wainwright1

Unfortunate date as it will clash with the Bluebell Railway Model Railway Show if that goes ahead on its usual weekend. We have a layout provisionally booked. Ray

Had a good look at these. Without referring to any books, the blue one looks like an H class judging by the pagoda roof, but what is the grey one ? A Q1 class would have the flared tanks and bunker, but they would be lower than the H. An R1 0-4-4 would have higher tanks etc. but would not have the flares. Is it a R1 0-6-0 cut and shut, though that would have a pagoda roof. I would be interested to know. All the best Ray

Without re-opening the previous debate, Hattons do seem determined to produce the SE & CR coaches in an inappropriate colour. I have not ordered any. All the best Ray

Is it still on their website ? When I look at it, it does not appear anymore. All the best Ray

Lots of interesting useful data there Tom. I have seen most of the info in the various books covering the coaching stock. I am being a bit flexible with my dates on Hawkhurst so that I can use what is (or was) available in kit form. I think that the only LC & DR 4 wheeled produced were the ones that Roxey did originally as a commission for the Blackfriars Bridge Station layout project. Unfortunately, these actually came out under scale, more like H0 than 00. So I have opted for the D & S 6 wheeled coaches and have acquired enough kits to do a 12 coach set. Why 12 coaches ? Well, there are a couple of pictures showing several rakes of these excursion stock coaches in the sidings at Crystal Palace and at least one, possibly two of them, appear to have only 12 rather than 14 coaches. There is a secondary benefit for using only 12 coaches, as we also have a layout of Crystal Palace High Level Station set in Southern Railway days, so I can use this set as old stock which has not yet been re-painted into Southern livery. Also, a tank engine and 12 coaches will fit in the head shunt on CPHL, whereas a 14 coach set will not. Which is not to say that I would not acquire a set of the older 4 wheeled stock if it became available at an affordable price, and it looks like Mr Snail might make that possible. All the best Happy New Year Ray

Your tempting me again. I would very much like set of these in 4mm, although they would not have appeared on my Hawkhurst branch. My branch train (based on photos) is formed of an ex-LC & DR all 1st, all 2nd and all 3rd, plus an ex-SER 4 wheeled full break. The rush hour train, (much more vague), is made up of three bogie coaches which may have been attached to through trains to London. These would all be painted in the lined red livery apart from the full break. My hop-pickers special will be made up of 12 ex-LC & DR 6 wheelers, fortunately painted in the later brown livery. The stock before this would have been ancient SER 4 wheelers, perhaps close coupled. All the best Happy New Year Ray

Corgi Original Omnibus did some of their 4Q4 single deck buses with the sliding door in the closed position and at least a couple in the open position. I think that some of the East Lanc's forward entrance half cab double decker's, which they did in several versions, may have also had slid-able doors. The roof sections on the OB could also be made slid-able. All the best Ray

The only surviving one is sitting in the 1 - 1 collection in the warehouse next door to their offices. All the best Merry Christmas Ray

I got the Great Locomotives version (static), which I believe they scanned and reduced from the 7mm version that Bachmann produced for Kader's centenary. Unfortunately, they cocked it up and it came out more H0 than 00. It also had a chauldron wagon with it. All the best Merry Christmas Ray

Mine arrived this morning quite unannounced. Had a quick look and looks o.k. Will give it closer scrutiny later on. My Caledonian 0-6-0 arrived five minutes before. One by the postman and the other in a post office van. All the best Ray

Not heard anything about mine either. Ray

A spotty dog type model suspended on a wire at each end with the legs flopping about on the treadmill. That would look interesting ! I am sure that some of our more interesting modellers could make that look quite good. After I, recall a locomotive on here somewhere with two legs at the back pushing it along the track !!! All the best Merry Christmas Ray

Reminds me of that old TV advert.... Courage and Barclays and Simmonds bring you the top ten beers..... That included one called Russian Imperial if I remember correctly. That takes it to a whole new level. All the best Merry Christmas Ray

Named after the cinema at the Elephant and Castle......... Merry Christmas Ray

Just ordered my preserved blue loco. It can run with my Hornby North British J36. Merry Christmas Ray

Lion is on its way both from Hornby and Rapido. All the best Ray

Hi DIN. Just been scanning your blog again. I have been in discussion with Woko, and would certainly like some of his 4mm wagons and coaches, the SE & CR and LC & DR ones especially. Be pleased to hear if you decide to produce these. All the best Merry Christmas Ray

More temptations. Pity I cannot place an order. All the best Merry Christmas Ray

Bring on the E1's. Main land and Isle of Wight.

Hi Matt. Have a look at Anyscale Models website. He does a number of items for the quayside including steel lighters and a Clyde Puffer, plus several derelict items. South Eastern Finecast, (Now Squires), do a small crane tank, although the reach of the fixed jib around the chimney would not be very far. The South Eastern Railway bough two and the Caledonian one. I have one to build and I hope that the very small loco wheels are still available. All the best Happy modelling Merry Christmas Ray

Still good service. He will be at the Woolwich Show at Shooters Hill this weekend. All the best Ray

Mi Matt. Hope that you are well. Dart Castings do a good range of horses for what you need. All the best Ray

No, good priorities ! Ray

Must have outsourced the production to Bachmann ! Ray

Which year ?