Coppercap

All the latest discussion seems to be about top feed/no top feed. So what's the situation regarding bunkerside steps and handrail on the early-built locos, in pre-war 'Great Western' livery? Hopefully for these there are none, to represent them in early condition?

Actually, Hornby did these as part of a non-GWR/WR train set, with the B12, in early BR blue livery - "The Anglian".

Used to be even odder - it was previously a specialist chocolatier next door! Incidentally, I find collecting pre-ordered items from the shop always works out more expensive than having them posted........I don't need to explain why, do I?

Hattons would surely prefer you to buy their complete model, rather than just a body. If the chassis, which I expect they will have paid a lot of development money on, isn't good enough for you, they'd probably wonder why they should sell you just the body.

I've just had a confirmatory email that both of the composites and the all 3rd that I pre-ordered are now in stock awaiting my collection (along with the Brake 3rds already in stock). Now, how am I going to sneak these indoors without the authorities knowing? I'll have to pop out on Saturday afternoon on an 'errand'...

The 4-4-0 County tender top is not really up to it. While it may fit, it's detail is way less than the Star's Churchward tender, and the bulkhead behind the coal space is too far to the rear - presumably that was to accommodate the old tender drive. Also, it has a mountain of moulded coal that will have to be removed or it'll look toylike.

You'll need to change the tender for starters... you need the smaller, 3500(?) gallon type, not the 4000 gallon type as fitted.

Does it? It's a D95 r/h, and the side visible is the compartment side. While it is correct in that the guards compartment windows (on the compartment side of the coach) were definitely wrong, the windows on the corridor side seemed correct to me, and the interior has the corridor on the corridor-window side.

Careful! You do know that Hornby's separately-applied parts had a reputation for flying off at the slightest touch?

Model Railways Direct (probably one of the smallest of the "box shifters") in Portishead has them in stock. Ordered the set yesterday, and as everywhere else only the brakes currently in, but still list plenty of them in stock. I'm ashamed to say, I wasn't aware of Derails until today!

Me too! H1401, 'Great Western' 4825, Southall shed. Dad will like that, him being a Southall lad, and Southall footbridge 'copper' (that's from before the term 'train spotting' was coined...). He would have seen it many times before the war. Sadly his eyesight's failing now (AMD), so he won't be able to fully appreciate it, more's the pity..

All you have to do is Google VDV143S, and it's history will be revealed, with images...

Well the 120 continued to run Hounslow Heath to Southall long after the 120 section to Hayes along the Uxbridge Road was replaced by the 207A.

FAB? Wrong show...

Oh yes, great fun on full volume when the folks (and neighbours) are out! Well, it was, as I haven't played it for years as the turntable's packed away these days......

You're correct, and I thought it was fairly obvious to most that a suffixed route was a variation. I mentioned earlier the 232 and 232A - these shared the same end points (Hounslow Bus Garage and Yeading (White Hart), and followed the same route from Hounslow to the North Star (North Hyde Lane), then split, taking different routes, then rejoining again in King Street in Southall, then sharing the route again to Yeading. Interestingly, the 90B ran for very many years (probably decades) after the 90 itself ceased running. I think the 90B is just the 90 now, how boring! Now, thinking back, there was a specific Airport bus route with an 'A' in it - the A1 Express route that ran non-stop from Hounslow West station to Heathrow Central, that was, until the Piccadilly Line opened to Heathrow Airport Central. Used that bus many times for a day out at the Airport (no child fares though!). So in a way 81C is almost correct about 'A' for Airport, but as far as I know for Heathrow, that was the only specific 'A' route, for Airport, to go there.

The 'A' didn't stand for Airport at all - there was no 105A and the 232A didn't even go to the airport! The 232A was a new route, via Convent Way, and ran for a while in conjunction with the 232 until the 232 itself was dropped. The 232A was later remembered 232, then later still H32 (H for Hounslow). RMs NEVER operated the 232, 232A or 120, but they did take over from RTs on the 105 to the airport.

I guess, if it's EFE models you have, the '105' is 'route 105', and therefore would be an RT, not an RM. The '7' if it's 'route 7' is no doubt an RM - and EFE did more than one on route 7. EFE do make some nice bus stops, even with the little finials in the top (need to be painted though). You can get route 232 blinds for an RT from LBRT. Of course, you'll now need to get the correct bus numbers for the route and garage (for the period modelled), correct number plates and garage plates............woe betide any loco modeller with incorrect numbers and shed plates on a loco - bus modellers are no different!

Just looked up some more info - RMs replaced RTs on the 105 in April 1978 (then it was Metros from September 1982).

RMs never worked the 232. It was RTs, even after the introduction of the 232A.

One thing that's interesting is that it has the 'illegal' 'ferret-and-dartboard' crest on the right side. These were originally all facing the front (just like the earlier 'cycling lion'), but after quite a lot had been applied BR was told only the left-facing version was legal, so subsequently all decals were left-facing, on both sides.

The wheels are a push-fit onto splined axles, so pull one wheel off to separate. I too haven't yet worked out how to remove the front bogie.........

Doesn't most of the old route north of Buckfastleigh run under (or close to) it anyway, until it reaches the ouskirts of Ashburton? I do agree with you in that it won't exactly be atmospheric, especially at holiday times with all that noisy traffic roaring by on the A38!

Bit the bullet - pre-ordered one yesterday - H1401, 4825. had to get that one, as it was a Southall engine....

If you were to do that today, and were found out, your parents would probably be arrested and you would be put into care! Happy days back then, weren't they?