No Decorum

The Thompson and Peppercorn A2s were designed as mixed traffic locos, with driving wheels the same diameter (6' 2") as the V2s. Thus they weren’t, as you say, painted express passenger blue even though they were used as express locomotives due to post war shortages. It won’t spoil my fun; after all, I have a Tornado.

I certainly wouldn’t replace mine. However, I haven’t an A2 in express blue and I’d be very happy to buy one. With Blue Peter emerging in blue, it would be a good time for Bachmann to produce one.

“Check back after midday.”

I can’t say whether it would be possible or not but I’d hazard a guess that the electroplating would not be durable. I have some locomotives where the manufacturer has used electroplated wheels and the electroplating has worn off rather quickly.

I have a Heljan Western. It’s a nice model even if not a match for the newer Dapol version. I replaced the original brass wheels with nickel ones. The new ones lack the plastic inserts. I got a set of plastic inserts but discovered that, whilst the diameter is perfect, they protrude due to the new wheels being shallower. You’d think it would be a simple matter to sand off some plastic from the back of the inserts but I’ve found that it isn’t. I’ve no spares, so I need to be cautious and even after sanding for ages, I haven’t reduced even one enough. In the way of such things, other jobs which are easier to accomplish have taken over.

A more robust drop-in pick-up arrangement would be an excellent thing. Meantime, perhaps devise one for future projects.

Just some observations, if I may. My Model Rail J70 works all right in one direction but is a little jerky at slow speed in the other. It’s not enough to return it but bad enough to stop me getting a skirted version as well, which was my original intention. My Hunslet was hopeless until I discovered that it was choked in grease. After cleaning it up, It runs fine but it is a sound version. I am nervous of coreless motors but I have adopted the idea of fitting decoders or buying decoder-fitted models. Decoders seem to help them even when running on DC. I don’t know why coreless motors have started to be used. The much-maligned Hornby manages to produce beautifully running tiny locos with a conventional motor so it can’t be size. I have also compared models with both types of motor with their tops off. The coreless is just as big as the conventional motor, although I concede that it is a little slimmer. My conclusion is that they are a cost-cutting exercise, which seems strange when we are led to understand that motors contribute very little to the cost of a model. There is no doubt that coreless motors bring problems with their use. There are workarounds if the model you happen to want has a coreless motor but I wish manufacturers wouldn’t use them. Coreless on the right.

I must agree that there is no need for another WD 2-8-0; the Bachmann models are excellent. I know you’re a die-hard DC man and there is nothing whatever wrong with that but I will say that Bachmann’s latest offering with sound is superb. An excellent sound and control project in an excellent model. From another grumpy old man who is sometimes charmed out of grumpiness by the manufacturers.

As for the Cartazzi, Bachmann did it properly with the V2. Hornby has released far too many wide-firebox models where the flanged wheels (not always provided) are not functional but suitable only for display. The A1 might not be too hard a job. I haven’t looked at the innards but I have an A1 factory fitted with sound. Lovely models.

An excellent idea and an extra level of protection for the contents. Re-use is always better than recycling.

It is said that if you snooze, you loose. I don’t think I ever got around to requesting an e-mail but nevertheless I got one. I went to the site and secured one of the three I wanted, so I think I did better than I deserved.

Looking again, I think you’re right. On reflection, I don’t know how I came to my initial conclusion. My humble apologies to Watto1990 and Hornby. Gresley’s three-cylinder locos often seemed to have an odd beat, caused by having to raise the middle cylinder so that the con rod cleared the leading driving axle.

Marsden and Fenn contains three photographs of 18100. One shows it under construction without steps. The second, undated but described as being of a test train, is not very clear but seems to show a step. The third, dated 5th. April, 1952, shows the steps clearly. The loco was delivered to Western Region in December, 1951. I conclude from these three photographs that steps were fitted to 18100 either from new or very soon afterwards. For my part, I’m not particularly bothered by the lack of steps; to my eyes, the model looks wonderful. One shortcoming does rather bother me, which is the oil cooling fan. Fenn’s drawing, rightly or wrongly, shows it covered with a grill. The fan is just moulded on and looks it and it is a bit of a shame when compared to the trouble taken over the lifting eyes on the roof. The headcode lights are beautifully done, being tungsten-yellowish and dim. However, the second and third photographs mentioned above show 18100 in action with a pair of oil lamps, which was normal practice at the time. When 18100 was converted to an electric, two traction motors were removed as were the steam heat pipes. The thought occurs to me that it was never intended to haul either passenger or goods revenue-earning trains. With the Class 89 being abandoned in favour of eight-wheeled electrics, it seems that BR had condemned itself to the double heading of goods trains in order to have enough tractive weight.

That looks and sounds like a two-cylinder loco. If Hornby is depending on a perforated disc on one of the axles to synchronise the sound of the beats to the rotation of the wheels, that’s going to be difficult to fix.

A conflat P (00) would be very welcome. In the meantime, my Condor runs with a mixture of Conflat As.

I suspect that someone in the company has been studying the opposition. I understand why Bachmann would issue one model wagon at a time and, if there was demand, re-run it with a different running number. From my point of view, it was frustrating trying to build up a decent rake. Bachmann’s HRAs have now arrived with four differently-numbered examples. It’s easy to see this as a reaction to Accurascale’s way of doing things. As for a multipack, I would have thought that the price would be a stumbling block. As for the Red Team, it’s been done in the past. For example, successive triple packs and singletons have enabled a decent train of 21-ton hoppers to be put together. On the other hand, there seems to be a reluctance to produce many types of wagons and just what the new management will do remains to be seen.

I’ve seen that – the blue is beautiful and will look even better with the lining applied. I wonder if Bachmann would produce a model. I love Bachmann’s Peppercorns but I can foresee an unenthusiastic reception if the old tooling is re-used. On the other hand, the reception the retooled V2 got might put Bachmann off the idea of a retool. I wonder what the Bachmann people are thinking or even if they are thinking about it at all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTbXCXIaDnI

I was going to suggest a Murphy Models 111 Class GM diesel 112 or 8113 (they were produced in a deeper blue than 111). However, at the moment I can only find 111 which has an asking price of £500! In detail and functions, the models were ahead of their time. A much better idea would be a WT, if someone would produce one. Into the bargain, a WT would be a link in the chain of development from the Fowler 2-6-4T to the BR Standard. In the cold light of dawn, I realise that Stanier’s three-cylinder 2-6-4T scores very low in the polls, so perhaps a WT is a hopeless cause. I wouldn’t like to try to design one either. The wider gauge pushes the cylinders farther out to the sides which, in turn, makes the steam pipes very prominent.

Accurascale are the people. It puts me in mind of whole trains of about twenty wagons individually numbered and detailed, which is where Accurascale started.

It’s good to see the NER livery being offered. With the increasing interest in pre-grouping, I thought it was an opportunity missed not to produce the P3 in NER livery. Of course, the case now is stronger than it was when the P3 was produced with Accurascale producing NER wagons.

If that fails, Fox Transfers do a set of plates. (No connection other than as a happy customer.)

Marsden/Fenn states 3' 8". The driving wheels of 18000 are stated to be 4' 0½", which might have caused the confusion.

I remember that. To my mind, it is uncannily reminicent of the experiences of Concorde passengers able to travel to New York and back on the same day. Such is progress and such is regression.

The trouble is overcrowding on the WCML. They should build a relief line – oh, wait …

Never mind FB – put them on here, please. I can see myself having great difficulty in restricting myself to only one.