Star-rider

Don't worry, no disrespect inflicted! I've spent the last couple of yaers focusing on my coaching stock and weeding out vehicles that aren't right and kit building what I can't buy RTR. Locos will be under review next and then probably wagons. In the meantime I need something to pull all of my stock with so I run what I have. Given the cost of producing / buying new models I have now adopted a policy of "fewer but better" - I'll buy less, but make sure what I do buy fits in with my needs and probably part finance it by shuffling off what does not fit. At the moment anything with GWR on the side has gone to the great aution house, shirtbutton and "Great Western" liveried stock survives even if there are anomolies - I have a lot of learning to do to estalish exactly what those are.

This almost needs an option of “any pannier as long as it is made to modern standards”, I’m sure that would get most ticks in the box. With so many possible prototype options there is a danger that the market looks too fragmented to be worthwhile. 100 people want a new pannier but only 6 want one of any particular variation… I’m not suggesting that the poll is not worthwhile, it will be interesting to see what emerges especially if there is a clear winner, so well done for the initiative. Take the unexpected Dapol Mainline & City Toplights, it is unlikely these would have run away with a wish-list poll, but put them on the market and the interest comes forward. (Build it and they will come…) I already have 57XX and 8750s from Bachmann, but if a new one came along that was an easy fit for sound and had on-board stay alive I’d make room for it. The era / period that people are modelling is the thing I’m most curious about, my interest ceases at the end of 1930s hence the reason that Bachmann have not sold me either of their last two new panniers. I’m intrigued to see how alone I am. I’ll have a crack at the poll later. Good luck everyone and may your dreams come true.

This is an extremely interesting announcement, especially after the GWR enthusiast being offered nothing of significance by Bachman or Hornby over the last month. I am slightly concerned about the niche appeal of these though, they probably won’t sit well on most typical GWR layouts, perhaps their hope is that with the new Prairie interest will be stimulated in new projects being started by those who want to have a crack at a suburban London commuter set up. I do hope that there is plenty of interest though and worry slightly that if there are not enough pre-orders made for these it may endanger the follow-on of corridor toplight stock, which I suspect will generate significantly more custom. Much as I wold like to support the Mainline and City stock with a pre-order I can’t really justify them and need to hang on to my pocket money for when more mainstream coaches are available. I’m not grumbling about the price – it is what it is and competitive enough in the current market – but £360.00 for a rake that does not fit with what I am trying to do is a luxury that I can’t afford. I’m sure Dapol will see some of my money before Hornby or Bachmann though.

Yes, possibly a bit London-centric, my interest is in GWR around the West Midlands and I suspect they are unlikely to have reached up here - I need to consult a book and then think up some barely credible pretext...

Right at the bottom of the announcement linked above: Toplight Corridor coaches are currently in design, we look forward to being able to tell you more on this project later on in the year.

I’ve recently subscribed to this thread having been impressed with the layout and modelling content and the helpful and supportive nature of the posts (and the fact that 1930’s GWR coincides with my own interests) – well done all and keep it up! As for Bachmann’s announcements tomorrow I’m not overly excited, I’ve always had the impression that they believe that the GWR only existed 1945-1947. What is NOT announced is often more important than what IS – at least I can go about ordering kits knowing that they are not going to be usurped by a better painted RTR models for a couple of years at least. Some Large Windowed or Sunshine Stock would be nice though, I’ve had my fill of the ex-Mainline Third (also masquerading as a Composite and First) and Brake Composite. A proper 60/61’ Composite, Brake Third and First would be very welcome. Let’s see…

The sound fitted version of 5109 arrived with me today, within 24 hours of despatch so up to the usual high standards from Hattons and Royal Mail. The outer box looked a bit crumpled on one corner as if it had been dropped somewhere along the line so I feared the worst, but once I was deep into the packing sleeves the only thing that seemed amiss was one rear buffer rolling around loose and this was quickly pushed back into place. Some have expressed concern about how good the sound would be as it does not benefit from a secondary tender mounted speaker that the Mogul features. Okay, it does not have the punch that the Mogul has but I feel that it is an acceptable level and quality of sound, certainly not that different from the Zimo decoders and sugar curve speakers that I have purchased in the past from Youchoos and installed into locomotives such as the 52XX and 56XX. As others have already said, there is probably the option of pushing another speaker into the bunker. Whilst awaiting my model I have been reading posts here from others and it seems that people have had mixed results with the running. I can only say that mine is performing perfectly through double slips, facing and trailing point-work and reversing through a curved crossover. All of my track is code 100 with medium radius electrofrog points, there are unavoidable insulated frogs on the diamond crossings and a double slip, but there is currently no hesitation or dropping of sound on those areas. All in all I’m very happy with it, whilst there is no “news” here I thought it right to leave a positive review to reassure those still contemplating a purchase as negative comments always seem louder!

