Ian Hargrave

That’s a Hattons response from time immemorial.All it usually means is “we can’t get any “ .Look elsewhere.

Many thanks .. No qualms about this,even given concerns re: smokebox plating. I had expected good performance but this is exceptional.

Viewed just the committal service from St. George’s Chapel which for me was the most moving part of the whole day.Near the end of the ceremony,the Orb & Sceptre and Imperial Crown were taken from the top of the coffin and placed on the High Altar. Today’s BBC commentator,David Dimbleby informed us that they were ceremonially presented to Her Majesty at her Coronation in 1953 by the Archbishop of Canterbury. As a boy just having passed his11+ to enter Grammar School,I watched and listened to it all on a neighbour’s 9” TV ( We had no TV ). The BBC commentary on that occasion was ,of course,David Dimbleby’s father,Richard.. So here am I. At the joyous start to the New Elizabethan age ……and at its stately ending. I have no words that could describe my thoughts.

A fitting,dignified and moving service.Pomp,Circumstance and the best of British choral tradition from the Abbey choir.New pieces specially composed including one by appropriately enough a Scot…Sir James MacMillan…and a favourite of mine personally My Soul There Is A Country Far Beyond The Stars by Sir Hubert Parry…a composer much admired by our new King. In my days as a choir member,I’ve sung it a few times. Two other things that touched me were the piper’s lament and the few words,no more than that,by the BBC’s Fergal Keane in commentary. Refraining from over intrusive commentary made the ceremony all the more appropriate.

Good point. One of the features where it should,given the amount of die cast metal,is in performance.That said,despite Sam’s YouTube assault,there’s nothing wrong with the Bachmann 9F on that score.Well not in my experience anyway. It would have been helpful ( he says,tongue firmly in cheek ) if there were some degree of parity on price point .There isn’t.Which,contrary to usual perceived wisdom, is seemingly reversed in Bachmann’s favour.So I need a degree of positive evidence before I fork out an extra £30…..current figures on new to be released Bachmann 9F available on Rails website…on one of these. ATM I’m not getting it.

Curiously enough,one of Bachmann’s future releases is 92212. Viewing the current images on Rails website,it does not have the smokebox plating joins. Who’s to say which is correct and for which period in the loco’s history ? The revelation of scanning details by Hornby R&D might give us a clue. It appears then that they have decided to award all three new releases with this “modification “ regardless. Looking at an image of 92214 taken at the Bachmann Collectors Club day at Quorn on 26 June,the “mod” is not present on the “prototype “. Tried just to have a look at the new Hornby at my nearest dealer. No luck.Sold out. Getting more in next week.The guy ( and no names mentioned) can’t fathom why this when Bachmann produces ….and continues to do so…a very good model. I can’t disagree with that. But certainly in my neck of the woods,the new H 9F is going like hot cakes it seems.

This issue is almost as old as time itself,I’m afraid

The first named Standard 5MT’s 73080-89 went to the Eastern section ( Stewart’s Lane then 73A ,the kingdom for a while of the late Dick Hardy.) in the mid 1950’s mainly for Kent Coast workings from Victoria etc. . The Western section examples worked alongside the aged Arthurs for a while,until they were eventually withdrawn. I have an abiding memory of seeing 30453 …Arthur himself….charging through Yeovil Junction,shrill whistle sounding on an up West Of England Waterloo express in August 1958 whilst waiting for my train taking me on a spotting trip to Salisbury. That arrived shortly,hauled by airsmoothed 35003 Royal Mail. During that day,I “copped” 73117,73110,Arthur 30773 and the very first of the defrocked MN 35018 British India Line. Curiously,my return journey to Yeovil Junction was again 35003 making her way back to Exeter and her home Exmouth Junction. My aunt,with whom we were staying for a while,couldn’t comprehend my obsession with trains and suggested seriously to my father that he should seek psychiatric help for me. I’m not there yet.

Dire is perhaps OTT but certainly Hornby have added “details” to the smokebox not in Mr.Riddles original design. Its Bachmann counterpart lacks them. Though there is no “depth” to its chimney. It all depends upon how it affects its presence in your eyes whilst on your tracks I imagine. If I bought one,I’d want to see it in a retail environment before parting with ( a lot ) of cash.

I mentioned Bachmann’s loco to tender coupling above as being not to current standard. Yet in the images posted here of the new Hornby there appears to be a distinctly noticeable gap. Am I correct in this ?

Just noticed the box above for Evening Star. Are Hornby actually marketing this model in association with the NRM as has been the case in the past ?

Many thanks to the two forum members who have posted images of their 9F .To compare,I have just scrutinised one of my own Bachmann version. ATM,I can identify two areas where the new Hornby version just might score. One is the chimney which on the Bachmann is flat& not hollowed out and the other the connection between loco and tender which is outdated.I cannot see any other noticeable improvement cosmetically. Bachmann’s 9F remains a fine model with good overall performance.Unfortunately,I have several and it will require a great deal of soul searching on my part to justify a not insubstantial capital outlay on this.And I have no doubt that Hornby have produced a superb model

I think earlier than 1969 .By then they would be FYE ? I’d go for 1966/67….

