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I don't let facts get in the way of prejudice. Cheers, Robbie.

As the lucky buyer of the Garratt Tony sold a couple of days ago, I await its delivery by insured post with delighted seconds anticipation. Not least because of Tony's superb photographic skills, I pondered for fully ten minutes seconds before making my purchase offer, simply enjoying the qualities of the model. Some may know that I have photographed and enjoyed many Heljan Garratts, I love this class of engine for all its faults. What character, what weight and power, and what artistry and was required by crews for the 25-odd years they brought 1,000+ ton loose-coupled trains over the ex-Midland main line to London! The K's model with matched Portescaps and suitable mechanisms will certainly weigh more than a Heljan, and nearly all the detail looks right to me. But one thing stood out in Tony's 3/4-side-on photo. I have taken the liberty of editing this without permission with hope that it might be granted retrospectively. The error was in the background; buccolic sun-dappled fields with hedgerows? And a Garratt? In the same picture? I had to give it a proper LMS/Midland background, that is, mist, rain, and fog,, Then added just what Tony abhors and dislikes, some steam and smoke. Mischevious, I admit.. Norman Soloman's track remains in all its beauty. So here below an edited image derived from Tony;s suoerb original photo of BR 47975. Thankyou Tony.

Recent Covid in China has and is causing serious disruption to all levels of production and delivery. It's not very clear in midia I've seen or read how bad this is.

Hornby list the newly-tooled versions 92167, 92194 and 92220 at UKP252, available during summer 2022 and all three available for pre-order.

Any news of anything pre-production like 9F samples on the horizon? SK had suggested during his 1/2021 announcement that the CADS will bring a model as good or better than the A2/2s and A2/3s, which would be very good indeed. Can we look forward to something like this highly edited mix of the prototype and a certain other model?

Yes and many other aspects slightly changed in contrast brightness shadow and various other 'edits'. I have been on bedrest for some time now with complications from an old motorike crash, so everything is a bit limited, and that's my excuse. :) Like many others I very much enjoy David's model of 64B having been impressed years ago by the book 'Steam Days at Haymarket', (I think that's the title, can't check). I think David is very close to getting the atmosphere 'just right', and look forward to progress, as well as his excellent models of superb steam locomotives.

No pressure to buy a green one David :) ....but my choice was 60964 and my, what a lovely model it is! My photo is as usual for me edited but your weathering skills may be just what is needed for the running gear and leaving the superb green relatively untouched perhaps? I imagine V2s were no strangers to 64B. How can anyone not buy several....? Cheers

Hi David, How nice to see the Bachmann V2 60845 a couple of messages back. I bought mine via TMC and had it 'value weathered' which tones down some the plastic look. I also, as usual, did my photo editing, by chance one of the backgrounds I used was a photo of Haymarket, but I had altered it and cannot remember the source, nor the date when it may have looked like this, but it certainly is a beautifuk model, I hope you don;t mind me putting it here. All the very best. Robbie

At the oppoite end of the scale to modelling of the kind featured in this thread, I have been experimenting with my picture-making while stuck on bedrest, having been paralysed for many years and currently with a pressure sore. I cannot get off the bed so placed a tray on the bedcover and propped my fancy new full frame camera on some folded trousers and a book, with fine tuning by folded tissues, hi tech stuff indeed. Got to get value out of my investment in the camera and lenses, in this case a Canon RP and RF 35mm macro. On the tray I placed a second-hand renamed renumbered Hornby Clan, originally 35028 now 35018 'British India Line' , which was the first of the class rebuilt in 1956 and ran for many years after that with a 6,000 gallon tender. I like these models, they were the beginning of seriously good RTR steam models in Hornby at least... the WD 2-8-0 in Bachmann.. I also love the class of loco, the photos and painting of David Shepherd say it all with regard to their last years, together with many other great writers and photographers. 35018 was an early withdrawal in 1964. I think the 8P Merchant Navy in rebuilt form could be termed the last steam express design in Britain. Then leaning off the bed I have my laptop sitting on my wheelchair, and I came up with this.... two pictures showing that you can enjoy model railways in almost any circumstance, in some way at least. I also have poor eyesight and just to add to the mix my right arm has no fine touch,, and thought I had too much camera shake with these photos to make somethiing of them, but a few showed promise. Below 36018 at could almost be Eastleigh then something of the atmosphere of 70A Nine Elms, liberties taken in every way. But satisfying because although bed-bound I could still create a picture.... (I did the same with the DJH B16/1). I am aware that 35018 had detail differences, sand box fillers, ejector piping shape and possibly other things but I did get the tender right. What a broad church this great thread is, thank you Tony, I love the range of great modelling shown here. edit I fixed the pipes and sandboxes to be 35018.... cheers

Hi David, If you overlook the green the A2s are truly superb models. I must have different colour spectrum in my eyes, I don't find the colour too bad, especially if seen in low angle sunlight, and did this photo of my 60523, edited of course. That said, all the best with a re-spray or whatever method you use to obtain the effect you want. All the very best,

Tony just an update on the DJH B16/1 I bought from you a few weeks back, I am delighted to say it is everything I had wished-for. Not a top-drawer model but a rather nicely-made example, and so very redolent of NER atmosphere. I have taken the liberty of photographing it and adding some details, and steam, thus. Currently stuck on bedrest with a pressure sore I placed the engine on an inverted tea-tray and camera on a pair of folded trousers, highly professional. Well pleased, thankyou very much for the opportunity to own a non-RTR model of such beauty.

Hello All, With regard to 'factory' weathering, I am of the opinion that the quality of such, quite apart from being somewhat subjective and affected by the lighting used for photos, does not lend itself readily to 'exact' colouring. Thus it is really a bit of a lottery. I have had factory-weatheed 00 steam models which range from the 'spray of dried mud' to excellent renditions of working engines, though not of course anywhere near the quality of the best examples shown in this thread. Here is a TMC 'value weathered' Bachmann V2, which at twenty Pounds is I think a fair place to start with maybe more weathering? No connection. I've drawn the beginnings of a front coupling but haven't touched the finish of the model. Cheers