SweenyTod1

Its been a couple of months since you posted this problem. I have several of this type of loco and the few issues I've had were in the tender department. I support the comments offered, but I wonder now if you have the problem resolved? It does sound to be a mechanical issue with the valve gear though. If you still need help, post or PM me and I'll see what can be done. I'm in Hampshire, so not too far away from you. I'm not commercial, just a long time modeller and the A4 (I have 10 of the blighters) is one of my favourite locos. The later loco driven examples are much better, I have to admit, but my tender drive versions still have top link duties. Stay safe and well, Tod

ABS kits have been bought and are being re introduced by Paul Coles of KW trams. He has a website :- www.kwtrams.co.uk. He has a facebook contact and Phone number 01329 827809. Not all the kits are ready, but hope to be progressed in due course. Hope that is helpful. Tod

Sorry, that was supposed to be empty "Cask" wagon! Tod

I have two kits, but only 7 axle boxes.

When I first posted this subject, it was just to highlight the shortage of couplings and how frustrating it is. However, I did not expect all the responses, most informative I must say and two of you kind souls packaged up and posted me a selection of your surplus stock. You know who you are and you have been thanked more than once in my PMs to you. So I will leave the subject there, again with a thank you to you all and hope that Bachmann will try to keep a regular supply to the retailers. After all, in my younger days, the motto was, " the customer is always right!" So please Mr.Bachmann take note, there is a demand for accessories as well as your main products. Good wishes to all, Stay well and stay safe, Tod

Oooh!! So tempted, as I vaguely remember seeing it when I was a small child. I have three J70s, a Y6 and and an 04 with skirts and cowcatchers for that yet to be built W&U layout. I keep telling myself and others, "there are no pockets in a shroud", so if that price holds, there are two more days to think about it. If it rockets up or goes? Ces la vie! Tod

I've used their service many times and they have always been good for me. Highly recommended. Tod

Thank you all for your responses. Most informative indeed. I have checked that number Blue Max , it is 027 as you say I was a bit steamed up so an easy typo mistake to make. As it happens I have just enough couplings to complete a current project thankfully, but now no reserve. Johnster, you covered all the commercial side of things very well, but still very annoying for end users, such as myself and many other modellers . So when they send a container full of couplings, I hope I can grab a few packs to keep me a happy bunny again. gwrrob, I will pm you. Thanks again Tod

Thanks for the info, but I was after 36-037, short cranked version and 36-061 short straight version. Tod

It has been many weeks now that I have tried to source the tension lock couplings, either straight or cranked short type. Apart from some Ebay , profiteering pirates, no one seem to have them in stock. I wonder why it is, that on several occasions, these spares/accesseries disappear into a black hole? Surely with stock bought up by traders and individuals alike, I would have thought that Bachmann would cotton on to the fact there is a constant demand for these products?! Frustrating and annoying that after spending many hours building stock, I can't get the couplings to run them together! Yes I know there are alternatives, three/screw link, Kaydees, even Hornby, but not the ones I want. Come on Bachmann, you can flood the market with many different locos and rolling stock, but important couplings? Illogical!!!! Right, rant over now. Back to my darkened room to sulk.....................! I suppose I could use a bit of string.......nah! Tod

I seem to remember some time ago that after the W&M, AC and Park Royal rail busses were produced, the Wickham version would be produced also. Apart from the Bristol version, the others were made in groups of 5, so it begs the question, why Heljan didn't follow on with the Wickham bus? There was one of them retained at the Derby Testing unit, but whether that would be commercially viable, I'm not sure, as there was a (wrongly) W&M model issued in the Derby Testing livery by Beatties? As far as I know, there are no kits available in any scale of the Wickham rail bus, but if you know differently, please let me know. Perhaps an opportunity for someone to produce a print, therefore limit the run. Tod

They both were rebuilt in 1942 becoming P1/2 after being fitted with A3 boilers. Thompson scrapped them in 1945. I don't have my RTCS books to hand, away from home just now, but I think the boosters were removed or disconnected during the rebuild. I have a Crownline kit I've had for many years awaiting building. The boiler unit is a Hornby A1 body which has to have its footplate removed and replaced by the etched brass one supplied. My DJH U1 Garret (two motors) will pull the world!!! Tod

My two pigeon van kits arrived today here in wet and soggy Scotland, after asking Matt to divert my order to here instead of the sunny south (or it was when I left it on Saturday!). A quick look at the parts so far reveals great quality, never bought Chivers kits previously. Providing I can keep the excited grandkids fingers away from them, I hope to get at least one of the vans built, possibly both, but no painting until I return home in about 4 weeks. I'll make the roofs removable, using some of the sprue to make clips. I look forward to the 009 body kits coming out again in due course, as I have a chassis waiting for a suitable "lid". Yet another project waiting in the wings!! Happy modelling folks, Tod

I think it was a red letter on a white backround. I always understood it was there to advise following traffic, that it was a towed trailer, as opposed to an artic or rigid lorry rear. It predates the "Long Vehicle" warning signs we see today. I seem to recall that the letter had reflective studs for night time or poor visability. I may be wrong, but going out with my dad as his "mate" many years ago in the 50s, I believe he told me that. The "T" may have survived into the 60s possibly. Have you searched the vintage/ commercial magazine folk? I'm sure they would know chapter and verse of such details. Good luck and please let me know if I'm right or wrong. The memory gets a bit fuzzy, its an age thing! Tod

