WisTramwayMan

Quite ! Although a manually adjustable arrangement similar to the arrangement on (at least some) Hornby class 50s may be acceptable. Otherwise, as you say, another thing to go wrong, and some of Heljan's past efforts haven't covered themselves in glory. Making sure the metallurgy's as it should be, and that motors don't self-destruct, are a basic MUST-HAVE before playing with nice-to-have features. And test the thing properly before unleashing it on the public. Having said that, I own a couple of the little 07s, which I admit are beautiful little locos; I just hope their longevity matches their looks.

Or potentially Accurascale ? To follow on from their 55/92.

From a personal viewpoint, and of the majority I suspect, the solution of having printed nameplates plus etched plates in the detail packs should one wish to use them is ideal. Like many, attaching fiddly detail is not something I love doing, and printed plates + etch supplied gives the option. I've also seen too many locos ruined through poor plate alignment. Perhaps those who wish for the alternative should canvass Bachmann to produce a run of 45's with no numbers OR plates printed, thus giving those who wish to create individual locos a blank canvas. I'll go as far to say that my class 52 fleet is sadly lacking, due to the fact that Dapol do not issue standard locos with plates printed but with etched plates that the buyer is meant to attach, and I must admit that I regard this as either cost-cutting or laziness on Dapol's behalf. If you're going to produce a locomotive of a given identity, then do it, don't do a half job and expect the buyer to finish off something that should have been done when they bought it. In the class 52 case, the only ones I have are limited commissions where the plates are factory attached, for all the standard issues, as far as I am concerned, Dapol have lost sales.

Could try Footplate in Kidderminster for the chain - I believe they sell it in long lengths primarily for replicating restraining loads on wagons, but cut to length could well be suitable for the J70s.

Hermes in my personal experience are pretty much on a par with Yodel, not that that says a lot. The best companies as far as I'm concerned are Royal Mail, Parcelforce and DPD.... Meanwhile, on the subject of the railgun, mine arrived this morning and very impressive it is too, although the side steps look a bit fragile and some clearances will have to checked before running it. On the basis of that first impression have pre-ordered "Boche Buster" (just the gun, NOT the loco/gun pack), I daresay I can find something suitable from my fleet to haul/propel it.

Certainly under the guise of Irish Railway Models they're producing the Irish A-class locomotive - must admit I fancy one of the Crossley-engined variants, probably a black one, even though it doesn't fit in with the rest of my fleet (or the Deltics I've already pre-ordered from Accurascale). https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=CIE+A+class+video&&view=detail&mid=29E766BD88BCD18E4EB429E766BD88BCD18E4EB4&&FORM=VRDGAR

Not at all. I assume the other, and original, 35017 is Merchant Navy "Belgian Marine", found lots of photos of it whilst I was looking for those of Hymek 35017 in "Dutch".

Interesting livery, I know some people get a bit sniffy about non-period liveries but as one who found 55016's repaint in Porterbrook livery quite intriguing (and travelled behind it twice on the main line whilst it was so attired) I've got no problem with it. It was just the lack of crest/nameplate on one side of the model that stuck out like a sore thumb, and your photo was the only one I could find to back that up.

3529 D7001 is apparently lightly weathered - so I was told by a very well known south-western retailer who is selling the loco for the same price as the non-weathered ones at the non-weathered price, and based on which I've ordered one.

Judging by what presumably are photos of the finished model on Kernow and Olivia's websites, the model appears to have a nameplate and crest on only one side of the loco. This seems strange - I can find several photos on the internet showing the side of the loco in its Dutch livery on which the nameplate is centrally mounted, but very little of the other - best I can find is one of 35017 at Minehead with what looks like a nameplate/crest mounted at the far end of the locomotive between the third and fourth side windows (ie, asymmetrically to the other side) - suggesting that nameplates/crests should indeed be printed on both sides. Perhaps someone who actually saw the loco whilst it carried its 35017 identity could comment ? https://www.preserved-diesels.co.uk/2004/7017_13.htm

Based on the above I ordered one of these, and I can tell you 100% it's NOT permanently coupled, at least not on "Shrewsbury", and is exactly the same arrangement as on the earlier "Westminster". The model, however, also arrived with several bits fallen off and rattling around in the packaging, plus one part broken off (and NOT in the packaging) so it's going back.....the latter sounds very reminiscent of another RMweb user's post. Unfortunately. With a user-friendly coupling arrangement plus decent build/packing quality then this would be a good model.

Regarding the connections between the locomotive and tender, I have a R3311 Westminster which regarding the drawbar has a screw mounting on the locomotive and a peg arrangement on the tender. The electrical connector comes unconnected to the tender, as the packaging appears to preclude that possibility, and the drawbar therefore has to inserted over the peg and the electrical connector physically plugged into the tender. I'd be interested in knowing if this arrangement persists on R3458 Shrewsbury; someone told me that the arrangement is now standard Hornby, drawbar screwed to both loco and tender and the electrical connector already in the tender socket, the packaging having been amended to make this possible.

I really, really hope you're right, and, as I believe Chris Leigh reported when he opened one of the original batch of models, it is definitely a case of the "Ahhhhh" factor - I just hope that it doesn't change to the "Arghhhh" factor. The two caveats, however, in my view, is that any perceived undue attention is Heljan's own fault, they should have got the model right first time around BUT having said that I also own two of the original Heljan Garratts which have received a certain amount of criticism elsewhere and can honestly say that my two, albeit with fairly limited running, have been trouble free. I sincerely hope the MW's are the same.

