Zunnan

3 minutes ago, zr2498 said:

This is when the Rat Race was announced (24th Feb 21):

 

Come to think of it, thats about right. The announcement was quite some time before the order books were opened.

I felt that I procrastinated a bit at the time as I cancelled my order for Heljan 25s first 😅...I ordered 25324 over the phone on 25th Aug 2021. Currently I'm debating ringing them to update my card details to save them chasing it up eventually as its long expired now.

4 minutes ago, 97406 said:

Ooh, if we’re entering the realms of the very-nice-to-have-but-unlikely, then I’ll go for this….

 

Yes please!

I have a Bachmann 47 that'll haul 50+ coaches on the club layout, we don't know how many more because there is no room between the loco and the rear of the train. I have an Accura 37 that won't do more than 46 and derails consistently when running in one direction because the wheels don't sit flat. I also have Athearn Genesis 6 axle big EMDs which won't do the full 50 loading, and the binding up of torque in the bogies geartrain causes the centre axles to lift off the rail when being taxed that much. The Cavalex 56s I have will shift the 50+ loading with no issue. On what planet exactly do you need a locomotive that'll shift more than that?

The last time I remember seeing one of these in the wild was dumped in the sidings just outside Langley Green in the early to mid '90s. It had most likely been there for a number of years by that point. I'm presuming a cripple from scrap traffic to Handsworth rather than anything to do with Albright and Wilson. Was there trip workings that took in railheads along the South Staffs line like Pensnett which included Handsworth that would convey 21t hoppers other than for scrap traffic? I can't think of any other reason for one to be there so late in the day of vac braked operation.

These have probably been my biggest want in RTR for years, I can't wait for these to arrive!

I'm hoping that consideration for the LNER builds and rebodies with the LNER brake has been made for future variations.

Incomplete address doesn’t stop them from dumping it on some random doorstep and emailing you a picture of where it was left in the middle of the night!

Bear in mind that in abd's photo, the 47 is lower than the Accura Mk2b, which at 1.2mm low itself is already outside that 'allowable variation'. But the general consensus is that a model which measures up pretty much spot on with the agreed standard in this area is too tall, and a model that is shorter to this measurement than a model which measures somewhere over 1.2mm low is within allowable variation. Gotcha.

If the Heljan 47 buffers lign up with the Accurascale Mk2b buffers, then they’re too low. The accepted correct buffer height for 4mm is 3’6” or 14mm. My Accura Mk2b coaches buffers are ALL under 13mm to centre, I’d say around 12.7-12.8mm

Now a bit more curious of the matter, I dug out one of the new Bachmann 47s and measured its buffer height…

I’d say a smidge under 14mm, but noticeably tall to an (incorrect apparently) Accurascale Mk2b.

I had the chance to mull over whether to pick up one of these 47s in Kernow the other day. Up until then I was still willing to buy 47450, but after seeing the 47s on display and giving them a good once over in person, I'll take a hard pass. Does it look like a class 47? You can make a Brio block of wood recognisable as a class 47.

I must admit I've enjoyed building a slew of the Parkside kit of these over the years, chassis variations left right and centre. This was probably the first wagon kit I built. I'm glad to see an RTR model on the horizon though, and will be only too glad to extend the fleet a bit.

26 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

The trouble with Internal User wagons (NCB or anybody else) is that they wouuldn't leave the premises of the business they belonged to.  Fine if you're modelling a colliery or a steelworks or whatever, but they're inappropriate for running as part of a through goods of some sort on a more general layout, so demand ought to be more limited than other PO liveries. 

 

However if you are modelling the colliery, you really want a decent sized fleet of them, all with different numbers, and given that they were generally old wagons no longer fit for main line service, they should ideally be in a variety of states of dilapidation.  Probably best to produce such wagons without numbers, leaving the user to number and weather them accordingly.

I agree entirely. The internal user wagons are just that, and are pretty much as restricted in their sphere of operation as the typical industrial locomotive is.

I still think that the precedent set by the way those internal user wagons were offered would be well applied to the Rapido wagon range at large, al la Accurascale. Three packs of the various liveries on offer would be literally eaten up for fleet building, whether they were all from one fleet or a mix of geographically linked wagons.

2 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

Remember going to Saltley early 68 …. A lot of the early members of the class there were waiting for a tow to Cashmores on their last journey…. 

According to my uncles spotting notes, two were transferred away 7126 and 7127 (12039 and 12040) in 66 but broken at Great Bridge during late 69/early 70. The rest of the original Saltley LMS allocation languished there until August 68 with 7128 (12041) to Swindon and 7129 (12042) to Newport, 7130 (12043) and 7131 (12044) went to Great Bridge to be scrapped during 69.

I couldn’t resist this one, being a lifelong Saltley resident. I’m sorely tempted to add its stablemate 7128, especially with photos existing of the two together bearing BRITISH RAILWAYS on 7130M (12043) and LMS on 7128

6 hours ago, RBE said:

Tbh we are questioning whether it's a cradle issue or simply that the clips were not pushed fully home at the factory. Once on they are very hard to get off. It seems unlikely that screwing to the cradle would pop them.

Hopefully it is proven to be the latter, as that is just a case of tightening up on assembly (no pun intended). That and it also means that we as customers aren't likely to initiate these failures should we need to store the models away in their own packaging; I've lost count of the minor damage from simply rushing to clear away at the end of an exhibition over the years. It really is the only thing which has taken the gloss of what is a quite significant step forward in the British RTR market. As much as I can't wait for the SLW Rats to arrive as my most anticipated model for many years, I just don't see them surpassing the quality of the Grids you've produced, if they're even close I'll be more than chuffed. Roll on the next batch, and the logical choice of a class 58 after the 60!

