JackB95

What fantastic progress is being made! The layout is looking so smart now, and the warehouses just add that cherry to the already delicious sponge cake.

Don't forget that the EMT 158 has a Cummins engine and the ATW has a Perkins. At a guess, same speakers etc, but different recordings for the different engines.

If you're unsure whether to get the ATW one or not, do it... The colour match with their 150 and Hornby's 153 is good too 👌🏻 Another beautiful model Bachmann, thank you. ATW blue/cream, ex-Alphaline variants, and maybe TfW as well please? 🙏🏻

Oh hello... Brand new from Bachmann, the Arriva Trains Wales 158 has arrived with modellers, and what a beauty it is! Thanks to Tony's Trains of Rugby for the swift and easy sale. A brilliant place to get your models. It would've been rude not to pose it next to my other matching ATW stufd wouldn't it? I tell you, the colour matching across Bachmann Hornby and Cairns Road Works is bloody good... Oh, and have I mentioned it's got sound?

Weird. Here's my mate's photo of it on the stand at Ally Pally Someone on a Facebook group has photographed his in a box, so some shops have got them! Mine is due early in the week 🤞🏻 Bachmann's site also said available.

Good to hear from you Merfyn. Not sure about the uncoupling problems! They're good at holding trains together, so guess they're maybe a bit too stiff? Not sure what to suggest unfortunately!

Arriva TW versions apparently arriving in shops now!

The second 143 FINALLY enters traffic after 4 years of gathering dust in its box

Whilst I still need to put cantrail stripes and small details on, and paint the seats to get rid of that awful red colour, here's what I've come up with! Run the model for the first time since buying it, which was over 4 years ago... oops! It was originally sold to me with a sound chip, but I swapped the chassis round with 143609 which was at least in a 'ready to run' state. I've put a Trainomatic chip in 602 (and to my surprise, found a Hattons chip already in! That'll be pinched for guest stock that has no chips...) and it's great to see it whizzing around. Need a proper layout session given I've been too bogged down with house renovations and other shat. But at least it's now actually doing something! And I think it looks ace.

Unfortunately RMweb had some server issues and as a result lost a lot of files. Most of us have had to re-upload these pictures, and I suspect he's yet to get round to that. More info here -

Likewise. FFS!!!

Christ, has it seriously been 7 months since my last update? Oops! Well here's a small update. The second ATW 143 that's been stored since acquiring it (unfinished project bought from Dicky of Chesborough North) has finally made it onto the workbench given the surprise announcement and subsequent release of this livery from EFE/Bachmann. The model was needing transfers and assembly to finish, but I didn't fancy using Precision's products given their fragility. However, someone on the ATW TfW modelling group on Facebook mentioned that 143602 ran around with just numbers for half the year! So, that's that then... That was easy! Just cantrail stripes and small details like buttons and warning stickers to officially complete. I've done the black windscreen surrounding myself which is why it looks wet and rough. Onwards and upwards

The loft has been stuffed full of all sorts recently whilst I've had the house rewired. As a result, zero modelling has been done. HOWEVER. I've finally had the chance to make a start building the 1970s office for the depot. It's a lovely kit made by ATD Models and sold additionally West Hill Wagon Works. Instructions are clear and rather Metcalfe-esque too. The card is thin unlike Metcalfe, but it goes really nicely together and before too long, I ended up with this Only three of the four sides have been made, and whilst there's a bit of finishing off to be done such as blackening out the windows, and fitting some form of roofing, they're effectively done! Really love the look and feel this building gives, and I feel it ties the scene in really well. My next modelling project is to get my resprayed 143 (later ATW livery that's never run before) numbered up, so will throw that onto the workbench thread when it's done. Thanks!

*everyone watching announcement* HOWEVER. I did NOT expect them to have done a deal and buy the Hattons tooling. It didn't even dawn on me that they've effectively discontinued their range after one batch, so I doff my hat to Accura for doing a deal and bringing the model into the same standards as their 55/92 etc. Well done Acccurascale - that's a really nice surprise (to me anyway).

What about a new 37? We've not had a new one announced this year yet... 🤪🤣

Wow, that's gorgeous! Hornby be like 👁👄👁 Well done Cavalex - can't wait to see how this progresses.

All Peco streamline pointwork with nothing tighter than 2nd radius for me

Interesting. Hopefully my DT that's currently with your warranty team is an easy fix then 😉

My 143 stopped moving suddenly. Quick investigation found a motor wire had come off in the coupling. A re-solder job was done and back up and running. Don't know how long that'll last given the wiring was quite tight.

Chandler at Track3D has produced a couple of pieces that may be of interest to those in here (I'm simply sharing this as a satisfied customer - there are no ties with the business). Firstly, for those with the Midland Pullman set, he's created these pre-painted horn grills to correct the ones that Hornby put on the production model. Available in painted (well colour-matched) or unpainted here And for the MML/EMT modellers who've been forgotten about with the oOo oOo style headlights, your dreams are now answered with this 3D printed LED kit. Can be simply swapped in and wired up. Optional night headlights and crisper horn grills also available here

Oh I LOVE that. Like you say, modern platforms like this are so rarely modelled. If I wasn't modelling an older station myself, I'd have a go at a newer structure. Fantastic.

Some of mine on the DT were a tad wide to gauge. Had to fiddle about with them carefully to get them to work alright on my code 75 rails. Just be careful doing it as the plastic axle ends may pop off, and/or the axles may bend as they're quite thin.

I've used Hunt Elite's Mk3SD / Mk4 couplings for the Hornby coaches. They're the normal Elite couplings, but have guide horns on them which massively aid pushing without derailing.

First time I've heard it referred to as blue. Guess it's a blueish silver. Gorgeous work as always!

Don't set me off 🤣 I tried to resist commenting about that to avoid coming across as a prolific moaner haha. But yes, why the weathering?!