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  1. 61661
    I was just editing a feature for the April issue of BRM that mentions 'Rule 1' - namely "It's my railway, so I can run what I like." It made me wonder, if that's Rule 1, what should the other rules be for railway modellers? They don't have to be controversial, but what are your own golden rules? Share your thoughts with us and if we can, we'll condense the responses into a 'Ten Commandments of Railway Modelling' (or more if required!) as a bit of fun.
    As an example of something similar in the cycling world, see Velominati's The Rules
     
    Hope to see as many of you as possible at Doncaster Racecourse this weekend, but even if you're not there, have a great weekend and Happy Modelling.
     
    All the best
     
    Ben
  2. 61661
    As you might have seen if you've been watching the BRM Facebook page today, it's been a busy day at the fair. However, the model railway presence at the show seems to have declined noticeably since last year. Where Hall 4A used to be full of model railway-related stands, even spilling over into adjacent halls and walkways, there are now large gaps in the hall and more non-railway stands creeping in. Stand sizes are significantly reduced in some cases, although the big German manufacturers such as Maerklin/Trix can always be relied on for an impressive presence.
    Here are a few things we learned today...
     
    PECO: Celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2016, Peco has announced OO gauge Code 75 track with 4mm scale sleeping spacing and bullhead rail. Flexitrack only, but there will inevitably be some clamour for matching points before long. There will also be a new Setrack starter set with 3rd radius curves. British outline 4mm AC catenary has been delivered by Sommerfeldt to Beer but needs packing etc before it can be delivered to shops. Shouldn't been too far away though, and it does look good. Designed to take Sommerfeldt's standard or fine wire units.
    Next L&B coach looks unlikely to be the observation saloon as advertised in the new items brochure - Peco sources say it is more like to be an Open third or centre open observation saloon. Also on narrow gauge lines, the Glyn Valley 4w coaches are now being delivered and will also appear in freelance and Talyllyn Railway colours.
    An indexed motorisation system is being developed to suit all Peco turntables - suitable for use with DC or DCC. And, Peco is introducing its own 'Peco Scene' static grass applicator system, capable of applying grass fibres from 1mm to 12mm.
    Modern steel palisade fencing/gates in 4mm scale are being added to the Wills Modern range
     
    Bachmann/Graham Farish: Not giving much away about its 2016 releases (to be announced on March 1st), but images of some new N and OO train sets were on display around the stand. Some nice new ideas including a OO MoD set with a Class 03 and army green wagons, 'The Midlander' with a BR 'Jubilee', the 'Thanet Express' with an SR green N Class and two Bulleid coaches (OO), 'Permanent Way' with a Railfreight three-tone grey Class 20 and two BTU Mk 1 coaches and a late-1980s TPO set with apple green 47522 Doncaster Enterprise plus a couple of Royal Mail red Mk 1s. Also planned are some interesting new Scenecraft buildings and the return of some older favourites.
    Results for 2015 look good with sales up by 13% and good progress on numerous new models for 2016. OO Stanier Mogul and Farish Castle are both expected this year, possibly (subject to any unforeseen difficulties) joined by the Coal Tank, V1/V3 and Ivatt 2-6-2Ts with new DCC-ready chassis and possibly the SECR 'Birdcage' coaches and new Thompson stock.
    Already announced is the acquisition of Pocketbond, which brings die cast cars, resin buildings and a diverse range of plastic kits into the group.
     
    ESU: Aside from its wonderful 'Engineering Edition' HO locomotives loaded with DCC features (to which a German BR232 'Ludmilla' Voith BR265 and DB BR290 heavy shunter are added this year), ESU is introducing 'SignalPilot' - a multi protocol, 16 output accessory decoder designed to control signals. There's also a new 'LokPilot Nano' small decoder measuring just 8mm x 7mm x 2.4mm and designed for N/TT or HO/OO locos with limited space, Powerpack Mini and Powerpack Maxi 'stay alive' units and an updated, upgraded and expanded 'Profi' decoder tester with an optional extension unit for larger scale decoders. www.esu.eu
     
    Loads more to come tomorrow. Apologies for the lack of photos, RMweb limit is 1MB and I don't have any way to reduce file sizes here. However, I can post them to the BRM Facebook page, so look out for them there.
     
    Ben
  3. 61661
    As promised, here's a final round-up of new items announced at the Nuremberg Toyfair that might be of interest to British modellers. It's by no means an exhaustive list of everything announced, but I hope it gives a flavour of the scale and variety of new items coming from the European trade. If there are any items that appeal to you, the following UK suppliers/importers can help:
     
    Contact Gaugemaster for: Noch, Roco, Fleischmann, Maerklin/Trix/Minitrix/LGB, Kato, Herpa, Piko, Wiking and many others
     
    Contact Golden Valley Hobbies for: Busch, Kibri, Vollmer, Viessmann, Auhagen, ACME
     
    Contact South West Digital for: ESU
     
    Contact Mount Tabor Models for: Brawa
     
    Contact Bachmann stockists for : Liliput, Woodland Scenics, Pocketbond
     
     
    Auhagen, best known for its modular plastic kits, has another large selection of new items and accessories many of which can be adapted for British use. Among the smaller items are a set of small mine cars, industrial workbenches and road trailers in 1:87 scale. The company’s range of static narrow gauge industrial railway items is expanded to 4.7mm gauge TT scale. For N scale, there are kits of platforms, canopies and a useful set of steel railings. All Auhagen items can be ordered in the UK via Golden Valley Hobbies.
    W www.auhagen.de
     

     

     

