Cofga

OK, the fact that the modified cab is not the same as the 9’ wide cab fills in some much needed info. I was wondering just exactly what “modified” in the spreadsheet I have meant. Thanks

Beautiful job, as usual. I have been trying to get an understanding of Hornby history. So it sounds as though all their Bulleid light pacific models have had the wide cab and modeling the original cab requires using one of the RT Models kits? Your photos on your website make that conversion look easy but since 21C151 existed in this configuration shown here for about 11 months I may just follow your guide and do a rename and renumber job on 257 squadron when it arrives—Larry

No matter the cost and other considerations I pre-ordered 257 Squadron. I like the malachite green livery and this gives me the BR incarnation to accompany my original green Channel Packet and blue East Asiatic. Next come examples of the BR green liveries with early and late emblems. The price may be high but my total with shipping was considerably less than what the eBay sellers want for used versions of older models.

Thanks for those details. It sounds as though I might as well shell out the huge sum on eBay and live with it but I will hold off a few days until the Hornby 2022 announcement. I can always strip a paint job and redo as I have in the past—Larry

Any ideas when Hornby might be doing another release of the WCC/BOB class models? With the apparent scarcity the prices on eBay have gotten ridiculous unless you are happy with the old ones oversized wheel flanges. Also about when did they start using 5 pole skew wound motors in them? I am about ready to go back for a black Aberdeen Commonwealth to add to my blue East Asiatic and Green Channel Packet. They are the best running steam locos I have bought in a long time and are a lot cheaper than any of the recent WCC/BOB class models I have seen lately.

Technically they are not marketing them as they are a free download. Three versions are available: (1) WC, (2) WC Un-R, (3) MN. Since they specify Un-R for one project I assume the other two represent rebuilt versions but I cannot hear any differences with the exception of platform announcements. You can listen online to the sound clips http://projects.esu.eu/projectoverviews/7?type=steam&order=date&country=gb maybe you can tell the differences.

I ended up drilling them out and installing brass wire pins then attached the brake rods using Loctite super glue gel. So far they are holding. I also downloaded the Merchant Navy and Battle of Britain/West Country sound packages from the LokSound website and cannot tell the difference among them even though some are original and some are rebuilt. So I assume they just used the same recording for all versions of the Bulleid Pacifics.

Anyone had any experience with the brake rigging on the current merchant class? I managed to pop off 2 mounting pins just getting it out of the package. Will any super glue work or is it engineering plastic?

My Merchant Navy is somewhere between Kernow and North Carolina so I have a couple of questions while I anxiously await the postman. With respect to the trailing truck do the wheels float and maintain contact with the rails or do they lift off due to fluctuations in the rail heights on rough track? Now as for adding DCC sound, I plan to use LokSound’s available sound files but they only have the rebuilt Merchant Navy version or the unrebuilt West Country class. Were there significant differences in sounds as a result of the rebuilding modifications? Were there significant differences in sounds between the West Country amd Merchant Navy locos? Thanks—Larry

As far as sound decoders for West Country and Merchant Navy models, was there any difference i sound between these locos and also did the sounds change appreciable after being rebuilt?

Thanks, good to see that is what that slot is for, looks similar to the motor hole in front of it.

OK, then it sounds like option 3, either end depending on the conditions. I guess the closest station to me would be Plymouth since I am in the US. I did several internet searches looking for photos but did not find any.

So I just received my new Bachmann SR PLV in dark Southern Maunsell green. Interestingly it is darker than my Hornby dark Mansell green coaches, I just put it down to extra layers of varnish, but that is not the question. My real question is, where did they place these PLVs in the train? Were they behind the loco and in front of the coaches or did they put them back at the rear of the train after all the coaches? A third option would be to do both. Was there any standard practice or was it just up to the guard? Thanks

I have been waiting for this one a long time but have a couple of questions. First, will it run better and quieter than the Kernow GWR 0-6-0 made for them by DJM? Mine is still a gear grinder after a year of operations, never did run in and quiet down. Second, does the 21 pin DCC interface have provisions for connecting a speaker (such as an 11x15mm sugar cube) and is there a space for a speaker designed into the model?

