County of Yorkshire

Indeed, and the actual model does in fact sport GWR freight grey - not the unusual 'blue' grey on the Hornby website image. Just my luck to snap-up three of the previous toad issue (large GW insignia branded Rogerstone) from Rails in their sale 18 months ago to re-brand into post-1936 Toads, right before Hornby announce this post-1936 liveried one anyway! Oh well, at least it gives me some modelling to do! CoY

I was in Hamleys around 5 years ago or so, and they had a Hornby new-tool Castle - Beverston Castle - priced up at something daft like £60; nothing else was reduced so this was clearly a price labelling error. This was also at the time when Hornby had those concession discount cards whereby if you had one that was in date you could get 20% (iirc) off full-price items in the concession. So, guess who walked away down Regent's street with a mint-in-box new tool Hornby Castle for £48? CoY

The GWR stopped building 'handed' coaches after the Centenary stock of 1935, with the BTK coaches being handed; ergo no sunshine stock was ever handed. What would the GWR modeller prefer though from Bachmann though; sunsine stock or... toplights!? CoY

Based on the gestation time of the Thompson stock and the currently worked-upon Bulleids... 2035? In all seriousness, I would imagine that they will get around to them eventually though - the rest of the big 4 have new-tool coaching stock from Bachmann (Portholes, Thompsons and Bullieds) and as the sunshine stock is Bachmann's 'property' I think we'll get some eventually, although at what price?! I'd also like to see more than just the TK and BCK retooled; a CK and BTK should be added as a minimum, and if we're to be really spoilt, a FK, Diner and BG? CoY

Southern crane seen in Monk Bar Models this afternoon. I’m now deeply excited for my GWR edition!

I would like to suggest that Heljan explores the business case for eventually downsizing the Collett Goods CADs from 7mm into 4mm... it's a key loco for mid-range GWR (and WR) freight and passenger services from the early 1930s to the mid 1960s, and the reheated Bachmann (nee Mainline) version is crying out for a 21st century replacement. Thank you in advance Heljan! CoY

That safety bonnet looks too tall for the period? CoY

Given the quality of the tank, I think they are quite expensive for what they are: you'd only get £3.29 change from fifty quid when buying one! I definitely want a few warflats, but I don't want to pay a premium for a tank load that I don't want; I'll either wait until they are reduced, or see if any retailer goes on to 'split' the wagon and tank loads. I think I better dig out those Cromwell tank Airfix kits that I snapped up a few years ago when going cheap at Aldi! In fact, given the extremely long gestation period for these, they look quite disappointing actually. CoY

I took a look at both full brakes that my local model shop had in today - neither had the ducket. Looks to be a batch-wide problem, which is a shame as they are such a nice bit of kit otherwise. The older ones will probably go for even more silly money now! CoY

Apologies Miss, I left out ‘not’ - see amended post above. Although you could say that my slip-up was somewhat Freudian in a way... Hornby have never struck me as a model manufacturer who makes a divergent tooling suite to produce similar - but quite different - locos, and so if we ever saw a 3150 it would a pleasant, but big, surprise in my view. Talking of Dapol and GWR stock, I am also struggling to understand their neglecting of the open goal which is shrinking their O Gauge Autocoach and B-Set down 4mm... Their K41/42 should be scaled up from N gauge too. CoY

Has there been any recent progress updates at all regarding the mogul? It's all gone very quite since earlier this year. I'm somewhat surprised that Dapol have not* dropped the Prairie in favour of a Manor; there must quite a few synergies - drive train and tender - with the Mogul? CoY *missing from my original post!

Mike, please could I ask how you approached the underframe trussing? Is it just wire and scrap etch, or is there a proprietary kit for GWR clerestory underframe trussing? Cheers, CoY

Thanks for resurrecting my dormant blog post guys. Just as an update, I polished off the P17 with Precision freight grey (spray can) and CCT transfers (set C89 for the Cambrian GWR wagon kits). You can see the fruits of efforts here with a Kernow 1361, Coopercraft 02 7-plank open, and a Hornby AA15 toad rebadged into post-1936 livery, and allocated to Cardiff. Cheers, CoY

The GWR actually persisted with handed coaches - composites and brake thirds - until pretty late; around 1935 iirc. The Centenary stock were the last to feature handed diagrams - the D120 brake thirds were definitely handed. There does seem to be an ongoing half-truth/myth that the handed coaches were built so as to ensure that the corridor was always platform side as Paddington Platform 1 to ease with rush-hour and summer Saturday loadings... a justification which makes partial sense but doesn't seem compelling enough to add the commensurate costs to the coach building process! CoY

The LNER CCT is a superb bit of kit; just wish something comparable was produced for the GWR (cough....Siphon G....cough).

How have you raised the paint finish on the King, John? It looks metallic, lifelike and quite superb! CoY

Hmm, all picked up 'as part of a job lot'...

Hmmm, what have you got in mind Rob? Funnily enough just last weekend I picked up my (admittedly second hand) scratch built clerestories from the to-do pile after a three year abeyance. I'm going to slap GWR coach brown all over them and add the underframe detail and some Shapeways Dean bogies to give me four decrepit clerestories circa 1947 - they will mix in niceley with Hornby Colletts and toplights. Cheers, CoY

May I be the the first to thank Drew for a great trip around the GWR treasure box of Didcot this afternoon. I think I speak for everyone when I say what a comprehensive and informative tour it was. I’ve done the tour once before but I learnt a lot of new things nonetheless. Seeing Pendennis Castle 100% visually ‘complete’ for the first time in my life was also a highlight. I desperately wanted to take and post another picture but I pledged to keep the secret! Now for tomorrow at Fawley! Cheers, CoY

Well, my accommodation is booked - very much looking forward to my third visit to Didcot and my first ever visit to Fawley Hill. Is there any reason why the Saint is no longer scheduled to be running, Castle? A slight disappointment but I am sure the day will be fantastic as always. I have also managed to schedule a stay over in Cheltenham to attend the GWSR steam gala on Bank Holiday Monday, which is always a good do - I can partake of a few real ales too as we're being given the Tuesday off work - the virtues of working in local government! Cheers, CoY

Sorry for the delay with this...

Snapped up a Hornby Hawksworth corridor third in GWR livery within a few minutes of it being listed for just under £27. Mint in box!

Probably best to wait until the release of the Rapido version... CoY

This thread has gone a bit quiet, so just to ask the question - are we still good to go with the two-day GWR & McAlpine experience, Castle? I need to know as i'm about to book some accommodation! Cheers, CoY

Thanks for these. I may or may not appear in one the above images! CoY