Clearwater

More likely that if, in the electrified ecml alternative history, if deltics had still been invented that they would have been seen on top link services on either the wcml or gwml. My bet is on the former David

Hi Richard It's Microsoft train simulator http://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showthread.php?290192-Kingsbridge-Branch I think this is from one of the earlier versions of the programme. Whilst it's a great programme, some of the newer versions of the software need high end PCs with powerful 3d graphics cards. Various third party developers have written so called route software such as shown above and locos you can download, sometime ps at charge I have seen the software being demonstrated at various model rail shows. David

Agreed - I've not seen the Brent add on but I've got the similarly aged Severn Valley module. It really is creepily accurate as well as addictive to drive along in cab. The newer version of the software is more visually stunning still however, fortunately, it still doesnt compare to actual railway modelling... David

Ridiculously I'd say. The tts locos usually cost about £20 more than non tts locos (see the new kings). I think gadwall retailed at £99.99 or so. However, the quality of the sound is not that of a £100+ aftermarket chip and speaker. I fail to see why anyone would pay an Exeter price for only part of a loco that you can source alternatively at a fraction of the price!

Fascinating, and skilful, stuff as ever but I'm afraid I can only follow with the help of LNER.info! Somehow, though, seeing models of long last classes brings them to life in a way you don't get by just reading a reference book David

I always used to like the shepherd neame tube advert that showed the beer pump with a half drunk pint of spitfire. Next to it on the counter was a well groomed set of nails drumming the table impatiently with the tag line "Victoria Cross"

My pre order was in April 2015 and was dispatched today. I needed to call to check something else and raised timing with them. I think they're working through as fast as they can. Clearly a large number of orders and busiest time of their year David

Quite - if he can't keep cool, he'll have big problems

I think the sisters appear to be trying to hide from the snowman and Santa in the second photo.

In a fit of original research, I went to the Bucks Rail website. I do note Quainton has a modified hall. If someone has a slightly warped sense of humour, picking that would be quite amusing. Not sure if it fits the photo they're showing on the blog though They don't say when the photo was taken hence a visiting loco could be a possibility. Does anyone know if they either do third party work that doesn't show in their stock list or if locos are lodged temporarily either for festivals or when travelling between other locations? If I'm being cynical, the picture with the background of the shed looks like it was taken a while back given the guy is wearing summer gear and the background light looks bright. Also, there is nothing to link the two photos together as being at the same time or indeed place or that the loco he's photographed by is the one they are adding to the 2017 range. I wouldn't put it past Hornby to deliberately try and set a false trail here to help increase the level of frothing! David Edit: wrote post before identification of location as StEAM. However I think my argument / cynicism still applies!

"Gresley was a hard act to follow and whatever the new person had done would be seen to be wrong by some folk. If he had carried on developing Gresley designs he would have been accused of not having his own original thoughts. Going down a new route was going to upset a good number of loyal and appreciative former Gresley employees and enthusiasts." It's an interesting contrast, perhaps, to the Collett's succession of Churchward on the Great Western. Collett is sometimes criticised for only incrementally taking forward Churchward's designs yet Thompson is criticised by some for making more radical changes to his predecessors work. A case of 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' if following a charismatic/influential predecessor. David

I spent a lot of 2002/2003 working on Crossrail alongside the transport planners. If I recall correctly, they saw little incremental value in running through Crossrail services as far west as Reading. They also considered services beyond reading to the likes of oxford but frankly these were negative from a business case perspective. If the transport model assume it takes x minutes to change from the surface level to Crossrail statiom at paddington, you can pretty quickly come to a common sense conclusion on how passengers would behave. However, I'm not sure that passengers are rational in the way these models assume. I'd take all transport planning models with a bucket of salt....

What? Do you mean she looks at the locos and calls out the number for the other sister to write down?

