Graham_Muz

Which is partly what Hornby are doing with their market segment positioning of the RailRoad range

I would not go as far as to say poor quality, as I do appreciate the amount of work a "small team" noting that some teams are smaller that others, have to achieve to get the the magazine published each month. I also fully understand how some errors creep in such as typos or captions for photographs supplied in good faith get through the net. I am just highlighing that if something is going to be criticised then they should be able to substantiate the claim.

There has been much discussion over the last few years on model forums, and no doubt over a cuppa or three at many a model railway club, about the standard of the current ready to run models. Bachman first raised the bar approximately 15 years ago with the introduction of their Blue Ribbon range and since then we have all come to expect great detail and accuracy, no longer will the hobby tolerate one model being passed off as another by a simple repaint. Since then all manufacturers have attempted to proved greater detail and accuracy beyond what 20 years ago we could have dreamt of. There is the often raised issue of greater detail meaning more components to damage during handling, some modellers it would appear want the detail but don’t expect to handle with care… With this continued increase in quality, accuracy and general level of detail I do accept there have been a number of howlers in the past few years of models that are in fact just plain wrong: This is an extract of the latest entry on my modelling blog click here to read the full entry My full model railway and meanderings blog can be read at www.grahammuz.com

Bill Just a slight correction, to prevent a further myth perpetuating, the T9 tender frame mistake (along with the injector pipe work going in the wrong direction) was an actual design issue not a simple chinese assembly mistake, as it was not in fact possible to simply turn the frames around without cutting off one of the lugs which would then block the body fixing screw.

This is the first in hopefully a series of posts looking at the various items of rolling stock that have and operate on Fisherton Sarum. Over time the intent is that the series will include locomotives, coaching stock and wagons. First up are Bulleid’s masterpieces the Merchant Navy class in original ‘Air Smoothed’ condition. I am not going to get into discussion about the success or otherwise of the design as plenty has been published elsewhere, but to cover some of the models that I have built / can be seen running on Fisherton Sarum. This is an extract of the latest entry on my modelling blog click here to read the full entry My full model railway and meanderings blog can be read at www.grahammuz.com

Steve Try the SeMG website's emu pages, indexed here hth

As being discussed here Hornby's 4 Vep has now hit the shops initially in Blue but with the NSE livery version due later this week. Also the Bachman 32-165DC DCC fitted and weathered N Class as discussed here is also now available.

Hi Robert Great, I am pleased the review has had a positive outcome for you. I hope the orders continue coming in. Oh any by the way when you list the drain pipes on Ebay its 'Bulleid' not 'Bullied'

Jam, certainly worthy of addition to the links OP. I have updated the OP accordingly to add a few of the other layouts missing from the list. I have also arranged a tidy up of the Group area moving a couple of threads that have now ended up as layout threads into the main layout topics of the forum to maintain the policy of keeping layout threads in that area with a link from this Group area to ensure that such threads get the widest audience.

Hi Robert If you haven't seen it already, I did a little review of your Bulleid Light Pacifc etched cylinder drain pipes in this months (October issue) Hornby Magazine. I hope you like!

In a recent blog post I mentioned that I would be exhibiting last weekend at the Railway Enthusiasts Club – Farnborough exhibition at Woking with Hinton Parva, one of the layouts from the High Wycombe and District Model Railway Society. Wondering around the show got me thinking about the topic of consistency on layouts and their approach to historical accuracy. I like to see layouts where a consistent level of approach is maintained across all aspects, from scenery, track work, buildings and rolling stock. There are a number of layouts where high standards in one or more of those aspects are on display to be let down by poor or just plain incorrect representation of others. I totally respect and understand the fact that very few people are either experts or accomplished in all fields of our hobby, however, one of the positive things I enjoy is that fact that so many people are prepared to advise, provide time and help in such matters to allow for mutual improvement and learning to take place. Forum such as here on RMweb are a great example of this information sharing and support occurring. This is an extract of the latest entry on my modelling blog click here to read the full entry My full model railway and meanderings blog can be read at www.grahammuz.com