     
    Busch, imported into the UK by Golden Valley Hobbies, is expanding its HOf 6mm gauge field railway range with a small 0-4-0T steam locomotive and a couple of new Deutz 0-4-0 diesels with cabs. There are also several new wagons suitable for forestry, mining and peat railways. A collection of field railway models and track is also being introduced in N scale, albeit unpowered!
    As ever, there are dozens of new scenic and accessory kits planned for N and HO/OO, including an ostrich farm, a beer garden set, several football-related kits to coincide with the 2016 European Championships, a falconry display, a kindergarten and playground set, cider press, ski-jump and smaller items including a barbecue and garden furniture sets, gazebos, various bird boxes and animal houses, amongst many others. There are also numerous new grass and plant products, including spring, summer, autumn and dry grass strips or mats, ‘crazy paving’ with grass between the slabs and marshy ground cover for moorland.
    An interesting development are several ‘facelift’ sets for older layouts containing, trees, grass and other details to give a fresh look to tired scenery.
    W www.busch-model.com
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
     
    Amongst the British contingent at the fair was Deluxe Materials, displaying its revised and improved ‘Plastic Magic’ liquid adhesive, which now comes in a more stable bottle with two fine application brushes. One short and one long brush ensure that all the liquid can be reached and allows application in awkward spaces on plastic kits.
    W www.deluxematerials.com
     
    Digital specialist ESU is adding a few new items to its range of DCC accessories, including ‘ECoSlink Terminal’ to connect walkabout throttles to the central control station, ‘SignalPilot’ multi-protocol accessory decoder designed specifically to control up to 16 two, three or four-aspect signals, plus a number of other realistic lighting effects.
    On the decoder front, ESU is adding the ‘LokPilot Nano’ aimed at N and smaller HO/OO locomotives. Measuring just 8mm by 7mm by 2.4mm it will be available in six-pin direct form or with a six-pin or eight-pin harness. For unpowered vehicles, the six-function ‘LokPilot Fx Nano’ is being introduced to control lighting effects and other functions. Also new for 2016 are two new ‘Stay Alive’ devices to maintain a reliable power supply. ‘PowerPack Mini’ measures 15mm by 9.7mm by 13mm (1 Farad capacity) and ‘PowerPack Maxi’ for larger locomotives will be 27.5mm by 15.7mm by 13mm with a 5 Farad capacity.
    Finally, there will be a new ‘Professional’ decoder station designed to test six, eight and 21-pin NEM, PluX22, Next18 and wired decoders with or without sound and an extension unit for larger scale decoders.
    W www.esu.eu/en
    W www.southwestdigital.co.uk
     
    As always, the Faller range includes dozens of new items, the most impressive of which is a limited edition 1:87 scale kit of a Cistercian monastery containing around 1,400 parts. On a more humble level, there’s an excellent modern wash plant for HO/OO scale trains (pictured), a segment turntable for branch line termini, kits for modern dairy and fire station buildings, a stationary steam engine and a scrapyard shredding plant (pictured) and several new fairground kits – including working dodgems - in 1:87 scale. For N scale, there’s a second-hand car dealer set and several new rural houses plus a set of rail vehicle lifting jacks suitable for depots.
    As well as several new 1:87 scale vehicles, there are new sets of working traffic lights for the Faller Car System in N and HO (compatible with both analogue and digital systems) and a digital conversion kit for analogue Car System vehicles.
    W www.faller.de
     

     

     
     
    Perhaps unknown to many British modellers, the German company Joswood produces a large range of superbly-designed laser-cut kits for various scales. New HO/OO scale items for 2016 include an impressive 1920s brick-built office block which could double as a mid-century main station building. Also on an industrial theme is a 440mm high gas pre-cooler for a coking works to complement existing kits and two designs of concrete loading hopper, typical of those found at gravel or ballast quarries. Also new for this year is a set of loading conveyor belts for rail or road use and a set of kits to assemble a very impressive gantry crane.
    W www.joswood.de
     

     
    Kibri is introducing a 22.3cm high, 1:87 scale lighthouse kit with flashing LED beacon, an excellent modern gantry crane kit (pictured), ideal for rail/road freight terminals and a couple of interesting small items for depots and engineering companies – a ready-made milling machine and a lathe.
    W www.kibri.de
     

     

     

     
    Narrow gauge specialist Minitrains is adding four 1:87 scale, 9mm gauge models of the famous Baldwin 2-6-2T First World War field railway locomotive to its collection. Offered with either short or full cab, it will be available in plain black, plain grey or grey with U.S.A. tankside lettering. Also in preparation is a new track system with 140mm radius curves, allowing very small narrow gauge layouts to be built.
    W www.minitrains.eu
     

     
    Celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2016, Peco made a major announcement in the form of Code 75 OO flexitrack with bullhead rail and more accurate OO sleeper spacing – a product that has been requested for many years. There are no plans to produce matching pointwork at the moment but that could change if there’s sufficient demand. There will also be a new Setrack starter track pack with third radius curves. The OO/HO 25kV AC catenary starter system pack, produced by Sommerfeldt, should be released soon and will contains 12 masts, push-on and push-off hangers, set-up jigs and an installation guide. Contact wires will be sold in packs of five with five lengths ranging from 200mm to 500mm.
    Also due from Peco in 2016 is a new Lynton & Barnstaple bogie coach, either an Open Third or centre open observation coach (identity TBC), Welsh narrow gauge style slate wagon and a simple 4w tipper wagon.
    The recently-released Glyn Valley Tramway 4w coaches will be released in GVT green, in Talyllyn Railway livery with buffers and as a freelance brake coach with or without buffers.
    Peco also plans to introduce its own static grass applicator device, capable of a wide selection of grass fibres from 1mm to 12mm in length and an indexing mechanism compatible with all Peco turntables.
    Also from the Peco family, there will be a new OO/HO modern palisade fencing set from Wills and a ‘Nissen Hut’ kit in 4mm scale from Ratio.
    W www.peco-uk.com
     