Yes, same here, my two which have been on pre-order for years have been processed. Hopefully when they arrive they'll run as reliably as Bachmann's Baldwins appear to do, and not have a tantrum and throw their valvegear out of the metaphorical pram. Like many others, I suspect, in addition to what I find first hand, I'll be watching this forum in case of misdemeanours elsewhere.

That was my first thought on seeing the drawing on Accurascale's website - that the axleboxes don't line up with the wheel centres, and by a considerable, very noticeable margin as well. Hopefully, they'll correct this. I'd really like to end up being wow'ed by this model, as the variants being modelled would enable me to complete my deltic fleet, and replace my Lima Porterbrook Purple Peril (aka 9016) with an altogether more modern, up to date model. Even the sound premium of £90 doesn't appear unreasonable. Just please get the wheel / axlebox relationship right...….

I see on Page 17 of the latest Dapol Collector's Club newsletter that some further B4s (with K14 boiler) are planned for Q2/Q3 2019. It'll be interesting to see what liveries are planned for these.

What would be absolutely superb was if Kernow commissioned a batch of blue/FYE class 31's with the same standard of weathering as was on their ltd edn Dapol 22's and 52's, which could look really filthy and careworn. I suspect on that latter point I can but dream....

Yep, they've arrived.....within 30 minutes of DPD (efficient as usual) doing the business they were both being tested, and I'm very happy with both. I confess it was the RTC one I nearly didn't buy - not quite my usual era - but having bought it I'm glad I did, it looks absolutely superb.

Well done to Kernow for producing any class 31s ! - I've got them both on order myself, should be with me tomorrow. It's always seemed to me that the class 31 is well under-represented compared to the sheer variety of 37s and 47s, for example, that you can get. I suspect this is down to the issues on the early releases with Mazak rot, but with past lessons hopefully learned there seems little reason why history should repeat itself. I hope these will be a success for Kernow, and that (even if Hornby themselves don't) more versions are produced, both of earlier liveries ( eg green with or without SYP) and later ones, preferably weathered BR blue to replace the ones that suffered from Hornby's manufacturer's QA all those years ago.

Courier quality, in my opinion, is a massive contributor to the state in which a model is received, and some are considerably better than others. It's also part of the customer service experience when you buy a model, although I've felt in the past that some sellers would like to stick their head in the sands and ignore this, going for the cheapest possible (you pay peanuts get monkeys etc). I've always found Royal Mail - plus Parcelforce and DPD for that matter - to be very good. At the other end of the spectrum is Yodel - I've seen how our local branch delivers its parcels on occasion (six foot fence sir ? no problem, over it goes. Rain ? Well, a bit of water won't hurt it), although would stop short at saying all branches are the same. And I remember Business Post, who tried to deliver an expensive model (it was refused as damaged...) where it looked as though a fork on a forklift had gone through the parcel. And all the bubblewrap they'd used couldn't save that one.

Similar experience to myself - bought 3 of these, two via Hattons and one (the LSWR club one) directly from Dapol. Must admit, thought it seemed a bit light, even for its small size, versus the recent Hattons Andrew Barclay releases when I picked it up, but needn't have worried. All run very well (DC), no bits fallen off, the cab-back alignment on Normandy (which has been the subject of previous posts) isn't 100% true although perfectly acceptable, and I'm pleased to report that unlike a subsequent diesel release that Dapol have kept the clear plastic clamshell WITH the rigid clear plastic sleeve instead of cling tape, which as I've said on a previous post looks cheap......

Yes, I've taken delivery of my fifth this morning, D6322. Looks very nice, but who's idea was it to change the packaging ? Certainly on mine, whilst the loco is in the clear plastic clamshell, as per usual, the clamshell has been "wrapped" shut using a clingy tape wrapped the length, top and bottom, of the clamshell; it looks cheap, probably is cheap, doesn't protect as well and certainly wouldn't act as a collector if one or two small parts came adrift in transit (although as we all know Dapol seems to be nowhere near the worst for that particular occurrence...…), and quite frankly IMHO has no place on a locomotive with an RRP of £140+.

We can but hope ! Have got one on order with Hatton's, the new build one, thought about cancelling in light of all the adverse comments but decided I really want one so decided to let the order stand and hope that it's a good one. Yes, I know Hattons' customer service is great and would exchange it if faulty, but it always takes the edge off when you receive a faulty one and from a mainstream, supposedly reputable manufacturer it's not something we should have to worry about - manufacture/QA/packaging standards should be a given.

Agree with the comments regarding quality of assembly - both the ones on Rails' website had glaringly obvious faults. Slightly concerning as I've got one of these (the new build) on order with another retailer, and will be following with interest comments from those who have ordered the early ones. Along with the issue of potential motor and drivetrain problems.....

I'm broadly in agreement with that. Yes, I buy off Ebay; if it's a specific item you're after, then you don't always have the option regarding the courier, but if it's a buy it now item with various sellers offering comparable prices including postage, then I will buy off the seller offering the method that works best for my area (assuming, of course, that the seller's feedback rating is A1). It should be in both buyer's and seller's interests, whether on Ebay or not, to use a courier with a good reputation, both parties should have an interest in the goods being despatched and delivered in a timely but responsible manner, and in A1 condition. And there's part of the problem, I think. Sellers, whether you like it or not, the delivery process comes under the heading of customer service, where I'm sure many sellers would prefer to pretend that customer service ends once the item leaves them. It doesn't, which is why use of a good, responsible carrier is essential, not someone who is cheap and has a poor reputation.