The Blue Streak

Indeed.

Did You blokes see the thread about the Hornby Hopper Wagons? It's good to see the design team at Hornby can keep a sense of humor despite all the uncertainty and upheavals in the recent past. Click Here

I started to read his thread, but It all got too hard and I gave up, I didn't see one picture of Jenny or Nigella Did anyone get as far as to find out where He was a "professional railwayman" ? I along with many on RMW work/worked for the railways, but there's plenty of blokes on RM Web that run rings around Me as far as modelling and general knowledge is concerned and have never been employed in rail.

That is a fair and reasonable statement Duds. But Hornby are able to replicate a good finish with a cheaper process and have done so already. In a earlier post above I hinted at the last Batch of BR teak corridor coaches R4598 - R4602, all made post SK. R4598 to R4601 all had that terrible Ikea finish, yet R4602 (the sleeping car) had a perfectly acceptable teak effect and they were from the same factory from about the same time and all released together. Admittedly the finish wasn't the absolutely astonishing SK finish achieved once upon a time, but it was most acceptable, passed the test from 12 inches away and didn't look out of place running with the SK versions. It can be done using the cheaper process but I think that someone just got it wrong on 4 out of 5 of these and then just perpetuated the mistake on the suburbans. The photos below are stock photos but they are exactly how mine showed up in the flesh, I kept the sleeping car, but turfed the rest and just didn't buy any suburbans. Example of the coffee table look from the last batch - and this is one of the better (?) ones, (check r4601 buffet car for the worst of them ) Example of a perfectly acceptable finish from the last batch ( actually looks better in the flesh) Pretty compelling evidence I think. Edit - I don't think anyone (or they shouldn't) believes they are going to get the old SK finish for a hand full of buttons anymore (like was the case at one time) but hopefully We can get the cheaper to print (but still quite nice) finish for our dollars/pounds as evident on R4602. I don't normally like to ride the rivet counter bandwagon and I understand and support the need to do things a bit cheaper to make them more affordable. But when Hornby have managed a good finish with a cheaper printing method once, but subsequently make a mess of it afterwards, it's just annoying. I just want to spend some Money on decent teaks. I really hope this years batch are good enough that I get to give Hornby a huge wad of cash. I rest My Case

Also nobody can outrun a Mental Cassowary on foot Allan. That's why We have these

The one in the picture ? SLR 7.62 We had the L1A1 version

At one time Hornby Teaks were among the most beautifully finished and highly sought after coaches you could buy. The prices those SK versions go for second hand attest to that. Then the printing became, well, a bit ordinary to put it politely and as a result I saw them going brand new for as little as 23 quid. The last batch of BR Teak corridors were going for that (they also had the knotty pine finish - with the exception of the sleeping car which was quite good curiously) so someone took a financial hit on those somewhere. When you look at how exquisite the BR Teak corridor coaches were in the rare bird and London Olympics packs and the LNER versions made at the same time, you wonder how they could have got it so wrong later. Anyway I have full confidence that Hornby can get back to where they once were with these coaches, the last year or so has been, in My eyes at least, a bit of a resurrection by Hornby. I think when they make quality products, they sell out. When they don't, the items sit on the shelves and get sold for bargain prices (you can buy an A3 Minoru for under 95 quid because of the ski jump running boards) which is good for us in the short term but not so good for Hornby in the long run. Anyway here's hoping the new run of teaks are brilliant and We have no excuse not to dive in and buy a bucket load of them. I won't be pre - ordering many until I see them, just in case. (Although I might take a chance on a full brake) Just for those who have forgotten how good Hornby teaks can be, a BR era brake comp -

Perhaps they have used artwork from the very original teaks, rather than the later versions and hopefully the old saying that it may not reflect the finished product applies. (Positive thoughts ) What I'm more concerned with is that the teak grain tampo is well done like the Sanda Kan versions. What I wouldn't like is if they received the Ikea knotty Pine finish that showed up on the post SK Teaks, as Mick said - they were horrendous. I really wanted some of those suburbans, until I saw them From what was written on the last Engine shed, they read various forums, so hopefully they see this. We know how good the Hornby teaks can be, but somehow the standard has slipped badly in the last few batches. Ikea coffee table finish !!

The Very Best, indeed !

I am only recently becoming aware of their popularity in the Mother Country, I thought there might have been a hard core group of expats that follow them, but to find out that mainstream Pom's are fans, well that's quite something. Especially in lieu of our other exports having not fared so well of late ie. Rolf, Jason, Fosters (Yuck) etc.

Found the Cat discussion http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/87205-sheffield-exchange-base-boards-are-going-great-guns/page-39&do=findComment&comment=3020124

I'm not sure where to find the Post Clive was discussing regarding dead cats, but I did find this whopper on his R.E.M.E (Rough Engineering Made Easy) topic. :laugh: :laugh:

I've not posted any bird pictures for a while, but this pair of Twenty Eight Parrots were in My elm tree eating the berries earlier today. For Birds that are so brightly coloured and almost iridescent, they certainly blend in well with their surroundings. Unfortunately these are slowly being driven out of their local habitats by the Feral Rosellas which came from the Eastern States as pets and escaped, they are now in numbers that threaten native parrots by competing for food and nesting sites Sorry about the quality, I took the pictures through a window into the sunlight.

