Mike Harvey

Soon after the NFS was disbanded in 1948 the joint workshops of Kent Fire Brigade and the County Council Ambulance service converted several Austin K2 ATVs to service vans. The high roofed bodies had glazing around the upper walls on all four sides and a full height central hinged door at the rear. The ambulance fleetvan was painted white, and the more numerous Fire Brigade vans were dark green. They turn up in the background of a few workshop and fire station photos.

Borough of Dover ex US forces Chevy? Van.

For reference there is a topic covering the first run of N gauge Class 68s here:- https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/130183-n-gauge-class-68-locomotive/#elControls_3059319_menu

Seaspeed hovercraft had the same reversed logos. Maybe these Dapol DMUs were intended for Boris’s tunnel from Scotland to Northern Ireland, as a quasi-maritime route.

I quite like the idea of different sides on the Fell....two versions for the price of one. I used to run a set of N SNCF Corail coaches which I had made as day coaches on one side and couchettes coaches on the other. I was using my own etched sides to get two trains for the price of one, because the couchettes had half drop windows and the day coaches had windows with top vents. Saved a track in the fiddle yard too. No help to anyone with a different mindset.

David I think the body just unclips from the chassis by spreading the sides slightly. This provides access to the battery for the ones fitted with a tai light,

Kato Class 800 was in the same category. NGS Hunslet arrived in 2021 but may not have qualified on time or provenance grounds.

There is a Harrington Legionaire bodied coach on Shapeways, unfortunately with solid windows, but right for balancing on the edge of a mountain road. https://www.shapeways.com/product/3LP5SLJSP/italian-job-bus-harrington-legionnaire?optionId=93915929&li=marketplace Comes in a load of scales so could be rescaled to 1/148.

On Oxford Diecast's Facebook page yesterday they asked specifically what 1/76 models should be shrunk to 1/148 scale. Prompted a few people to wish list as well, although there is a whole separate Facebook group for people's suggestions of new models for Oxford to make, admittedly populated by many people with zero appreciation of what could be remotely viable. I have a vintage set of Dinky BBC outside broadcast vehicles, and the modern N equivalent from the Bandai working vehicle collection. https://www.1999.co.jp/itbig05/10051925a.jpg They also made some 4 axle horseboxes which might make donor material for a Southern TV lookalike using the front off an Oxford Panorama.

As a direct consequence of the Hornby's actions over the past month, I have re-evaluated my Arnold pre-orders with Hornby. Now I have a cancelled them, Hornby can re-allocate the stock to retailers. Some hopes. The spending saved has allowed me to pay off my invoices for RevolutioN Trains Class 320/321 EMUs, and in the end the "nice to have" Arnold car carriers and sleeping cars will not be missed.

Gaugemaster, Osborns and maybe others have issued sets by amalgamating their commissioned N gauge items with Kato track and controllers, usually in bespoke packaging. https://www.osbornsmodels.com/gaugemaster-2000105-scale-1148-n-br-industrial-freight-starter-set-53097-p.asp https://www.osbornsmodels.com/osborns-set-2-27671-p.asp

One of the 2022 announcements from Viessmann is their CarMotion range based on motorised trucks (from the Kibri range?) with built lighting, beacons, etc. which follow a magnetised strip in the road. Control is by road based magnets, magnetic wand, and infra red handset, with effects being programmable. Should be available during the course of 2022. They also have a RailMotion range and some dubious scenic items with sound, lighting and motion, such as the "love mobil". The launch range is listed here. https://viessmann-modell.com/en/product-range/gauge-h0/carmotion/ Item 8010 has a full description of the features. https://viessmann-modell.com/en/product-range/new-items/2773/h0-mb-actros-3-axle-dump-truck-with-rotating-flashing-lights-basic-functional-model?c=595 There is a 2022 range launch video which is not very informative unless you understand German. Commentary begins around 35 minutes with some product movement from 42 minutes. https://youtu.be/G2XYqAzBX6E On further viewing it looks like there is infra-red distance control to prevent vehicles colliding with one in front.

Osborns are doing a Showtrac too.

I wonder who has the contract for pulping the catalogues?

A favourite spot for radio thefts was between Kensal Rise and Willesden Junction. Back in the 1970s there were 20 foot high lineside fences at potential access points. Walking the line one day, I realised the futility of the fencing. A football came over on to the lineside from a school playground. Before I could get close to lob it back, a pupil had scaled the chain link fence and was closer to the ball than I was. The chainlink provided perfect footholds for tiny feet..

Oxford Diecast (now owned by Hornby) have experience in this field. They withdrew their range of Chipperfields Circus products after this trademark case, even though they had ownership of two Chipperfields trademarks. https://www.ipo.gov.uk/t-challenge-decision-results/o05411.pdf Studio Canal’s application to register the Titfield Thunderbolt trademark is probably a measure to prevent Hornby trying to register it.

The Cavalex Class91 plus Mk4s is still in the running subject to demonstrable demand.

Kato seem to design to avoid assembly errors by making things only fit the intended way round. The recent GWR Class 800 was delivered with the first class seating at the wrong end of the composite coach. You could not just flip it from end to end to correct it, so Kato retooled the interior to the correct layout and supplied it to the importers/dealers.

And we are still waiting for the EFE Rail China Clay JIA etc. hoppers from the Winter 2020 announcements which have not appeared after over 14 months.

on 18 January 2022, Oxford Diecast have reported on their Facebook page that the next announcements of new items will be in May 2022 rather than the traditional end of January date which in the past coincided with the London Toyfair. https://www.facebook.com/oxforddiecast/

Try these videos for some ideas. https://youtu.be/Ne_GyXj5Jns https://youtu.be/Nr1BSagrwbI

Brief review posted here by TomE. https://www.ngaugenews.com/post/review-british-finescale-finetrax-code-40-point-kits

Having seen the production version photos on Rails of Sheffield website, I am disappointed that EFE/Bachmann have not been able to nest the bogies into the body better. Looks more like a surface stock chassis than Underground. If that is the compromise needed to allow operation on trainset curves, then I question whether it was worth doing. Be interested to see it alongside the Bachmann/ LT Museum S stock. https://railsofsheffield.com/products/efe-rail-e99939-london-underground-1938-tube-stock-4-car-motorised-train-1960s-northern-line-set?mc_cid=7d3bd62347&mc_eid=5ec5f8a831

Being a double track bottleneck between four track sections Digswell Viaduct is as busy as an exhibition roundy roundy. Even truncating the 40 arches but still with track 200mm above the valley floor would make an impressive section for a roundy roundy with a limited fiddle yard round the back for the frequent 91 + Mk4 sets, some 312s (and later EMUs) and the occasional 313.

For my printed SNCF Corail coaches in 1/160 everything is a potentially interference fit. Proprietary close couplers and bogies clip into the chassis. Interior locates on chassis with a small square of double sided tape at a couple of points for extra security if desired. Donor coach windows clip in, but a drop of PVA provides extra security. Chassis plus interior clips into body, but couple of short strips of double sided tape can provide extra security. Interference in this case is 0.1mm play between the main assemblies.