CazRail

Could also help the 180s cause if they would also tool a 175, which would share a lot if not most of the tooling, just different driving cars and maybe different skirting.

Apologies, late to the party... thought I'd share anyway. I made an attempt to model a lattice girder bridge on my layout, to which I used three wooden coffee stirers glued together to create the longitudinal/way beams/balk timbers(we call them balk timbers). I then used left over bits of said stirers to represent the transum timber between the balk timbers. I also used wire to represent the tie bars which sit next to the transums. The track is just peco bullhead with the sleeper ends and four-foots cut out. This was my first ever attempt, and any more I might make will use finer wire and generally be finer.

All I did was to place a small flat blade screwdriver behind the pickup and eek it outwards gently bit by bit until it contacted the wheel better. No great force is needed.

Still feels a world away with Christmas and New Years to go through first!

I had this issue, I just splayed out the pickups. One bogie was barely picking up at all, once I'd splayed out the pickups, it ran beautifully. I also took the opportunity to give the pickups and wheels a clean, despite it being a new loco.

I'm hoping for a few more 56s this year too. BR Blue and LL do indeed sell well. A Transrail Dutch one would be great, along maybe a standard Transrail and maybe EWS/EW&S. Also thinking along the lines of the Hungarian 56 they did this year, how about a French one in Fertis livery?

Personally, I'm hoping for a TfW 67 and a Transrail/dutch 56. If they do a Transpennine 802, that would also be very tempting. Steam wise, maybe a 2mt tank? VTEC mk4s and TfW DVT would be tempting too, though thinking logically I'm guessing any new tooling of mk4s/DVT would be in the liveries already announced for the class 91s.

Who's going to be brave and weather the vans first?!

Looking forward to see more matey!

Thanks, Nick. I finished 408 off tonight with a gloss finish to the bodywork, weathered/toned down roof and underframe, finished off with black headcode boxes and white tyre marks.

And just under 2 hours later... Over the next couple of evenings, I'll finish it off with light weathering and black headcodes, as it was in service in 1999 on the north Wales coast.

First job on the workbench tonight, a quick re-number for a Bachmann 37411... This one will become 37408 Loch Rannoch.

Two that spring to mind, Ebbw Vale and Vale of Glamorgan

That's a fair point, I suppose there'd have to be some land purchasing involved to accommodate it should it go ahead. Also where the line runs through built up areas, I imagine the path would need to run a different course to the line. When it comes to running a path next to a railway youll always have challenges when it comes to built up areas, cuttings, embankments and structures.

As a local, re-opening the line would be a good idea. A positive effect would be to relieve some of the congestion on the bridges between the island and the mainland, but probably not as much as that. Public transport down the spine of the island is pretty poor, especially between Llangefni/Llanerchymedd/Amlwch, where there is a bus service every 2-3 hours in a working day. Though, I doubt the stations at Llangwyllog and Rhosgoch would be viable as the communities are very small. You could put Llanerchymedd in that category too. Amlwch is a bigger place than many realise, so on that basis I'd say Amlwch would be viable. The busses from Amlwch to Bangor are frequently busy, but is a long journey, so possibly the railway could compete providing the capacity and line speed allows. As mentioned earlier though, an Half and half operation between TfW and Anglesey Central Railway Ltd would probably be a better option. Also, in recent years, the council has supported the railway re-opening rather than cycle path, however now the proposals include a multi-use path alongside the line, which caters for everyone. Regards Caz

Was working down at the viaduct today, and have to say, as I've said before, you've done a great job at replicating it. Its one of them places where you have to go there to realise the scale of the structures there, and youve got it down to a tee. To access it we had to walk past the retaining wall I previously mentioned, but was unable to take photos due to where it is.

Really looking forward to this now! It's great that you've spent time and money in getting the models spot on. That shows great dedication to your work and means we're getting a superb up-to-the-minute model to run on our layouts!

I didn't spot that

No worries boio

If the black doesn't quite match, possibly giving the PCs the same varnish as the coaches may sort it?

Looking really good mate so far, looking forward to getting mine!

Looking good!

I think the logos were changed the same time as the 'Improving your railway ' branding came on the scene, I could be wrong though. I think only a select few vehicles carried NR's 2nd logo. They've done the same error with the mk2 coaches also.

With the logo, I think you'll find Hornby have used NR's first logo, rather than the new third logo that appeared around 2017 I think. The proportions of the logo were changed noticeably between the first and second logos, and then a colour change in the third. First logo... Second logo... Third, up to date...

From what I gather, the sidings in Llandudno Junction will be cleared once bird nesting season is over, apparently Breedon Aggregates have the lease. Hopefully they come off, be something to keep an eye for at work.