Tim Hall

'CHARD, don't forget "Lager" is German for storage....so could be for anything......

...which makes mass produced British lager a nonsense, as it's whacked through the factory (er brewery) in no time at all.......

Re my K1:

That nearly went to plan.

The ebay loco (62024) is fine, running plate ever so slightly not straight, as seems common with these, but only noticeable if you are looking for it. Beautiful runner.

However, I was out most of yesterday, so missed to P Off delivery of it (collected it this am), and also missed the Hattons emails informing me that my preorder for 62027 with them had been picked and then dispatched...arghh. That's also here now (having been left at a neighbours whilst I was collecting 62024). Also a cracking runner. Running plate no worse than 62024, perhaps better.

So sometime soon, one of them will have to go....well it was worth a try.

I appear to have just bought a brand new Hornby K1 for £90 + £12 p and p (which is expensive), but the total is a lot less than the box shifters. Was someone hoping for a quick profit, or "genuine reason for sale"?

I'll see if it all turns out ok before cancelling my boxshifter order for the next late crest version, due Marchish, as it doesn't matter to me which number I have.

Slightly odd choice, as they've already done 452 as Minotaur, indeed one graces my layout as I type this...

You can pick up malachite ones for £50-£60 quite often, as I did from this Forum's classified ads recently. Slap of paint , a few transfers, etched plates, jobs a good 'un.

I was told by a retailer recently that it was a package size issue. Didn't believe him particularly though, cos there are lots of different box sizes.......

Yes, when I next run BR blue. It's buried under the eaves somewhere at present, while I run LMS/LNER stuff.

I suppose it probably means they're busy, which is good. Let's face it, in the grand scheme of things we don't NEED any of this stuff quickly (or at all ), but we're all like kids at that Festive time once we've ordered .....

My SF 07 uses the original Mainline 03 chassis ( a non limping one so far!), with the rods cut down and jackshafts removed, as suggested. A friend did it for me. Would have done it myself, but he was looking for a project (no kids= time to do stuff like that!)

They've just started a Facebook page and have also just started online ordering via their new website.

Hmm, have used Hatton's dozens of times over the last few years and always had excellent, prompt service. This time, it was over 3 days before my order was "picked", meaning it arrived whilst I was away for a few days. Fortunately, it was Royal Mail, so I was able to collect it easily. Anyone else had extended time before "picking"?

I also have one on its way from Liverpool. It can propel my inspection saloon into newly laid bits of my layout They've honoured the price quoted when I ordered it as well, which is nice!

It was a couple of years ago, thinking about it, so it may have changed. I was after the Hornby Maunsell push-pull set (which I eventually got cheaper from the shop I used as a child, Modeller's Mecca). Gave up on the Southern bogie passenger thingy til recently.

Hmm, the few items I've tried to obtain via Model Railways Direct were paid for in advance, then the money refunded when they couldn't supply them. They had of course disappeared from other sellers by the time this became apparent.....

No , I think they were on Hattons website at £108 on Thursday. As this batch is about £15-£20 more than the last, I assume Hattons sold them VERY quickly. I was looking at lunchtime today and also found they'd disappeared, so bought one locally this pm.

Blimey, bought a "Bodiam", as new, boxed, for about £31 late last year. Have seen them £60+ a few years ago, but even so....

It's not even a Deltic, though, but a Triang Hornby 37, ugh, ugh and more ugh  Wants to deliver it to your door as well...probably to make sure it's really gone.

A lot of things I've recently bought have been only slightly more than the box shifters are offering them for, without having to pay postage, of course. I'm often working close to there, so very pleased.

Cheque for postage refund has arrived, new chasses work fine  Just going to stick crew in them before attempting to reassemble them

A parcel has just arrived from Hornby only nine days after I sent my damaged ones off. It contains two brand new chasses, and a covering note saying postage coming separately. Assuming they work (just going up to check!), well done Hornby!

Well, I've just sent off my D5512 and 31 270, as they are both showing early signs of the problem, hairline cracks on the chassis, and a small crack on the corner of the body on 270. Would have waited longer until the problem was obvious, but fear Hornby's goodwill won't last for ever. I've kept the bodies, as suggested. Let's see how they deal with it.

Shouldn't that be Splott (as in the listing...)...some say it is from God's Plot...also from Splott is that very Welsh Traffic News "presenter" on Radio 2!

Splott (or Splo, with silent tt, as they failed to rebrand it a while ago) is about a mile from here. However, I'm not minded to go and look at a car that's been torched

Bought a red Sentinel in there yesterday. Only went in for a track rubber

I thought part of the license agreement included the clause that the plates could only be supplied glued to a loco bodyshell- which either means that these have come out of a back door somewhere, or are unlicensed copies.

When I bought mine 3 or 4 years ago, the plates were in the same condition as those just offered for sale, and needed the usual careful trimming and fitting. The names weren't printed on the loco, as is often the case.

Think there were small black guide marks on the loco side to aid positioning. Therefore these are probably legit, but why weren't they fitted to a loco?

Think the Golden Syrup was Airfix