Coppercap

I count that as an eight-coach set of seven carriage types... 🤔

But then the ratio of first class to third class would then be too high. Better to have two brake thirds, one all-third and one composite.

In the GWR period, yes.

Not from Derails, and not model railway related, but a relative of mine repeat-ordered something online, and had an email stating that it had been delivered by RM, with a photo of the parcel on a doorstep. Except it wasn't their doorstep, and clearly it wasn't anyone else's in their road, or even on their estate. You could even see the (correct) address in the photo. They contacted the seller who then contacted RM, who claimed it had been delivered correctly, but they eventually accepted it was not the correct doorstep in the photo, and had no clue where that doorstep was either. Seller then despatched replacement that arrived without issue (probably the regular postman...). Item was valued at over £100. Shame that the seller was legally held responsible for this, and had to make a loss on it, even though they were 100% blameless. The parcel was apparently never 'returned to sender' nor returned to RM to deliver to the correct address.

I think you will find that it's actually a slip coach. These had end windows and gongs.

Looking at the 1922 Bradshaws (admittedly thats several years before this photo with the Met Bo-Bo), morning through GW trains to Liverpool Street started at Southall or West Drayton with one train from Windsor & Eton. Regarding this photo, I wonder where the loco was changed? Edit. Since found this:

Though that's not running on Metropolitan lines.

I'm well aware of that - a Metro tank has been on my wishlist for a while, even though it'll never happen...

It's hardly a 'variation' - I don't think anything you can see is common to the Kernow version. It would need to be a completely new model, and most unlikey to appear. These weren't very long lived when compared to the one we now have, limiting their appeal. Also, the fact that there isn't a 12" to the foot model to measure (only drawings, and photos) would make it even more unlikely.

Typically one of these, a 'Large Metro'. This one, 3599 (seen here in the twilight of its career away from London), was a Southall engine for a long time, and my great grandfather most definitely drove it - he was on the suburban trains in and out of Paddington for over 20 years up until retirement in 1924. Many 'Metros' didn't have cabs, only spectacle plates, even as late as the early 1920s ('get wets', they called them) and these were condenser apparatus fitted for running on into the City over the Metropolitan, which was what these coaches were designed for. 'County Tank' 4-4-2Ts were also used in and out of Paddington, though unlikely over the Metropolitan lines.

I think it is the so-called butterfly valve, which has to be reset if the emergency chain is pulled. They rotate 90 degrees if chain is pulled, and in a train of several carriages, it can be seen in which carriage the chain's been pulled. They do appear to be vulnerable though, don't they?

Things have moved on a bit since the 1950s - virtually all single-cylinder motorcycles these days have an electric starter, without even a kick-starter as a back-up for when the battery's flat!

It looks rather like the bottom of the side is bowing in and out, comparing it to the solebar.

Logging on to my account, I can see it shows that I ordered and paid for it 16/12/2022 (not sound fitted). Despatched 16/1/24. Faulty, so sent back 1/2/24, delivered to Kernow 5/2/24 (from Royal Mail Tracking). There is no mention of the replacement being despatched on my account, nor did I receive an email (but then I didn't email them either), but the Royal Mail Tracking shows the replacement was despatched 6/2/24, delivered to me 8/2/24. As it was a replacement as opposed to a repair, I guess I was more quickly processed.

IF they know what ship the container is on, there are shipping trackers to look at.

Are KR Models doing an SRM as well? 🤔

Ah, but your new SRM would then have to be bigger, on account of the passengers not only being heavier but also wider, thus requiring wider seats, so needing a bigger SRM for the same number of seats... or maybe add a trailer!

I didn't get an email that my return had arrived with Kernow (sent Thursday last week), but they sent me an email on Monday that (the replacement) had been despatched. I then got further emails from Royal Mail that they had received it, another when it was due to be delivered, and then another after it was delivered. If you haven't yet heard anything regarding your return, it might be worth contacting them. I presume you used their return post system, and didn't just post it back at your expense?

Took mine to the PO last Thursday afternoon, got the replacement yesterday lunchtime.

Of course it has, we've moved on a bit since Tri-ang Hornby! 😉

Today I received a replacement Railmotor for the one I sent back last week (the LED at one end had completely failed). Straight out of the box, this one is a slightly smoother runner than the first one, with no hesitancy at all, and after half an hour or so running-in in each direction, it's even better - it will crawl slower than would be normal operation, but I'm especially pleased I can make this one start a tad more realistically... and the LEDs are still working! I do like the low-glow interior lighting - they slowly dim after stopping rather than go straight out (DC), and much more realistic than those searchlights in the Hattons Genesis coaches (I'll have to try and tone those down a bit).

I notice that you said the LED at one end (the 'leading' end) has failed completely - the LED on mine has failed at the other ('trailing') end. It was certainly working for a few minutes. After seeing you showing the getting inside, and the complex and fragile wiring, I'm reluctant to even have a look inside mine. If I did, I don't think I'd be able to find what's at fault and fix it anyway... Mine was a bit hesitant initially at slow speeds, but after running-in it was better, but when attempting to start realistically it is still not as smooth as it ought to be. I think might be going back for replacement... I'm not too disappointed, as faults do happen, but it did cost £180...

Well done, it is, thank you! From just below the '7' (of the 97) on the trailing end. Much closer inspection shows the paint is actually brown, not black as I thought. A bit of superglue will fix that, if it doesn't ping off out of the tweezers first!

Well I will do in due course. I've had plenty of experience with LEDs failing, and I sometimes thing they are a bit of a PITA.

Mine arrived today, courtesy of Royal Mail. Firstly, removing the Railmotor's own box from the transit packaging, it was clear that the box had been dropped at some point - NOT by Royal Mail. Well, they might have dropped it at some point, but if they did, it didn't cause this as the transit packaging was undented both inside and out. On opening the box and removing the clear plastic packing from it, I could see the chimney was loose within, so I carefully opened it to make sure I didn't lose the chimney to the carpet, but before I did, I also saw a tiny piece of what looks like brass shining in the light, and part-painted black. I can't work out what it is, maybe a step or something? I can't see another one on the Railmotor like it anywhere. The chimney pressed firmly back into place without any problem. On the track (Gaugemaster controller, on DC), the Railmotor is slightly hesitant and doesn't moves off particularly smoothly, being slightly jerky at realistic stopping and starting speeds (I would be critical seeing it do that at an exhibition), or at slow speeds as if there are tight spots (but it doesn't seem to be at the same point of rotation each time) requiring much tweaking of the controller to try and keep the speed constant, but I'll see how it is after an hour or so in each direction. Lastly, the LED head and tail lamps are very bright at anything other than slow speed. I've not got much of a problem with that, BUT after five minutes or so, I noticed that the LED at the 'trailing' end has failed completely, so it doesn't illuminate in either direction. All that said, it is a fantastic model, superbly detailed and finished. But, it might have to go back...