Hinton Parva is one of the layouts of the High Wycombe and District Model Railway Society, I shall be exhibiting with this layout and the rest of the team from the Society at the Railway Enthusiasts Club exhibition this weekend (10/11th September) at Woking. The layout represents a very busy junction station on a Joint Midland/Eastern north-south line. The “Branch” purports to be a cross-country line bringing Southern and Western trains from the south-west. As well as the usual “mainline” movements, there is a goods yard constantly shuffling wagons for the pick up goods trains, and a motive Power Depot which has to receive, service, prepare and dispatch locos for the stopping branch express trains, all of which require a loco change. We operate a varied, late - 1950s, steam/early diesel schedule with a wide range of stock from modern detailed RTR and a large sprinkling of quality kit and scratch built locos and coaches. Not many layouts feature two Garratts (one an LMS and the other the sole LNER machine) hauling 60 wagon trains or a W1 ex-LNER Pacific or 10001,10201,10800, prototype Deltic diesels. The loco stock for an exhibition is in nearly 50 locos – and they all make a running appearance. This is an extract of the latest entry on my modelling blog click here to read the full entry My full model railway and meanderings blog can be read at www.grahammuz.com

OK OK Guilty as charged... ...firstly to see who would bite first... so well done Ian! and yes secondonly I was taking a liberty with the J and was refering to the nothern S & D as some one on here once got very upset that S & D was used for anything other than Stockton and Darlington...

Hi Each I have arranged for Jam's newly posted topic (post above) to be merged into this exisiting topic about the proper S&DJR of the three that existed!

The route of the old A3 (a very heavily used single carriageway road) was a blight across the Devil's Punchbowl which is a famed area of outstanding natural beauty. Replacing the one remaining bottleneck on the A3 with a dual carriageway and contingency with the use of twin bore tunnels, this is one road new construction project that had pretty much full support from the environmental lobby.

Rob The tunnel is two bores each with two lanes. In normal running one bore is northbound and the other South. Should one tunnel bore be blocked due to either an accident of maintenance then contra-flow running will take place in the other bore (as has been happening for the last four nights due to maintenance) My company provided the clever illuminated road studs that are switchable beween normal running and contra flow running conditions.

Any model railway layout needs the little people to complete the scene. I try where possible to position them in natural groupings. This post, the first in a series of ‘views from the line’, looks at the little people on Fisherton Sarum. Alongside the typical Southern concrete platelayers hut next to the main line my grandfather can be seen taking a break. He is leaning on his ballast fork, with his co-gangers and linesmen, one of whom is sat reading the newspaper and another has a mug of tea in his hand. This is an extract of the latest entry on my modelling blog click here to read the full entry My full model railway and meanderings blog can be read at www.grahammuz.com

CRT Kits are to produce in 4mm scale an SR 53' bogie scenery van to diagram 3182 (used for the transporting circus scenery and elephants) in etched brass and cast whitemetal, preformed roof and will include all parts bar couplings and wheels. Due out in the autumn, price TBC. More details from CRT Kits at Poplars Farm, Aythorpe Roding Dunmow Essex CM6 1RY (01279 876402). It is assumed this a reduction of their 7mm kit. If so, it should be pretty good, if a complex build. This nicely will fill the gap in kits for the Southern range of luggage / PLV / Parcles and Utility Vans. Further information on the other kits available can be found on my page on the SeMG website here Obviously Van C's (BR designation BY) are now also available from Hornby.

When one looks at the majority of steam era model layouts of the big four railway companies, or the subsequent British Railways regions, the majority tend to be set in either the 1930s or the 1950/60s this also tends to be reflected by the choice of models and liveries from the major ready-to-run manufacturers. Leaving aside the arguments of the least modelled and supported of the big four or BR regions the period that seems to most get overlooked in model form is the immediate post war to nationalisation period of 1946 to 1948. I thought I would outline some of the reasons and influences for me in choosing to model this less than popular period, and also the Southern Railway with my layout Fisherton Sarum, putting aside the fact that perhaps it is really because I just like to be different…. This is an extract of the latest entry on my modelling blog click here to read the full entry My full model railway and meanderings blog can be read at www.grahammuz.com

Further to my posts above about the Beattie Well Tanks, Kernow Models have now announced that the BR versions have now also been signed off for production see Andy's full post and pictures here

I can also add that BR livery samples of the Kernow Well Tank are due later this week so hopefully they can be approved soon.

Dapol have confirmed to Kernow Models that the first shipment of the Beattie Well Tank in Southern livery has been loaded onto the ship in China.