     
    Proses continues to expand its range of problem-solving tools and accessories and is introducing a flexible rolling road stand for OO/HO locomotives up to 500mm long (see our review next month). Also in preparation is a ballast glue applicator (N, TT and HO/OO versions available) designed along the same principles as the company’s ballast spreader, two new versions of which are also being added, one with a shut-off valve and another with adjustable height and shut-off valve. The company is also introducing its own limestone ballast in three grades and three colours
    W www.proses.com
    W www.goldenvalleyhobbies.com
     
    Four years on from the launch of its Z21 DCC system, Roco is adding three different boosters for different voltages, a new track occupancy detector and sensor and a Wi-Fi version of its well-known ‘MultiMaus’ handheld controller, designed to work with the Z21 base unit.
    W www.roco.co.at
     

     

     

     
    Viessmann has added a few new working accessories for 2016, including an animated lumberjack with chainsaw, a woman taking a ‘selfie’ with micro-LED flash and an organ grinder, complete with monkey and optional sound unit in 1:87 scale, tiny 3-D printed working streetlamps for N and Z and an illuminated petrol pump suitable for HO/OO filling stations.
    W www.viessmann-modell.de
     

     

     

     
     
    And finally for this year's visit to Germany, after finishing at the show on Friday there was time for a bit of real railway action, during which this ex-DB V100, now operated by Lokomotion and carrying that company's distinctive livery, was a nice surprise. Also here is a pair of Siemens ES64 F4 (Class 189) electrics on an intermodal train and a pair of DB Regio Class 218 diesels, all passing Heimeranplatz S-Bahn station in Munich. Busy location, easy to reach and lots of freight and passenger action. Highly recommended if you're interested in German railways.
     

     

  4. 61661
    Good Morning from Germany. Just a quick note to let you know that I'll be posting regular updates from the Nuremberg Toyfair over the next three days, picking out any items that are of interest to British modellers in particular, but also any new products that could have useful applications at home. I'll also be Meeting various manufacturers and retailers so will Report back anything of interest. Among today's visits is Oxford Rail, where I'm hoping to find out more about the new announcements and hopefully see some pre-production samples. Pics to follow later.
    I'll also be posting photos on the BRM Facebook page as and when I can, so look out there for any interesting developments.
  5. 61661
    Morning All,
    I popped into Rails of Sheffield briefly on Saturday and found that they had pre-production samples of the LMS black/silver 10000 and 10001 on display. Apart from one or two minor decoration alterations that need to be made, they look very good indeed. The finish of the black body and silver bogies is superb, as are the chromed metal details, as can be seen in the photos. No further indications on delivery dates, but expect them to be 3-4 months away once the corrections have been signed off. Contact Rails via the usual channels to place advance orders or obtain more information.
     
    Have a good day.
     
    Ben
     

     

     

     

     

  6. 61661
    Nuremberg Toyfair 2015 – Part 2
     
    Day 1: Several appointments today, but the intervals between allowed me to have a good look around Hall 4A, dedicated to model railways. Immediate impressions (confirmed by others) are that the number of exhibitors is fewer than in previous years and that those attending have, in many cases, opted for smaller stands. The result is that where, a few years ago, model railway companies spilled out into neighbouring halls, the reverse is now true and various unrelated companies now fill out the hall. There’s also been some careful arrangement to make the space look fuller than it actually is.
    But, that doesn’t mean that there are no stories out there, and that’s what you really want to read about!
     
    Trends: Apart from radio controlled drones, which seem to be everywhere in all shapes and sizes, there were a few noticeable trends visible in model railways this year.
    Options: With a drive to attract younger modellers at one end and provide ever better detail and features at the ‘top end’, whilst keeping prices realistic for those in the middle, there’s a noticeable stratification in the offers of many companies. A good example is Brawa, which has started offering ‘Basic’ (DCC Ready), Basic+ (DCC Ready with extra lighting features) and ‘Extra’ (DCC fitted with sound and extensive lighting features) options on its new HO locomotives. Would this work in the UK? Would enough British modellers fork out around £350 for a high-quality diesel locomotive with all the bells and whistles? And is it practical for manufacturers to split production runs down even further?
    At the same time, the big German companies such as Roco and Maerklin are pushing their very basic train set ranges aimed at young children (6-12yo), as well as much more sophisticated models aimed at adult collectors and a great deal of items in between.
    Crossover: Another relatively recent phenomenon is the appearance of certain models in the ranges of more than one supplier; the result of co-operation to broaden distribution across Europe and share development costs or exclusive editions for certain countries. ESU’s ‘Engineering Edition’ HO models also fit this category – being upgraded versions of models produced by more established manufacturers.
    Barrel Scraping: A crude term, but appropriate as manufacturers search for interesting new subjects to extend their ranges. Just as in the UK, where numerous obscure subjects and one-off prototypes are appearing, the German market in particular is seeing some esoteric new models being announced – for example Liliput’s 1970s/80s Henschel DE2500 experimental diesels and Roco’s USATC S160 2-8-0 in HO scale. To balance this out slightly, the big manufacturers are also upgrading the most important classes with new tooling, such as Roco’s upgraded German Class 143, 151, Bombardier TRAXX electrics and Brawa’s BR290-294 diesels.
    3-D Printing: It’s been around for a few years, but is really starting to make its presence felt in mainstream model railways. As it was with laser-cut card kits, Noch is an early adopter of 3-D printing for mass production, introducing a small selection of highly detailed station and lineside detailing packs. Laser-cut kits also continue to march on, with a large number of suppliers (large and small) including them in their ranges and encompassing everything from weathervanes to giant industrial buildings.

