ChrisH-UK

How have you managed to add the rivet strips that were on this loco's roof? I am also planning to turn 514 into 505 (leaving it in RfM livery though) but I am still looking for a suitable product to add the roof strips. cheers Chris H

Hmm, I've just seen a price... maybe not

Nice stuff, I use 3DsMax too, but my railway models have a lot less faces than anything you've done, then again so far all of the equipment I've started modelling has been highly angular. I have considered doing something Spoorweggy but I already have too many money-pit hobbies, however that underscale Rivarossi unit looks like it would make a nice display model, I'm guessing it's long gone from shops. Thanks Chris H

Somehow I'd managed to overlook that stunning building at the north end of the station, ever since I stumbled across this thread I've been wondering how I was going to represent it. I just figured it out, I take one of your workbench pics, print it out on plain paper, pritt stick it to a piece of board as a photo backdrop and it will automatically look better than anything I can produce.

There is a Modern Railways Special - East Coast Electrification by Colin Boocock which has a picture of the 89 hauling a Mk4 set on a passenger train in Feb 1990.

My comment about the comparison being pointless was aimed at the customer, I then went on to say that only the manufacturer understands the complex economics. Only a hopeless optimist would expect a model to be 100% pre-sold, they know most of the return comes quickly and then what's left stretches out over time. They know they are taking a chance with every new model they produce.

Space is a big issue for EMUs in preservation, a loco = 1 vehicle, a DMU = 1 or 2 vehicles as a start maybe adding a third later, Southern EMU = 2-4 vehicles (so EPBs and HAPs are easier to find homes than CIGs or VEPs) most other EMUs are 3 or 4 vehicles and that's a lot of space. Electrics in general may not sell as well as diesels because there were so many more diesels and there aren't many scenarios where an electric layout would not also have diesels so comparing the basic sales numbers is pretty pointless imho. I'd love to see a new AC electric loco and all things considered my pick would be a new 90 based on numbers and liveries possible, not sure I could afford it but I'd love to see it. I am also wondering if the same discussion about electrics was taking place about diesels 50-60 years ago when it was steam all the way In truth we can speculate all day and all night but only the manufacturer understands the economics well enough to know whether a product has met or fallen short of its targets, yes their ultimate goal is to sell everything as quickly as possible but the market is rarely that simple. Chris H

Just a minor point about that second video, at least some of what is in there wasn't from 1990, maybe the early 90s as it wasn't until May 1991 that Regional Railways livery appeared on 143s and it was some time after that when GMPTE livery was on 142s. It may not a big thing but doing historical research is sorta pointless if the uploader puts a misleading date on it. Cheers Chris H