In researching colors for SR locos and passenger rolling stock I have seen major differences between shades of Maunsell Olive Green. My new Wainwright 4-4-0 is a true olive green. However my Bachmann PLV is a dark green. Then following up on this difference I found Paint Man offering both a light olive green and a dark olive green. This would seem to explain the visual differences I noted. Now can anyone sort out for me when, where, and on which equipment these different colors of Maunsell olive green would have been used? Thanks—Larry

Thanks for the photo and the tip. I managed to get it installed after quite a bit of fiddling around with it. That slippery plastic sure does male it difficult to get the clips into the mounting hole. So I won’t be doing any push-pull operations with this one—pull only. Did yours come with the screw coupling or is that a replacement?

I was installing the various extra bits today and found a big white glue smudge on the front of the cab between the portholes. I attacked it with IPA on a pointed cotton swab and after quite a bit of scrubbing got it all off. Fitting the plastic vacuum line was a pain until I noticed the parts that needed to go into the holes were (1) too big, and (2) too long. So I snipped them at an angle and that got them into the holes. The vaccum hose was also too big for the hole on the front of the buffer beam and had to be reamed out for a fit. The guard irons went in OK but had to be bent to a proper angle. I think I will paint the coupling hook black as the silver is just too plastic looking. Finally there was a plastic thing in the package that looks sort of like a stirrup but is not shown in the booklet. Anyone know what it is or where it goes?

Yes, I was looking for the various controls but could not pick them out. I think I will just stand the driver in the middle and park the fireman on the tender footplate where he will be more visible anyway. I guess I could sever the driver’s right leg at the knee to get him closer to the correct position. Right now I wish my cab roof was removable for easier access, but alas only one buffer was loose.

OK, fitted the driver without traction tyres and this little can hardly pull 3 Hornby coaches up a 1% grade. Good thing it will mainly be run on my flat modules. When it makes its appearance on my US Southern Rwy layout it will have to have a diesel assigned to the train to prevent stalling in the helices. Now for the important question—which side was the driver on in the cab of a Southern Wainwirght? Also given the limited space it appears that the driver can be standing in front of the firebox door and the fireman standing on the tender footplate, or the driver has to be sitting to allow the fireman access to the firebox. I have a handful of Modelu drivers but they are all standing and set up for GWR right hand position. Anyone have photos of their crew installed yet?

Well finally my Southern green loco has arrived in America! Shipped on 2/7 and arrived on 8/7, fasted shipping from the UK I have ever received. My first reaction was is this OO scale, it is so small compared even to my GWR Mogul, but coupled up to 6 Hornby GWR coaches it looked OK and it pulled them up a 1% grade on a curve with the traction tyres still installed. As usuall one buffer was floating in the box but the tender height matched the loco cab. Getting the smokebox door off for fitting the decoder was not easy as the door is basically a flush fit and the little tool was useless. An Xacto knife blade slid under the hinge worked though. As indicated above it is a very smooth runner with DCC installed, so now I need to replace the traction wheelset and install the various bits. I also plan to gut the electronics in the boiler and hard wire a decoder which should give me room for a little extra weight and a Keep Alive from TCS. Right now I’d give Dapol/Rails a 9.9/10 on this one.

Finally got them to ship my Southern green one today. Turns out they were waiting for me to add items to the order but I had already done it 2 weeks ago when I last checked the order status with one of their customer service employees. Left hand didn’t know what the right hand was doing! They really need a Trunk service like Hatton’s.

Apparently Dapol has been sending Rails the locos in small batches so they can only ship what and how many they are sent. The SECR locos arrived first so went out first. The rest will come in due order.

It appears you managed to get the tender and engine almost at the same height, did you raise the tender shell or lower the loco by manipulating the wires and tightening the screws?

Shipping seems to be hit and miss. My friend Al in Wales got his SECR last week but ordered it after I did and I still have not been notified my Southern olive one has shipped. Maybe they’re holding the overseas shipments till last.