NXEA!

Good to see Hornby are doing this, if only to protect the local model shop. Not being commercially minded, I’m not sure how this could/would affect them, bearing in mind they’re in a slightly delicate position financially. It affects me as I have a more limited budget, so I tend to like the look through the bargain bins to buy stuff and there has been plenty of that in the last few years - an example is I’ve not paid for more than £60 each for my Clauds and J15s.

However, it will make me think more carefully about what I need and maybe buy less which is no bad thing! I may have missed it, but when is this being brought into effect? Does this affect the next batch of releases, or will it be reflected on the 2019 announcement?

These look lovely and a potential winner for best new unit in this country since the 175’s and 444’s. Can’t wait to sample them!

It appears my previous post in this topic on ‘alternative’ Harry Potter book names was an issue for some. For the avoidance of doubt, it was a Family Guy reference which in reflection was always likely to be miscontrued by some on here. Please accept my apologies for the misunderstanding/any offence caused.

Has there been any murmurings on this? Hattons is still showing October-December expected delivery date. If one was to be optimistic, that's around 4 weeks away...

Just curious if anyone has shops they’d like to visit but haven’t so far due to distance or whatever.

 

Jane’s Trains in Tooting

Harburn Hobbies

Gaugemaster. Ironically I had a meeting in Ford but not able to get away in opening hours grrr!

 

Probably others too....

Been to Jane's Trains, fantastic little shop. For me, I'd like to go to Hattons, Rails, Kernow and Derails, preferably with a wad of cash to fritter away - particularly Rails, their new set-up looks great.

As an aside when on holiday in Germany for the Christmas Market at Aachen, with a currywürst and hot chocolate in hand, I accidentally stumbled across Modell Centre Hünerbein. Now THAT is a model shop! Display cabinets crammed with high quality European models as far as the eye can see. I spent a couple of hours in there, and nearly came away with a 140 in DB Green, although truth be told I would've walked out of there with everything in DB Red and Green if I could. 

For a small halt why not look at Wighton on the Wells line for inspiration, a station in miniature with a brick platform only one coach in length. The Wills hut could be adapted to look like the platform building as could the building at Bartlow on the Saffron Walden platform. Mill Lane on the Thaxted branch would also be an interesting build. However, Norfolk buildings don't tend to be built out of timber, though I stand to be corrected. Any East Anglian light railway will yield inspiration for buildings and they do have quite  distinctive character not easily replicated without serious modification of kits/ ready to plant or scratch building.

 

East Anglian halts tended to have sleeper built platforms, I've built numerous versions over the years mainly using balsa, card and matchsticks. 

 

Like the look of what you have done so far.

 

Martyn

Thanks for the suggestion of Wighton. I'd not looked at it before, lovely little halt. I had looked at Mill Road, but I think it's slightly too light railway'ish for what I have in mind. That might change though! There were some lovely low-platformed halts on the M&GN too. Bartlow has figured prominently in my research, lovely colour shot on Disused Stations: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bartlow/bartlow_old2.jpg   

My favourite however, is Wickham Bishops on the Maldon branch (fairly interesting track plan for a halt): https://www.eastanglianrailwayarchive.co.uk/Railways/Abandoned-Lines-and-Stations/i-gf9NZ6J

The Wills kit isn't intended to be used on this layout, I built it a while back and got it out of the spares box temporarily. I'm intending to build something out of coffee stirrers, similar to Chris Nevard's effort on Brew Street, that should be a bit more East Anglian.  

I need to get a move-on, I've not done anything to the layout for a while. Thanks for the kind comment. 

No problem, ask away.  I always use grey DAS mixed with PVA, which I read somewhere stops it cracking at a later date, and in this case revived with a little bit of water as it was older clay. Applied with the fingers and coloured once dry.

 

Martyn

Thank you Martyn, however I was referring to what colour you used paint/weather/blend the DAS clay, if you'd be willing to divulge your method - my apologies, my request wasn't clear! 

Hi jools,

 

I am aware of that but wouldn't they appear occasionally on diverted trains to Ipswich or to London L street with a mix of unbranded virgin Mk3s and ONE Anglia Mk3s? If not then I shall put rule 1 into action...

 

Best regards, Matthew

Here you go, quick dig brings up two shots of 47813 in FGW Fag-packet dragging a diverted Liverpool Street-Norwich via Cambridge with Anglia Mark 2's through Thetford. Unbranded Virgin liveried 90012 dead on the rear. 

