Covkid

There is actually an Austrian company who make RTR rack equipment in HO scale but not sure of the track gauge. IIRC they are models of the Schafberg and Schneeberg railways in Austria, but the locos look similar to those on the SMR.

I am assuming something like an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 fireless loco is way too unquirky to make the listings of the quirky poll Brian ?

Very much so. I had an affinity with Gareth for several reasons. I went to school in Tywyn 1973-1978 and spent many many lunchtimes in the Wharf station office. Phil Care took me under his wing and taught me to sell tickets, and General Manager David Woodhouse was supportive. I was immersed in hotbed of railway learning, then as July 1978 loomed I appleid for a job on BR at Machynlleth. David and Phil were my referees for my job application. Passed the interview and the medical and started on 24th July 1978 at the second location I shared with Gareth, although I hadn't yet met him. Two of his former colleagues, Arthur and Aneurin who had left Machynlleth for the Midlands, had recently returned from Bescot and brought their Bescot traction knowledge with them - class 40s and class 47s as well as the stock class 25s we had on the goods, the summer weekend "loco hauleds" and the weekend ballasts. After learning a bit about TOPS I decided that was what I wanted to do so got promotion to Bescot in the summer of 1980, and it didn't take long for me to meet Gareth and talk about Machynlleth - in our Welsh accents !!!! I had a couple of rides with Gareth, one being on the "night Totons". We were working 8G79 back from Toton to Bescot with the usual pair of class 20s for power, but as we approached Lichfield City the engine shut down on our leading loco. Totally unfazed Gareth flipped the Control cutout switch and we got stuck into the climb up from Lichfield to Brownhills on the South Staffs. We were progressing slowly but our rear loco just plodded her way up the bank with around 900 tons on the drawhook. Once over the hill it was plain sailing down through Pelsall, Rushall and Ryecroft. A memorable trip for me, but typical of the work Bescot drivers did at that time. Later, Gareth because a traction inspector and later still I became a TCS as we faced the new world of privatised railways. Ironically, with the lead up to privatisation, Bescot depot was chosen to learn the Cambrian routes for loco hauled work and infrastructure jobs, which allowed Gareth to reacquaint himself with his old home turf. With the impending contraction of EWS, I chose to leave Bescot in 2001 but Gareth stayed. A remarkable man - thanks for all the memories Gareth

I voted honestly - for just one item - because the photograph was at Birmingham New St !! Thanks to the poll team for the quirkyness !!

Very much so. From their introduction where they worked a lot of the Western region, the LMR and Scotland, their scope considerably widened, and I will always link them with the Birmingham - Cleethorpes service, as well as the Cambrian, Central Wales, North Wales coast, East Midlands etc etc etc A huge operating scope - but we have done this to do death on RMweb on many previous occasions. The bare fact is most 120s worked as three car units - formed of three totally different cars. Unlike the Lima 117 where they only provided 2/3rds of an accurate unit, manufacturers today woulod not get away with that, so purchasers would need to dip their hands in their pockets for several hundred pounds worth of Swindon Cross Country unit. I certainly would.

That is really interesting John. I thought I read somewhere that 10800 never ventured out of the works onto the main line in it's brief guise as Hawk. As for the noise I imagine it spent a lot of time idling so would sound like one end of a Western due to it's MD655 engine. Or maybe like a slightly muted Hymek which had the larger MD870 engine. Did the AC tractioned trains make musical noises back then ? I remember the class 323 EMUs as being the first musical trains I had heard here i n the UK

I would have thought the same as you, but surely they would announce it as such ? IMHO this is the similar scenario to Rapido and their N scale Conflat P. Many 4mmers would like the same wagon in OO but it seems Rapido are not rising to the bait.

I wonder if the Duke and the Bulldog are considered by Bachmann to be too samey to the Dukedog. I have one of the latter because of the Cambrian connections, but wouldn't personally choose the others, but i am not really a GWR modeller. Similarly City of Truro is just another 4-4-0 double framer to me - and they all look the same!!!

Class 100 103 116 120 119 in that order Midland 2F Fowler 2-6-2t Stanier 2-6-2t Aberdare 2-6-0 LMS jackshaft 0-6-0

I apologise for the link not working How's that ?

Can't apologise for this link flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/25576895308/in/photolist-EY9gTA-broQyC-bEiJoH-broNJs-broNt9 One of the NCB Bagnalls trundling down the NCB branch from Hilton Main colliery to Short Heath wharf in 1965 with a few NCB internal users then some flat wagons with coal boxes. The internal users will be for the landsale yard, whilst the coal boxes will be emptied by diesel crane into narrow boats for onward movement to power stations - either Wolverhampton or Walsall.

