charliepetty

We have most of the graphics now on file. As attached!

More Pictures! Also which Wessex do people want!

Not just yet, as we are getting the 144 done first! Been working on research for the Wessex 'Visit Bristol' liveries, as these are quite complex. The Arriva Trains Wales livery designs are done so that should be easy, not picked which numbersets to do yet. Any Suggestion as they need the new light clusters! Suggest you register your interest with: customerservices@realtrackmodels.co.uk then we can keep you informed of progress.

LOGIC: We have a cunning plan (Black Adder) We are working on the simple basis that seems to work for the other somewhat larger manufacturers: The latest liveries first, as they honestly sell better. Yes a Northern (Serco-Abellio) liveried unit can run with Class 70s, East Coast 91s, Voyagers, 170s, 158s, X Country HSTs, Etc Etc. So our cunning plan is to do units in sets: IE two can cover a period: thus two X Northern liveries, or Old Northern & Northern Branded Waves, or Both Arriva & Northern Waves together: The Class 143 is more difficult as only one livery: Either Arriva Trains Wales or First Great Western Local Lines liveries. The Wessex Trains 'Visit Bristol' livery is planned along with Valley Lines livery, but due to the Wessex Graphics this is expensive, so we need some sales in first to get the price down for the Wessex liveries. Both 144 & 143 in Regional is easy, but on the 144 which regional railways! BR or Arriva. On the West Yorkshire PTE Red & Cream, again easy but which era! Metro Train, Regional Railways, Arriva! You tell us! As for Provincial or Tyne & Wear PTE, thats a 143 issue only. Can we sell enough of the Tyne & Wear ones! Possibly not. Limited Edition (Another term for 'Rip off' normally). But to do 600 Tyne & Wear PTE ones in my opinion is far too many, as for provincial thats better but how are Trains 4U provincial 150s going! We have to be carefull here. Progress on the 144 todate is: See the pictures!!! Or come to York! Also we are doing another DMU! But we are not saying what it is yet. Far too early to do that, maybe after Christmas.

A Previous Question! Which WYPTE / Metro Livery did you fancy as there were two with variations, these are: Metro Train Red & Cream (Broad Band with yellow line)No Radio Roof Pods fitted then! Metro Train Red & Cream (Narrow Band) Metro Train Red & Cream (Regional Railways) Metro Train Red & Cream (Arriva Trains Northern) Suggestions on a postcard to: Realtrack Models, Hut 4, Sea Front, Southwold, Suffolk. IP14 4RR (A joke! just in case)

And finally the Arriva/Metro 'Waves' livery is 144009, all have the refurbished Chapman Seating fitted (Thats posh seats with high backs)!!!

And 144007 in the Old, pre April 2011 Northern Livery, as per photo:

I love stupid questions: The reason for the 008 or 012 was we had not seen one yet! But I did today: SO THE UNIT IS 144012, See the photos!

143112. I assume you mean 144-112 Model

For those who are interested, the finalised liveries & Set numbers are as follows: Subject: News Up-Date from REALTRACK models Running samples of our Class 144 are on test in China, these TS1 samples will be arriving in the uk shortly. Due to customer demand at the shows we have been adjusting our plans on the 144, the liveries & models have been slightly amended. The 'ALL NEW' 144 will become available hopefully during February 2012, possibly sooner! The first four models will be: 144-111: Class 144 Two Car DMU Northern Abellio Night Blue (New Northern livery April 2011) with running numbers 144012 144-112: Class 144 Two Car DMU Northern Night Blue (Old/Current Northern Livery) with running numbers 144007 144-113: Class 144 Two Car DMU Northern Red & Silver 'Waves livery' (Ex Metro Livery) with running numbers 144003 144-114: Class 144 Two Car DMU Arriva Trains Northern Red & Silver West Yorkshire Metro 'Waves' Livery with running numbers 144009 Quantities for the above are limited to 300 of each model Retail Prices on this model is looking to under £100.00, this includes: Bi-Directional headlights Twin Light Clusters, Dummy BSI coupling, additional tension lock couplings, NEM Pockets, Working constant switchable interior lighting, Refurbished Chapman seating, Corridor Connections, Radio Roofpods with earthing strip, Power Car & non powered Trailer car, Apertures for DCC Speakers & decoder, 5 Pole low profile skew wound motor & gearboxes. This chassis design will allow see through window glazing within the Highly detailed bodyshell.