Links (not my photos): https://www.jules-merlin27.com/Railways/A-few-days-in-East-Anglia/i-HpdzbWg/A

https://www.jules-merlin27.com/Railways/A-few-days-in-East-Anglia/i-ZqW2KV3/A

That looks super. What colour did you use for the DAS clay, and what was your method? If you don't mind me asking, of course. 

Does anyone know of any aftermarket suppliers that do appropriate smokebox darts and whistles for D16 in late LNER/early BR condition? I've had a look at the usual suspects but can only find fairly generic items which I doubt are suitable. I'm sure someone must provide both of the above? 

I wonder if our researcher has seen that photograph. Most interesting. If that's definitely 68222 on the buffer plank it seems odd that it has got so filthy within a year. If it was in that state before 1949 it needed a complete repaint rather than just renumbering. I'm sure I've seen photos of it looking smart in full BR livery. That will be quite a challenging weathering job. (CJL)

It's filthy condition is certainly odd, but the numbers above the bufferbeam definitely read 68222 to me. The fact that it's in that livery/numbering combination makes sense, as it gained its BR number over a year before it got the early crest, and there are no photos of it in any interim early BR condition. If your researcher can verify that its 68222, you can put me down for one in that condition in the second batch!  

One other question - I notice you're offering 68225 weathered. Have you got a computer generated image or a preproduction sample you can share with us that shows the weathering please? 

I'm currently trying to choose which version to order as my second one (I'm probably going for 68219), and have been doing some research on some of the candidates. I noticed 68222 didn't get its e/c until 1950, but according to BR Loco Database, it was renumbered in March 1949. No photos of it in 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' livery have surfaced on Google, but I appear to have found an interesting livery combination.  

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Wisbech_shed_%281950%29_02.jpg

There's no caption, but the photo is dated 1950 at Wisbech station. It's difficult to tell, but when zooming in it seems to depict 68222 in LNER wartime livery with 'NE' branding, carrying it's BR number 68222 on the bufferbeam but in the LNER wartime font.

Are there anymore photos of 68222 in this condition in either Yeadons or one of the books on the tramway? And would 8223 be suitable for renumbering to 68222?  

My subs copy of MR came through the door yesterday - those pre-production samples on page 6 are exquisite. They can't come soon enough! 

I've no idea to be honest.

 

Maybe they were like a Cockerill?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoOti9KzQcw

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NdrKchM6YY

 

 

 

Jason

Sorry for missing your post Jason. I'd never heard of or seen a Cockerill until now but they're rather delightful aren't they!

Sorry, at this stage I have no information on that. We have no plans for sound-fitted models at this time. (CJL)

No worries Chris, a quick google brings up nothing from an after-market supplier, so I guess we'll have to wait and see! Hearing the bell of the J70 trundling along with a few wagons behind would be lovely. 

I'm not sure that's universally the case - or even desirable.

 

Detail - when it's got to the point where it is proving difficult for manufacturers to deliver their products unbroken in transit, one might argue that the search for ever more detail has already gone a little too far.

 

Technology - well, that depends on whether you want realistic locos that pull realistic trains, or you like tweaking decoders, speakers and other electonic gadgetry in a vain hope of making a 1:76 scale model sound like the sheer mass and power of the 1:1 prototype.

 

It is possible to scale performance, but not presence.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

As with all debates there are two points of view, but I think there's an element of contradiction in your comment on technology. By the looks of it we're getting a highly detailed and realistic model that can pull over 30 wagons, and one that has the latest DCC technology (Next18) and caters for sound, it's not a case of one or the other as you're seemingly implying.  

To each their own, but there's nothing wrong with sound, I find running trains on the layout with sound even more enjoyable, and the sound files and speakers are continuously improving.  I can't say I'd denigrate those who want to use homemade or older controllers so they can continue using older stock, it's not my cup of tea, but I appreciate this hobby is a broad church and people have lots of affection for older models and don't want to move them on. But at the same time, things move on, and DCC Sound et al is increasingly on the up, getting more realistic, and getting cheaper over time, so MR (IMO) have made the right decision in speccing the J70 the way they have. 

The level of opposition to an advance in technology, is quite surprising in all honesty. Each to their own, but with us demanding ever more detail and technology in what can be very small models such as this one, I don’t see why it’s such a shock that MR/Rapido have plumped for a motor with known qualities that ticks all the boxes? Personally, I look forward to receiving my one (or two if I scrape together the pennies).

As an aside, could someone answer my question on Page 17 if they know please? It’s probably been lost in the ensuing debate/froth.

Getting excited for these. I see that the J70 has a coreless motor to allow space for a sugar cube speaker... That being the case, does anyone know if any after-market suppliers have any plans to do a J70 sound chip? I assume no sound recordings of these exist so they'd have to be generic, did they sound particularly distinctive, or were they similar to your average LNER 2-cylinder tank engine?

