acko22

Ok Gents, The pledges are now over 90K which is good news for us wanting one. I have decided for personal reasons to do this next bit, tomorrow (24th) Marks the start of the unofficial 1914 Christmas Truce between elements of the British and German forces facing each other. So to mark this for any pledge for the Poppy Pendo tomorrow and Christmas day, the total amount raised up to the sum of 100 pounds I will match pound for pound. As I say I am doing this for personal reasons as to matching the money raised, but not only will it raise extra money for the project but also the RBL. Guys that includes if you are altering the pledge to the PoppyPendo to if you alter your pledge for one just put (RBL XMAS) in the comments bit on the kickstart page, this doesn't include those that have pledged already or after the 25th for one Cheers Acko

Just build a N gauge line on the OO layout then class it as "Narrow Gauge"

Great Pics Jon, The second one is really striking and makes the pendo seem very at home in its surroundings!

Well not going to lie I am very happy to see this come to fruition, I have to mention Fi Dobson from the Royal British Legion, she has been instrumental in getting the idea pushed through with the Legion and behind the project since she heard of it! For those that don't know how big a very it is for the Legion and the Forces not only is it the centenary of World War one (as I am sure every man and his dog knows) but it marks the exit of British combat forces from Helmand and the first time in 13 years British troops have not been involved in combat operations. Sadly the second point has left its scars both physically and mentally with service personnel, veterans and their families and I know the Legion will be very grateful for the money that can be raised with the VIRGIN HERO set. As both Mike and Ben have said the set numbers used in the first run would be only used once so this makes the set a truly limited edition. To bring it full circle on the Poppy Train if you look up PTE Wilfred Wood and read his Citation he is a True Hero. He volunteered to go to war in WW1 leaving his job as a fireman at Edgeley Shed in Stockport, in 1918 for acts most conspicuous bravery he won the Victoria Cross. At the end of the war he returned to the railways and a Claughton Class Steam locomotive was named after him and 2 other VC winners from LNWR, this name was transferred onto a LMS Patriot class in 1922. PTE Woods VC Retired from the railways in 1960 as a supervisor at none other than Longsight Depot the home base of the entire Pendolino Fleet.

Looking at how much he wants he must in cloud cu cu land!!

Ahh I live next to the Stockport to Altrincham line and not much exciting down there and it's rather flat so don't get much growling only the pacers screaming like a moped going past!

Don't know if anyone went to Poyton here, I know there was stands from NGS, 2mm, DEMU and the local group who were holding it of interest they are building a N gauge layout of Stockport viaduct included, sadly I didn't get to talk to any of the guys there but did accidentally drop a leaflet or 2 for them to see! maybe that will get us a pledge or 2 more if not already

Ha ha well moral of the story if you don't like the sound of trains or can't get use to it don't live next to a railway line

Lyneux, Your the kind of guy we want to pledge too as well I am sure you can appreciate this may help all scales and eras! If this works well Guys like Rapido and other smaller firms may look at it as a worth while system to get models on the market as its: 1) cheaper for them all the tooling etc is pre paid for on the initial run. 2) Well if people pledge takes the gamble if you may of spending the money to produce it. 3) Lets them gauge how well the model would be received As for us the modeller well we get the models we want and if you pledge lower prices! Although not what you are after this time, well there is more chance of having a kickstart for what you are after in the future!

I like the never used bit! If it was never used why is it missing the hook of the front coupling in the pics??

Wow the "Rare" Exeter really does get about!

I think part of the trick now may be getting the message put to the smaller retailers who may have not heard about the project. But also for those that live near any of the larger shops (no mentioning any box packers) maybe literally sell it to them and see if they may buy a few sets boast the numbers a little that way.

Hi Ron, Again all I can say is amazing! I was in Manchester today and parked in the old warehouse, and you really get a feel for what you are looking a achieve when you walk around the place now! The fact you have really got it in detail is just amazing I am to young to even remember Central as a derelict car park but you really do get a feeling of awe when you look at the real thing now and then at the layout in the pics!

OK just watched the sound video wasn't going to get sound like ben says what noise does an electric motor make! Now its a question of do I really need sound (NO) do I want it (YES) will the funds manager aka the better half allow me to spend the extra pennies (better get her a bloody good Christmas present!)

Ok just been trying to get on the project website and it wont let me! Says the page has reached its bandwidth limit!!

