Wheres_Wally

There is some interesting editorial in The Lancet

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(20)30151-8/fulltext

"Often it is difficult to offer solutions, but it is straightforward in this case: interventions that have been in use since early in the pandemic, most crucially physical distancing and hand hygiene, must continue indefinitely. "

" It is time to forcefully impress on people that basic measures to limit the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 are here to stay. This is the new normal."

If this is what medical science is saying, is there any point in more discussion? Model railway shows are history. 

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

But it does seem to me to happen more with Hornby than with Bachmann.  

But you are a blue box fan critically commenting in a topic about a red box loco you have said you don't want to own. Unless you have evidence, then that may be just your perception. No manufacturer is problem free. 

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

Well, volume production will always turn up a number of duds however good QC is, and I'm sure even Rolls Royces are returned under warranty sometimes

I was told by someone in the motor industry that for quality go for a car built on a robot production line. Hand made cars can be 3/4 inch different in lengths between the sides.

Until there is a vaccine is developed, and there are plenty on here who say this will never happen, and it is rolled out to at least 65% of the population, then I can't see large indoor gatherings being possible. Even the most optimistic guess for development is the autumn. After that you need to jab 40 million people. How long for that, remembering the low takeup of MMR? A year? Two? Never?

By that point traders will have evolved their businesses to do without shows. Exhibition stock will have been absorbed into the general stock. How many will want to set up to do shows all over again when they have managed without perfectly well for 12-18 months? Exhibitions are hard work with no guarantee of a financial return. If you don't need them, why bother? 

No trade=no show. At least no show of any sice unless people are willing to pay a lot more for admission. Can't see many on here doing that, there's enough moaning about price now!

It's probably safe to say there won't be any shows this year and probably most of next. If the trade can survive without them,  will any want the hassle of going back in the future? I doubt it. But without trade you can't run a show so I don't think shows will ever come back.

7 hours ago, dagrizz said:

Sorry, but the question of buying 'non-essential' items from shops that are allowed to open was answered very early in the crisis by the gov't. If a shop is allowed to open, we can buy anything that the shop sells.

 

The Northamptonshire Chief Constable was slapped down very quickly when he suggested that officers could be inspecting people's shopping trolleys for 'non-essential' items.

 

Graham

 

Strictly speaking, since we have water in the taps, the only ESSENTIAL item anyone should be allowed to buy is bread. Given those two, you can survive. I suspect those who have set themselves up as the essentials police won't like that idea. Deciding what is and isn't essential is more about claiming some moral high ground.

1 hour ago, Mallard60022 said:

 This is not a 'bit of a problem', this is a real problem and the Government need to get a grip pretty quick

Easy to say, but what can they really do? 

Ban everyone from leaving the house for a month? Difficult as someone has to run electric and water supplies. Also, how many people have enough food if the decree was made tomorrow? 

On a smaller scale, should we refuse to bring anyone "home" if they are currently stuck in an infected area such as a cruise ship or hotel? 

If someone does show symptoms, the fastest and MOST effective way to ensure they don't spread anything would be execution followed by burning the corpse. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be a popular option though. Even the Chinese didn't opt for that. 

42 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

Overall, there was s a sense of over reaction by some and that good basic measures would go a long way to addressing the problem.

My entirely unscientific observations would be that this is bad news for model railway shows where nearly half those using the gents don't bother washing their hands. An even lower figure was noted a large toyfair, which made me wary of handling items for sale later!

1 hour ago, Pandora said:

The important subject  price of a ticket to travel on HS2  is still unanswered.  Will the operators price tickets for maximising profit   (high ticket prices, but low ridership), or for maximising passenger numbers (high ridership, low prices)?

Why is it important right now? I don't know the price if KitKats in a decade, but it doesn't mean they shouldn't make them now.

If someone DOES set a price, are they forced to stick to it if something alters the calculations? 

3 hours ago, wagonman said:

 

 

QWill someone please tell me why building a new HS railway in England costs 3x the price of similar lines in France, Germany, etc. Can it all be down to incompetence and corruption?

 

 

1) It's coming out of one of the most expensive cities in the world and travels through a lot of very expensive bits of land. Abroad, much of the track was laid in relatively clear, and therefore cheap areas. We don't have those in the UK.

2) The French want progress. Local mayors competed to have lines in their districts. We compete to live in the 1930s.

3) The British are rubbish at stuff. 

It hurts to agree with Boris, but when he said all major projects go through the stage of everyone hating them, he's right. I bet no-one can name any significant project that enjoyed universal appeal pretty much until it was finished. No motorway did. Even the Olympics was loathed until about 2 weeks before it kicked off.

3 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

BBC announcement HS2 to be given go ahead tomorrow but further review .Not another ?

The project would cost 50 quid if it wasn't for all the consultancy and lawyers fees.. 