Does it have to be Phoenix? Wizard Models still offer an E150 (Centenery Brake Compo) from the Comet range: https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/?s=E150&post_type=product&title=1&excerpt=1&content=1&categories=1&attributes=1&tags=0&sku=1&orderby=date-DESC&ixwps=1 I've not tackled any Centenery stock yet, those recessed doors sacre me at the moment, but maybe one day I'll get brave.

I think I have now spent more time reading this thread and its Rapido twin than I have spent watching the film – all very entertaining. As to the legality or morality of the situation, I won’t go there – it’s a bit like picking the England football team; every bloke down the pub will have an opinion, but no one is really going to take any notice, Gareth Southgate will decide as he is paid to do it. What I do believe though is that an avoidable and probably unprofitable duplication is unlikely to see any winners. My interest is in 1930’s GWR and this year there is not a thing on my Hornby shopping list. If their resources had not been put into this film inspired pack or generic coaches etc. just maybe they would have produced something that I would have bought. To be fair, the Loriot falls into my sphere of interests but as I already have the Rapido one on pre-order I’ll stay with it, it feels the right thing to do somehow. Hornby as a business do need to be aware of what the competition is doing, but surely there would be more to be gained by producing complementary rather than competing products? The Acurascale Siphon G is a “must have” for me, no doubt it will spark some general interest in milk and parcels traffic and if Hornby had announced an updated Siphon H or something to fit in with a rake I sure people would be happy to buy product from both manufacturers in which case everyone wins. I’m not against competition, I building myself up to choosing between two Manor class locomotive that will be arriving from different manufacturers. Perhaps I may buy one of each but I’m not sure that I need two – a Manor and a Saint would definitely have resulted in two sales. Whatever the rights or wrongs I hope that the two Titfield offers don’t cause too much damage commercially to the manufacturers, hopefully they will both be around next year to sell me something I want.

You have my sympathy. I built a Mica last year and had a go at doing my best with some wire. Individually they look OK but not side-by-side - I can't get more than one the same shape! It's the same with about 20 (mostly Comet) coaches that I have built, every one is lacking the end / roof handrails until I decide how to go forward. Some sort of jig and stiff wire is probably going to be needed but if there was a samller supplier out there that could already turn them out I would be in the market. Perhaps I ought to enquire if MSE / Wizard would be prepared to add them to their range...

I wish someone would have another crack at a GWR 0-4-2 Auto Tank, I purchased one of the Hattons breed and that did not go well – literally. A decent auto coach is needed from somewhere and I wonder if there is potential for producing a set to make up an auto train utilising one of the coach bogies for additional pick-up (small wheelbase locos often suffer) and finding space I the coach for a sound decoder so that the loco can be well ballasted. Some form of link similar to the Dapol Mogul loco / tender coupling would be ideal so that the items could be separated for maintenance. Lighting the coach would be easy, we could even have a clang for the bell. I think if something could be run up for the same price as a 2 car DMU they should attract interest from customers.

I don't doubt you would sir, a good local model shop is an asset to anyone new to the hobby. Sadly a first purchase these days is often from Amazon or Ebay...

Thanks for your response BH and its helpful intent. Yes, I know I have options for a coupling swap and it is not beyond me. I’m more miffed that I should have to be upgrading it myself on a 2021 release. Someone who has just purchased a newly tooled loco and the Macaw at the same time could be forgiven for thinking he had purchased from different brands if he were to judge by the couplings. Perhaps I’m just following the current fashion of being offended on behalf of someone else who I have never met - or maybe it’s because I’m getting old and grumpy.

Going down a slightly different furrow, I’d really like to see some clarity in whatever Hornby decide to market. My sole purchase from their 2021 announcements was a new GWR Macaw bolster wagon and I have to say that I was very disappointed to find it still had a huge D coupling akin to Robin Hood’s bow. They could at least have upgraded it to carry the more modern smaller tension-lock if they were reintroducing it, or alternatively had the decency to stick it in the Railroad range so that I knew what was likely to be coming. It really is difficult when a “new” Hornby product is announced to know what sort of standard you are getting and customer disappointment can only damage their brand image. I was standing outside a model shop window admiring (but with no intent to purchase!) a Bachmann 2 car DMU set weighing in at around £280.00 and my wife asked me why the Hornby HST train set with track, controller etc. was “only” £130.00. I explained that it was probable that the Hornby model was from the last decade (or millennium?), that they probably had made a more up-to-date model of the HST since, but I had only a suspicion which version was in the set. The packaging gave no clue. I feel that unless the buyer has good prior product knowledge or is prepared to do some research that buying a “new” Hornby item is like sticking your hand in a lucky dip.

Pride is a sin. It is therefore extremely likely that this announcement is a result of me spending the thick end of forty quid on 3D printed bogies for my Lima siphons and admiring the slight improvement.

