Monkersson

Use warm white or yellow LED's to replicate the light from a GOW bulb, far too many people used the brightest white LED's for everything, which does nothing but spoil the look

I take it to make such a statement about excessive prices is you are aware of the complete costs Bachmann, or rather, Kader incur in producing the Farish range? From research to final product including tooling, raw materials, printing, assembly, advertising, shipping, and who knows what else is involved. Not forgetting wages - their staff certainly aren't all driving around in Bentleys. Lights and speakers with associated circuitry add practically nothing to the overall cost Would you rather the staff all took a pay cut? Dapol are a very very small company compared to Bachmann, who are a global brand, and incur costs which are part of being a global company. Therefore they most probably have lower overheads and thus can afford to charge lower prices. Companies are allowed to charge what they want, model railways are not essential items, nor are we forced to buy them

Really good to see another model being produced, shows the strength of the market!

Ammo Lucky Varnish, produced by Mig is available in an ultra-matt which is very flat

Completely agree we all make mistakes, I do a fair bit of painting myself and sometimes it just doesn't hook up! So its a strip down and repaint - I do this with rail, car & air models. I honestly couldn't believe the state of the finished loco. Some of the stripped original livery was congealed in the handrail trenches, and painted over, the cantrail lining was very wonky, in the wrong place and partially missing with paint bleed from the top coats, the definition between colours was pretty bad, bleed and overspray. Not one decal was sitting straight or wasn't silvered and some of the larger ones were starting to peel away, there appeared to be a varnish topcoat but it only covered part of the roof and part of 1 bodyside. I ended up repainting the loco and was quite shocked to see the main bodyside colour UNDER the warning panel yellow. The work you've done on turning them around is brilliant, all your output is brilliant, keep up the good work!

One of my friends had a loco resprayed by a supposed professional, it was one of the worst point jobs I've ever seen - grainy finish, decals all silvered, not a straight line and paint bleed everywhere. These 153's look like they've came from the same outfit! He tried in vain to get a refund however never got an answer to any emails or phone messages.

I agree there have been a lot of MU's available, but there a still a good few that haven't been done that were around in large numbers, for a lot of years - the MU's I've mentioned above certainly weren't obscure. I would take a good bet that a model of the Electrostar family would sell, and sell well - there are over 650 sets in service - 2000 vehicles. Its true that people baulk at the prices being asked for MU's but they still sell out. The £300 Bachmann 158 in GWR livery has had 2 runs already. Plenty of people have said that Electric loco's don't sell, but we have the 4mm 85, 86, 87, 90 and soon to be 91 and 92 all tooled to modern standards that sell well. In N Gauge there is a decent 86 thats sells well and a 92 that has sold very well, and a couple of EMU's that Revolution are offering are getting very good orders. These are just my thoughts, I would just like to see more MU's produced, as I'd like to model the whole railway scene for my chosen sphere of interest.

They do sell, Realtrack's Pacers are very hard to find even 2nd hand now, and their 156's are very popular Charlie used to provide a wide range of kits, they weren't perfect but where a great starting point - but not everyone is comfortable/able to build kits, even plastics ones, and again, not everyone is able to paint a kit to a decent standard. I do remember the bargain bins full of the 3rd rail units - overall, how many people actually model the third rail system compared to the rest of the system (I am a fan of 3rd rail but don't model it) Over-supply initiated that scenario, especially with the Hornby units. A class 120 DMU, used from the South West of England to the North East of Scotland, 1950's to late 1980s. Or a class 303 EMU, that could appeal to the immensely popular Scottish modellers - north and south Clyde coasts, north and south suburban Glasgow. That would cover from the early 60's to the early 2000's and also Cheshire Manchester area to Crewe corridor for the 80s/90s. Yes we'll have to pay a price, in a way that is our own fault for wanting more and more details/variations, combined with the cost of manufacturing, but I stand by my thoughts in that more MU's would sell. There will be as many people who say 'that wont sell' as there are that say 'that will sell' I don't see the big players making MU's, I could see one of the new entrants having a go

I agree that we need manufacturers to produce what people are asking for and start filling the gaps in the market, that is DMU & EMU's, from all era's. They may not be the most exciting items to make but they are an essential part of the railway landscape With the level of detail and variation we demand, we will have to pay a hefty price, but they will sell.

This is dangerous, I'm a HO & OO modeller, but the more photo's I see of this Azuma, the more I want one. I might wait and pick up one of the sets with controller/unitrack when they are released!