    New Product Highlights – Day 1
    A brief summary of interesting and relevant bits seen today at the fair…
     
    Oxford Diecast had decorated samples of its new 7-plank coal wagons on display (dodgy mobile phone snap below). When asked about the red painted inside of the bodies, Oxford told us that this will be painted in appropriate colour on production models. Also confirmed is that the tension lock couplings will be shortened in response to customer feedback.
     

     

     
    Several new products are promised by Peco across its own ranges and those of Wills and Ratio. Pre-production samples of the 4w Glyn Valley Tramway coaches and wagons were on show, along with a 4mm scale laser-cut small wooden station building (LK-200). Track-wise, new O gauge Setrack No. 2 radius turnouts and OO9 Radius No. 1 turnouts are planned, along with an SM-32 gauge bufferstop track.
    From Ratio a new family of modern level crossing components should be popular. It includes gated or ungated crossings, a relocatable equipment building and CCTV cameras on posts. Meanwhile Wills has also gone ‘modern’ with a modular modern industrial/commercial building system known as ‘Wills Modern’. Components will allow various styles of industrial units, out-of-town retail unit and supermarket frontages, loading bays to be assembled in full or low relief.
    Deluxe Materials’ next new product will be ‘Strip Magic’, a safe, effective paint stripping liquid that softens up paint and printing, which can then be removed with a cotton bud. More details soon.
    Fans of the Kato 9mm gauge 1:150 scale ‘Glacier Express’ set will be able to add a Rhaetische Bahn ‘Allegra’ EMU set to complement it in April. Despite the discrepancy between scale and gauge of these models, they are reported to be extremely popular.
    Piko has developed a new DCC system ‘Piko SmartControl’ – the handset combining touchscreen control with a proper wheel for speed control, selection of features etc. Capable of storing up to 16,000 locomotives, 1,000 accessories, running 28 functions per locomotive and consists of up to four locomotives it will soon be available in the UK via Gaugemaster.
    Preiser has been persuaded to reintroduce a small range of 1:76 scale figures for the UK market; 11 sets include a range of passengers (seated, running, waiting), British police and BR station staff plus a set of cows.
    The many British enthusiasts who have visited Germany’s Harz narrow gauge network may be interested in Tillig’s new range of HO scale (HOm) locomotives and stock for the Harzer Schmalspurbahn and its predecessors. The magnificent 99 72xx 2-10-2Ts will be added to the range this year, joining a good selection of modern and vintage coaches, wagons and an 0-6-0T.
    Turkish firm Proses is to release two fully-wired switch boards with LED indicator lights for controlling up to six solenoid point motors or signals or the same number of lights, turntables of accessories. These neat and easy to install units should be available in the UK via Golden Valley Hobbies. Proses is also releasing a modular helix system in clear acrylic (N) or PVC (HO/OO) which can be assembled without tools.
    That’s it for today. I'll post more photos when I can - RMweb photo file limit is 1MB and I have no way here of reducing the file sizes to suit!
  7. 61661
    Nuremberg Toyfair - Day 2
    Another busy day at the fair today and several excellent meetings, including with Oxford Diecast and Hornby. As mentioned yesterday, I've posted 30+ photos on the BRM Facebook page and included more info about the various new releases. Hope you find it useful. Photos are here
    Heading home tomorrow, but it's been a very interesting couple of days. There will be a brief report on the most interesting/UK relevant items in the April issue of BRM.
     
    All the Best
     
    Ben
  8. 61661
    You wait ages for a visit to Locomotion in Shildon, and then two opportunities come along within a few weeks. After the fun and games of the Rapido APT-E launch last month, it was the turn of Bachmann to reveal its widely expected model of the Ivatt 'Large Atlantic' 4-4-2, based on the NRM's No. 251.
    It was a slightly more low key affair, but Bachmann did at least have several samples of the Atlantic on display. Closer inspection revealed that this will be a fine model, based on a huge amount of original research of the lone survivor and from the NRM's 'Search Engine' archive. Two thick files of information have yielded a model designed to accommodate numerous detail variations for the GNR, LNER and early BR periods. Four smokebox door designs, two tenders, two types of safety valve design (Ramsbottom and Ross pop), saturated or superheated boilers and various handrail positions make it a complex subject to carry off properly. But, the engineering prototypes on show really captured the elegant character of the larger of Ivatt's Atlantic designs for the GNR.
    A couple of other snippets from the day; according to Bachmann's Colin Albright, the samples shown here can haul up to 12 coaches on level track and four on a 1-in-25 incline, which should be more than sufficient; the rear truck is in the process of being redesigned to make it both more accurate and capable of handling 2nd radius curves whilst retaining flanged wheels.
    Price was a recurring theme on the day, with Bachmann clearly sensitive to suggestions of over-pricing after the recent increases. Now, clearly £180 is a significant chunk of money, but this is a model that has been designed with as little compromise as possible for an audience that is very particular about detail and quality, and not shy about airing its displeasure when a model doesn't pass muster. Developing a model with all that in mind isn't compatible with putting out something retailing at £75. The pickier we are about detail and quality, the more the price goes up - just ask Golden Age Models, LH Loveless et al.
    Production quantities are also likely to be somewhat smaller than standard runs, meaning that the R&D and tooling costs have to be recouped more quickly. Bachmann sources suggest that the true RRP should be closer to £220, but that some fairly tough negotiation from Locomotion Models has brought that down. Also bear in mind that an HO locomotive of similar size and quality from the likes of Roco (such as the model of Hungarian 4-6-0 109.109) will cost you somewhere north of £400 - more if you want it with DCC sound.
    Three versions are planned for the first batch; GNR No. 251 as preserved in original GNR condition, LNER apple green No. 3251 and BR lined black No. 62822.
    Here's the official info about price and delivery;
    The model will be available in late 2014/early 2015 exclusively through the museum’s online outlet at www.locomotionmodels.com, and from the museum shop at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon, priced at £179 plus postage & packing.
    The Locomotion Models team are now accepting pre-delivery orders on the model of GNR C1 Atlantic No. 251. Note that the model is limited, and early ordering is advised. Orders are limited to two per customer initially. A deposit of £50 per model is required on pre-orders – please see www.locomotionmodels.com for terms and conditions.
    If you would like more information, please contact locomotionmodels.com by telephone on 01388 771439 or email queries@locomotionmodels.com.
  9. 61661

