Covkid

Good point well made. I am confident Rapido and it's contemporaries will have those bases covered over the next 5-7 years. There is a divide between collectors and runners, where the former could go in standalone display cases, but.... the amount of pre grouping RTR stuff appearing in OO recently means only one thing.

That is rather nice Charlie. Never a huge fan of HSTs, well not until everything else around them has gone plastic !!!! The Valenta scream will always be in my memory !!!

You are reminding of those blokes who repatriated a couple of 8Fs from Turkey, only for one of the pair to move back east to (I think) Israel. I watched the videos and stories of their move behind diesels to the Turkish port to be shipped to the UK. IIRC the other one ofthe pair is at Bo'ness while they reaise funds to restore it.

Agree black is black but some had Fowler tenders and didn't some have embellished smokebox number plates right at the end, as well as the "Master Neverers" cleaning of some. There were also a batch of 8Fs which were transferred to the ex WR sheds towards the end of steam which had WR lamp brackets and which worked in typically WR environments. I am thinking of Stourbridge and Kidderminster etc. I would certainly have a couple of new 8Fs and IIRC 48725 was a Fowler tendered one - BR records show it as built at Brighton in 1944 after the war allocated to Wakefield loco before migrating over the Pennines to the Manchester area, then to the West Midlands, before ending service at Crewe in 1967. Not especial except it had a Fowler tender, but very modellable. flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/15924253882 48725 doing what they were built for at Hednesford - hauling coal wagons around !!

Could well be true. The point about price is quite relevant in my view and I feel the Accurascale pricing strategy is very relevant here. I realise I am generalising but many of the Accuracale announces and releases tended to be £169.999 DCC ready and £254.00 DCC sound fitted. I ordered a Manor, a 31 and three 37s at what I believe to be a very good price. The class 31 in particular can be regarded as a "cutting edge" model, competing very very strongly against the red box version particularly considering the reticence some folk must feel over the the mazak rot legacy. I have to be honest and say haven't dare open the box of my "skinhead" 31111 for at least five years, after seeing four of my Klein Modelbahn Austrian class 2143 diesels destroyed by the same disease. To me Hornby will suffer this legacy for years to come.

Some interesting comments in this thread as well as these two above. I think it needs to be said that most model products tend to be set in aspic after they are tooled and released. So for example manufacturer A releases a class X to the market. After a number of years manufacturer A might decide the class X needs DCC sound and lights or simply an upgraded chassis. The chances are that the existing body moulding gets a retooled chassis with the extra electronic gubbins. But does the original body meet expectations ? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. We know that Hornby have done this with the ex Lima class 31 body as well as their own indigenous shell, but as we advance further into the 21st century the competition becomes more authentic. A number of years ago Bachmann realised their class 40 needed a serious revamp and renewed the offering, and recently have fitted it with lighting. But having seen what has happened with the "smaller brother" class 37 from both Bachmann and Accurascale, it would be fair to say the current class 40 would be benefit from the kind of finesse the class 37s have had. So yes, renewed existing models is justified where it is warranted, but "virgin" RTR projects are equally required. Would I buy a new manufacturer 16T mineral wagon ? no. Did I buy a new Heljan "peak ? no. Did I buy a new Bachmann 47 ? no Did I buy a new Bachmann class 24 ? yes - several. Did I buy a new class 25 to replace my existing Bachmann oughties ones ? Due to my impatience and at a good price yes, I have two Heljans and will buy the Bachmann ones. And then we come to the more tricky questions Would I buy a new Hornby black five ? probably no given the work I have done on my existing one. Would I buy a new 8F ? If it were Accurascale - yes. Would I buy new corridor Mk1s No Would I buy new non corridor Mk1s from Accurascale ? Yes, two to replace the existing ones duew to much improved glazing. Then the easier questions Would I prefer a new Bulleid pacific or a new previously non RTR 0-6-0 goods engine ? Yes Would I prefer a new Patriot or Royal Scot or a previously non RTR Stanier or Fowler 2-6-2 ? Hell yes.

Some more stuff about the class 11s and the class 12s in the latest magazine, but they still say we wait until the order book is open for ordering these.

110% agree. I probably have 50-60 Bachmann minerals (daren't count !!) and don't need any more. So even if Rapido or Accurascale etc were to release newly tooled 16 tonners they won't be heading home in my bag. 21T hoppers on the other hand, both early and late bodies, quite a different matter. You only need to look at photos or remastered video of freight trains to see that most average trains tended to formed of 16 tonners, 21 tonners, 21 ton hoppers, 12 ton vans and maybe the range of steel carriers like bogie bolsters, plates and other assorted wagonry. The subtle gaps are 21T standard (as opposed to NE) hoppers, pre BR std design vans and the myriad other hoppers such as ironstone and P way. The Catfish and the small GWR/BR(WR) type are serious omissions.

