Trains4U

Just been advised that these have landed (In my shop at least) - should be with your local stockist soon, if not already.

Being shipped today according to HJ. Should be here wednesday

The Ace kits scorpion is nice, but at the best part of £18 for the kit it is a bit much (you can get 3 airfix kits for the same money) I even had a ew customers query the price when I had them on stock. I'm trying out a few vehicles from S&S models (CVRW Fox, CVRT Spartan) and Britannia Miniatures (Scimitar and FV432) I'll see how they look once "Done up"

The 2mm warflats are the WWII design, so only suitable up to the mid 80s

I'm going to see how I get along with the tension locks initially, but I will most likely go for three link in the end (Within the rake) and probably put a VBA or two or a Brake van on the end as a converter wagon.

Can I come and play?

They are GRA Models Resin kits http://www.gramodels...uk/4mm_kits.php - the Cromwell kit certainly looks very well detailed, I'll have to get a few of those. I picked the warflat up from their stand at the Peterborough show, they were selling the warflat and the two 432s for £30 i'll be after a handful of Mk2 Ferrets next (£7.50 each - new and not listed on their website, but on sale at the show) though I may make up a few airfix (MB models) Saracens as well. What I will be after is some decent Saxons and CVRTs The 43s will be tied down (I need to make some chocs as well), I'm undecided as to whether to model chains or strops though.

I'll make the change! thanks, I'd have never known that. I do intend to get some call signs (As well as number plates and convoy markings). I might give the genesis kit a try soon.

I'm intending to build up a decent MOD train, suitable for the 1980's and I've started with a GRA models warflat. This is the WW2 design wagon which was phased out during the 1980s. The wagon still has a way to go (Bogies need painting, metal wheels are required, plus transfers and weathering) But the FV432s are almost done, they only need number plates and convoy markings to complete. I've quite enjoyed painting them up The L plates and rear warning plates were high-res JPGs printed on photo paper - I thought they'd be better overall than transfers (and cheaper) Whilst they are a pretty good representation of a Mk2 FV432, the mouldings to suffer from distortion, bubbles and broken detail. The track links and headlight guards particularly. I might give the Cromwell models version a try next time. I'm also after some 1970's pattern warflats - I hear the Genesis kit is a bit of a handful. are there any alternatives that you may be aware of? and does anyone make a Warwell? I'll add more pics as I get on...

We have had confirmation from Heljan today that they have been shipped from the far east, and are expected in Denmark toward the end of October. So they ought to hit the UK in the first half of November.

The lower body is definitely Executive Light grey (Which really is a mushroom colour more than a grey) I had this argument with Bachmann when specifying the colours for my 150. They were convinced it was Silver grey (ass with Regional Railways) and took some persuasion to change it.

Add 50% to that. It's now 4.5 years old (Released March 2007) Time flies when you're having fun...

I've put Craftsman white metal horns on mine £2.00 for four (I don't sell them - yet) but you can order them direct from the craftsman website. They are uniform size, rather than different sizes, but to be honest, they look a whole lot better! I've uploaded a couple of vids I took last week with my Mobile phone (Before I put the new horns on) My first foray into Youtube... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4GX_Xt0G9U&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ims6p2erUsI&NR=1 I do have a decent Video camera, so I'll start practicing with that...

That's awesome - I want a go! - Though with all that high fencing, it does remind me a little of the guided track in Jurassic Park. There aren't too many Tyrannosaurs at Heathrow thankfully.

I tried a similar experiment with two unpowered trailers from the CEP and VEP on runswick leamside. The circuit is approximately 80ft With appropriate force, the trailers of the CEP will freewheel a complete circuit before coming to a stop. (From the station overbridge) The VEP trailers, pushed with a similar force get about 10 ft (Just past the end of the platforms. Not particularly scientific, but shows up the friction that the Hornby motor has to overcome with clipped-in axles, rather than pinpoint or roller bearing mounts., hence the need for traction tyres.

eBay is now stupidly expensive for the seller. New items cannot be sold cheaply on ebay, unless you are selling for the following reasons: To make something/anything back in an emergency cashflow situation Are selling stolen goods Are not paying any taxes are mental If I sold a loco on eBay, at my normal shop prices, I would lose money due to the excessive fees for listing, final value and paypal. Business users do not qualify for "Free Listing" days and you have to turn over £2000 a month to get a 2% discount on final fees. However, these have changed recently from their tiered approach to a flat 10% for collectables. To sell a £1000 item used to cost about £35, it now costs about £130 if paid by paypal - no longer viable. I don't sell on eBay anymore - they have become too greedy. and in turn caused selers to force their asking prices up. If there are many others like me, then the market will slowly die off, unless eBay change their policies, because to be honest, it's too much effort for the returns realised and I can do so much better with shop sales and at the handful of shows I attend each year.

I must admit, I'm now considering the magnitude of hacking up 90+ DTCs...

Or perhaps Ceptic and I have just cost you a lot of money... Ceptic's measurements show that the CEPs and EPBs are too tall. so even if you do refurbish your kitbuilt VEPs, (assuming they are accurate) they'll still be smaller. As this height difference is clearly unacceptable, I guess you now need to chuck out the CEPs and EPBs and build them from kits instead?

Yes, about an inch an a half behind (I didn't move them from the positions shown in the photo above)

I think the height comparison between the VEP and CEP s a little unfair when the CEP isnt the same height within the same model! On the left is the powered car, on the right the unpowered car So this causes some considerable variation with the VEP Powered car Unpowered car I now need to fill that hole and fix the hanrail that got damaged at the weekend...

Shaved the door, looks better, but now really needs gluing as it keeps sliding forwards.