    St Blasien Hbf: Part 2

    By 61661,

    St Blasien Hbf: Part 2
    Leaping forward a couple of years from Part 1, we come to a point where it was time to start some serious planning. Having sketched dozens of potential trackplans and station arrangements, I decided that it had to be a through station rather than a terminus. Sometimes I just like to watch trains running while I'm doing other jobs and that wouldn't have been possible with a dead-end station.
    Working on a model railway magazine exposes you to all sorts of people with wonderful ideas, imagination and talent, and some genuinely inspirational layouts. I fully admit to being a 'magpie' about such things and I've gradually built up a scrapbook of ideas - actually a box file full of pages torn from magazines, photos, trackplans, leaflets for products, catalogues and other bits. Designers often use similar techniques for projects, known as 'mood boards', giving them inspiration, ideas and themes to work from. It's a personal thing that works for me, but I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you find your enthusiasm flagging at any point, rifling through your scrapbook reminds you why you want to build a layout and what got you enthused in the first place.
    Gradually, the ideas were whittled down into a workable plan that I hoped would fit into the space available. At this point I should acknowledge a couple of people and layouts who have (unknowingly) helped to condense a blizzard of ideas into a more focused plan. An article in Model Rail by Gilbert Barnatt about the need to compromise and prioritise the key features needed to make a layout prototypical made a big impression (see below), while Dave Segar's 'Waverley West' gave me a template for modelling a large station in a small space. There were also countless HO layouts featured in the German and Swiss magazines, which showed what could be done in terms of landscapes. From the real railway, several locations had features that lent themselves to what I needed, including Aachen Hbf (excellent model shop nearby too), Basel SBB and Oberstdorf's modern buildings with timber cladding. The layout is set to be set in 1998-2000, which covers the period in which my interest in European railways really kicked off and the early stages of a massive transition for German railways.
    Gilbert's article on Peterborough North explained his thought processes prior to starting work on the layout, and how he was forced to prioritise certain features to get what he wanted. His idea of making a list of 'must have', secondary requirements and optional 'nice to have' features was exactly what I needed to help me focus on getting something that worked in the space available. The list looked something like this:
    MUST HAVE
    * Through station with the ability to change locomotives and add/detach portions at each end
    * Multiple routes from each end of the station (to separate Swiss, German and French departures/arrivals)
    * Platforms long enough to accommodate loco+seven scale length HO coaches
    * Storage sidings for at least 10 trains
    * A scenic section running through typical Black Forest landscape
    * Lift out section to allow access to stairs
    * Trains running through a realistic hilly landscape, rather than on flat baseboards
    * Manageable gradients - ideally no steeper than 1-in-30. Such gradients are relatively common on alpine main lines and present no problem for HO scale Era 5 locomotives.
    SECONDARY REQUIREMENTS
    * At least six platforms
    * Girder bridge (who doesn't like bridges?)
    * Loktaschen (loco pockets) at each end of the station for spare locos waiting to take over trains
    * Station buildings in a modern architectural style
    NICE TO HAVE
    * Private timber siding with industrial shunters
    * Loco stabling point
    * Town scene
    * ZOB (bus station) and Bahnhofsplatz (station forecourt)
    * Trams?
     
    With a more focused plan, and numerous sketches of potentially suitable layouts, it was time to get a second opinion and devise a workable layout plan. More soon!
  10. 61661
    Just arrived from Bachmann is the superb new N gauge Class 55 Deltic from Graham Farish. Supplied for review is 371-286 BR green Class 55 Deltic D9002 'KOYLI' in mid-1960s BR green condition - look out for a full review in the June issue of BRM, on sale May 8th.
    Even a quick look will reveal that it's a big step forward from the model it replaces. RRP is £99.95, which when compared to some other recent N gauge diesels looks like excellent value.
    Also promised are D9007 Pinza in two-tone green without yellow ends and BR blue 55005 The Prince of Wales Own Regiment of Yorkshire.
    Detachable couplings are mounted in NEM pockets discreetly moulded into the front bogie framing. For those wishing to cut off the NEM pocket and fit the optional bufferbeam details, a spare bogie frame is supplied. Extra details include plastic vacuum, air and steam heating pipes and dummy couplings.
    The Class 55 chassis is similar to the much-praised prototype Deltic. The low-profile chassis block houses a centrally-mounted five-pole motor and drives shafts/gears to all six axles. A six-pin DCC decoder socket is fitted, along with illuminated headcode panels and red tail lights.
  11. 61661
    This week Steve Cole and I paid a flying visit to the massive Intermodellbau modelling show in the German city of Dortmund. Having promised myself a visit for several years, I knew it was big but nothing could quite prepare us for the sheer scale of the event.
    Attendance reaches almost 100,000 over the five days, with exhibits spread across eight exhibition halls and covering model railways (2 halls), radio control aircraft, RC road vehicles, military modelling, live steam, card modelling, static and RC boats/ships, international RC car racing and just about anything else you can think of.
    On the railway side, there were 27 layouts from four countries, many of which were modular in design and assembled by modelling clubs from all over Germany. However, the most impressive aspect of the railway hall was the extremely strong trade support from the likes of Roco/Fleischmann, Hornby International, Bachmann/Liliput, Lenz, Maerklin/Trix/LGB and many large retailers from across Germany, the Netherlands and beyond.
    Here are a few stats to give you an impression of just how big this show is:
     