I agree. The departure from Highley at about 3 mins was very impressive. Rifle shots !!!

That is the problem. Effectively two tenderless 04s back to back. However, Heljan weren't phased about as pair of tenderless Horwich crabs back to back were they ? Far too many wheels for me. I will stick with 0-6-0s, 2-4-2s and 2-6-2s (singly) !!!

But that is the whole point isn't it. There are so many un RTR released models to go at, particularly now that pregrouping seems more of a thing. From memory the only RTR LNWR locos are the Super D and the coal tank. Prince of Wales, Precursor, George V, Claughton, and that is just passenger locos. Who built the largest ever class of steam locos ? But for mew it would probably be the LNWR 0-8-2 tanks which looked a bit more in proportion than the huge 0-8-4 tanks. However, my pick would be 2-4-2 radial tank in BR condition followed probably by a Cauliflower and anything else that lasted into BR days post 1948.

So the first Accurascale steam loco design the Manor is here in the UK and being delivered to the customers. The second steam loco the "Buckjumper" is in development, possibly even tooling, which clears the decks for the next beauty. Is the announcement just around the corner ? Will Accuracale be bold and choose a prototype with lots of bling and names and stuff, or will it be British Railway black with early and late crests, and thats yer lot ? My preference would be the latter with the LMS class 3 2-6-2 tanks from Fowler and Stanier, but are they too mundane and samey ?

Mine is the same as that yes. But are the top and bottom edges of the pages supposed to parallel the printed lines on the pages ? If so then fine, and maybe it is just me, and maybe I have OCD.

The nice DHL man delivered my 7812 an hour ago and what an absolutely beauty my first Accurascale loco is. Very impressed apart from one little thing. The "GWR" handbook in the box has been "misprinted" with the pages either sliced off at the top and bottom at a slight angle. Or else printed incorrectly. Not run it yet but as I would expect from Accurascale no bits in the box. Thanks for a quality product

I am not an expert on Hornby's class 31 releases but I think it depends on the look you are after. Brush type 2s were built with valances around the buffer beams and a raised beading along the bodysides and below the cab windows. As the locos passed through Doncaster for heavy overhaul / refurb, they lost their subtle but distinctive bodyside strip, as well as the disced variants having restyled cab end lighting, radiator grilles etc. Therefore a pre 1980s class 31 should have buffer beam cowls and the bodyside strip. Not so sure whether you could define the period when the class had their bodyside steps and cantrail level water filler plated over, but If you look at images of Hornby R2413 you will see a BR blue 31270 whose bodysides are missing the very subtle metal strip below the cab windows, but retaining the bufferbeam cowl. Additionally R2413 has had all the No2 end bodyside steps to, and the cantrail water filler plated over. Bear in mind the bodyside strip was less than an inch thick, so in 1:76 scale it is less than a sliver !!! Personally, as an LMR man I really didn't appreciate the influx of 31s replacing my beloved 25s so have never particularly liked the class, but I have Accurascale BR blue D5544 on order to represent the class in my collection. . .

Or simply renumber the No 1s. I ordered three No1s straight away, to renumber two of them. Just ordered No 5 and No 6, and will order any other St Andrews Cross wagons if WoR or Rapido announce further.

The Hollybank operation was not the only one to use wooden coal boxes for transhipment to canals. I suspect Andy Y knows more about rthis one but there was a transhipment of coal from the colliery railway onto canal in Hednesford. Not a great image but it shows a Coles crane lifting boxes from colliery flats and tipping them into a waiting canal narrow boat. The system here is different to that at Short Heath. There the Jones crane had two lifting bars - one to keep the doors closed and one to lift the box. lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UjAOuVEr55I/YG7CkrwRgZI/AAAAAAAAbEs/7-pAyGShHqgnsOTECGzjCOeN7qyL9MXzwCLcBGAsYHQ/hednesford%2B2.jpg

Now you are really talking Paul !!! Not got a warflat but if the deck was a separate moulding from the frame then I am sure a new "top" could be mated with the existing tooling for the underpinnings. In a similar way could the existing tooling created for the 1907 RCH also be used for the coal box flats used on several operations. My own is the Hollybank railway which conveyed coal in wooden boxes down the Short Heath wharf. I have intended to use Cambrian kits to provide the chassis, with scratchbuilt decks to carry the boxes, but if Rapido could produce these, it would be so much nicer. Andy Y has already used this image in the Rapido threads but I won't apologise for another viewing !! www.flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/23822713978

It might be a problem to some Paul, but definitely not to me !!! Those type 5 diesels don't exist in my modelling world but I would appreciate Rapido offering the dual brake Coil carriers in dual brake condition and painted in flame red and black, for those who model the slightly more contemporary. I suspect were hauled by any old large diesel, possibly the heavyweight 37/7s and 37/9s. I am thinking the Hamworthy - Swindon was a heavyweight 37. So all in all a nice little wagon with longevity for all BR modellers.

