Caddy

I would love to have the opportunity to see my BR set 373 dimples and all! I was told by Greg at Kernow that it should be posted in the next 10 days or so..................... I know its all my fault for not paying earlier and I should be able to hold on until mid-January but it is frustrating that people are at the stage of returning and exchanging unwanted sets when some have not even had the sniff of them..................... Heavens, I sound like a winging Pom........

I have often wondered about this, and not just with Hornby. Many years ago I was a regular visitor to the old Train Place near Beenleigh in South East Queensland. Everyone in the world in those days seemed to be waiting for the first Bachman Ivatt 2-6-2T's to arrive and there they were just sitting on the shelves! I bought a late crest and early crest version immediately. This was in the days before even blackened wheels had started. They ran well for years but in the end both succumbed to axle fatigue as Bachman locos often did in those days. I gave one away to an old friend who repaired and fixed the offending axles - with Araldite I believe - and it is still running! Anyway, enough rambling. Although this was long before RMWeb and smart phones I am sure the first run of Bachman Ivatts arrived in Oz well before the UK. PS - Just had a call from Hobbyone in Brisbane - off to pick up my BR Black H class today, 'bout time we beat the Poms in something other than just cricket all the time...............................

What did you bribe them with.................................

Hope they are doing some overtime over the weekend, especially to get the "colonial" sets away, would love to have them before Christmas! Anyone know what order date they are up to? Happy to give a fiver donation to the local racing gig team to be bumped up the line......................................

I just looked at my account, I ordered on 29/11/2011, can't be too long..............................

Lucky so and so....................................................

Well I am glad to say that the model referred to in the Hatton's thread arrived safely and on time! What a lovely model and a beautiful runner, well done Oxford. Boy that cab is small and open though and I could not bear running this loco for long without a crew. Spent quite a while puzzling over fitting the crew and finally decided to try and glue the fireman's front foot on to the tender with his rear foot filed down a little so it was not fixed and the loco cab floor and fall-plate could slide under the foot when traversing curves. Works like a charm, hope this idea helps others. Sorry about the less than perfect photo. Back to playing trains...........

Ordered an Oxford Dean Goods, an Oxford bus and the latest Model Rail magazine last Thursday to be sent here to south east Queensland via DHL. All has gone well, have received all the usual emails and even some extra ones I have not received before, keeping me updated on the progress of the order through the DHL system! Due for delivery today - very happy that things seem back to normal, certainly Hattons have done their bit in getting the order packed and away quickly. Thanks Dave and all the staff involved.

I for one have been waiting for things to clarify before placing another order. I have been a regular customer since 1965. I think it is time for another statement from Hattons to further explain what is happening. I cannot believe that a stocktake can cause their ordering and delivery systems to break down? Have they tried some alternative methods or systems - in which case they better revert to the old system asap. The old adage is "if it ain't broke don't fix it!" Hattons, we are waiting..............

Over the past 3 years at least quite a few of my orders have arrived without me ever getting a dispatch note. I have rung Hattons a couple of times once to have the order arrive the day after and they could not even tell me on the phone that the order had been dispatched! On the plus side most times all goes well but this latest "who-ha" is a little disconcerting. As a matter of interest, are there any overseas RMWeb people out there who have found another supplier who uses DHL? I do like the security they provide. I have only ever had one order go astray with regular post but it was traumatic and I have tended to prefer Hattons/DHL ever since. Obviously not possible with retailers commissions though.

At the risk of opening an old debate one wonders now how much commercial advantage there really is in producing high quality, high value goods in China. Have not Dapol recently invested in a state of the art production facility for plastic moulding? Surely the fact of dealing with producers and factories close by must be easier, and in many cases with people who know a little more about the prototype in the first place - remember those wagons printed on one side only! With the predicted upsurge in interest rates in the next 12 months added in to the mix I cannot for the life of me see prices remaining even at the level they are for the next round of retailers commissions. If someone were for example to commission and produce some Southern catering vehicles I would like many I suspect be happy to pay probably 65 to 70 pounds at the current rate. The question is, could they not now be produced in the UK for retail sale at that price?