    * 561 exhibitors
     
    * Companies/exhibits from 17 countries including; Germany, Belgium, China, Italy, France, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Czech Republic and Hungary
     
    * Sales in 2013 = €20 million
     
    * Displays: More than 20,000 individual models, 27 model railway layouts, a 400 square metre sailing lake, RC racing track, indoor flying display arena and outdoor flying displays in the adjacent football stadium.
     
    And all this for €14 (€11.50 if you book in advance) or €6 for kids.
     
    See www.intermodellbau.de for much more information
  12. 61661
    Nuremberg Toyfair 2015 Report - Part 1
    Every year the German city of Nuremberg is host to the world’s largest trade fair for toys, games and hobbies. With 2,700 exhibitors from more than 60 countries displaying around one million products (75,000 of which are new) and 75,000 visitors from 120 countries, it’s a major event by any standards. Over the next couple of days, I'll be reporting back from the fair, looking at trends, new tech and hopefully posting a few photos of interesting kit.
    In amongst the cuddly toys, radio controlled aircraft, bouncy balls and action figures is an entire hall dedicated to model railways. All the major European manufacturers are represented, as well as a large number of others from Europe and further afield. From a British point of view, the main attractions are the Hornby International and Bachmann Europe stands, but there is plenty more to interest us, whether it’s new tech, DCC equipment, scenery products (lots of scenery products!) or a glimpse at developments that will hopefully be seen on our models over the coming years.
    I’ve been attending the Toyfair for more than ten years, during which time several manufacturers have merged, gone bust or simply stopped attending the fair, but the biggest change has been the trend towards companies announcing their new ranges before the fair via their own websites. For me, this has taken away much of the excitement of attending, but with so many major producers in one place, it’s still a great opportunity to meet the trade and find out what’s going on. Model railways aside, it’s also a real eye-opener to see just how big and diverse the toy and hobby trade is and how imaginative many of the new products are.
    For those interested in the new items from the big manufacturers, click on the links below to discover what they have in store.
     
    Web Links
    Bachmann/Liliput: www.liliput.de
    Hornby International (Rivarossi/Arnold/Jouef/Lima): www.hornbyinternational.com
    Roco: www.roco.cc
    Fleischmann: www.fleischmann.de
    Piko: www.piko.de
    Maerklin: www.maerklin.de
    Trix/Minitrix: www.trix.de
    LGB: www.lgb.de
    ACME: www.acmetreni.it/index.php/en/
    Bemo: http://www.bemo-modellbahn.de
    Brekina: www.brekina.de
    Brawa: www.brawa.de
    HAG: http://www.hag.ch/de/
    Lenz: www.digital-plus.de
    Jaegerndorfer: www.jaegerndorfer.at
    Tillig: www.tillig.com
    Kato/Hobbytrain/Lemke: www.lemkecollection.de
    Busch: www.busch-model.com
    Noch: www.noch.com/en
    Viessman/Kibri: http://www.viessmann-modell.com
    B-Models: www.b-models.eu/
    Fulgurex: www.fulgurex.ch/en/
    Faller: www.faller.de
    KM1 Modellbau: www.km-1.de
    Auhagen: http://auhagen.de
    Kuehn TT: http://www.kuehn-digital.de
    NMJ: www.nmj.no
     
    Also see http://www.eyro.ch/neuheiten/ for links to a number of other manufacturers, many of which aren't present at the Toyfair.
     
    Finally, a quick mobile phone snap of two Class 218 diesels taken at Munich Hauptbahnhof on the journey out yesterday. After decades working trains to the south of Munich, the 218s are in their final months of service on regional trains out towards Memmingen, Kempten and Lindau. Their replacements, in the form of Bomabrdier TRAXX multi-engine diesels (Class 245) are already taking over some diagrams. Enjoy the 'Rabbits' while you can!
     

  13. 61661
    Just received from Bachmann/Graham Farish are several new items due for release over the next 6-8 weeks. Look out for reviews in January issue of BRM, on sale 11th December.
     
    Bachmann OO Class 150/1 DMU - FGW 150128. This model features a new chassis, better lighting and interiors and superb decoration.
     

     
    Bachmann 30-325 GWR WW1 Ambulance Train pack with khaki 4-4-0 City of Birmingham and three ambulance coaches
     

     
    Graham Farish BR blue 'Princess Coronation' 4-6-2 No. 46226 Duchess of Norfolk
     

     

     
    Graham Farish DRS Class 57/3 - revised version with retractable Dellner couplers
     

     
    Graham Farish Midland Railway 20t Brake van
     

     
    Thanks to Tony Wright for the excellent photos!
  14. 61661

    BRM December Issue Preview

    By 61661,

    BRM DECEMBER ISSUE PREVIEW
    December's BRM is a real Bumper Issue, featuring 164-pages of great layouts, ideas and projects plus a special Bachmann Times magazine AND a free DVD worth £7.99 AND a Market Stall Kit Download!
     