Even more frustrating to me is the lack of availability of such things a traction tyres which I would regard as “consumables” rather than spares. Thankfully perishable traction tyres seem to have been designed out of locomotives over the last decade (although I think Hornby still churn out the odd “heritage” model?) but I would like to keep a couple of older locomotives running which are OK other than lack of traction.

Thanks Nigel - I know that some decoders don't have an adjustmant available to CV5 (I think the Hornby TTS?) but that was obvious from the instructions. The card with the Bachmann decoder suggested that there was a range to work with, which is why I wasted my time. ESU decoders are my preference (reliable and adjustable), but sometimes it is a case of what will physically fit, what is to hand or what the shop has on the shelf hence there are a few in the fleet that I am not familiar with. Pete.

I did wonder, although the instruction card suggests a range of 0-256! It looks like I have been misinformed...

This is not critical, but an issue has arisen which confuses me and I’d love to know the explanation… I’ve been spending some time trying to regularise the speed of my locomotives so that all will circuit my layout in 3 minutes (so far as gearing will allow) at speed step 32 of 128. Most locomotive / decoder combinations seem happy for me to do this by adjusting CVs 5 & 6 but I came across a GWR 30XX ROD which I had fitted with the above decoder. It was circuiting in about two and a half minutes so I set about trying to slow it a little. A read of the CVs suggested that they were at default maximum. I first tried 240 / 120 in CVs 5 &6 with no effect on the speed. Knocking them down to 220 / 110 made no difference, and so it went on reducing by increments down to 20 /10 with still no impact on the speed. I shoved the ROD to one side and carried on working through the roster. Eventually an “Earl” came up which was fitted with the same type of decoder – the results of attempting adjustment were the same, I can’t slow it down to the desired datum speed. Confusingly, I have another “Earl” but that is fitted with a Loksound decoder and although it is exactly the same model as the first Earl it gives me the opposite problem – even with CV5 up at maximum it is a five minute job to get round the layout. As the two locos have the same mechanics and motor it is obviously a decoder voltage output issue, but why would they vary so much and not be adjustable? I’m using a Dynamis system with a Pro-box. As I say, it is not the end of the world, I can cruise at the right speed with more or less throttle – I was just craving a bit of consistency!

Having looked through the publication I referred to above, I have not really turned much up. As others have said the trains seemed to run as sets provided alternately between GWR and SR. One example: 12:20 Cardiff – Portsmouth & Southsea (16:53) BTK > TK > Restaurant car > CK >BTK. If you want to run a few GWR coaches and can handle a 5 coach train this can be built from the 2016 tool Collett bow ended stock plus a Restaurant car from the Railroad range. A cheaper way would be to use the older Railroad versions of the BTK and CK and a second-hand Mainline 60’ TK. What I can’t say is what breed of locomotive would be hauling them…

I’m currently putting together a K40 full brake which has the same arrangement. There’s no argument that soldering in some scrap brass behind the apertures as Taz illustrated is the “proper job”, but being fundamentally lazy I have glued some Plastic to the back as I find it is much easier to drill out for the handles etc. Fine drills tend to skid around on brass when in my hands! Which ever way works for you…

"Train Formations & Carriage Workings of the Great Western Railway" by WS Beckett contains some information on the vehicles used and thier operating company if you can weed it out. Much will depend on the specific location you are modeling (assuming it is specific!) I suspect some of these inter-regional services could involve fairly long rakes to be authentic, so you may need a good sized layout. It's something of interest to myself so I'll see what I can turn up. Pete.

Reactions in chronological order: 1] Surprised – I was not anticipating a steam loco from Accurasale 2] Appreciative – It’s a GWR loco (just!) 3] Disappointed – A duplication of something that I was intending to purchase from another manufacturer 4] Impressed – Particularly the DCC and sound provisions, an on-board stay-alive feature is something we should have seen from all manufacturers before now. 5] Anticipation – It looks like this is going to be available very much sooner than usual after a RTR announcement. 6] Confused – is monogram actually the “shirtbutton” motif? (A definition of monogram is two or more interwoven letters, that design had long gone before the Manos were built). 7] Mildly miffed – A probable choice of one for my chosen time period, but better than none. 8] Fairly committed – I’d like to see how my Dapol Mogul runs and sounds when it finally arrives so that I have a benchmark, but based on information to hand at the moment I’m 90% certain to order 7801 as a sound fitted model. A very positive development from Accurasale (even if I wish it had been a “Saint” instead ) Best of luck with the enterprise. Pete.

There are pictures of 2796 in the link in my post above, as I say they look like 7' units to me but others may know better. Pete.

Thanks Will. It looks like I have painted myself into a corner then with the 7' bogies that I have bought and I am going to have to let it masquerade as a lot 1441 vehicle. As these were built in 1930 and prior to the "shirtbutton" it looks like I have a bit of a repaint on my hands rather than just changing the number. Assuming that they would have come out in GW branding I can't see that they would have been in for a repaint before 1940, but as you say a photo is safeest if I can turn one up. Pete.