E6018 was another with early wrap around yellow ends. Robert Carroll of this parish has a few photos.

 

E6018_Eastleigh_Bournemout-Wloo_1-7-67 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

This photo is fantastic - 73 in blue with wrap around yellow ends and unusually placed BR arrows, green Bulleids and what looks like a Maroon Gresley Buffet car further down the formation next to a B/G Mark 1, 8 days before the end of Southern Region steam! 

Top speed of a 313 is the same as its cousins and brethren, i.e. 75mph although they are limited to a slower speed in the Moorgate tunnels I believe, not a problem for the ones on the Sussex Coast which is where a few of the GN ones are supposed to be heading once the 717's get going.  I presume the 717's will have some sort of software mode for the tunnels that applies a speed limiter.

Top speed for the 717's is 85mph, unusually. The Moorgate branch is limited to 30mph and the 313's have some kind of speed limiter when on DC mode. The signal's have train stop arms. 

I don't know how many modellers are like me, thinking that the N7's were just used on passenger/empty stock workings, but browsing through John Mann's East Anglian Steam Gallery series of albums today on another matter I found one plate towards the back of part One showing 69713 on freight shunting duties at Bishop's Stortford on the 19th June 1959 - which may have just been between passenger duties but the single righthand lamp indicates freight work - and another in part Two with 69674 shunting wagons at Standon on 13th June 1958, which must have been as part of a freight working yet the single top disc fitted would indicate a passenger/mixed branch train.

 

Whatever the particular cases it would seem to suggest a bit more leeway on using these locos in their later years for anyone considering getting one of the BR versions. It's certainly made me re-consider whether to get one, the main concern being whether there is enough room under the footplate for P4 wheelsets as I don't really want a re-run of the work the Hornby J15 entailed, or the Heljan W&M railbus come to that.....

 

Izzy

Although J15's worked the Buntingford freight traffic, I suspect it would not have been uncommon to see N7's working the daily freight on the branch either. Some of the class spread their wings later in their BR careers and ended up working branch passenger and freight as you said, but there were a few reallocated to Colchester (primarily for the Walton and Brightlingsea branches), Norwich and Kings Lynn around 1950-1953 to replace Gobblers, the N7's themselves being displaced by L1's. I suspect these country bumpkin examples could, and did, turn up on anything suitable.  

Having just looked through the fleet allocations on BRLocoDatabase, it is striking just how many spent their entire career at Stratford - although several ended up on the GN for suburban traffic based at Hatfield or Kings Cross, so you can justify them on a GN layout. Some made it to Colwick, Annesley and Lincoln, and one was withdrawn from Thornaby! 

Not too much to report at the moment, as it's been a few busy weeks for me (my son has managed to have two(!) tummy bugs in that time and I've been snowed under with work and the usual day to say stuff). I did manage to get ballast down a few weeks ago but haven't been able to weather it to finish it off.  

I'm trying to go for an effect similar to this shot of Mildenhall by having lighter ballast with differentiation between sleepers, chairs and ballast, but a bit darker.   

A few photo's of my efforts to lay and fix it down:  

I will need to tone it down into a duller more uniform colour, before picking out sleepers and ballast. 

I am yet to paint the DAS modelling clay ballast either - I've had no time to go to a shop and pick some tester pots. The clay for the road/lane crossing is down, although no photos of that yet as I want to finish that before uploading a shot, same goes for an overall shot of the layout as it stands.  

Next steps for me are to give the track and ballast another coat of sleeper grime to take the edge off the ballast, paint the DAS ballast, and the road surface. A static grass applicator is also quite high up on my wishlist too! I also need to source a new transformer for my LED strip lights as my current one has died for some reason, so there's no layout lighting at the moment.  

Until next time!  

We have friends in the Somerset levels. When visiting we have commented on how similar the landscape is to East Anglia.

 

I appear to have gone and ordered a second one.....Alex

I'm also thinking about a second one... 

Here it is, just waiting to be modelled...https://www.google.com/search?q=dornoch+light+railway&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijo4_7rr3bAhWlJ8AKH

There was an issue of a magazine very recently (within the last month or two) with a feature on the Dornoch branch, does anyone know what it was? I’ll be back ordering that! It had a fantastic photo of a 0P 0-4-4T with a mixed train crossing Cambusavie level crossing, very inspirational.

Seeing as MR are doing 1646, it’d be rude not to do a micro layout based on the Dornoch branch wouldn’t it? Sooooooo modellable...