Karl

The engines need a toning down with some weathering but had to have a play in the sun today, a dusting of snow on Avalon Shed as Nesta and Blanche raise steam.

A couple of reliveries/minor tooling mods I think we may see are: - J15 done as a Y14 in GER blue as per the preserved one. Pre-grouping & colourful the first release of such seem to fly off the shelves ala Midland 1P, Bachmann C Class. - J27 with the mods needed for 65894 and similar variants. - Princess Coronation with D/Chimney and deflectors as per 6233 - Std 4 4-6-0 double chimney and BR1B not weathered BR Black ( I don't think this has been done by either H or B in the latest tooled versions_ I'm just hoping for a year of the Mogul in Steam with something like the K4 or K2. A retooled 8F I think is likely at some point as the existing one doesn't have the fine details of later models but with the Black 5 announced last year I can't see another large LMS this year. The 8F definitely has an accurascale likely feel given that they are doing the powering britain wagons and with the 37 in the range for the common heavy hauler in Diesel period from the 1960's the 8F seems a logical one for them in the steam range.

That's what I've read yes that Dinorwic ones were red. It's just the colour images I've found make it hard to tell with Holy War. My gut feeling looking at the photos is it's just very heavily weathered.

I think it can be renamed fairly accurately as 'Holy War'. That's my intention anyway. Alice, Hunslet works no. 780 – Bala Lake Railway (bala-lake-railway.co.uk) Holy War, Hunslet works no. 779 – Bala Lake Railway (bala-lake-railway.co.uk) Although not sure Holy War was red from the photos on those links as it could be faded black or very heavily weather red.

Would love that but sadly don't think its likely to have polled high enough for a K2/2 to have garnered attention and to me has more of a Bachmann type of engine feel about it. Could a K4 be on the cards with a K4 61994 and A4 60009 retirement pack given both are now withdrawn... Now I could see that selling to steam and modern era modellers given their length of service on the mainline in preservation.

With next year being 100 years since the grouping I would expect to see a sort of set emerge with one each of the big four like they did a few years ago when 4 individual models were marketed as 'The Last Day' collection, perhaps a 'First day collection'. I can't see too many wholly new toolings given the number of outstanding models but I don't think Hornby will 'do a Bachmann' and not announce new tooling for a year but maybe just one new tooling item. Something like an L&Y A class, LNER K4 or a D34 (personal wishes there!) would offer lots of liveries and for the latter two named engines but given the Turbomotive and Duke have been produced then 'The Great Bear' isn't as unlikely as it once seemed. With the Std 2, Black 5, Turbomotive and P2 still awaited this to me says any new steam will likely be Southern or Western Region. So perhaps this will be the year for the Q or the U class, not for me but seem to be high pollers so likely candidates. A shoe-in is probably a King in the Dublo range to join the MN, A4 and Duchess. With regards to Rolling Stock I can see the angular Coronation obbos being announced. I don't do Diesels but it wouldn't surprise me to see Hornby announce something like a new 50 which has been under development for a number of years or a 47. Basically I can't see Hornby having sat back and let others potentially take up all of what are staple modes for 1960's to 2000's period like the 37 and 47. So to me duplication is likely on Diesels but not in retaliation to other announcements but just because companies will have been working on the same class for a period before announcing.

Like others on here I bought RM this month purely to read the article about this layout as I think it has to be some of, if not the finest example of modelling landscape in which to set a railway I can remember seeing. Look forward to seeing more of it in the other mag you mentioned. Whichever that turns out to be.

I wouldn't say that mine is a 'bad' runner, it runs relatively well and likely will improve with use. It's just not as smooth out of the box as my Baldwins or Double fairlies, they do however have more pickups. I think there may also be a slight perception element as even in real life the motion looks slightly odd when moving to me (i think it's the incline of the cylinders) and so it may be that same effect in miniature.

It's not as smooth out of the box as the Double Fairlie's were, I have now chipped the model which didn't have any direct effect on running but it is running a bit freer after running in, a slight tight spot remains. I think the track may need to be very clean given the low number of axles as well to ensure that pick up is efficient.

Fresh out of the box 'Blanche' posed on my slate quarry scene, the model is a little tight straight from the box but nothing that shouldn't iron out with running in. Phone photos so the quality isn't great.

A nice early knock on the door and my pair, Lined Red and IWD Grey, arrived. Sadly only time to open them and have a quick look but everyone that's ordered one is in for a treat. They are fantastic livery application is spot on, the IWD No. 12, is absolutely stunning! Thanks Planet Industrial! I now have a model of an engine that ran less than a mile from my house at a colliery! Quick update. Test run both and they seem geared excellently, slow running from the box is superb. A quite brilliant debut rtr model from the team in my opinion.

Just seen this on today pre-owned and thought you might be interested Bachmann Branchline 31-137A-PO04 Class D11/2 4-4-0 6401 "James Fitzjames" (hattons.co.uk) (Doesn't seem to be copying as a link but there's an LNER lined black one in todays pre-owned.

'Marne' was done as a limited edition for Model Rail, I've got one and it is a lovely model. They sometimes appear on eBay, sometime worth just searching for Model rail limited edition rather than Bachmann. I recall at the time the advert for it said that Bachmann would not be producing another in LNER green for the foreseeable future.

I hope you're right, SR Olive Green and early crest BR IOW condition ones do seem some obvious gaps so maybe with the preserved one being currently presented as 'Yarmouth' in BR perhaps there are some specials of it as 'Yarmouth' in BR early and SR olive coming from the railway.

No prob, I just didn't want credit for Photoshop skills I don't have! 😆

I suspect this may refer to some of the images I have put on, so for the avoidance of doubt the ones I have put on are all taken outside against the sky and so it is natural light with the sky as it was on the day. I deliberately have done it when there have been some dramatic skies.

Std 4 No. 76001 arrives with a goods and D5347 warbles away waiting to depart. I am still please with this for a one week build 18 months ago.

The morning shunt with J36 65313.

Another beautiful evening at Loch Dochard with 57566 in service.

Ivatt 46468 at the buffer stops at Loch Dochard with a one coach local.

With some of the photos still absent here are some new ones of Loch Dochard.

Friday evening and Pannier Tank No. 1646 waits to leave Loch Dochard with the local service with the following train in the hands of a relatively clean Caley 57566.

A beautiful evening down on 'Avalon Shed' this evening with two Double Fairlie showing some signs of weathering but clearly the pride of the crew with that paraffin clean, and Prince engaged in shunting in some stunning light.

As the sun begins to set 'Merrdin Emrys', 'Livingston Thompson' and 'Prince' shunt the sidings at Avalon shed.