18 hours ago, brushman47544 said:

Instead of having nothing, I would be willing to buy detailed mouldings with only essential separately fitted detail that can be clearly seen from viewing range, such as large or long handrails, brake rigging and suchlike. I would hope a balance could be struck, without going as far Hornby's design clever period levels of separate detail.

And there we have the dilemma. How do you decide what is "enough" detail? Leave anything off and you have people on here baying for blood. Put it on, and increase the price because someone has to to the work, and there are moans about the price. 

The only certainty is the someone will be unhappy and make a lot of noise about it. 

How much would leaving the wagon out reduce the price? I bet it would be around a fiver. Then watch the "Why didn't Hornby put the wagon in with the loco" comments.

10 hours ago, stivesnick said:

My concern over some of these layouts, is how they might be seen at exhibitions over the coming year. What is being produced is based around a 2-3 minute presentation to the judges. But how does this translate into an appearance for perhaps 6-7 hours at a show as many of the actions are not easily repeatable (the earthquake scenes come to mind)?

Surely that's the layout owners problem? If they want to take the model on the road then the layout will need to be modified as required. If they can't make it work then don't accept the invite. No one's forcing them to go. 

10 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Thanks Laurie - glad TB1 struck a chord. We (Team Grantham) are of a certain age that grew up with Supermarionation - Thunderbirds was a firm favourite of mine - so the opportunity to include our little homage was just too good to miss. It was also good fortune that the TB1 model fitted perfectly on a OO flat wagon

It gives those us who love Thunderbirds AND pasties a dilemma. Which inspirational wagon load from this series do we build first?

11 hours ago, JohnDMJ said:

The first book was 'The Three Railway Engines' with 'Thomas the tank Engine' his second!

And the first engine to appear was Edward, who all right thinking people consider the star of the "Edward and friends" series. 

1 hour ago, Andrea506 said:

Really? Well at least it wouldn't involve the demolition of peoples homes and destruction of nature. Oh and before anyone tries to accuse me of "nimbyism" I do not own an affected property.

You keep on about this M1 idea. Have you actually thought it through? For a start, you claim it will be cheaper. As they say in exams, please show your working, otherwise it's just a guess.

How do you propose to get the tracks between the lanes? Is your plan that the system is self-contained or does the track cross the motorway at some point? 

Running tracks down the middle of  motorway means reducing the number of lanes. How will the Daily Mail react to that?

17 minutes ago, Free At Last said:

It's meant to be light hearted banter, just something to chuckle at like the rest of the posts.

 Or is it misogyny? Difficult to tell, but I'd be surprised if the same comment would have been made if a bloke had been holding it. 

No one is being forced to buy these motors, so I really don't understand what @Ruston is getting so angry about. If we want to faff around on the net, we can bag a "bargain". If not, we can buy with screws and drawing for a few quid. That's how free markets work - the customer gets to decide. 

4 hours ago, GWR-fan said:

People can be very finicky in their purchasing, preferring to shop at one store only.  If a B'mann item is unavailable from say Hattons and considering the increasing prices on B'mann items then some may prefer an alternative  manufacturer from the store. 

Fine as long as they want a class 66. If a Pullman set, C Class or coal tank is what you desire, could you suggest an alternative?

Not everyone just wants a new, shiny box and cares nothing for the contents.

Abseiling DOWN cliffs? In my day we were climbing UP chimneys to clean them.

Kids today etc. etc.

15 minutes ago, Legend said:

 

Ah but suppose Hattons think there's nothing now to stop me commissioning that brand new 37, might as well as we can't get any from  Bachmann .  You know someones going to produce one sooner  or later .

I can't get supplies from Bachmann so we'll chuck £150k+ at developing a new model? 

If that's the only reason then they won't be in business very long. 

If you are the sort of person obsessed with looking for the flashiest website then I'd say you aren't likely to be a Branchlines customer anyway. The selection of model making parts and kits is excellent and largely unique but far from mainstream nowadays. 

12 hours ago, Kris said:

Royal Mail will send a parcel covered to the value of this loco for £4.74.

Seriously? You are complaining about less than 3 quid on the price of a new loco? Perhaps we should have a whip-round to help you out.....

12 hours ago, rob D2 said:

Well as we’ve seen with the 66, they won’t. They’ll drop profit margin on existing tooling and sell it cheaper.Bachmann seem to have no appetite for upgrading models, just wringing as much profit as they can out of ancient tooling.

 

this is the first time in a while their 47 has competition ( Vi out of production, Heljan  old version also )

 

its almost like they have decided to be the Tesco of the MR world, allowing others to be the Waitrose and Lidl respectively 

Bachmann are concentrating on catching up on their programme and not announcing new stuff until it's nearly ready according to the stand staff. That's what people here have been telling them to do, now you want them to stop that and upgrade all the existing range? Make your mind up!

Nothing wrong with aiming to be Tesco either. They seem to take a big % of the grocery business. If Bachmann are doing that then they can't be doing too badly. Maybe you should wait for the DJM version.........