multivac

Tetsudofan I respect someone who has lived in Japan for so long. For a country that has history in abundance it it a shame that so much is changing over there. My interest in Japan started in the 1970s when I was learning Karate; but the language and writing character barrier made study difficult. Thank goodness for translation software making the language easer to understand. They had some great train designs though. Aren't there manga and anime based on many of the individual railways of Japan too? IIMHO if the Virgin East Coast Class 800 "Azuma"s were being introduced in Japan there would probably be a manga, anime, mascot and a model ready to go for the service launch. You could probably eat your lunch out of a box based on the train's design too. Virgin is missing a marketing opportunity.

They modified a complete Shinkansen as a humanoid robot from the Evangelion TV series. The outside of the train had a full colour wrap applied and I think the interior of at least three cars were modified. I cannot see anything like that happening in the UK.

Hello The British railway press is reporting that drivers are experiencing reflection and other optical problems with the windscreens of the Hitachi designed Class 385s for ScotRail. What are the problems experienced by the ScotRail drivers as Japanese Railways have had curved windscreens on all sorts of trains for ages. A quick web search will bring up some and even a few extreme trains, to British eyes, where the entire front is curved in many planes. I offer the Nankai train and the 500 Series Shinkansen as examples. I am sure that it has been mentioned, that drivers have refused to operate the trains in revenue service and the trains are stored until ScotRail and Hitachi redesign the windows. I can just see the Japanese designers going "what?" and pointing to a thirty year old Japanese train with a curved windscreen. Why they had to spoil the Class 385s with that corridor connection at the front is another question I would like an answer to? Thanks for reading and sorry if I have upset any ScotRail drivers that was not my intention.

Don't forget the four Alco S-1 switchers for British Steel. Two preserved, but one of those is just about hanging in there at Railworld in Peterborough.

Shops selling model railway stuff, too many shops selling anime goods, maid cafes ... Why do you want to go again? I think I would pass out from shock.

My first seven arrived today via the Royal Mail and first impressions seem favourable! Now to decide how to make up the next batch. Does anyone know if there will be more than 1 clean 1 weathered for each period modelled or will I have to renumber?

dullsteamer's photos are so interesting and require further study. I understand why you want to model scenes like these. bubbles2 and others, Kyoto I really want to visit there and my son wants to make a pilgrimage to Kyoto Animation, which has a railway line almost outside the head office. Models of the trains used are around I believe. N or HO is the next choice. Can you get a model of a Shinto Shrine in HO?

Does anyone know if the ability to tilt was ever mooted for the contract to supply the new trains for GWR and the East Coast? I seem to remember the BR Mk 4 coaches were designed with a loading gauge that would be suitable for tilting and to accept the retro-fitting of suitable equipment to do so. I ask this as, I'm sure Hitachi has built trains for Japanese use that included their air powered tilt technology to run on the 3ft 6in lines. Over to the techs as to why not for the UK?

Such a shame considering the amount of time it take to paint a coach. A quick search of YouTube gives many methods of removing spray paint from surfaces leaving no trace, however the mainline railways probably use a different type of of paint finishing to the traditional coach enamel. So the special cleaner might make things worse. Hopefully the varnish on the LNER coach has protected the wood. I can't help from where I am but will put something towards the restoration.

Definitely, however I suppose we must be grateful for programmes containing any railway at all. With all the celebrity railway enthusiasts out there I'm surprised we haven't had more "hardcore" engineering based series or a "super modelling group" building an exhibition layout series.

I have no trust in the NRM to care for the exhibits since many years ago reading that someone cleaned the bright work on 1000 with a few strips of rough emery paper causing scratches. The NRM is up to their usual trick in damaging an exhibit; the APT-E in this instant. I could see the National Gallery cutting a painting out of it's frame and rolling it up to transport it. If you don't know how to clean or move something without damaging it forget the ego for a second and find some who does. Someone should get a big bill to repair the damage it is public property after all and should be cared for. As for the 'Flying Scotsman' costing 4m to restore that is shocking and there should be an investigation. As for proper funding for the NRM could not a trust be set up to amass funds.

They were always at shows in the South and then it became very infrequent to see them. I wonder what will happen to the backscenes? A lot of work was put into them by the previous owners I believe.

I could do with a 4 door Ford Cortina Mk 2 for a start off.

Thank you for posting all these beautiful hydraulics. Happy memories .. sniff

Looking at the "machine room" that is TC-2 it looks positively space age compared to some of the computer rooms around at the time! As for the now "infamous" door wedging sandwich it would be a shame to leave it out. When the Rapido team mentioned it at the show I thought it was a yarn, but there is photographic proof. Someone should definitely invest in making models of the team to crew APT-E. I would buy a set. All the very best with the project.

How about the coloured pencil method? It's been published by a member of the EM Gauge Society, if I remember correctly, but consists of base coat of mortar colour followed by applying brick tones using water colour pencils.

After seeing BCB at Donny today I have to say that the layout is big and "W E Millward Ltd" is so good I spent ages looking at it. Shame the distance between the the barrier and the layout made closer viewing difficult.

What can I say? Western - want. Saw the pre-production models today - look good to me. I've already preordered D1062 from the WLA, well I did send a few pounds to help save her all those years ago. Next planned would be 'Champion' in 'Laira Blue' and filth and even more filth. Sound and smoke effects too.

Thank you to shortliner and Giles Barnabe for looking through past layout designs. I have most of the back issues mentioned in Gile's reply and will have fun looking through the articles mentioned.

I've been trying to track down a track plan by Giles Barnabe. The dimensions were about 7 feet by 1.5 feet and it was a switching layout in H0. The reason I'm asking is that a member of the model railway club I used to belong to actually built a layout from the design and this worked really well. I have already checked through SMT and MTI without a result. Thank you. I am temped to work on some of the designs posted here too.

Looking great I can't wait to see the result. I seem to remember from my days chasing the Westerns that one feature was the purple tone to the cab windows. The effect can be seen on tromans photo posted above. I suppose this has already been mentioned on this thread and would really be up to the purchaser to apply?

Fantastic work, I still don't understand how you prevent such a long plastic structure from warping. I built a little hut in plastic card and it warped in 3-D.

Rather similar here, but I model the LMS Midland Division. I have to add the 00 Works 2F and the diesel twins too. Alas poor wallet. Oh yes I've just started kitbashing a built (badly I hasten to add) Kitmaster Garratt.

How about Bell Lines containers. Railway cottages?

EM Gauge layouts Grove Park and St.Paul's Road by the Enfield Town Model Railway Club