stewartingram

Don't forget to remove those brackets from underneath, and replace the screws otherwise the bogie derails on curves (as per the LNER L1)....

Still looks like a well made MTK kit to me.....

It may have been noticed, by my posts elsewhere, that I've been working on printing onto A4 sticky labels, then placing these onto plastikard. As different parts of the kit are designed for thinner or thicker card, would it be possible in future designs to keep all thicknesses on the same pages? Just a thought.

One of the crossings at Three Horse Shoes (March-Peterborough) has a vertical on one side due to restricted clearance. I'm on shift in London until Tues so can't provide a pic, can anyone else?

As far as I can recall, all W&M railbuses were delivered to Cambridge in the lighter green, which I believe was the then standard MU green. I can remember a similar shade on early Met-Camm and Derby dmu's at the time. Repaints were into the later standard darker green (not the same as loco green), as portrayed on the Bachmann Cravens. I can certainly remember the different liveries; what does stand out is the standard of repaints, unlike when for instance green locos/mu's went into rail blue, not following the style of the vehicles at all and with features just overpainted.

I haven't got my L1 yet, still waiting for 67722 to be released. I did however observe at length the Hornby one running round their Warley layout. It was noticeable that the front truck turned with the curves, but upon coming out onto the straights, it retained its posture at an angle for some time. And no, this wasn't a trick of the light, I moved around to sight it from different angles, and on different curves. In defence though, it did NOT derail. As my LMS tank is of a similar design but has only run basically up and down a plank, I've refrained from any mods as yet, although it is a poor performer on the curves of points, consistently derailing. I've refrained from posting till now, as I felt (1) not having 1st hand experience of an L1 & (2) speculative comments are detrimental to the both the discussion and the manufacturer. However I think my comments on the Warley observation are justified, and I am not particularly worried even if my (eventual) L1 also has the symptoms, as it looks easy enough to fix. Gut feeling, looking at the LMS tank and previous posts, is that the 2-pin pivot does not allow the bogie to re-centralise (correct word?) as it comes out of the curve. Any slight track irregularity at this point with a non-centralised bogie may possibly cause derailment; if trackwork is good it will probably be ok. This perhaps explains the lack of complaints to Hornby. Again a reasoned guess, stiffness on the pivots along with lack of downward force is probably the cause? I do feel that the single pivot point is mechanically a better design here.

I followed a link on the web the other day, (but forgot to note where), it seems there may be hope yet for this project! Apparently the bus operators that have signed up to run on it (franchised?) are likely to pull out. Stagecoach are saying that the new local township that was to be built is now unlikely due to the recession, therefore they (Stagecoach) are unlikely to run at any profit at all if relying solely on passengers from existing villages.They are looking at pulling out of using the busway. The other operator, Whippet, only have 2 buses for the route, it appears they had no interest except maintaining a presence, as Stagecoach is there rival in the area. I believe the operator contracts run out at the end of this year, the bus companies have invested heavily in new vehicles specifically for the busway and they have yet to turn a wheel on it (press runs excepted). They are looking at compensation for this. So if these two don't sign up again who will? Hopefully nobody, so maybe a sensible future for the misguided busway is looming? Conversion to railway anyone?

Easy - doesn't need to be cleared, will it ever need to be? Never going to open.....

Well I'm still hoping that Model Rail take up my suggestion for a follow up to the dep. Sentinel. As Chesterton Junction PW yard (in Cambridge) had their Sentinels replaced by 2 purpose-built 03 shunters (delivered as dep.91 & 92), one of these would make a good LE based on the new Bachmann 03 I reckon, a good stablemate for the Sentinel. Edit: footnote to add that I've seen 91 and 92 depart the PW yard to run up to Cambridge for servicing on the main line, so why not the Sentinel?

And don't forget, the term for doing this is sometimes known as 'modelling' I believe.

