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Not it's brand name, to be announced shortly! The ORR application never was based on stopping at York (this would only lengthen journey times and this service is genuinely about end point to end point speed). The idea/motivation behind First Group east coast is to tap into the London-Edinburgh and London-Newcastle air market by having the quickest London-Edinburgh journey times and a ticketing system based more on the airline format than train. If you see the rail vs air market for these destinations from VTEC/LNER you'll see there is certainly an untapped market and this rail service, might, through good marketing tap into bringing non-rail users onto the trains. The class 803 shall be 26 m and loosely based on the class 801. But without a MTU powerpack. Instead it shall increase battery capacity to provide hotel and 'next station' drive power incase of an OHL failure. There is some speculation that the nose shall be a revised shape (as per any future AT300). But not from what I have seen. I am though very impressed with how well First Group & Beacon Rail have made improvements on the rigid Hitachi culture...someone has guessed right above! The power supply problems north of Newcastle are planned to progressively be corrected during 2020 and are due to be ready to allow a full ECML timetable from Dec. 2021. The May launch for FGEC (no-doubt now slightly delayed due to the current situation) would be one diagram a day which can fit in with the power constraints. We should, by the logical maths that the first unit has been at sea for around 6 weeks, its delivery imminently.

Not quite, I view it as a mistake rather than an unfortunate choice. I am happy to have a PM chat with more supportive facts if you message. Before May 2019, back in 2018 the build list from Wabtec would have been provided to Hornby (either from D. S. or D. W. at Wabtec) and I consistently informed them that the first five GW01-GW05 being formed mainly of First Group rather than Angel Trains units would be re-formed when the TSD and spares were built later on. It was well known the TSD build proved the more challenging and the build programme slipped, this meant GW03 being briefly mis-formed until the first five were converted. But this was temporary and the formation sheet should have still been followed. Thus, any formation back in May, during the drawn-out delivery process would not have been the final set numbers. I do have to apologise, as I have checked the information again. Though 48131 is a 'spare' it is due to be formed into GW11. So not even this coach for Hornby is right! Spares are: TGS 49112 (Angel) TGS 49113 (FGH) TSD 48134 (FGH) TSD 48135 (FGH) I would have had respect if rather than us having to sort out this jumble, Paul Isle would admit he has made quite a mess of these! The reported Arriva XC dates are also must interesting! They have always been planned to be 7-car with the provision of enough spares to make another set/increase lengths for the new Direct Award.

You might want to check your facts. A total of 494 house parties and 166 street parties were broken up by Greater Manchester police between 25th March and 7th April. But anyway, I thought this was a thread about the class 800 prototype! Back to the trains, the first 803001 should be delivered to Newton Aycliffe in the coming weeks for First Group east coast open access! You'll be surprised by what is inside it! All I can say, could wink at guesses...

No. 'Fake News'. Perhaps stick to the class 59 here and our hope for an AI 59/0 and G&W livery in 2021! The class 59 shall actually have axel boxes that rotate and not fall off!

Most of the Bachmann 66s I formerly owned were around this price, FL, GBRf, DRS. And if they were again, I would not blink and go back. Sadly though, even for £144 (rrp) I am at the point where I rather wait for Bachmann to at least upgrade the chassis. I think the only 'expensive' Bachmann 66s I bought where the two TfL, Rainbow and Sorrento. Worth it though, as the livery application on those were spectacular!

Damn it! I didn't even know it was the 1st! The days have rolled into one continuous kept away from the pub hell. I would have loved for this to have been real, with Accurascale providing a cracking 92 in DB and GBRf, Revolution/Kernow with Cargowagons, Bachmann with Multifrets and Dapol's Silver Bullets you really could have made a cracking Dollands Moor layout! Well that's made the day worse knowing it was an April Fools.

Sounds re-assuring to me! https://digest.Dapol.co.uk/forum/main-forum/diesel-aa/class-59/project-managers-blog-aq/7345-class-59-re-tooled-bogies

Exciting! All we now need is someone to produce the new e320 and you can make one bad ass Dollands Moor celebration to the EU layout

I would be interested, but I do not understand post being 3x more? I looked at your 'Shapeways' site and see postage is £6.76 for the earlier version of coupling at £7.74 rrp. Seeing as I only currently own T2, as I am waiting for Hornby to either do a GWR 800/0 in correct livery or release a GWR 802/0. I plan to have at least 1x 800/0 and 3 x 802/0 so shall need coupling like this to run one 10 car. Sadly not ordering the LNER as they are fake 800/1 being only 5 car models based on a 9 car set. So it would be un-prototypical to run these as 2 x 5 car! Anyway, back to the coupling. I am interested! But I cannot test!