Watching this subject takes me back to my childhood, (born 1946), and I have a memory (surprisingly!!) of a single deck, half cab Easter Counties bus that was occasionally put on the Littleport to Ely service. It was a noisy beast and very slow, but as the frequency of service was limited, we had little choice. Now if it was still around, I would love to ride on it. As a teenager I had very close encounter with a Premier Travel ( of Cambridge ) AEC double decker, contracted to ferry Pyes (later Philips) workforce to and from their Cambridge site. On a dark, cold, wet winter's night, head down to avoid the driving rain, I had inadvertantly crossed over the central white line on the road. The driver seeing me, crossed over to his wrong side. In the glare of his lights, I saw my error and so foolishly attempted to get back to my correct side...........BANG!!! OUCH! I landed onto the grass verge, nearly ending up in a ditch. Luckily, I was wearing a thick overcoat which took most of the point of contact. My poor, nearly new bike. didn't fair so well, but did acquire a new frame and back wheel, once my less than sympathetic father had calmed down!! I regularly saw the bus passing through the village, but they never removed the dent in the offside front wing, no doubt going to the Scrappy with it's battle scar, as a reminder to all cyclists, to watch where they are going!!. As a 65th birthday present, a "kind" friend who knew the story, bought me the EFE model of the same livery bus. It doesn't have a dent in the wing though, but it sits in my display cabinet and if it could speak, it would say, "remember me?!!! Ah, such memories of youth (and a particular bus)..........! But thankfully and fortunately I live to tell the tale. Tod

I dug my Proto 2000 locos out yesterday, both the E7 and GP15 have the dcc logo on the boxes as does the Spectrum "mountain". I couldn't see any info on the E8/9, but as it was bought at the same time, I would think it likely it is dcc ready also. If I did attend one of the meets, I would probably take one loco, to see if some kind soul could fit a suitable decoder temporarily, so that I could see it operate. It would have to be returned to dc of course, unless I get the bug?!!!!!!? We shall see what the future holds if and when Covid19 allows us all to be "free" and for more than just a "mo". Meanwhile, back to building my Great Northern 6-wheel full brake D&S etched kit. It is taxing my brain and lifetime skills, so progress is sloooow..................! Happy modelling folks and thanks to all of you for your comments and guidance. Tod

Thanks for that. I would have never made the connection (sorry!) with the word "Freemo" but I get it now! I have seen layouts in the past, N gauge, 009 that were joined together at an exhibition. Some worked better than others, mainly having issues with the crucial join across neighbouring boards. The individual layouts were all different though. I presume a national or even international baseboard joining standard has been designed for the different scale/ gauges? Does such a thing exist? A strict and rigid discipline must be followed for sure and the old nugget of dc verses dcc comes into play. I'm firmly in the dc camp and I don't know whether my locos are dcc ready. I'll have a look at their boxes as I don't intend taking them apart just to see what's inside the bodies! Epsom isn't a million miles from me, so if possible, I would like to see what can be achieved. I could bring a couple of my locos along if there is the opportunity to give them a run. Tod

Freemo is not something I have heard of. Can you please enlighten me as to what it is and who organises this event? I live in the central South area and never seen such an event advertised. Thank you Tod

Thank you John for the encouraging words. They are all stowed away in their boxes in a couple of filing cabinet unit drawers. So they are out of sight, out of mind most of the time . As you say, I may get to see the time when the interest is rekindled and see them perhaps run again? Tod

I had a similar issue with my B12, but didn't comment earlier as the posts suggested the fault was at the loco end. I also found the fault in the DCC socket/blanking plug. With some power on the track I was testing with a multi meter and suddenly the loco leapt forward. I suppose I could have resoldered as you did, but as I don't do DCC, I bypassed the socket/blank and rejoined the pairs of wires in the tender. Now it runs happily, I'm pleased to say, Though I still don't know exactly whether the fault was in the blank, socket or both, it matters not for me. Glad you have a happy running loco now. Tod

My FEC locos are Proto 2000;- E7A, E7B (unpowered), E8/9 and GP7 ( limited edition), all in the orange/yellow livery.predating the change to blue. I have a couple of "Doodlebugs, A USRA light mountain and a large range of Freight stock, some FEC and an 8-car FEC passenger rake. So if I had the space, time, money etc etc, I could have a really good layout of the 40s/50s period, but as we FEC folk are very thin on the ground, I doubt I'll ever get round to seeing them all run again in all their glory!! Cest la vie! Happy to know, I'm not alone!!!! Tod

In the early 2000s I bought some US models, many with an FEC theme. I've not come across anyone else who shared my interest, so most of the majority of the time they have been stored in their boxes. Such a shame really, but my interests have moved on to other model railway topics. I have tried to sell them on to some of the larger establishments, but I either got a poor valuation or none at all. I know that selling to the trade doesn't realise the best prices in any product, but it would be nice to know if there are any FEC modellers apart from me (or as I intended to be) that are actively running the brightly coloured E7/E8 locos etc? Your advice would be appreciated, Tod

I finally "found" the missing book. It's title, " Aberfeldy's Railway" by C J Stewart, A Highland Railway Society publication, ISBN: 978 0 954856 8. As suggested by others. the view from the road over bridge shows the station side, but with magnification, a lot of detail can be seen. Peco do a nice HR signal cabin, one of which can be seen at the yard throat. Using that photo with the map above, you can see what goes where. I wish you well with this interesting layout. If I ever get mine into reality, we could join them together? Then there's Ballingluig junction with its two viaducts ( one still survives) and Aberfeldy itself!!!!. Even with missing out the halts in between, what a cracking layout that would be!!! However, it will stay in my head for the time being...................? Tod

It was the National Library of Scotland where you can find the maps/photos. They are side pictures with the OS map on the left and a modern aerial photo on the right. Very useful indeed to see where things were historically and areas where you can walk today to see evidence of groundworks etc. Bing Hybrid, NN 91564 53193 is a reference on the photo. Tod