On the other hand,you might consider a 70A 5MT with large capacity tender ( 73110 etc ).These were common on Waterloo-Salisbury-Exeter workings from the mid 1950’s on and the retooled 73118 should be somewhere in the firmament ,though at a premium price.Bath SDJR held its Standard 5’s in high esteem . Somewhere I have a green 73049 I think.. Speaking of the Cleethorpes,wasn’t that a famed 7F turn from/to Templecombe ? Edit: By “retooled” I mean of course returned to factory for correction of tender design and not a totally new version.

Er….well….actually there’s me of the “not many” who well remembers the day in February 1952 when his classroom stood to the presence of the head teacher who duly announced the death of our king George V1. I think we thought the world had stopped . I was ten years old. So then …nothing is new under the sun .And hello,I’m still here…just.

And I have had the good fortune of living throughout her reign.Charles 111 is my third monarch.She gave her life in service to this nation and her legacy is an example to us all.A life well lived.

Pickering is well worth a visit in its own right as is correctly posted above. The White Swan is a personal recommendation,having recently spent a night there. Its staff are so helpful and kind. Pickering also has a retailer of perhaps one of the most beautiful but expensive mens shoes outside London in the UK. Tempted ? Maybe but in another life .

It might be good if we showed a little help and kindness towards our member from Marseilles rather than criticism for his predicament. If I read this correctly,his first language is French. So exercise a tolerance and allowance for that please before damping down his concerns over this model with somewhat self righteous correction. He has a difficulty.So how can we help ? Getting in touch with Bachmann at Barwell via email might be a first step . Any further advice ?

That’s an interesting observation and it’s dependent upon which area/coalfield you’re talking about. As each generation of miners fall off the tree,then memories fade My own home area was the Rhondda/Aberdare valleys and there are startling contrasts there. Tower….the legendary last pit….is no more and no visible trace exists .Yet just a mile up the hillside the buildings of its ancillary pit remain…..as the infrastructure of a new tourist attraction zip wire.So now “butt”you can jump safely off the Rhigos and zoom smoothly & safely down to enjoy a cup of coffee & a burger in the cafe which once served as part of the pit.It was initially known as Tirherbert Sinkings and was a new venture opened by the bright new NCB just after the war.In fact as a kid travelling over the Rhigos on a Western Welsh bus to see his Gran and aunties in Treorchy and Treherbert I remember it actually opening. The bus would sometimes stop half way up to pick up or let down there. For memory and nostalgia and for the odd building or two that remain then visit Maerdy,aka “Little Moscow”.Yes Communist in politics in its heyday and proud of its tradition. They all marched back together at the end of the strike.There’s a commemorative structure to see ,marking its final significance .But the mountainsides and industrial remains now make good sport for youths in their beaten up 4x4’s. A long while since Dewi Thomas ….my grandfather….was a colliery winder in Cwmparc.He was a true pitman poet,whose work is held at the National Library in Aberystwyth.The other day I went to see the house in Treorchy in which he and my grandmother brought up seven children .Now tarted up with a BMW MPV parked outside. Time marches on….

But I can Robin but another Accurascale…..or two.And this is no way to downgrade or criticise the Dapol model which I am sure is quite excellent as is demonstrated here by Mark…..for which as is said more power to his elbow..Regards.Ian.

Apart from 7828 & 7829 on the Vale of Neath.,I’d forgotten spotting one morning on my way to school 7818 ( then 84E ) heading a fitted freight at Gadlys Junction signal box,waiting for its rear end banking assistance in the form of 86 J’s 42XX to assault the Gelli Tarw incline to Hirwain ….latterly the route to the now legendary Tower Colliery but then down the Rhigos all the way to Neath. This iteration is of course not as I saw it but,let’s just observe that as marketed I was around,as they say,at the time….apologies for the ravings of one past his sell buy date.Will I buy ? I think that answer needs little prediction. Enjoy.

My assumption is that this is a fairly new build house ? That being the case the lawn will most probably have been laid on top of less than ideal sub surface..i.e.builders rubbish.which means probably poor aeration & drainage now being worsened by drought conditions. So then firstly ask yourself if you really need a lawn or maybe hard landscaping is an acceptable alternative bearing in mind the effects of climate change. If you do want that ideal patch of green well manicured turf, one avenue of exploration might be to ask for a visit from a specialist in lawn care company such as Green Thumb.They might be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.The drastic solution is of course to dig it all up and lay the new turf with a properly prepared sub surface. Not inexpensive.

On the strength of which I believe I have sufficient credit for the purchase of a Siphon G .Question is….which one ? Constant flitting between rival ( ? ) Manor threads and video viewing ( The heat being a disincentive to do much else ) has led me,fickle soul that I am,to return here and place an order for yet another Acc.Manor. Whisper it softly but it’s the one with those dreaded red backed nameplates. Yes,but you see in my adolescent train spotting days,even Castles sported them,in addition to the usual suspects .Thus then in current dotage,back to a miss-spent youth it seems.The Siphon G will have another companion.

Good to see the Rembrandt of the paint job getting an atttribution on this forum once more after an absence now of quite a few years .

Much controversy has rightly been aired over the firebox “slope” but ,looking at Dapol’s incarnation,my main area of concern lies below the running plate where for my taste …..and I emphasise this,because it’s a subjective issue…..the wheel tyres are both too thick and too bright and the valve gear doesn’t “do it” for me either. Personally,I wouldn’t lose any sleep over the paint job but let’s just say I have seen better. I know this model is already the pride and joy of some forum members and I respect that,so I wouldn’t wish to cause offence to them in expressing my thoughts on it.