Is anything on on these models properly glued on? I am not for a moment saying it is not an impressively detailed model, I did enjoy looking at them for the hour I owned them before I asked for a refund, but the quality control asserted over the factory is woefully poor. (It is clear it is project management inexperience as the RHTTs/FEAs had loose bits and avoidable manufacture issues/quality control and I suspect these must be produced at a different factory than the 66s.) Still, I think in the last page or two, much food for thought has been given to Hatton's. Shall they listen is a different matter! It is disappointing that knowledgeable people on here (and privately) have reached out to Hatton's with constructive feedback, they had ample opportunity to take on this advice yet I see very little acknowledgement of it. The axel box and other errors were so easily missed. To part with my money again, there are three simple steps: 1. Get on top of quality control, do not overload the factory with 31 different examples but allow them to do 6-8 examples and stress the level of quality you expect. 2. Address the bogie tooling, clearly as Yes Tor has beautifully demonstrated the axel hole on the internal side frame needs widening. 3. Address the various livery errors, though this really is part of 1. Understand if you provide the factory Pantone, they shall match to the closest RAL. So ideally, specify RAL. All the main ROSCOs and FOCs provide this information. Yes RMWebbers who love Hatton's are likely to criticise this post, yet it is aim at Hatton's if they want my money. Really, if they are to be a manufacturer they would release across the retailer network so I can support a local family business rather than fun warehouse lighting. I shall see how the next seven are, as I am interested in the pink Freightliner. But at the point, unless a batch next year seems sensibly manufactured I shall be waiting for Bachmann to come along and provide a new 66 to the hundreds of retailers out there who do not stock Hatton's Orginal's and need my pocket money far more than Hatton's do through these uncertain times. To the comment about the nowt being wrong with the Bachmann 66. I disagree, yes the body and livery application is great (cab windows and WiPac lighting is the correct size) but the chassis really does speak for the time it was designed. More details can be applied, especially around the sole bar wiring. Ideally I would like a new chassis, so I can keep bodies like my Tube Lines 66 - best livery ever!

Saw Revolution Live with the N flask, any update on the OO? It is going to look bloody impressive in OO!

Usually I would just dismiss this as too much effort to find, but, after some scanning... For those interested....0m40s and 20m28s Looks good! I wonder whether any of the RMWeb team at the range launch, get a snap?

DOR East Coast pre-dates the DfT policy written into all post 2012 franchise agreements that train liveries are grey, and brands remain the same through a change over. The only change being 'operated by....'. South West Trains was Stagecoach, even though the SWT brand is actually owned by the DfT. It was decided by the DfT to 'disquinish' the franchise going forward and bringing synergies with other franchises to re-brand the Wessex franchise to South Western Railway - a brand which shall remain, along with the DfT Grey livery. No doubt you have noted, the DfT is the all seeing and governing eye of the railway. Whether franchise, direct award or management contract. The DfT Grey on the Northern units inc. the C4/C6 class 158s is to remain. If it turns into a concession post EMA and Williams, you'll be seeing DfT grey with the 'Northern' brand for another 7-10 years. I am willing to bet you a class 158 model on it!

Could you link this video please? I have checked the Bachmann YouTube site and cannot see anything. If so, this would be super as it would match the Kernow MRC exclusive sleeper MK3s in GWR!

I have also heard rumours about Northern, TfW and SWT 158/159s. I am sure everyone has noted, more GWR 158s are 'due' in May...which might suggest the 'Summer' announcement for the following quarter period might feature more 158/159s. Just what SWT livery to choose! Original (small SWT brand and half red doors), ex-C6 (large SWT brand, front orange doors, rest full red), ex-C6 adjusted (large SWT brand, all orange doors) or ex-C6/compliant build (weird ass triangles rather than the swoosh). Hmmm!!! I'd buy at least 4 of any but of the weird ass triangles! + two on the FGW local Lines...though for more... how about a Wessex Trains Alphalines up to a modern tool standard! Only one thing ran later than Bachmann 158 and that was any of Wessex Trains Alphaline services! If you choose the right number, the ex-Wessex Trains Alphalines livery continued in Northern and Scotrail. I fell off my pub chair when I saw an Alpha at Edinburgh Waverley once! The 'Northern' brand and light grey livery as currently worn is a DfT owned 'brand'. The only thing changing the 'operated by...<insert owning group>. As such, if a train is grey, it's here to stay. The only wonder for Bachmann would be to tampo print 'by Arriva' or not. Possibly better to print it, as then the modeller can easily remove if they wish my the usual ways to remove a tampo print.

They do, well, returned mine. Best if I do not get into the reasons why, but, I shall be waiting for Bachmann to offer a re-tool in the next few or so years and perhaps in the meantime, re-buying my old Bachmann 66s off eBay. It is your consumer right to only cover post for the delivery, if the product is at fault (Consumer Rights). They sent me a Collect+ label.