Causes me an expensive problem this one! I already have a pair of Hornby 21's, which I wish to replace. Thing is, I want them as before, D6110/12 as seen on delivery as light engines through Cambridge, with the communication doors connected. With the Hornby pair, I used the motor bogie elsewhere. Any chance that Dapol will do a dummy loco cheaper for the 2nd one I wonder?

That red is rust I rust I reckon. Mine is on order, ready for use on the Leicester-Norfolk weekend holiday train via the M&GN(!) a mixed rake of Hawksworth & Stanier stock.

Now I'm getting worried - there's got to be a cost to this?

Sorry but NO! The W&M's were based at Cambridge from new until withdrawn & stored there. 2 (may have been only 1?) were then moved to Derbyshire for a short period. They never worked anywhere else. Incidentally, Cambridge was a bit of a magnet for railbuses, as I saw 1 of most if not all types there (can't check numbers as I'm at work). We always thought this was for maintenance or comparison tests, as they were quite successfully used in the area until lines closed.

I stood on the ECML footbridge at Everton Crossing, north of Sandy one day with a tape recorder. Heard the sound of an approaching n/b Deltic, but all I could see was a Brush type 2 - which was piloting the Deltic. Wierd experience, great recording, I still have it on tape somewhere, must dig it out!

Impressive loft ladder, what about showing us the layout next?

I believe the notifications on 'in stock' & 'due dates' on the Bach webpage actually refer to the Barwell stores location? Having said that, I'm eagerly awaiting the 2 green versions of the Cravens unit (yes I know, its not an A2!) which I've pre-ordered with Trains4U; these have been reviewed in all the mags (presumably airfreighted) and are shown as delivered in the last 30 days, yet none of the dealers appears yet to have them delivered!

One of the Yahoo groups had a contributor who is a professional consultant in the rail industry. Though he couldn't give much away, he claimed a while back to have been approached to quote/consult/whatever on replacing the rail track, probably on top of the new concrete. Don't know any more than that, but his many postings on subjects seemed to point to him being genuine! Let's hope so anyway!

Be cheaper to lay some explosive down, bit like a big railway detonator...

Misguided busway, St.Ives to Cambridge line. How dare you post such rubbish on a respectable forum.....

No picture I'm afraid, but maybe a thought-provoking- er... thought? There I was yesterday, sitting on the Embankment (honest guv, I was working...) watching the Eye, the boats, the scenery (lol very pretty girls), and of course the occasional train crossing the bridge in the distance to Charing Cross. A 465 went over, it was in the shadow of the metalwork of the bridge, and looked stunning! The whole bodyside appeared to be in a Maunsell-ish shade of dark green, with yellow doors, white roof, and white cab ends. Now the normal South Eastern livery actually suits these units I reckon, being one of the less "trendy" styles, but can anyone do a photoshop in the style I described just to see the effect of what I appeared to see?

That 92028 reminds me of the old Triang Transcontinental loco for some strange reason!

Lime Green & Chestnut - stylish! Much better than the later insipid blue with the ends dunked in school custard!

As I've heard it, there is no EU directive at present requiring headlights to be on in this country. However, interpretation of "Elf & Safety" by bus garages (initially, followed by their parent companies making it "official") has led to all London buses adopting the idea. It has also been mooted that the EU is considering making it a legal requirement for all vehicles to have them on in the not too distant future, though how true this is I don't know. A sore point with me on 2 counts. Firstly I've had an eye op, which means my left eye doesn't "shut down" as normal so I suffer greatly from dazzle off these lights, particularly from vehicles following me, and secondly, I belong to the school of thought that if everyone has lights on, you actually see less of the surrounding objects, as your eyes ( & half of mine!) shut down with all the bright lights present, so you miss the adjacent unlit objects. Have you noticed btw, the drivers that insist on having them on are usually a) poor drivers; B) the ones more likely to have poorly adjusted lights?

7F2-8-0 on enthusiasts special trying to recrate a historic scene aka todays photographic specials? I'll get my coat...