I don't understand people who abandon any pets. Is it the novelty of having a new 'toy' that wears off when they grow up and start finding themselves? Is it too much hassle to look after, play and feed? Is it too expensive, or are they just too lazy? My lad was found in a rucksack at the side of a major road in Glasgow, he is the most placid, loving, and handsome beast you'll get in a cat (obviously I am biased)

I'd like to introduce my Cat, Trumpet, so named by the volunteers where I re-homed him from 2 years ago, apparently he used to fart all the time.... He's about 3 and a half, healthy. very affectionate, and likes company, even though he pretends he hates me... I had the audacity to walk up my stairs, his face says it all. He has a fantastic personality, is very protective over me and my partner. Within 20 minutes of bringing him home for the first time he was on my lap fast asleep. As you can see, he is very relaxed! He has been great company over the lockdowns when working at home (my partner is a nurse and she's been working what seems non-stop over the period - she says he's more a mans cat!) Oh, and he is terrified of my trains!

Its maybe not in the spirit of the event, but the charity donation has already been made. If these charity concert promoters thought there would be a sustained demand at the prices resellers sell for, then the point of sale price would be much higher. Its the people who buy these tickets at the inflated prices that need questions asked of them. Sadly these days people will pay anything to be seen 'doing the right thing' so they can brag to their social media followers. They wont mention they paid £200 for a £40 ticket, but will gloat that they are at the event saying they are supporting the charity. These days there is a growing number of people who need to be seen to be better than everyone else, no matter the costs. Look at all the high end cars on the roads - most probably the majority financed to the hilt and on the brink of financial collapse with one out of warranty repair. But back to the Class 66, these appeal to collectors, and collectors will sometimes pay through the nose for things they really want.

The donation to charity was made at original point of sale. It is then up to the individual to do what they want with the item after that, if that means advertising it for a profit, then so be it. Profit is only made if the item sells, and if it sells, then it sells to someone who really wants it. All profit is the sellers, they do not need to, nor are obliged to, give any of that to charity. The seller may set the price, but they are not forcing anyone to buy, and who is to say the seller wont be giving the profit to charity, they don't need to advertise it. Charity donation is a personal and private matter. I said on another thread that I bought my house from a builder who donated a percentage of the sale to a national childrens charity, if/when I sell this house, and make a 20k profit, should I give that profit to charity? Would you? As to raising it on Facebook, that will fall flat on its face. Facebook is a 'me me me' platform. Focus should be on the man who prompted Hornby's gesture, not on squabbling about the price of a secondhand item that has already provided the charity donation.

It is literally 3 clicks from the My eBay page to account settings Instead of constantly moaning about eBay, why don't you set up your own webpage and sell your signs directly from there?

They haven't forced anyone to do anything. Its the individuals choice to use eBay, and if you want to use it, then you have to abide by their terms and conditions

Its not a problem though is it? Its a disappointment at worst. Many, many, many things that were promised for 2020 have been delayed/deferred due to the pandemic, including life saving medical equipment and drugs. Would you rather Peco carried on making model railway items or potentially life-saving PPE? Would you rather they demanded their staff were working throughout their own Covid outbreak? Would that be good enough? Why not try to see the wider picture

Clicking on the photo took me to the original link in Flickr. The photo was taken in Wadgassen, France and the loco's behind are SNCF BB16685 & DB BR 181

18000 is actually leading in that photo, both electrics behind (which look SNCF?) have their pantographs down and the headlights are lit. Presumably under test.

You could always build them yourself, or get someone to build them for you There has been a pandemic you know, and Peco were producing PPE for a good while Its not the end of the world that they have been deferred

I use servos, controlled by a Megapoints board. Total depth including the mounting bracket I use is 50mm. Worth look, though can be costly depending on the amount of points you'll have

There will never be an agreement on this issue, in my view being guilt tripped for not donating to charity, whether its from a model train sale or by the street 'chuggers' is morally wrong. Who's to say Hatton's didn't donate the profit, they may have but just don't feel the need to say about it? Giving to charity is a personal, private, thing whether its at an individual or global conglomerate level

Its not just China, nor is it China's fault, and nor is it China's tat - a vast majority of the goods that China produce are commissioned by companies around the world. They are cheap plastic toys, which serve no real purpose to adults, but get the attention of babies, and those of us who have raised children would have used these toys. But it isn't just toys for babies we produce, we also make highly complex aids for those with severe learning difficulties, who's basic costs, made in China, are horrendous. Maybe we do need a reset, but if you view 'tat' for babies as superfluous, then model railways are far more of a luxury At the end of the day, its us consumers that demand low costs Back to the HJ 45 before my thread drift, Im looking forward to see how it turns out

You are most probably correct, I would have been one of them before I was involved with costings in my company, and my eyes were well and truly opened!!!

I have to disagree, the moral thing was done when the original loco's were sold. The house I live in, which I bought new 5 years ago, donated a percentage of each sale to a national childrens charity. If I sell this house in 5 years and make, for instance, £20,000, should I give that profit to the charity?