    The Digital Edition goes on-sale on Friday, November 7th. The printed magazine is in shops from Thursday, November 13th.
     
    Here’s what you’ll find in the December issue of BRM:
     

     
    FOUR top quality model railways in four scales
    · Hoghton Bridge (1) – recreating memories of his youth, Trevor Smith’s Gauge 1 layout is evocative of the final years of steam in the North West
    · Rannoch (OO) – A house move gave Mark Darragh the opportunity to build a famous section of the West Highland Line in his spare room
    · Prestatyn (N) – A model railway can help relive those rose-tinted childhood days and the trains of your youth, as David Phillips explains.*
    · Bolton Priory (O) – Set in the tense years before the Second World War, Geoff Holmes’ 7mm scale layout depicts a country terminus in North Yorkshire.
     
    Practical BRM
    · Ready-to-use or Build-it-Yourself? As the price of resin buildings increases, Phil Parker consider the merits of each approach and which offers better value.
    · Improve Bachmann’s LMR Porthole Stock by Tony Wright
    · Project Layout: Owen’s Bridge (First World War field railway) in OO9*
    · Model Tornado’s support coach
     
    Products
    · Exclusive preview of Kernow’s Adams O2 0-4-4T*
    · Hornby’s SR '2-HAL' EMU
    · Graham Farish New Releases: Class 37/4, Mk 1 CCT, Polybulk bogie hopper, BR 'COVHOP'
    · Realtrack Class 143 Railbus
    · Tried and Tested: Proxxon Tools*
    · Christmas Gift Ideas
    · All the latest news, including Oxford Rail's big announcement, updates from Heljan, Bachmann and more!
     
    Plus
    · Warley NEC Show preview
    · Prototype Inspiration: a selection of modelleable 1980s Speedlink trains from around Britain
    · Readers’ Letters
    · Diary Dates
    * Watch the DVD for video footage of this topic.
     
    BRM TV – December DVD
     

     
    Layout of the Month: David Phillips’ N gauge Prestatyn
    Practical BRM: Phil Parker’s tour of WW1 layout ‘Owen’s Bridge’.
    BRM Behind the Scenes: A visit to Barrow Hill Roundhouse
    Product Preview: Kernow’s Adams O2
    Tried and Tested: Proxxon Power Tools
    FREE Kit Download: Market Stall Kit download
     
     

     
     
    It's a great package for just £4.25 - we hope you enjoy it!
     
    All the Best
     
    Ben
  15. 61661

    Perth MRC Show 2014

    By 61661,

    Writing this on my way back from an excellent weekend at the Perth MRC 2014 show. Once again it was well worth the trip north to see numerous quality layouts (more on that in a minute) and meet up with some familiar faces from the Scottish model railway scene.
    If you've never been to this show, I can thoroughly recommend it. Thanks to the efforts of Stan Moug and the Perth MRC exhibition team, the exhibition has grown in stature over the last few years and is now widely regarded as one of the best shows on the calendar. Layouts such as New Hey, Warren Lane, Midhurst, Hazelbank, Oxenhope and Laurencekirk (a few of this year's highlights) produce a high overall standard, but it's the relaxed atmosphere and Perth MRC's hospitality that help to make it a very sociable and enjoyable event.
    For the same reasons it is popular with the model railway trade, and the event is well supported by a wide range of suppliers including DC Kits, Cheltenham Model Centre, Harburn Hobbies, DCC Supplies, Ten Commandments, Eileen's Emporium, Contikits and many more.
    A few interesting snippets from the weekend that I hadn't come across before;
    * Agenoria Models had several new kits on show including a North British 0-4-0 225/330hp diesel shunter for 7mm scale and a new 'BIG' range of kits for Gauge 1, Gauge 3 and 5in gauge. In preparation for release over the coming months are a Class 25 in Gauge 3 & 5in gauge, an LYR Pug for Gauges 1/3 plus a Class 08 diesel, 16t mineral wagon and BR 20t brake van for all three scales. Several other projects are proposed including the NBL 0-4-0 225/330hp diesel, a GWR 1366 0-6-0PT, Peckett Type E 0-4-0ST, Hunslet Austerity/J94 0-6-0ST, LMS Jinty 0-6-0T and a Hudswell Clarke 14in 0-4-0ST, plus others including (possibly) Class 37 kits for Gauge 3 and 5in gauge!
    * Impressive large new speaker for DCC locos from sound specialist Legomanbiffo. Designed to fit into a bespoke resin underframe casting for the Heljan OO Class 26 (other classes will follow), it gives much greater depth and bass to the sound. Gives a sound more equivalent to an O gauge model. Contact DC Kits for info.
    * Clockwork Ideas Plasser 08 Series tamper kit. Really impressive multi-media kit - look out for more on it in BRM soon. Again, available via DC Kits.
    I'll post a few photos from the show later, but in the meantime thanks to David White, Stan Moug and the rest of the Perth MRC team for their generous hospitality and another very enjoyable show. See you again next year!
    For more information about Perth MRC and the exhibition, see http://www.perthmrc.com
  16. 61661

