cal.n

Which ROSCOs are based in tax havens? Underlining it doesn't make it true. That's a very interesting question. The main reason I'd point out is that most automotive tanks are pressurised to 700 bar, whereas all rail applications to date have been 350 bar tanks. As I'm sure you're aware, twice the pressure doesn't mean twice the mass, so is a law of diminishing returns. Also worth noting that all automotive EV/FCEV 'ranges' are absolute maximums, whereas rail has an relatively large auxiliary load.

I suspect this new announcement means the 600s have been quietly dropped. But the 600 and 799/2 as case studies show that to get meaningful range with a UK gauge, H2 storage has to enter space that would otherwise be passengers.

They're understandably being very quiet with technical details. But there are some pretty major questions with a 3-car unit of this size. How powerful a fuel cell(s) is to be fitted? Where are they storing the H2? If the tanks are going to be in the roof, there will either be a continuous 'pan recess' or it'll have no range.

Nevermind a flashing tail lamp, I think you need to motorise one to be fully prototypical... https://www.gov.uk/government/news/runaway-and-derailment-of-a-wagon-at-clitheroe? But seriously the graffiti and weathering look amazing and as a set they look even better.

Brilliant weathering Mick, they do very much look the part. Looking forward to having a play at Stafford.

Nothing major happening at the moment I'm afraid. I am at uni and the layout is now 300 miles away. Although it is very much in my mind and is going to be worked on hopefully soon. I have built stack-able transit frames for all 3 boards. I have been inspired by stolen the design of the transit frames used on Deadman's Lane which are very useful when moving the layout and taking to shows etc. Hopefully more progress soon...

Here are some of my images from the weekend. The layout performed well, only with certain locos struggling in certain known places. Otherwise it’s a great layout to show off Jacks all singing and dancing DRS fleet. Mr Ladybird making a return to the layout. 20303 awaits having a B exam in the shed building. The very special ‘halo’ marker lights on 68002. 37716 is fuelled in the morning sun.

Sounds good. Very interested to see the results

Ah okay, so it must have come through the tunnel (empty) then. Comparing the CADs the the prototype images, there are a number of pretty major errors in the model. The master bogies, ladders and handrails are vastly different on each side of the wagon. The closest side here has a lower walkway which I think is actually on the 'double bogie' and has two sets of handrails with a short ladder. The far side has a single handrail on the main body of the wagon with a small gate and a ladder that extends the full height of the wagon. The CADs show they have simply used the same arrangements for both sides. The CADs are also missing most of the ferry tie-down loops, both handbrake wheels While granted there are not many prototype photos at all, these are pretty big mistakes for a £150 model.

Info about these wagons is understandably not too easy to come by but here is what I understand, KUA wagons are very different to IQA wagons, the model is the latter. KUAs are used regularly today with flows from Devonport dockyard with spent naval nuclear submarine fuel to Sellafield for reprocessing. They also run to Georgemas Junction for spent fuel from Douneray to Sellafield (there was an experimental naval reactor at Douneray). KUAs have also run to Rosyth Dockyard (presumably for a submarine in there) and they go to Eastleigh for overhauls and tyre turning etc. All behind DRS traction. Note KUAs always travel with a pair of DRS mk2s with military/armed police for security. As far as I can tell, IQAs are no longer used in the UK, but were used for spent fuel from power station reactors in continental Europe for reprocessing at Sellafield, crossing the channel via the train ferry. When the channel tunnel was built, all nuclear traffic is banned so continental spent fuel is now moved by ship and unloaded at Barrow Docks and moved to Sellafield by KXA wagon. https://gingespotting.smugmug.com/Wagons/I-TOPSCode/IQA/i-qzHNc42/A This is the only image I could find with DRS traction and an IQA (albeit early DRS traction). Due to the lack of escort coaches and only a single loco I don't think it is loaded and I suspect the master bogies from the IQAs were modified with walkways then used on KUAs.

From what I understand, it was malfunction with the weight detection system on the secondary suspension air bags. So it thought it was a lighter train and therefore only applied a lower brake force which turned out to be next to nothing. This is third hand info so take with a pinch of salt but I believe may be true.

Wouldn’t want to catch something

Got mine on today...

Love over Gold - Dire Straits

With DRS they run to Crewe Coal sidings to Sellafirld and eventually Drigg LLW depository from Dungeness in Kent and Berkeley, Gloucestershire. They have also run to Hull docks before to take naturally occurring radioactive sources to Sellafield from North Sea oil. They are also used as barrier vehicles to spread the load of a train over bridges. On the Cumbrian Coast, they are places between each loco and between each KXA-C flask wagon between Barrow Marine Terminal and Sellafield. In Scotland (as mentioned above) they serve the same purpose on flasks to Georgemas Junction (for Douneray). https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricardo4eyes/29222599848/ They also come with various types of boxes that aren't impossible to scratcbuild or convert from a carwoods box. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricardo4eyes/9764392251/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/75784477@N08/35259024482/