with this for areas that can't be covered by etching well. The class 25 cab looks great for example so if it could be done by a finer process it would be marvellous.

Ok thanks, I had noticed it fitted on the hattons pictures and wondered if its all there. Nah my replacement bits would only be for the Bachmann one..(see how I passed the buck there ). I've just done 10ft brake gear along with this long low to go with my latest attempt at brake lever guards anyway! Seriously though I expect Brian at Shawplan will eventually do something for this but for me personally its not worth the money. The class 14 would look nice in my S.Wales timeframe but its not a core loco I must have so I can hold on.

What do you get in the detailing bag by the way? Presumably all the brake gear as well as the usual pipes? Its a pity there aren't replacement buffer beams on this when the Westerns and Falcons had all the extra skirting. I'd agree with Captain K that filling in a hole and filing exactly flush is quite a process especially on an expensive bit of RTR. The Bachmann N gauge shots seem to have a more pleasing cab window and bonnet area too..

I'd say on the Dave Alexander the rainstrip is off, it should be on the transition from 'vertical' to roof (I think the sides slope in a bit from the bottom of the window on the prototype). The door on that kit looks far too inset but it does look to be at the right height. A fold up etched cab with laser cut glazing and nickel silver window frames mind...

Does anyone know if the plans for these survived at the NRM/STEAM etc? Might try and get some copies.

Flip this picture at Cardiff http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:D9517_-_cardiff_-_aug_1967.jpg and compare with the one by JZ. It does show up the nose and the window issue Brian mentions. My feeling is that the door and window are too high (the window bottom perhaps being in the right place as it does look a bit square). An etched frame could probably deal with the window but not the door. When people replace the number i'd do the roundel too as it seems to be the normal Heljan effort with limited colours making it quite basic. Stick a shed plate on it in some cases as well as the large builders plate. Are the cab steps a separate piece as they seem to be pushed in on the example above? edit: sorry missed that they were broken. Its certainly the best RTR class 14 currently around .

New livery, that'll aid model sales . I did check it wasn't April, CoT and anything black its always worth checking . It'll be nice to see it in that livery and probably a relief for whoever lined it the first time!

There was another interesting technique in the month's Air Modeller to do a 2 seat Lightening cockpit with a Miliput mould and a vacuum forming machine, there was no outer used with that method, the part being made in 2 halves. Making rounded objects in an over or in boiling water is about as adventurous as i've got with plastic-card! That Tornado is superb and its nice to see examples of other disciplines and techniques shown on here (though ironically its in a boat thread anyway ).

Actually all of mine survived on both vans (although one of the horizontal looked like a banana) before I stripped them off anyway! Its best just to slice them off where they attach to the chassis with a sharp Swann Morton really than try to actually get the pips out.

They definitely come apart as I sold the chassis off mine when I wanted the bodies. The handrails need pushing out of the chassis then I think a little glue held the body down; there is a separate floor inside it which is glued down quite firmly. The end concrete platforms are separate. The duckets are a push fit as one of mine is currently out so I can imagine why yours is at an angle.

Would these have been the last wooden solebar vehicles on BR? Most oil tank companies having built something better by then. Mind you http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/p33955107.html has a steel underframe, the wooden ones however all seem to be RCH 1907 type with none of the 1923 features although they do have oil boxes obviously.

True bought it plates probably would be right but if I have a spare corner of an etch its free..

thought i'd get blown out of the water with that one . Hand painted plates near the end of steam isn't really what I was thinking about tbh. Larry's post is a bit annoying though as I was hoping I could just use the one font for mine and stick them on the sides of my test etches, bit annoying if they were all different fonts .

I meant that if Hornby did a star they can do 'NRM range Lode Star' and the NRM itself could do Lode Star and give Bachmann the rights to use the tool for the rest. I doubt there is one on anyones horizons though at the moment. The fact there is one in the NRM would possibly help sales was my point. Why take a gamble on a higher cost item for a limited market when there are still many mainstream items to do that follow your 'normal' model? Seems more like good business practice than blinkered. Besides many shops are now starting to take on the riskier stuff themselves with Bachmann guaranteed orders for it, much better proposition for them. Hornby seem to order in massive batches relatively so they seem less geared up for the limited edition craze. Saint/Star vs King is a bit like the Collett/Hawksworth coach thing, sadly less range of period but more popular.

Indeed, it would probably raise eyebrows if someone made an entire set of new masters to produce some odd font plates . You do see a variety of fonts on wagon plates where the older ones have been taken from the rack to make up the plate but I would think it would be unlikely with the smokebox plates when BR standardised on one font. No doubt someone will find an odd one now.

Bachmann have not just released a City, the NRM has released their model of City of Truro which is made for them by Bachmann. Bachmann may or may not be able to use the tooling from this eventually to do other class members but it was an NRM project to model a popular preserved loco. In that context it is unsurprising that Bachmann are reluctant to model a class that didn't really make it into the most popular period. I would imagine we'll see a new King from Hornby before the earlier 4 cylinder type for the same reason though there is an eventual NRM tie-in with Lode Star. Maybe the Saint model will come with the Didcot one taking to the rails. I don't find it unusual to see more kits in 7mm now, 4mm has always been a more RTR scale and many of the older finescale modellers seem to up scale over time to 7mm. Pete Waterman is probably helping out the larger scale quite a bit here too!

Not sure if you fixed this but the expensive Antex ones are rather good if overkill for 4mm compared to a couple of cheap single use irons imho. It does sound like the tip was at fault. Some Antex tips can last for years as per my current one but others don't seem to last 5 minutes! It may be to do with how well the tinning goes or if their coating is variable. Still prefer them to plain tips however. Glad the build is going well anyway.

The only two on Paul Bartlett's site with that type w-iron are the two built for the GWR in the 30s. Its perhaps possible one or two BR ones gained some but very unlikely. The GW ones had Moreton brakes as well. I had a feeling the chain would be overscale as it usually is although you make an interesting point about the prototype being round links, I hadn't noticed that. I did wonder if these would be a quicker route to some than the Cambrian kit but the open nature of the underframe hasn't been attempted either so it may be easier for me to modify the kit. Interesting shot of just the underframe http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/p9709401.html . Not a bad effort though and it'll be interesting if he comes up with something else I may buy in future.

Jim the last pictures we have been discussing are of a factory produced item and not the sample.