On another thread, someone has suggested, with brilliant 20:20 hindsight, that building a new A1/A3 would have been cheaper than repairing 4472. Would have been a good tribute, perhaps, to have built a replica "Great Northern" David

Whilst I think it would be wonderful to see a wholly new design, I'm not sure that would capture the public imagination in the way a replica / new build could. It seems to me the issue the heritage rail sector has is that it's motive power is focuses on small tanks, suitable for the initial operations, and big heavy 8Ps suitable for the mainline. Am fully aware there are plenty of manors, halls etc out there but I'd have thought the demand from the the heritage sector for mid range locos to pull their heavier trains could drive the new builds of some of the lost mogul, Atlantic, 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 classes. It will be interesting To see how much demand GWS gets for their Saint I should add that i don't think replicas have to be exact copies. Like tornado, modern technology should be used to inform the design and sympathetically update. Main thing is that the loco looks like the prototype. Truly 1:1 modelling! David

"Exterminate" - sadly all too true for the A1s, A2s, A3s, A4s etc... David

[quote name="Focalplane" post="2115247" timestamp="1449174180" rSnow Hill to Stourbridge push pull sets used a 14XX with four coaches at peak times - see warwickshirerailways.com for the evidence - the loco in the middle. I'm intrigued by that. A long way post steam, I commuted to birmingham (sadly new street in those days) from Stourbridge. In the winter the first generation dmus used to struggle up old hill bank, particularly if it was icy and/or overcrowded. Per earlier comments, the 14xx seems to struggle with load and hills so am surprised they ran to snow hill on that service. I'd have thought they were serving The branch from Old Hill as I thought the snow hill/Birmingham service was a largely prairie service? David

That's a tough one for the trustees to balance competing interests however I would hope they can find a compromise that allows a substantial donation to be made whilst satisfying others, probably also donors in aggregate more than the sum pledged, such as a name plate is only worn at certain times. Personally, I'm more relaxed about naming new builds that never existed than naming locos that didn't carry names in service. For a prominent new build, particularly one that will have mainline operation aspirations, I'd have thought a strong name is part of the brand. I did like the way the GWS organised the poll for 2999. David

Thanks. Not sure what they use for Thomas at the gcr. Maybe a jinty?

I love the way the fireman is grinning at the camera in the second shot David

Not Thomas' day. GCR Loughborough March 2011

Reading recent posts on this thread on Ugandan discussions, I'm beginning to wonder if the MODs need to introduce a Too Much Information button!

I'd be interested to know what views would have been posted had this debate been happening 30/40/50 years ago, ie before the introduction of the brass etched kits (I'm afraid I don't know when they started being made). I'm willing to bet that as these were introduced there were people bemoaning the loss of proper scratchbuilding skiills of starting with a piece of metal, shaping it yourself etc etc. Times always changes. Equally, as technology continues to develop, and as noted kits themselves must once have been at the cutting edge of what could be done, modellers will use those advances and the skill set required to produce items for their layouts. To pick an example, someone posted a picture on RMWeb of some lamps produced with a 3D printer. To me, it's real modelling and skill to take a prototype item, translate it into a design and instructions for the printer to get an accurate lamp out of it. Whilst that's different to bending metal and soldering, it's no less of an achievement and should be celebrated as top quality modelling. Personally I feel there will always be a place for both aftermarket detailing kits for rtr stock and kits to build models that would not otherwise be commercial. However, where rtr can achieve strong results and deal with the historic problems of rtr, ie inaccurate detail, poor pulling power etc, kits in those areas will fades. Equally, I think kits will continue to flourish particularly in the rolling stock arena. Given the range of coaches used and the economics of 'mass' production, there are always going to be types of coaches that are not produced in RTR format and hence a demand from modellers to build them. Looking at the large layouts on RMWeb, its coach kits that are used first to supplement RTR products. As a comparative youngster, my nervousness is that when I reach an age when I can spend more time developing my model of a lifetime, the range of RTR etc will have declined. Also, I want to take advantage of the knowledge here and try and learn the skills required to tackle something more complex. Equally, whilst I'm aware I could commission people to build what I want, I want to be able to have the satisfaction of doing it myself on occasions. Reading this and other threads, notably coachman's, I've been inspired to take the plunge and try a brass kit. Warley has seen me purchase a Langley building which comes in brass format and a Comet Coach. I'll probably start a thread to show how I'm getting on. Worth also noting that the internet has enabled like minded souls to gather in a way that would have been thought impossible 25 years ago nevermind 50 years ago. I very much see RMWEb as a virtual model rail club. People may not go to a local society as there's no-one who shares their exact interest but forum like this create exactly the same environment albeit in a virtual world. In that regard, my experience to date on here has been very positive that when you post a question, people are extremely willing to help and make suggestions as to how you can improve what you're doing David

On the glossy blue 70th anniversary Thomas, my son commented "why is Thomas a funny colour?" I did ask about TTS for the range. Translating what Hornby said "it's too expensive for the licence" David