Ian Hargrave

What a dreadful mess.

Just how bl###y silly can this get in terms of foot shooting ? Truly,unbelievable. Except that it did happen…..on a tv channel with a nationwide audience,. Explain this if you can . Another mega cock up soon to be soothingly explained away no doubt in dulcet tone. Sadly I begin seriously to wonder whether a company as accidental prone really has a future .

Watched several of the first series on my iPad with a pair of headphones attached lying in a hospital bed. I was mightily glad of the familiarity and distracting escapism. So yes I’ll be watching as they say for old times sake and thinking…I’m bloody glad to be here for Series 2. SK ? Love him or otherwise,you can’t ignore the fact that he’s been,along with Graham Hubbard,a major player in the resurgence of railway modelling for two decades now and still going strong. So what’s that if not a passion? Have a laugh if we must but keep that in mind too. And after the Big H hour on Yesterday we have a repeat ( I think ) of Tim Dunn’s The Architecture The Railways built…..a tonic to watch.

Probably yes but don’t hold your breath for a couple of years as they’re quoting 2024 delivery for the GER examples and others. We can console ourselves with the knowledge that Dapol and Accurascale have GW stock imminent….well relatively so anyway

Really ? I know I have banged the drum unceasingly for years on this one,,BUT….and it’s a big “but” ….given that I am now an octogenarian ( did I spell it right Simon Kohler ? ) and given that I’ve had an introductory view of the “other side” ( Pause for emphasis to wind up strength of expression ). How bloody long are we going to have to wait for this one ? Because,my old fruit, given your track record of delivery status, we may both be meeting on the other side before we see it emerge . Or is this another case of putting down a marker because it’s “ one of ours “ (cue Terrier ) and don’t anyone else touch it ‘cause “ it’s mine,all mine” ? So in my dreams Rapido or Accurascale already have one tooled up ready to go. I wish……..apologies for rant. ABH….so work that one out .

Hattons have hit the sweet spot with their Genesis range,with more to come over the next couple of years,so maybe they have sufficient on their order books….and drain on capital outlay….to be interested in another run of the 14XX . How many owners of the DJM world be prepared to revisit the model….apart from Cosa Nostra on RMWEB,ANTB etc….having bought first time around and like me and Robin maybe prepared to put up with its eccentricities ? I think we should seriously ask ourselves if there is still a market for it in the wider sense tbh.and perhaps that’s what’s holding Hattons back. And talking of the Genesis range of “antiques” ,a better avenue of future development maybe to encourage them in the direction of a Metro Tank ? Only a thought…..

Apply now…before the Oriental cultural ( ? ) tourists buy their socks off for years in advance. The Goldenersaal is a rather magical place to be but you can visit and enjoy its delights on other occasions too. Be very sure to book online in advance..for music you are certain you will enjoy….much of it you mightn’t. The Vienna Philharmonic operates a strictly controlled distribution of booking. Other events do occur there apart from the VPO. I’ve been lucky to enjoy music there on a couple of occasions.It’s nowhere as stuffy and formal as it appears.Thus I’ve had access to the stage in an interval to chat to members of the choir during an interval ..even to a peek at the score. If you want to do it….do it….but Vienna has so much more to offer in both musical and artistic ways too. The Volksoper is also so much fun for instance .It specialises in Viennese operetta . Just go for it. With determination you’ll do stuff you may have deemed out of reach .

So sorry to hear this. I know all too well what it means.I hope your surgeon’s hand is steady if it’s an open heart ❤️ procedure and you sustain your reserves of strength and courage for a good result. May good fortune attend you.

Meanwhile the clock ticks ever on….mine in addition to Hornby’s. 🙄

Indeed….which could be vexatious on certain occasions,such as excess ale consumption before & after an international rugby match at Cardiff Arms Park when Valleys trains,a standard 5/6 Collett/Hawksworth load ,were packed with returning supporters.No toilets until you got to Ponty…if you were lucky enough to achieve relief before the train headed off to Treherbert or Merthyr.If not it was a wait for the next train.

Bless you Rob and all who cherish the nicer things in life on this live chunk of rural railways. A joyful Christmas to all.Thanks for helping restore me to better health and contentment.I have been one of the more fortunate ones.I’ll keep it that way….fingers crossed for 2023 and onwards to a world inhabited by Manors.

Just to add to that.every stage of my recent order was tracked by both email to my iPad and text to my iPhone.In addition to DHL,who were exemplary and actually delivered 30 minutes earlier than the time slot allocated,Accurascale themselves similarly communicated with me from initial order to arrival. I ordered late last Thursday evening…..a spur of the moment decision ( one of my better ones )…..and the beast arrived at 10:00 yesterday morning . Considering the time of the year and the current chaotic state of post /parcel deliveries I’d say that’s pretty damned good

Or in the case of DPD outside the porch in full view of the surrounding neighbourhood.