The Army never told Me what was in that "cocktail" they shot into My arm with that air gun thingy that produced an instant welt the size of Tasmania and left Me with an arm that swung uselessly like a muppet's limb for two days. I'm sure it wasn't good for Me

Ahh Kevin Bloody Wilson (AKA Dennis Bryant). I met him a couple of times many, many years ago. (My Brothers' girlfriend at the time was good friends with KBW's daughter (Tammy Jo)). He was probably funnier when He wasn't performing as there was no need to stay within any boundaries at all (not that He seemed to have much in the way of boundaries). (I did prefer him to Rodney Rude - whom I though was an unimaginative knob). Tammy Jo (Kevin B Wilson's daughter) was a serious singer at the time (performing as T J Dennis) and was reasonably successful, (I had a bit of a crush on her to be honest, but didn't have the balls to ask her out) sometime later she went to Nashville, it was only much later on that she became the comedian Jenny Talia and ironically was far more successful in that role, than as a country singer. I still find it surreal that you Poms know about them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBRk0IDWr4Q

Allan, You can come on down anytime you like Mate. But if you look at SRMan's map just above, the thing you will really have to be wary of, is the same as everywhere else. Those two legged insects in the bottom right hand corner between the Man Eating Wombats and the Sharks. .

60052 Prince Palatine in Express Blue with Great Northern Tender from Master Cutler set R1074

Talking of P's, I laughed so much at this, a little bit came out. In My defence I've just come off a 0001 - 1200. I am knackered and not really in total control of My stuff.

See, that's getting into the spirit of things.

Good afternoon (or morning in the Mother Country) Gents. Recent discussion on this topic regarding ones memories, place of birth, family or peer influences which may lead to an allegiance or interest in a particular region or era, led Me to consider where and how My interests developed or evolved. I was born in Australia in 1967 so had no exposure to British steam being 12000 miles and 12 months (give or take) away from the last of Mainline steam in everyday service. My Father was in his trainspotting prime (just becoming a teenager) in Dorset at the end of WW2 and was firmly a Southern (read Bulleid) Man, so I do have a bit of a passing interest in the SR. Steam did hang on in Western Australia until about 1972 and I have a few memories as a nipper of My Mother taking Me to the railway station to watch tank engines bustle about (to be slowly and surely replaced, until the day came when no tank engines came which I remember upset me a great deal !) I did go to the UK for two or three years at about the age of 8 but have no recollections of seeing trains there. On becoming a Trainee Engineman and later an Engine Driver I only ever had exposure to diesels. So How do I become interested in the LNER / Early BR ECML ? Well, it was the time when 4472 visited Australia that caught My attention. I saw it (along with Pendennis Castle) thundering through the Avon Valley looking and sounding like nothing else I had ever seen. As impressive as the Castle was, the big Pacific stole the limelight and I was hooked. One fleeting moment where I saw one of Sir Nigels finest being given it's head on a secluded stretch of line, converted (corrupted ?) Me forever. Strange how things come about ! Cheers Ted

One Day I'll fly away - Randy Crawford

I was unable to restrain Myself Gents. The Grumpy Col. on the P Class thread needed a small tune up. Fancy saying You blokes talk Drivel Cheeky begger.

Because some people like to think of their hobby as a bit of fun, where they can share a bit of light hearted banter and enjoy themselves, rather taking it more seriously than a heart attack. You can always skip past the posts that you find annoying or "drivel" and just read the ones that you find relevant. I am fully supportive of your decision to enjoy your hobby as you see fit, but this is a pastime for all sorts and people of all ages, backgrounds and with varying attitudes to what they like to gain from the hobby. (Me - well I spend my working hours employed on the 1:1 scale railway so this is what I do to have a bit of fun and not get too caught up in being overly pedantic, but I appreciate that there are others who try to take it more seriously. It's not My cup of tea but I don't Pooh Pooh others for it). I think We could all do with a little lightening up, the world's a serious enough place as it is. Model railways (or any hobby come to think of it) should be an escape and this forum is an extension of that. The very definition of forum being - an assembly, meeting place, for the discussion or questions of public interest. What you may find of interest may be of no significance to others and vice versa, but a little more tolerance can't be a bad thing. Perhaps We as a group made up of (mostly) older and supposedly wiser individuals, should look at each others differences with an open mind instead of referring to the opinions of others as "Drivel". Have a good day Edit - Perhaps if you don't wish to see or read through the many and varying comments made by others, you could start a few topics (or even a web page) of your own, where you could in fact lay down some ground rules at the start and therefore have a little more control over the content rather than wishing to censor comments made in a public forum. Just a suggestion !

Absolutely, Did you blokes realise she is 50 this year

It's still on one of those channel 10 sub channels, it rates quite poorly here in Oz nowadays, but there is still a big export market apparently.