I still do not get the point of this, at £599 I would only buy if the Compass branding has been applied. I am happy to apply numbers, means I would gladly pay £1198 for two! But the Compass branding over those grills as a decal. Yikes! Would look so tacky! Why make a finished model in the form of Colas 37421 but not a DRS...surely the most popular one. All I can think is they are unwilling to pay licensing to DRS. Ive emailed DRS to confirm whether this is the case... Any O gauge modellers out there know where I can get the Compass branding tampo printed to make it drape over the grills? Cost is ill-relevant, maybe there is a Chinese outfit out there who would? https://images.railsofsheffield.com/product-images.axd/drsblue37.jpg?preset=large

Well with nothing announced today, is this project continuing? Would be interested to hear prices, wagon numbers and expected order book opening. Keen to buy a number of these!

Huh? But the Hornby Mk3SD is from the Oxford Rail Mk3 tooling... Sorry not to single you out, but I find it hysterical that the Oxford Mk3 was slaughtered on here, but put a red badge on it and it's like. Caw that's great!

I like how the 319 has got a lot of mentions, I assume everyone is happy for it to include the 769 is modelled? Though you could believe the 769 shall never work, it shall be a common sight by the end of this year and into the next on GWR, TfW and Northern.

GOOD! There is no need to further pollute the planet. I am shocked that a model railway forum would suggest a bitterness of moving to a zero-carbon public transport infrastructure country. I don't care if you do not like it, the 28,000-36,000 people who die every year due to traffic pollution do as does the long term sustainability of the planet. I could go down to a BMW garage tomorrow and buy myself a car, I don't, as I actually care for the impact I have on the environment around me. Those who don't, tough, as we shall transition away from our addiction to polluting whether you want to embrace the change or you are forced to. Now why don't you, this afternoon, get on a train and go for a walk in your local National Park and enjoy life. Ally Pally is superbly well connected by train and legs.

There is a genuine consideration for splitting the Northern Franchise into two. East and West, under the OLR. Keep an eye on Company House registrations in the New Year for Directly Operated Holdings Limited - Northern West and same for the East. This would be short term, to identify, post William's Review publication on how best to involve local input on local services radiating out of Manchester/Liverpool and along the East Coast. There is of course, acknowledgement (and passengers won't want to hear this), there would be problems with who ever runs 'Northern' as simply the infrastructure/rolling stock has not been delivered on time. CAF shall never receive further orders for UK rolling stock, it's been effetely black listed. There is a saying, you get what you pay for! It is widely known, CAF has not made a penny from their UK contracts. (some stock, shall very unlikely see use much beyond the next franchise period as it is built so poorly). Additionally, DB has effectively binned the sale of Arriva due to the liabilities of its franchises. I wouldn't rule out, Arriva looking to return the Northern franchise to the DfT. Lets me very clear, apologies if someone else has said. The DfT micro-manage every franchise down to the last level of detail, from staffing levels, service frequencies, trolleys, seat fabric, train colour. The DfT is the strategic control of the UK rail franchise system and as they have become too involved in micro-managing they are chaining the private parties into survival mode and the industry has utterly lose innovating and pragmatic solutions to resolving this troth feeding by the DfT. The Williams Review shall address this. But be under no illusions, our railway system is government controlled down to the last detail. When privation first began and through to the early/mid 2000s it is widely acknowledged as being a huge success as the private parties had the scope to do what private companies do best. Run something. But under successive governments/minsisters and sadly, egos at the DfT. We have got ourselves into a broken mess. There is not one private franchise party who shall not say privately the system is broken, but they are now just surviving. The end result of all this, passengers are suffering at a time when the industry has never seen an injection of modern rolling stock as we are now witnessing. But because decision are down to dealing with the day and there is no short/medium/long term strategy coming from the DfT who take micro-decision there and then. Private TOCs have to fight for every weekly decision. It is expected widely in the industry, Network Rail shall be given the responsibilities of franchising and strategic investment as the DfT shall shy (removed) away from forming a SRA 2.0. The industry needs medium and long term strategy, not government micro-managing. The private partners do best, when they are given the freedom to innovate and deliver a service, along a long term vision. ie. What infrastructure, what timetables, what passenger loads, what interaction with freight etc. The whole industry agrees there needs to be change, and it does not matter who runs it. Just not the DfT in its current form. There is consideration given for concession/management style franchises, with local input, across many commuter areas. One thing for sure, we are in for a rollercoaster and fascinating year for change in the railway industry.

Great to see the order book open for these, the page talks of four packs, but does not say anything about wagon numbers. Would you have the wagon numbers to hand? I post on here, as no doubt other RMWebbers would be interested to know.

Looking forward to seeing people’s models here, as I cannot decide could I live with the tooling errors pointed out before. As for the Colas livery, looks OK to me...personally. Bit of fun below, spot the difference: Damn it! I genuinely now feel the Bachmann 66 isn’t all that bad! Starting to regret selling them all off to fund Hattons take. I genuinely do not know what to do. Livery application, that last attention to detail is important and clearly the Bachmann team win in that department.

Odd, as the Colas five were painted inside Eastleigh works using RAL...