KDG

I'm no expert in these things, but I'll wager a discussion was had with the factory about batch production and economies of scale, i.e. much cheaper to bash them out all at the same time whilst the tooling, spray masks, trained staff, etc are all set up. Thereby reducing the factories costs and maximising Hatton's profit. They will learn the lesson, I'm confident in time there will be more with the QC issues sorted. It is an excellent model class 66.

I mentioned this a few pages back. It has been designed without working marker lights. Bachmann said there wasnt enough room to fit them.

CSA flyash wagons would tie in nicely for those with MGR aspirations.....

That's the one I was thinking of, thanks.

Didn't Safeway have a road railer in the 80's / 90's taking supermarket goods up to the Highlands. Seem to remember someone modelling it in one of the magazines, probably Model Rail?

My understanding is that these ambulance trains, fixed formations, intended for service in Britain, were left in company colours, with addition of Red Cross markings on every vehicle. Military hospital trains, different beasts, were painted army green. Evacuation trains e.g. fetching troops from UK channel ports post Dunkirk, were cobbled together from available service stock. It should be reasonably simple to put together a realistic sort of train from existing RTR stock without too much repainting. Hope this helps

Hi John I've only this week started researching WW2 ambulance trains so I'm no expert, but the following sites are where I gleaned the above:- www.qaranc.co.uk www.roll-of-honour.com Seems there were 34 ambulance trains put together in 1938, to deal with victims of terror bombing of Britain's cities. They were altered in 1939 just before war started and were never really needed en masse as first thought. The SR trains had initially 10 bogie luggage vans as ward cars, but later one was swapped for more staff accommodation. The doctors, nurses and orderlies lived on the train when in use and required more comforts than first thought of due to the arduous nature of the work. The GWR trains used converted Syphon wagons as the ward cars.

Tony, do you know what the preferred traction was for these ambulance trains? They consisted of 2 brake coaches, 9 bogie luggage vans, plus dining car.

Pre or post TOPS Fran?

Very nice........MORE please

Oooo good find, I see they do a Foxhound too, ideal to go on your KWA Warwells accompanying the Cavalex KFA Warflats. I'm going to order one to see how it looks..

You are of course correct ADB, thank you for that, it just looks like, side on that Hornby have used a centre headcode box body shell for 37510. They must have a better ex lima bodyshell that would be more appropriate?

37510 Orion - is the model the correct split headcode body variant, or generic Limby centre headcode?

Agreed. The railings that were cut down from parks and gardens to make Spitfires. Complete propaganda. Some of it was used as scrap ballast in ships goin back to US and elsewhere. There was still piles of it alongside the railway in a scrapyard near Preston in the 1970's. But it made people think they were doing something useful.

I think the KUA's only carry nuclear submarine related stuff, might be wrong though...

Finally got to play trains today and test run the Hatton's 66789 that Mrs KDG bought me for Christmas. Lovely lady......a keeper! Mini review.... Packaging is really very well designed keeping all the detail bits and bobs attached where they should be. Optional front valences a nice touch, so it's possible to have a TL coupling at both ends, one end, or neither as required. Comprehensive instruction manual, not just a leaflet. It's got some mass to it, much heavier than Bachmann's 66, comparable with Dapol's 68. Super smooth running straight out of the box, no wobble, all axleboxes present, attached, and rotating - which is a nice touch. To be honest I can only see them rotating if I'm actually trackside at slow speed, and it's been a troublesome feature for Hatton's. Hauls my 13 Dapol IOA's with consumate ease. At £119 in Hatton's sale it is a BARGAIN, it would be good value at £150. I shall be buying more. Well done Hattons. Season's Greetings to all

Awesome looking machines ^^^^^

Langley do a set of modern firefighters, painted (£17) or unpainted (£7), available on Ebay currently.

Just collected my pack of VTG grey JUA / JTA. WOW doesn't even get close. That is fancy packaging too, very well designed.. lovely free rolling wagons...air pipes... Another pack on order.

Excellent work ^^^^^

Hi Mark, vehicle body same size and shape. Some Sultan have diesel generator mounted on the roof along with the roof rack box and a telescopic demountable aerial on the back. The Sultans and Samaritan chassis are slighly longer than the Scimitar / Scorpion / Spartan with different spacing on road wheels and longer tracks.

Yes mate, antenna and externally mounred weapons removed for rail transport.

Cool, good choice, Sultan externally very similar to Samaritan.

I predict I'll be spending more with Accurascale than Hornby, but some DMU TTS sound decoders would be tempting.

Badger....class 89?