ScRSG

Biggleswade, Stoke Summit and our own Alloa! Models of actual locations, and the first two inspired me to take part in the third.

If you do a bit of a search on Google for these servos you can find, as i did, from Hong Kong direct, four SG90's for SIX QUIDIncluding postage and they arrived in less than ten days! (last December snow and ice and all!)

We too used the Embedded Controls system for our "Alloa" layout, and, having now tried both the Heathcote version (which are ok) and the modules from MUTR (which are NOT ok), I wish the Embedded Controls modules were still freely available as they are vastly superior to any of the others due to the subtle movements available such as bounce etc. I have tried to persuade the former manufacturer to re-introduce these but to no avail (as yet). Not cheap but definitely the best!

For a Scottish engine they are taking a long time to reach the Scottish retailers, as of this post still no sign.

Re my earlier post on Speedo drives. Isn't this omission much more obvious than the position of a lamp iron? According to the "Green Book" the class was originally fitted with the BTH drives, which was quiite a significant casting on the right side rear driver, and all were replaced in 1960/61 with the Stone type drive much as fitted to late crest Hornby exLNER Pacifics. Bachmann seem to ignore these items on the vast majority of their models although I have seen a drive fitted to a late crest Standard 5 in their range.

OK here we go! Speedo Drives? As usual Bachmann do not seem to wish to add this usually prominent detail to any of their models, but photos show that the majority of A2's had the earlier standard type as fitted to most other ex LNER Pacifics. Anybody got chapter and verse? Please include any sources for castings or mouldings. Have checked through Yeadon's books and also Irwell "Book of" but no firm details as to type, when fitted etc. My main interest is late crest BR.

Rumour has it that the other two single chimney versions, Bachelors Button and Tudor Minstrel are about to be despatched to retailers imminently!

Story goes that the Blue Peters had been in the country since July, but something was not right regarding some part or other and that the tool for this part had been damaged/badly designed. Therefore all the Blue Peters have had to go back. The tool was corrected before any further production and the other A2's are ok, and rumour has it these are already in Barwell, but not released as yet.

Definitely a Dave Alexander kit, I have a couple of these and they are the only kits I have built that have defied all attempts to get them to run properly, latest moderately successful attempt involvs two motor bogies. Seems to me to be a shame to put completely fictitious liveries on these, but to each his own....

From Alloa

Can you give any further details on where you learned this momentous fact and if any photies were taken?

I certainly didn't know this! Can now justify running on our Alloa layout (if we ever allow diesels) and on my own layout basd on Plean!!

Mine goes like a sewing machine! 0.1 amp gets it moving and top speed is more than adequate and at about 0.4 amp. (on DC)Superb!

You have to be careful here as to the demand for any loco, at the model shop in Glasgow which I have a connection to, sales of the original batch of Clans, both early and late only reached around the fifty mark, and we were not embarrassed by lots of requests when out of stock. The Polmadie Black 5 did not sell in large numbers and indeed a good few are still in stock! We have also not had one single order for the new clan or indeed any orders as yet for the new Scottish A3 (Brown Jack). The prices for these are competitive so not all are going to the "box shifters". I do find it difficult to see where the need for 5,000 (going on to 9,000) comes from. The NRM did not, i suspect, get 5,000 prototype Deltics or the same number of Truro's. But both of these appeared to be successful for the museum and, of course, Bachmann. Yes, we should get Societies involved and maybe this is the way forward but I don't think you could ask a small number of Scottish retailers (2 or 3?) to commit to that level. (See comments above re quantities sold of Clans and Balack 5s). The Caledonian Society some time ago sent round a circular on the subject of getting a Caley engine produced, what happened to that does anyone know.

Hmmm! From the responses it would seem that any of the locos requested are unlikely, although I do wonder whether T9's or M7's sold in sufficient quantities to be viable! So what do we do? Lets consider kits, Basic and relatively straight forward kits are available for J36 (Gem, although much better with an Eastfield Models chassis, which is difficult to get - start a lobby to get these out again!) DJH produced kits for the Jumbo which were as easy a kit as you can get! Their 439 is also available but is a pig to balance correctly. Caley Coaches produces a brass kit for the 812 (and variants) but requires good soldering skills. All these locos are relatively simple in design and therefore the kits are reasonably straight forward. So if you can source any of these have a go!

Just to add to the point about the tablet catcher on the cab side. From as many photos as I can see, the Polmadie Clans (72000-4) do not appear to have this addition, only the Kingmoor ones, possibly for working to Stranraer. I may be wrong here, but I have examined a fair number of photos and found no evidence of this item being fitted to 66A machines!

I believe the little moulding on the cab side on the late crest version is a representation of the tablet catcher mechanism. However. if you look at photos it would seem that this moulding is a bit too low! The moulding should finish just above the numbers and not in amongst them! I think Hornby have measured this as half way between the lining and not half way down the cab. It makes re-numbering quite difficult and I, for one, have sliced of the projection and intend to replace with a small piece of Plastruct a bit higher on the cabside.