A truly Dickensian Christmas then….but definitely no turkey this. The loco is aptly named because Dickens was a pioneer of cross Channel travel by train and ferry. He was a passenger on a train involved in a major fatal derailment in Kent whilst returning from Paris after a visit ( it is assumed) to see his extra marital friend ,the actress Ellen Ternan. He apparently gave assistance to the injured but didn’t give his name.Wonder why ? Fast forward over a century and we now have a somewhat smoother and faster experience of rail travel and the Tunnel for our Class 92. This model…once again… raises the bar in quality and fidelity . Now where did I store those Cargowaggons ? Bravo Accurascale.

And indeed they have.An electric loco to match the quality of,for instance,Roco. Arrived this morning. I dare not reveal what I actually paid for it . Let’s just say I’m unlikely ever again to achieve such an astounding bargain. IMHO the best current electric model in OO by a country mile

And yet I’ve had an item purchased from Amazon a week ago on the 16th but delivery via RM ( true ! ) Tracked 48 arrived this afternoon. Amazon’s prediction for it was between 17-19 December.Thus on schedule. It came via Bristol btw.

FYI . Just worked well now for order of a Class 92. A substantial discount achieved which made the purchase outstandingly worthwhile and lessened considerably the self indulgent seasonable pain. An avenue financially well worth pursuing.. I’m just curious to see whether or not Acc.have matched our Continental HO friends in oh electric ((particularly pantograph) design and operation. So…What the Dickens? Happy…er whatever…😇

Neatly hit the proverbial nail the right way up. In my case a list of models all dressed up and nowhere to go include a couple of Terriers, ditto Precedents a Coal Tank and an Adams Jubilee from OO Works on order. The arrival of the Genesis coaches has meant that there is now work for models idling their time away..and yes I know all about Rule 1.🤭

I have just received my NE No.1.from Locomotion.The buffer beams are metal and match the buffer housing.It’s a sweet,solid little piece of metal which performs well at slow speed & glides along nicely . I’m now looking forward to the Accurascale NE wagons to run behind it.The panto is of necessity quite tiny and needs careful handling but it is at least representative and personally there’s nothing to quibble at here.

Cheers.. pm me if you’re still interested as & when. It’ll still be here.

My card was plundered by a phone call from Shildon yesterday pm. On their way. Nice.

My 75070 (dc analogue) runs well.No problem there. That’s no help to you though,is it ? However,I also have 75072 (single chimney e/c) of that ilk which does have issues but of the cosmetic variety not the drive/gear ones.Namely,one cab window awol and rear wheel set of pony adrift due to irreparable plastic crumble. It’s one redeeming feature is that it does actually run and without noise too.Again dc analogue.In fact I have just given it a run . Any use to you ? ATM best ….if you want it…..to leave until after the seasonal mayhem has gone away. Unboxed.

Many thanks for the nod. I’ve just put Hardwick on my LBSC 4-set. Looks suitably vintage & antique,if not quite authentic, I would prefer LNWR Genesis but Hattons cupboard is sadly bare. ATM is appears it’s Hornby alone have the field. A nice cash return for Hattons it seems,which is really good for us all.

Much mud has been flung in Amazon’s direction.I simply could not have managed without their deliveries over the last three years. In many ways ,they have been a lifeline.This kind of service will make me look anew at Hattons…who also coincidentally come in for some stick on occasion. Returning to the the Genesis coaches and particularly my Terrier hauled LBSCR 4-set, I found sufficient Hunt magnetic couplings to equip A to D but not either end of the set. After the initial fiddle…..the NEM boxes don’t look too secure.. I set them to work. The effect is of very near buffer to buffer coupling. My tabletop is a 28” radius roundy and at first there were derailments with the buffers fouling.Eventually though the ensemble settled down smoothly without further problems;the magnetic heads operating off centre between B&C and D&E without seemingly any difficulties. IMHO,their use transforms these coaches into near prototypical use & appearance .It rids them of the toytown barn door gaps and those dreadful tension lock things. Just my experience anyway.

So how do they run ? Unlike Thomas with Annie and Clarabel,Boxhill is having a smooth glide with his set. One step I will take in due course is to equip them with magnetic couplings.They will look that much better and tbh the fitted tension locks could be improved upon.Be that as it may,excusing the dreadful pun,I am chuffed. Now 643 is barking for his turn. I must not disappoint.