No Decorum

I like my locomotives clean. In other respects, I like accuracy but this is how I’d like the railways to have been. A K Class would be wonderful, though.

Better yet, the whole train (preferably bit by bit).

No. First name of the boss.

A firebox glow does rather show up the lack of a crew.

Your light box and not your knapsack? There’s an honest man! Thanks for posting.

Cheer up! At least you didn’t miss them.

I assume that the pantograph will not be servo-controlled as it isn’t mentioned. May I ask if it will be metal, so that it won’t be cut through by OHLE?

Brexit, Covid, Russo-Ukrainian War, improved pay in China and a market which seems to demand ever more detail?

It’s a grand model (00) but it would be even better if the codes were behind the perspex.

Taff Vale Railway? More Oxford Rail, I would have thought. 🤣

Did we also have mention of a steamer “on charge” instead of, presumably, “in charge”? I seem to sense the demon spell chequer (sic) at work. Do we really have much to fear from AI? A couple of recent experiences. First, AI decided to get chummy with me and address me by my first name as it appears on my credit card. I don’t hold with much of the present trend to over-familiarity (grump, grump) so my credit card begins with “Mr” followed by my initials. My letter began, “Dear Mr” followed by my initials. AI’s second attempt at familiarity was in an e-mail relating to my order for World of Railways’ own commissioned coal wagons. “Dear [blank space],” it began. “We would like to personally thank you…” I apologise for wandering off-topic. Better to be amused by A lack of I than to get het up. “To err is human but to really foul things up, you need a computer.” 🤣

I’m glad you got it sorted out. A good response from an allegedly jet-lagged Michael!

I think it was originally offered but only from Dapol direct. A shame it was cancelled.

Will the chocolate be available as spares? 🤣

News of the 48 at last! Many thanks. I confess that I haven’t found any detail about the roof, which is, I think, where the main difference lay. I hope it’s accurate.

J26s? Capital! The J27 was, I think, Oxford’s best model to date and if that’s a guide, the J26 will be good too.

I wonder why Dapol chose these. There have been lots of requests for Electrostars and Dieselstars (Turbostars sounds rather better, doesn’t it?) Perhaps Dapol didn’t want to risk duplication. I’m going to risk mentioning price. It is often suggested that not many MU classes appear because the cost of tooling leads to a final high price. Against that, it has also been suggested that when you compare an MU to a loco hauled train, you are in effect getting a whole train and costs are comparable. Munch on this, though. Here we have a three-car MU for a little less than a Clark Railworks WD 2-10-0. I think this is super. Well done, Dapol!

Duh! Learning, unlearning and re-learning! Would it be all that difficult to include a flanged set for neurotic types? (I have a thing about flangeless wheels, dating back as I do to days when many six-coupled steamers had flangeless centre drivers.)

Flangeless centre driver is true to prototype – well, I live and learn. Inspite of all the howling, I reflect on the excellent running of GT3 and find myself cautiously optimistic about Big Bertha. For a start, there is only the headlight, so the lighting set up which was such a mess on GT3 and the Fell shouldn’t be a problem. I hope the rods won’t be painted brass but a more realistic metal.

I think it’s significant that the smoke versions hung around to be discounted whilst the sound versions sold out rapidly. For my part, I wish Dapol would produce the pioneer of the class. “Wish” – oops!

Noth … wait a minute! Sound? Aha!

The flash of LNER green made me think for a brief moment that it was a K4. Humph!

It would look noticeably different from all the others!

The problem with pre-grouping (a very long period of time) is that there were so many companies. There was a prospect of manufacturers feeding us locoholics with a great choice of locos and not much else. There is a bit of that but it is wonderfully gratifying that the SE&CR is so well served. We have a decent cross section of locos but into the bargain we have coaches, wagons and brake vans. Pre-grouping wagons from other companies are appearing too so that authentic mixed up goods trains can be assembled. Whilst items such as (for example) a Caledonian goods loco are nice to have, I think it’s better to focus on a few railways and provide a more complete range.

OT. Holyhead Breakwater? That’s a tiny gap in the diesel line up.