I think the none standard liveries would be an issue as well some of the liveries were temp ones so would be very specific time wise, A get out for the issue of the poppies applied to 390103 which were applied last year and possibly coming off the end of this year would be to source the poppy details as transfers from else where such as railtec or fox transfers should the kickstart work out! Then you could have 390003 / 390103 named as in 2010 then get the transfers if you wanted. If there was licensing issues I know the legion will happily let it be done for a donation as I have plenty of experience working with them been a soldier myself!

Glad to see you back on your feet Jim!

That's a brill start for the first 36 hours! I want to know what the surprise is off virgin for the people who pledge at Warley! Sadly I wont be one of them as I cant get there, bloody work always in the way! With regards the loco numbers and names when will you be looking at them? Only reason I ask is well after seeing it today 390103 carries "VIRGIN HERO" and the british legion poppies and well considering it is 100 years since the outbreak of WW1 and well the final British troops have left Helmand Province after 8 years of combat operations it would be an apt on to have on the list!

Igor, Its not a limited edition, what you are paying for is well the models at cost in effect! Rapido will keep hold of the tools and the rights to them, we are paying for the development of the tooling to get a model for ourselves at cost price any models made after the 1000 initial batch will be at a higher cost and not dropped after a time.

Ok a question that has suddenly hit me! I know that the guys at Rapido have in effect reserved 200 models to sell in North America, what happens if they get more than 200 requests? Will they be pushed to the Kickstart? Just bugging me as if the guys at Rapido get say 400 orders and on the kickstart we get 700 then well the kickstart will fail even though in total there would be over 1100 orders from people and gets the sum required!

Mike, Whilst sadly I can not make it to Warley, I will be asking Ben for some fliers to get into a few local model shops near to me and dot them about as and where I can! As for the networker family well I never knew that, as I said personally not for me but A fairly generic design for multiple classes well opens options, hell the mainstream manufactures have been doing it for years! Next years new Farish model is very special its a class 66 in guess what yet another livery! I think its fair to say you and Ben have really pushed this project on leaps and bounds in some respects just by putting your names to it! Plus the experience you have got has given us all a learning curse and well should others wish to follow your lead and go with a project of there own then you guys have blazed the way for a RTR model! My final hijacking of the internet are you are spot on there needs to be the demand and well only hands in pockets will prove it, so waiting / hoping for a general release will only burden the project and well possibly stop it! Plus always a bonus if your a tight arse like me save some cash, until the next item on the shopping list appears!

OK well 85 backers and 31,122 already pledged, like Mike said rather surprising to hit the 10% so fast but that's great news just need to keep spreading the word! On a side note if things are successful, with the pledges and we get the model(s), what would people be looking a in the future? Just interesting to see although not in my region which I am modelling, what about the ABB Networker family of EMU and DMUs Then for a single body design you have 5 different classes to have a go at with both third rail and OHLE EMU fleet in there! I know this is getting a bit ahead but well if this goes well may as well start thinking in advanced as it has already been said this could very well be a future mechanism of getting more models on the market. If a kick start fails but has very serious interest then the manufactures will take notice, like Jason said if we miss target (don't want that to happen) but are close and there is serious interest then Rapido would still probably go with it as a general release as part of their catalogue.

Well that's me in for a 9 car set, and already 17 grand in the bank so to speak with only 2 and half hours gone! If it keeps going like this could have the bids in place for Christmas

OK a question to the dragging issue, what dragged them from Washwood when they were in the process of coming into service, I seem to remember that they were dragged by various locos with a barrier coach, however what my memory says and the actual reality at the moment can be some what different!

Well I am waiting to pledge for a 9 car set although think the max I will be able to fit in would be a 7 car set, but that has given me ideas now colas 66 with OCA and run them like in the pics! Well that could be a selling point for some one straight away pay for a nine car and if you don't need the other coaches make it another train, showing stock movements! Just one I know Ben has heard me say but this is more aimed as Jason and the guys at Rapido, appreciate you have already taken on 200 sets yourselves, but why not offer some advertising on possible future leaflets and on both the project website and rapido for some model companies to opt in for x amount of sets. Just a though as it would open the market for rapido especially if they have shops on side already with a potential models coming out in both N and OO gauge a bit of advertising for purchasing some models would help boost the numbers of buyers plus for us makes the target that bit smaller, guaranteed sales to the shops and well some advertising on 2 websites one been very international and well firmly in the North American market. Just something I have continued to roués in my head!