Ian Hargrave

ANTB friends and followers. Some of you may have seen for sale ads.for various Rapido wagons by Kevin Johnson.I’ve recently bought a 4 plank GW from him myself. He’s leaving the hobby for a short while because he’s about to undergo a course of chemotherapy but intends it not to be a permanent position. I’ve PM’d him just,urging him to keep in touch with RMWEB,citing my own recent experiences with both bereavement and hospitalisation and how keeping in touch really helps the spirits and aids recovery. Maybe we can ourselves bear this in mind and keep him in our thoughts in posting either in open forum or via pm ? Thanks ……Ian.

Watched the first of the new series tonight. Tim & his team maintain its quality status. Unmissable.

Just wondering who on earth would buy one ? I suppose the logical step would be a set of Gresley coaches in HO but who’d be daft enough to produce one…actually no,I shouldn’t tempt fate on this. Could be it’s a secret plan to scupper TT scale by producing a spoiler. Wonder who does market research for them ? Mind you ,it’ll be streets ahead of anything H produce i terms of quality but with a price tag to match. Think of it ,Gaugemaster will be selling FS in three different scales….and still no bl###y Saint or County.I weep….

Totally off ANTB ,for which I apologise profusely,but my inbox received the latest email from Gaugemaster whilst I was viewing last night’s Kohlervision just.It announces a new Flying Scotsman from Trix/Marklin 🥵 .This time in HO .I share the pain….sorry

I also have two of these,though mine are a green LNER and a late crest. My only problems with both were a wayward front pony truck which literally floated off leaving the rest of the model on track.I cured this by reseating the springs and to date I have had no problems with running. ATM 5167 has an unprototypical 8 Hornby corridors in tow ( deputising for a failed Director at Aylesbury) and is unfazed by my two sets of point work at low control speed .I have dc only and am using a new Gaugemaster Combi on new code 100 track on my tabletop min 2nd radius. I have just watched and enjoyed your excellent YouTube review and am in tune with what I see. However,your point about the stuttering is well made . I just wonder whether the performance of both your n9 might be tested chip free on dc analogue on your layout ? Just a thought. Regards,Ian.

And revarnished teak could be seen on BR ( E ) into the early 1950’s. Mainly Thompson though…

Yes ,I had a note about this too. The preview shows a number of images by Peter Gray…as you might expect….so my only concern would be a possible recycling of some .Perhaps that’s an unfair observation but a volume of his work in colour was published only a couple of years ago. This one’s a good companion for Western To The Coast,published last month..which uses Holiday Haunts text for each resort photographed. These were indispensable guides for families wanting to book their fortnight escape every August by rail of course. Anyone else remember them and the reference to PLA. .?

I still have problems in centring that damned bar correctly onto the spigot,the latest being yesterday with a V2 ( not the latest iteration,it has to be said). At least Hornby’s bar avoids that with screws at both ends.Generally though it’s an issue that does need addressing. We surely can do better,with some thought put into a closer,practical design.

You are quite correct. HO releases have shown the way to do it for many years. Hornby’s idea of tender coupling is way outdated .

Language evolves over time and words such as ‘locomotive’ and ‘engine’ adopt alternate meanings. Most people experience a rail journey in a ‘train’ without a ‘locomotive’.How often have the likes of us bridled at the term ‘ train station’ …or even ‘kettle’. ? 🤣

This has been Hattons go to position for years when they can’t supply .Nothing unusual or sinister here.

And the barn door gap between loco and tender which the current design/part renders impossible to shorten other than by performing surgery to the link ? Yes,Hornby do know about it and a fix replacement part is promised ( My conversation at GETS last October with design team & SK ) but the rest is silence. Ironic after the driving wheel theatre performance staged for this week’s programme. Still it was filmed a while back,etc.,etc……

Though an NER design,it didn’t really see much service in their colours before grouping it has to be said.An iconic loco which often wandered south as has been posted here. They could be seen on the Burton-York beer train which followed a somewhat circuitous route via Etwall,Derby Friargate & thence to the GCR mainline.

And a variety of livery too. This is surely one that would sell

Indeed. It progresses north via the east side of Lichfield and is causing what promises to be an ongoing difficulty with roads ( A38 ) in the immediate vicinity.Well actually it already is in fact ….. ….

Another enjoyable programme. It does lift the spirits but…….much is made of the dimensions between the drivers on the 9F when IMHO an obvious visual clanger is allowed to pass without comment.I’m referring to the large gap between loco and tender on this model which IMHO detracts from what is in every other respect a great model. A replacement linking bar I am informed by SK & other tv luminaries is under development.We shall see. One other observation and that is the rekindled relationship with the NRM which has been “in abeyance” for a while.

The Brits came to 40B and worked Cleethorpes -KX turns etc. being handed on from East Anglian services as a result of the arrival of the dreaded diesel in the early 1960’s They in turn displaced Immingham’s B1’s ..61379 being the star performer for a while.

Compararable in some respects to Clarkson’s Farm.Posted with tongue firmly in cheek………😆

They are now on sale at Hornby stockists and have been for a few weeks. What it means ,if you can trust Hornby’s website,is that there are none left in their warehouse.

So a can with every catalogue ? Or better still a Bushmills…..🤫

If they can be currently sourced ,Hornby Thompson faux teak or BR Maroon are ideal. For later BR,Bachmann IIRC did produce 57’ Mk 1 suburban and Replica Railways a 64’ 3 set.Again it’s a question of sourcing. Corridor stock is an easier option .

Check the spring on the front axle. I’ve had to re seat both of mine. Otherwise a whisper smooth silky performance from each .

Enjoy. For the best in romanticism watch La Boheme on BBC 4 currently playing.

That’s a nuisance. Just looked at my two,neither of which exhibit thus issue.The rear coupling moves independently within its mounting.The trailing pony track seems to “float” within the box and is sprung. I did have a problem with the front pony track spring which was cured by resetting…a relatively simple task as there’s a tiny screw to access it.I think you might be having this problem on the rear box.There doesn’t appear to be any easy way in though. I notice it’s been liberally lubricated at the factory.

Yes they are …2nd radius which hasn’t in itself produced any difficulties thus far.I believe the important thing is to ensure that all three axles on each coach sit squarely on the track so important to take the time to ensure that they do. Taking the time to do this pays dividends and will hopefully prevent subsequent derailing.Using these couplings adds a new and better dimension to the experience of running on your layout but needs initial care in setting up which isn’t difficult.