I agree with this "Zunnan" and look forward to my WoR versions of the "Staffordshire St Andrews cross wagons. Mostly because they are a suitable canvas for weathering into 1960s condition. I initially ordered three of the same so I could renumber two into others, and have subsequently ordered #5 and #6 for more variation. I am however not averse to simple renumbers and probably would not with livery variations on private owners. These wagons offer a whole breath of fresh air to industrial modellers as well as those of the British Railways scene.

I was watching a youtube video the other day from someone trying to compare Bachmann's 37430 with one of the Accurascale large logo 37s. Dear youtuber - if you are reading this please note that whilst they might look the same they are actually from different eras, so the DRS style MU box on the Accurascale 37 nose, would not be on 37430s nose because it didn't exist back then. so if you are going to make a video it would help if you actually tried to compare apples with apples. Both are lovely models and I am confident we all have different opinions but please compare like with like when comparing.

For reference, I have copied this post into the general Rapido thread

I have take nthe liberty of copying this over from the Leyland National thread where RapidoAndy asked the question What would I like you to produce ? Wow. Lets start with steel industry wagonry. Iron ore hoppers of various kinds conveying stuff to steel works. At the start of their journeys they would be marshalled by Hunslet 16" 0-6-0s !!! There were many different kinds of hoppers but a really nice couple of versions of the "22T or 24T ironstone hopper which is basically an Airfix model from 30 years ago, maybe also with the BR "HJx or HKx". These would also be used for coal, sand, sulphur and other commodities. The 21T BR (as opposed to LNER) hopper - original or rebodied, vac fitted or unfitted is another yawning gap in the RTR BR wagon fleet. A favourite which I would love to see RTR is the BR Coil K or T a short bogie coil carrier with tarpaulin hood, originally vacuum braked but dual braked in later life and actually painted into speedlink colours. They worked extensively in South Wales, but also conveyed coil to Swindon, as well as from Hamworthy docks. Paul Bartlett's Photographs | BR Bogie slab strip Coil K & T Ferry I JTV JIX JKX BNX (zenfolio.com) Paul Bartlett's Photographs | BR Bogie slab strip Coil K & T Ferry I JTV JIX JKX BNX (zenfolio.com) These compact bogie wagons are real "space savers" and allow you to run more realistic trains. Well that is a start. Regarding the 21T hoppers - I always thought Hornby would sharpen up their offering based on their new tooled (at that time) Tope Rudd and Clam project chassis. After all, a Tope was a modified 21T hopper. Sadly Hornby didn't seize the opportunity andleft the second hand market with the ages old 1970s era 21T hopper with awful "D" couplings and moulded and incorrect handrails. I guess modellers like me use a handful of the really nice "high handbrake" LNER 21 tonners as a substitute, but these vehicles were common everywhere from Westbury to Washington and Aintree to Ardingly. In fact one particular train I remember was a Coton Hill - Ardingly worked by BR blue class 47s in the early 1980s.

Absolutely agree. My National choices would be a Crosville one harking back to my teen years, but it would be one of the shorty podless examples which I remember seeing off the Bristols. I then moved back to the Midlands ands remember the WMPTE beige Nationals in the 44xx and 45xx series and the much nice looking Dual Purpose 68xx series, of which I would have had both variants. IO would also have had a couple of Midland Red and finally the Chase bus service "Manchester" liveried orange and white. However. It seems clear the National ride is over. As you say Tilling red and Tilling green would allow much more scope for modellers, but not so much for the collectors who like the individual catalogued examples I suppose i

Fair enough. If that is the case, and you will have all the evidence Andy. What would I like you to produce ? Wow. Lets start with steel industry wagonry. Iron ore hoppers of various kinds conveying stuff to steel works. At the start of their journeys they would be marshalled by Hunslet 16" 0-6-0s !!! There were many different kinds of hoppers but a really nice couple of versions of the "22T or 24T ironstone hopper which is basically an Airfix model from 30 years ago, maybe also with the BR "HJx or HKx". These would also be used for coal, sand, sulphur and other commodities. The 21T BR (as opposed to LNER) hopper - original or rebodied, vac fitted or unfitted is another yawning gap in the RTR BR wagon fleet. A favourite which I would love to see RTR is the BR Coil K or T a short bogie coil carrier with tarpaulin hood, originally vacuum braked but dual braked in later life and actually painted into speedlink colours. They worked extensively in South Wales, but also conveyed coil to Swindon, as well as from Hamworthy docks. Paul Bartlett's Photographs | BR Bogie slab strip Coil K & T Ferry I JTV JIX JKX BNX (zenfolio.com) Or Paul Bartlett's Photographs | BR Bogie slab strip Coil K & T Ferry I JTV JIX JKX BNX (zenfolio.com) These compact bogie wagons are real "space savers" and allow you to run more realistic trains.