3 hours ago, 33212 said:

Hello, I have 56023 and what a stunning model it is, looks and sounds great. One issue I have is hauling capability. I have a rake of 29 Hornby HAA’s, the high detailed versions, and prior to the arrival of the 56, a single Heljan class 33 was utilised to haul the combo out of the storage sidings, up a curving ramp to the helix and up the helix and away. The 33 is a non sound loco. I also use Bachmann 47’s on it now and again but being a Kent modeller, 33’s were the staple traction, until replaced by 56’s…. Anyway, the Heljan 33 will haul all 29 up the Helix and if allowed will just get faster and faster, the Cavalex 56 does not even get the train up the approach ramp. I have reduced the formation by single wagons over multiple tests, it sits there screaming and wheels spinning with 19 wagons at which point I gave up. Has anyone else tried the Cavalex 56 with a challenging trains on a hilly layout?  I’d have expected it to handle it no problem. I have not tried it without sound yet, would that affect power delivery?

 

thanks

 

Matt

When one of mine arrived with telltale skewed bogies on the cradle I pretty much expected traction issues straight away. It could barely move itself on level track and stalled out entirely on slips. I’ve not yet got into the gear towers to check the clips, but I can tell it’s gear related as it sounds like a cheese grater. The affected bogie was also sitting a good 5mm forward of where it belongs too. Overall a really impressive model, but I’m not so impressed with the cradle which is capable of allowing such drivetrain damage. I would not be surprised that if I store a model back in its box and the act of screwing it back into its cradle pops the gear tower if the bogies aren’t aligned properly while it’s inverted to get the screws back in…

On 13/02/2024 at 07:23, rob D2 said:

I’ve never met an actual rivet counter ( must be a steam thing ), but I do ask the basic shape resembles what the prototype is and not a potato - that’s the basis of a model , something that looks like a full size one , but in miniature 

These days I tend to associate rivet counting with those who ignore the shape but gush about all of the rivets and fine details that are applied to the otherwise rather Le Bonnotte offering we seem to get from certain stables.

7 minutes ago, Fair Oak Junction said:

Out of interest, where were Railfreight red stripe refurb 31/1s mostly based?

Bescot was awash with 31s, in every colour under the sun. Used to see a lot of them from further afield around here as well.

Will I be cancelling my AS order? No, Bachmann haven't announced the variants I have coming from that stable, which are perfect for the ECS workings I used to watch running past my aunts at Northfield and used to see pottering around the Black Country on engineering trains all the time.

RF Red Stripe and Petroleum sector though...Those are the ones I wished AS had announced. Thank you Bachmann, they'll do very nicely indeed!

1 hour ago, The Meerkat said:

 

is there way to burn it off if  you dont want it on all the time?

And F18 to stop the bogie chatter. Its quite a noisy beast even on drivehold tickover for running in!

3 hours ago, AForce said:

Out of interest, is anyone still awaiting dispatch confirmation for any pre-ordered models or new orders placed with Rails last week?

 

I didn't have shipment confirmation from them until today, but still have nothing from the courier and its not showing on their tracking system as yet. By all accounts this was a rather large inventory for them to get through. I was starting to wonder when the model I've ordered disappeared from their site entirely on Saturday, rather than show as out of stock like others, but its finally on its way.

While I patiently await the knock at the door, my biggest problem is the internal whispers of “you need more HAAs”….swiftly followed by the less subtle realisation that SWMBO is going to be the one answering the door! With the SLW 25s also on the close horizon, I might not survive the month!

This is going to be fun comparing my existing EM1 fitted Biffo Grids to the new guard.

1 minute ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

Andy,

 

clearly I had phrased it badly, which I regret. Sadly we all make a mistake from time to time.

 

Jol

For what its worth, I can see the intent and direction implied even if the wording was rather ambiguous in its interpretation. It applies to my choice of employment also, where I am highly skilled in what I do but those skills are only partially transferrable away from the area of engineering I work in. If for some reason I found myself in the situation where my employers no longer required my services, I'd be up the creek in a burning boat and would have to extensively re-train. Such is the cost of becoming too specialised. Its great while it works, less so when you have to move on.

I have to thank the exhibition organisers for everything they've done over the years, they sure did put on one heck of a show!

Its a shame to see this one fall from the calendar, I've seen first hand the toll which hosting such events (admittedly on a smaller scale) has, and the volunteers don't tend to get younger as the years advance even if the enthusiasm to carry on remains. Being a rather local club of whom a few of my fellow Bournville members have also been a part of, I look forward to seeing what Warley come up with next. I must admit that as I've aged the gloss has worn off the larger venues, but I have my fingers crossed that we continue to see Warley continuing to host for many years to come. All the best for the clubs future endeavours, you have most certainly earned a major place in the history and development of this hobby.

I had to check that April hadn't come early, this news just doesn't seem real. Without doubt the go-to for so many of us, and with such a broad advertising presence they've been a major face of the hobby for longer than I can remember. I wonder what has triggered their action, it is hugely concerning towards the bigger picture. But cudos for recognising that things can't continue and making such a difficult decision so that the wind down can hopefully at least be managed in an organised way. My sympathies to all involved.