    Perth MRC Show 2014

    By 61661,

    Writing this on my way back from an excellent weekend at the Perth MRC 2014 show. Once again it was well worth the trip north to see numerous quality layouts (more on that in a minute) and meet up with some familiar faces from the Scottish model railway scene.
    If you've never been to this show, I can thoroughly recommend it. Thanks to the efforts of Stan Moug and the Perth MRC exhibition team, the exhibition has grown in stature over the last few years and is now widely regarded as one of the best shows on the calendar. Layouts such as New Hey, Warren Lane, Midhurst, Hazelbank, Oxenhope and Laurencekirk (a few of this year's highlights) produce a high overall standard, but it's the relaxed atmosphere and Perth MRC's hospitality that help to make it a very sociable and enjoyable event.
    For the same reasons it is popular with the model railway trade, and the event is well supported by a wide range of suppliers including DC Kits, Cheltenham Model Centre, Harburn Hobbies, DCC Supplies, Ten Commandments, Eileen's Emporium, Contikits and many more.
    A few interesting snippets from the weekend that I hadn't come across before;
    * Agenoria Models had several new kits on show including a North British 0-4-0 225/330hp diesel shunter for 7mm scale and a new 'BIG' range of kits for Gauge 1, Gauge 3 and 5in gauge. In preparation for release over the coming months are a Class 25 in Gauge 3 & 5in gauge, an LYR Pug for Gauges 1/3 plus a Class 08 diesel, 16t mineral wagon and BR 20t brake van for all three scales. Several other projects are proposed including the NBL 0-4-0 225/330hp diesel, a GWR 1366 0-6-0PT, Peckett Type E 0-4-0ST, Hunslet Austerity/J94 0-6-0ST, LMS Jinty 0-6-0T and a Hudswell Clarke 14in 0-4-0ST, plus others including (possibly) Class 37 kits for Gauge 3 and 5in gauge!
    * Impressive large new speaker for DCC locos from sound specialist Legomanbiffo. Designed to fit into a bespoke resin underframe casting for the Heljan OO Class 26 (other classes will follow), it gives much greater depth and bass to the sound. Gives a sound more equivalent to an O gauge model. Contact DC Kits for info.
    * Clockwork Ideas Plasser 08 Series tamper kit. Really impressive multi-media kit - look out for more on it in BRM soon. Again, available via DC Kits.
    I'll post a few photos from the show later, but in the meantime thanks to David White, Stan Moug and the rest of the Perth MRC team for their generous hospitality and another very enjoyable show. See you again next year!
    For more information about Perth MRC and the exhibition, see http://www.perthmrc.com
  17. 61661
    Apologies for the lack of updates from the Toyfair before the weekend. Unfortunately, the regular mini-blog I'd hoped to send was compromised by appalling wi-fi service in the convention centre and at my hotel, which limited what could be done (at least without spending the whole of each day trying to upload photos!). This is a holding message, just to explain why things didn't go to plan and to say that I'll be uploading lots of material over the next couple of days, which you'll hopefully find useful and informative. There were plenty of news stories at the fair this year, but also a sense that the big manufacturers are favouring more direct routes to interact with their customers (both trade and public) and so are finding it increasingly difficult to justify the expense of attending the fair. It was noticeable that some companies had downsized and/or redesigned their stands while others had combined there efforts and some were missing altogether. That said, the biggest company in the market, Maerklin/Trix/LGB, continues to have an enormous presence and appears to have stabilised after many turbulent years.
    More soon, but if you can't wait, there are lots of photos on the BRM facebook page. I've also attached a snap of a truly outstanding Gauge 1 diorama featuring a DB BR260 shunter made by KM1.
     
    Ben
     

  18. 61661

    St Blasien Hbf

    By 61661,

    Introducing St Blasien - Part 1
    This all started in 1997 when I went to visit a friend who was at university in Germany. Rather than fly, I decided to go by train, via Eurostar to Brussels and then the famous 'Ost-West Express' on to Cologne. When that international train formed of Polish, German and even Russian coaches (complete with enormous-hatted Russian army officers in one compartment) pulled in it was like being in a spy film - I was hooked.
    The year after I spent two happy months Inter-Railing around Europe (coinciding with the World Cup in France, but that's another story!). At the time I was working for a well known model railway shop in Sheffield. When I got back to work, there happened to be a second-hand DB Class 103 electric (my favourite) on the shelf and, of course, I had to have a souvenir of my trip. There were still plenty of 103s working at the time and I'd had several memorable trips behind them, including a magical evening journey west out of Vienna on the Budapest-Vienna-Paris 'Orient Express' (the proper one, not the expensive re-creation!) with 17 coaches of French, Austrian and Hungarian origin.
    But, once I had the loco, it needed a train. And so, there soon followed a train of DB blue/white InterRegio stock, a few SNCF Corail coaches, a DB Class 218 diesel (another favourite) and so on, and so on! I find European railways endlessly fascinating, but it was Germany, France and Switzerland that really captured my imagination. Gradually, a few SNCF and SBB items started to appear too.
    Although the collection continued to grow, there was nowhere permanent to run it, until we moved into a larger house a couple of years ago. I'm very fortunate that my wife understands my hobby (or at least tolerates it!) and one of the conditions for the new house was that it had space for a model railway. In the meantime, I tried to soak up as much information as possible from books and magazines, and it provided me with a great excuse for regular 'research' trips!
    With locos and stock from these three countries, there was really only one area of Europe that I could set the layout - the corner of south-west Germany that borders on to the Alsace region of France and Switzerland, around Basel. Fortunately, not only is this region interesting from a railway point of view, as part of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) it's also scenically very pretty. As an added bonus, it's also the home of Faller, the kit manufacturer, which offers a large range of Schwarzwald buildings in HO scale, which might prove useful.
    And the name? High up in the hills is a small town with a large cathedral and a name that will ring bells with anyone familiar with Cornish railways. Although the railway never reached the real St Blasien (the closest current railhead is at Seebrugg, a few kms away), I couldn't resist stealing the name for my proposed layout. All I needed now was a plan that could realistically incorporate trains from three countries in a 14ft by 14ft room! Part 2 coming soon.
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