Agree, but still a worrying trend, crowd-funding is one thing but this seems to be just as you described ie - almost commercial blackmail. Surely a contract of sorts was in place - was this not honoured by the new supplier or did it have to be re-negotiated. Then again what is the insurance position should anything happen to that shipment on the high seas? Who owns the coaches.......... I am sure Kernow have done everything they could to sort this mess out and like many I will be happy to pay now, but it still leaves an unpleasant niggle in the back of my my mind.

Whatever happened to… The Sherwood Section of the LMS ‘Sherwood Gang’ member Philip J Kelley brings this landmark 7mm scale clockwork layout, built under the direction of Norman Eagles, to a new audience. As one of the "old audience" can't wait, those were the days.......................................

I couldn't......................

"The GWR stuck with mechanical linkage right to the end." And boy, was it a right royal pain as they say! Hence the practice of locos taking their coaches to coaling, watering and shed with them! Just too much hassle to uncouple. On the Watlington branch they just treated the auto fitted trailer as an ordinary coach and ran round at each end.

What is the loco behind 4549? It looks like an Ivatt 2-6-0 but the dome and front end look odd? Just curious.

Someone once said that if you are "that sort" of modeller, find a photo of the actual loco you want to model and work from there. In this case however, why not just change the plates over to match a loco that has the right sort of pipes, windows and rivets. Love this layout, keep up the great work, some stunning photos.

Aaaaahhhhhhhhh, July 1967, Porthleven, one of my favourite articles, memories.................................... Thanks for posting the link.

I think these pictures appeared in the old Model Railway News a year or so before the quoted booklet and I'm fairly certain the loco was made by John Flann of Hintock fame seen elswhere on RMWeb. Perhaps he may not have seen this thread?

Just had to keep this thread on a positive note, don't care about tear drops, crooked steps, bright lights or wide stripes, it runs like a dream and I really wish Bachmann would adopt this type of drive train into their DMU's, Hampshire units and EMU's. Back to playing trains.....................

There may be Rabbit Proof fences and Dingo fences for that matter but there are two animals over here that are unstoppable, Wombats and Scrub Turkeys..................

Someone may have already commented earlier in the thread but I love the old Hornby Dublo signal box in the background!

Thanks for that, had no idea that such a page exists. I agree with the reviewer, the little Hornby controller certainly does give the motors a "thump"! Managed to get a replacement pot for the gaugemaster - here in Oz the RP35 model from Jaycar is a perfect replacement and comes in at $2.50. A few minutes soldering and good for another 25 years, will see me out. Apologies for the attached images, had to add some extra wiring to the old HH as my soldering skills were not up to attaching the new pot to the circuit board directly! Think I may have voided the guarantee still it all fits in the case and it works beautifully. Cheers everyone, back to playing trains...............

Have searched this topic and the main Hornby board but cannot find any thread about the current basic Hornby train set analogue controller. Have temporarily wired one in until I can get a new "pot" for my very old HH and seems suprisingly to give very good control over a wide range of locos although some run very noisily. Not very comfy as a hand held though! I realise few people would use these on a serious layout but just wondered about them, will they harm some motors, do they have any quirks I should know about? Grateful for any info or any links to previous topics, reviews etc. Cheers

Finally received my speed whiskered green model yesterday. Brilliant model, runs beautifully and on my non digital layout lovely to have the lights front and back, reversing with direction and with only the front cab lit. Will fit all the bibs and bobs and lightly weather the underframe today. As far as colour goes looks right to me. Dad took me to Didcot and Swindon in 1961 to see the Highworth Branch and some Kings before they all went. Travelled on and saw many DMU's between Birkenhead and Swindon and always remember how bright they seemed. In Swindon station itself, especially remember a very clean Grange came through with a van train, and how much darker green it was than a DMU standing in the platform. No help I know to the debate but as I say the Dapol colour looks right to me.