Let RM Web organise to Twin up people, so they can get the one they want. Charlie

We have been promised samples (Unpainted) during April, the motor unit is nearly finished too, lets see! So as we said 'Samples will be on display' at York. See the DE Videos/DC kits stand. Assuming the samples come that is!!!!!!! We are anticipating more stuff for DEMU in June at Burton on Trent Town Hall, These will be on the C-Rail/REALTRACK stand there! With the delays that we and everybody else has had, re China we do not anticipate the 144 to be 'On Sale' until early 2012, possibly BRM Doncaster or Glasgow! Lets wait until the chassis has been 'Crash Tested'! Charlie.

Don't know if you are visiting the York Show at Easter, but we should have some samples there. Charlie

PROGRESS. Body samples due shortly, chassis work progressing. If all goes to plan the DEMU lads at York will get excited!!! Liveries as mentioned are the current Northern Livery, plus two versions of the Red & Silver METRO livery in Northern & Arriva. The current Northern will be two different pairs, so no excuse not to by two! When the exact dates for launch are fixed our website ( www.realtrackmodels.co.uk ) will become live for ordering, we don't want to promise deliveries and prices we cannot keep, look at the Hattons LMS 10000 situation. When we know exactly then you will know. Charlie. DEMU Burton should have more to show of interest!

Did you know the Dinting Footbridge is now as Ramsbottom on the ELR, the 2nd bit was in Bury Yard!

Correct, I agree, the million dollar problem is if you get a product made in the UK, with components made in the UK & an Australian motor unit its a fair bet the manufacturing costs are higher, this is a sad fact of UK Manufacturing life, thus we have REALTRACK models, if you cannot beat them, join them!! Still think that Hornby & Bachmann quality is far better at lower costs, I hope the Heljan Railbus is good but the list price should be nearer to £90.00 Charlie

Why don't you contact Kim at Heljan directly and get him to sort the problem out! If no look contact ALL the magazines with this story of woe, I do not think it is the retailers fault, as I had the same hassle! charlie@dckits.co.uk

New list price is £115.00 for the single Railbus, so at 20% off this is £92.00, this seems dear to me as the new REALTRACK models two car Class 144 should be around £110, this is for a 2 Car Unit with operational 'Constant' non DCC lighting.

Not much mileage in a 333, but anything built at York might be interesting! Drawings required and all things considered. Charlie

We are being very carefull, nothing ruled out, we cannot afford to clash like the big boys are doing so that limits things somewhat. Would love to do a 101 but that's Bachmann's, longer wheel base units fine, but we will see a clash on these soon. Six wagons selected but not finalised yet, newer units nearly all covered. Please bear in mind you hardly make anything, even if you sell 1500 sets, so we need trade stockists for the quantities we have to shift. Each project is around 12-18 months if you do lots of research, the problem here is 'Rush it out and make errors' like we see so often at the moment, or take care and spend time, then take the risk of being chopped up by others. You will not find out the next 2 car unit untill next Christmas, even though we are researching it now, a third unit is being costed but we are unsure of its viability. Happy Christmas. Charlie.

If I new what they were it would be a start! Need something that's Solid, Popular and has coverage. Oh dear, Bachmann has done all them!!!

Send us 100K, and we will do anything, But not a 140 or a 210. Statement: Salesman sidestepping questions, Never!

Depends on the actual meaning of Posh!

Unlike unrefurbished 142s, the 144 & 143 are not held together with gaffa tape! As an engineer said at Neville Hill, there are different levels of crap, we here have the better ones, Newton Heath, nicknamed 'Faulty Towers' has the others. Happy Christmas. Arran & Charlie