But it does help if the Mirrlees engine is "motored" to start it using the Brush main generator. No starter motors spinning the flywheel need to be employed in the making of the Class 30 sound files !!!🙂 Not suggesting for one minute that Accurascale would stoop to such levels, but the only real answer is to locate a JV12whatever in running order, and try and make it sound like it is inside a steel box with exhaust thrash coming out the exhaust ports. Obviously possible to add in all the auxilliary noises like exhausters, compressors, cab door slams and AWS dingalings etc EDIT The point about this is - I was born in 1962 in a city a few miles away from class 30 / 31 action, and they were all reengined before I started wearing long trousers. I didn't see and hear my first class 31 until 1977 at York, when I realised back then that they sounded very much like a sleepy class 37. They of course were a derated 1470hp non intercooled version of the 1750hp class 37 lump. So just how many people on here actually do seriously remember what the sounded like with a Mirrlees lump in them .

I agree with all of this, and I hope the new management team are able to focus their efforts and convince their BoD that the investment is worthy. Good honest saleable products which people want to buy, which manufactured and meted out in a logical manner. It would actually be really beneficial to understand the products they are manufacturing and selling - in context with reality. As an example a new rake of coaching stock models from the 1950s would inevitably * require less first class, less catering and less brake vehicles. But for goodness sake produce the 2nd class or 3rd class vehicle because that is the most numerous, and probably most desired. Yes. I am looking at the TT:120 range and seeing the Rovex range recreated - a BSK and a CK. The typical Mk1 train that I saw in the 1970s and early `1980s had one BSK, a CK or maybe two, and the rest were SKs or TSOs. So Hornby are only offering three out of eleven or twelve coaches the modeller needs. * Southern excepting

As a new Co-Co diesel itis going to be a minimum of £200 RRP I imagine - just like any other similar modeller - except one from ~Accurascale, which seems more reasonable in my opinion. How much does the Cavalex class 56 work out at ?

Isn't that surely where the problem mostly arises anyway ? Hornby have traditionally gone for the "big wheeler" namers in terms of steam locos, which they know will hook most modellers / collectors. I imagine there a very few like me who prefer the boring black "goods" engines, which Is why there isn't an "Austin 7" Fowler 0-8-0 or a humble little Midland 2F 0-6-0 / "Cauliflower".

Looks like both of those have "non standard" MU receptacles so maybe need an aftermarket job to create. Perhaps someone skilled with a 3D printer ?

That is entirely understandable. It is our hobby - with literally as many preferences as owners of them !! I don't really know, but from what James told me, the Victory was quite a large undertaking for PI and I suspect they want to "clear the decks" in terms of clearly the remaining stock before moving on. PI are offering a pretty fantastic deal on the remaining Victorys in my view As for the Bagnall, I have decided to treat it !! I have chosen for it to become a little noisy !! Have reviewed some youtube clips of sound files and decided on the Digitrains class 03 fit of a Zimo decoder, Digitrains class 03 sound file, speaker and Lais stay alive. Planning for James to install this kit for me, maybe prior to Christmas !!! The first batch of Bagnall shunting locos were fitted with 5 cylinder and 7 cylinder National engines, then some received Dorman units which Bagnalls were sold.. I believe the final ones received Gardner 8L3s - same as the "Drewrys. The preserved Bagnall at Chasewater as a Ruston power unit which I believe is broken.

I think these neatly sum up the situation. If I wanted a Caprotti black five I would have one of the new Hornby 5MTs. I don't, so I won't. Regarding the "normal" black fives - well no. I don't want to pay Hornby a "lamp premium" for a pointless gimmick, and instead will modify my existing pair for the under smokebox anomaly, and will bide my time for Accurascale or Rapido or Dapol. The work "Ruston" has had to do to make his R&H 88DS look a little less toylike shows that Hornby really have lost the plot with producing accurate and realistic models.

Worth considering - perhaps the "other" manufacturers already recognise that "working" oil lamps fed by light guides are realistically unachievable in OO so are happy for Hornby to plough their own furrow

It does have me wondering !!! My first DCC sound fitted loco was a Roco Austrian class 2043 diesel which had an ESU v2 decoder in it. I bought it because it was an Austrian diesel fitted with sound, but also because SWD had just released the BR class 25 ESU v3.5 decoder and i needed to "learn" DCC. Things have come a long way but i am wondering if there is a link between model class 37s at max thrash, and decoder issues. Presume the Accurascale deltic hasnt had these issues ?

But how many people who have bought one of the 8000 37s would buy a new DELTIC ? Here is one who won't.

If you don't mind me asking Dave, what is your preferred SA for this project please ?

Should we actually expect a relaunch ? Should we expect anything at all ? From a personal point of view i did rather like the way Oxford seemed to be heading in - nice wagons and nice die cast, although the only locos i have are a pair of Janusi. Very pleased for NER modellers who like 0-6-0 tender locos.

As Accurascale are the leading brand for Nuclear waste transport can i suggest the original flask transporters - which were originally hauled by steam locos in their final years. These had tri axle bogies i think were subsequently coded XKV in TOPS.

As Accurascale are the leading brand for Nuclear waste transport can i suggest the original flask transporters - which were originally hauled by steam locos in their final years. These had tri axle bogies i think were subsequently coded XKV in TOPS.