Nova Scotian

I build a layout for 1953 and I can be certain that noone is going to change livery on me. It's a set time in the past. I build a 2023 layout, I invest huge sums in 221s, 390s, 68s and mk5s, a 397 not yet made, 185s, 802s, some 66s, 60s, etc etc. Modern day Carlisle. Next year a train operator has been taken over, livery changes. Or 68s and mk5 are withdrawn. If I'm interested in a present day layout I'm now replacing stock, which isn't available. Or I'm leaving my layout stuck in 2023. Which isn't up to date now it's 2024. There are liveries that lasted a brief hiccup in time. I've been shocked at how much some kind-of-modern liveries are so unpopular now. Say GNER in the 373s era of 2000-2005 (chosen at random as I liked that livery and the 373s on that route were awesome) Any manufacturer needs enough volume. Are there 500-1000 people modelling the ECML 2000-2005? I bet there are several times more modelling it in 1955. Guess what I'm getting at is the market slice is small - having the money to keep their modeling up to date, which limits manufacturer interest Oh and commuter EMUs are boring. Like black 0-6-0s that noone can tell apart. Expresses in the past, shunters, and freight in the modern era seem to be where the interest lies.

Per the Planet Industrials thread, Stuart Kerr Victory 0-6-ST - currently 100 GBP, down from 130. https://www.lightrailwaystores.co.uk/collections/planet-industrials If they're good enough for @Phil Parker ;) https://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2022/10/unboxing-victory.html

The green is close enough to the Port of Bristol Authority green from the steam era I could almost pretend they had to bring one in to supplement the Pecketts and Avonsides... right? Anyone want to talk me into it, or talk me back down off the ledge?

So a quick search through Hornby and the main box shifters shows no new J15s or K1s - this was a problem a couple of years ago (I remember them being blown out at 50% off, maybe even 60% once or twice?) but not for a while. Possibly not even since after the first few months of COVID? Not Hornby, but I remember Heljan O gauge shunters they couldn't give away at 160 quid eventually - now there's nothing that low. The used of that model are now being sold for over 230GBP. From the statement and observation I think the biggest trouble they've had is getting competitively priced production slots that deliver when expected. I think TT will end up being a cash cow - they're getting high margins from direct selling, its selling well, they own the space. We'll know pretty quickly - if we see more and more production slots for TT as opposed to OO we'll know where the money is going. The margins from direct selling are just too attractive, but it doesn't mean they shouldn't have someone working hard on supplier relations, negotiating production slots etc.

They sold out very quickly. I had Vale of Glamorgan sitting in an open tab while I weighed my options, and when I went to add to cart just to see what the shipping would be it had already sold out. 78 quid, and then DCC was about 100 quid. They do "look" right - they carry the heft and the colour scheme etc. The only one they have left in stock is ARC yellow at 123 GBP, which is a saving of about 50 pounds, but not the almost 90 pounds of the deal on black Friday on Vale of Glamorgan. https://www.hattons.co.uk/153959/dapol_4d_005_001_class_59_1_59103_village_of_mells_in_arc_yellow/stockdetail Other Dapol 59s listed on the website are available to pre-order.

Kernow have the lowest prices on the Sentinels I've seen at 55 quid for the 0-6-0 (5-15 quid cheaper than elsewhere. I was on the verge of ordering one for myself, but can't justify it. NCB: https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/74194/R30085-Hornby-Sentinel-0-6-0DH-Diesel-Stanton-No-57---NCB PBA: https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/74192/R30083-Hornby-Port-of-Bristol-Authority-Sentinel-0-6-0DH-39

Link here: https://www.burevalleymodels.com/c/5/Black-Friday The Small England with 40 quid off are good value

Saw a post on twitter this morning of a DB class 60 stating that all will be withdrawn by end of year. https://twitter.com/chris_railway/status/1726936216573214865

Ooooof, this will be a hard one. No L&YR Class 25 or MSC tank as hoped, so should have been an easy day on the credit card. But I love the J52s - have a treasured Hornby example in GNR green (pure rule 1). These look fantastic. May have to sleep on it.

I'll be disappointed if that's the case. First, desperate for an L&YR Class 25 and the MSC tank. Second, Bachmann did a great job of the SECR C-Class, I don't see the need to duplicate? Hopefully (for me) they have a few projects in the hopper and this is not connected to the apparent railway children teaser. Wonder if it's an O1 (also at Bluebell)?

There was no accusation. But obviously you're touchy on this, you're a moderator and this is your trainset to play with how you please, so I'll obviously shut up. And I don't want to detract from discussions on the model, which I am following with interest. And I went back - the reason I hadn't seen it is that as the pictures load it often bumps the posts up and down as it formats them inline. I had missed Graham's post and for that I apologize.

It wasn't speculative inaccuracies - I was asking a question. That's what the question marks were about. And I did not see it explained in the topic, hence my opener "May have missed it, but interested in the provenance of this model.". I went through the eight pages, I was skimming, so I must have missed it.

May have missed it, but interested in the provenance of this model. Is this EFE (Bachmann) finishing a commission that went south? Underneath is it Heljan, or Bachmann, or was it never going to be one of those brands? (eg. straight retailer commission). Went off the rails, sitting around designed and maybe even tooled, but without the cash to move to production? Or have EFE designed this from scratch? I know there have been questions on the 142 (not going into those here!), but obviously with this one there is no RTR anywhere else on the market. I'm sure once delivered someone will dig into the chassis design and it will be more obvious where this orginated.

Oh oh oh - I'm so bloody excited! I suggested something from Railway Children a few months (years) ago, based on your relationship with Studio Canal and the fact that many of those have not been done. Was it you, or someone else, who had an affection for the MSC engine? Learned to fire on it or something? Rooting for the L&Y Class 25 or the MSC industrial tank. Bloody excited. Take my money now.

Funny - like the OP I also grew up in Reading (I commented on this thread earlier) - but based on the ages + timelines I'm a couple of years younger.

Lima glazing on those NSE Mk1s...

Perhaps there's a way to look at safer 3rd rail for those short sections into Marylebone and the like? Ground-level power supply, where segments are electrified only as the train enters that section? We wrote off 3rd rail as inefficient, dangerous and bad for shunting, but ignored the benefits and stopped development on ways to improve on its drawbacks.

The MK4 formerly Nightstars over here are crumbling into dust - maybe we can ship the MK5s over here once they've sat long enough for the corrosion to set in?

Uncivilized country.

Thanks for sharing these - very nostalgic. Went to France regularly with my family in late 80s and 90s - which would include stops at all the major stations (and some minor ones). Always Fréthun depot (as you could see things back then). We did motorail at least twice, once to Biarritz, the other I think to Bordeaux, but maybe it was Toulouse. French traction was always so exotic, absolutely loved it. I'll have to ask my father if he's finished scanning his slides and negatives. Most of my photos from that time were blurry, too far away, shot on a cheap disposal camera. Again, thanks - was nice remembering some of those visits. We stopped going as often in the late 90s I think it was - just as the Sybics were making their way to the Calais (if I recall they were elsewhere first)

Very competitive pricing, what looks like a diecast running plate, and great detail. While an HST prototype would have made a bold statement 😜 this is a great choice. Q1 2025 is enough time for me to start saving to expand from OO into God's own O...

That Midland tank looks and sounds great

Difficult news today from Gaugemaster

Oh great, the portaloos are back.

Tangent, but same catalogue and continet - those Whitcomb diesels are an interesting addition too!