Edge

Hopefully I'll have a couple of paychecks between now and the day when I need to pay for it then lessen the wallet impact

Were there any pit lane fatalities, or even serious injuries, from fires in the last 20 years of refuelling? Verstappen's "mishap" is the one that springs to mind. I think it's a bit of a non issue that one, but I'm also not sure it would add much to the racing.

I also remember the most serious fuel issue of recent years happened last year at Malaysia where fuel was literally fountaining out of the top of Magnussen's Renault and nobody could put the fire out

I liked refuelling - it gave chance for another roll of the dice strategy-wise, which always led to better races, Not necessarily more overtaking, but better races in my view. 2009 was wonderful for me, and its no coincidence that that was the year of rock hard tyres (y comparison anyway) and fuel at pit stops

How about having a large oval for the freight operation to run through the station and  have a terminus within the loop? Such an arrangement has the best of both worlds and can be extremely effective when disguised with scenery. Additional benefit of being able to run in new engines on the same layout.

Tetley's Mills had a similar arrangement in its Mk2 guise

It could be worse for Wehrlein - he could be in this position after being given the Merc seat instead

Do you know if it was it the same horse pulling the train up the entire line, or did they change over part way to give the beast a rest?

From what I remember, It was actually a couple of horses who would haul the wagons up all the way to the slate quarries from Porthmadog and were then returned with the gravity train. Generally each team of horses would only complete a single round trip in a day.

Stupidly cancelled my pre order with hattons at the exact same time that they changed the price (decided I wanted Exe, not Taw).

However, Bure Valley models have all three engines available for reservation at £145, and when I called them earlier they told me that the price was guaranteed. Plus you get to support the Bure Valley Railway into the bargain and their P&P is cheaper than what I chose at Hattons (£5).

Overall I'm paying the same price, which is brilliant

For those interested, the phone number to reserve one is 01263 733 858

Yes like you, and no doubt many others, I was well impressed by Giovinazzi talent and composure both before and after the Race, He needs a BIG seat as I think he may well be another Max Vestappen in the making.

He's already the number 3 driver for a certain red team...

Thank god wonderful as the model is, I'd have trouble affording it before my April paycheque lol

Interesting historical footnote, Red Bull have failed to have one of their cars take the start of the Australian GP for each of the past three years. Kvyatt in 2015 & 2016, and Ricciardo in 2017. 

The cars looked faster and its always nice to see a different team competing for the win on pure pace instead of freak circumstances. Still, it doesn't seem to have improved the racing at all...

Once payday comes around, BR Blue King is mine

After reading the glowing review in RM April, I've bitten the bullet and ordered a MW from Hattons. Got a few bits of 009 hanging around the place, so a realistic L&B train should be possible

Force India announce a new (and pink) colour scheme...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/128499/force-india-reveals-pink-livery-for-2017

No, it isn't April 1st - I already checked

Perhaps when the 'Lyd' moves down to Devon permanently she will have the proper cab roof fitted - and the full width cow catchers added.........................

'Lyd' isn't going anywhere on a permenant basis tbh. She was at least partly paid for by the FR society and is a highly useful engine for the FR.

Wasn't the L&B building their own Mw  - as I recall it was to be a replica of 'Yeo'

EDIT - Hey, my 600th post

If they are considering a 'Lew' style cab on future models, it seems to me that its more than likely the engine will appear in the modern day 'Lyd' guise as well.

BR black 30190 as a ltd edition anyone?

I believe that it is a bona fide Awdry story. Can't recall the exact book at the moment, but I have the set at home I'll look it up

EDIT: Eight Famous Engines

totally off topic, but the awdry connection is true. A pug appeared in the story where Thoms and his friends travel to the mainland for a big exhibition. Thomas' branch line is left in the hands of two BR tank engines called Pug and Jinty

Marcus / Marcus37 on here brings them up from London and takes them back again after refurbishment at Derby, generally via the Coalville Line through Gresley, with a quad of DRS 20's.

 

EDIT = That may be GBRF, I cant remember now.

Indeed, I didn't get a good look, but at least one of the 20s was in GBRF livery and was coupled to an orange/black example

I wonder if Stoll will be another Crashtor Maldanado?

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/18803697/williams-misses-final-day-first-week-due-lance-stroll-crash

In fairness to Stroll, he has been highlighted as a prodigious talent (F3 European champion) and these cars are the trickiest anyone has dealt with for years. He's gonna have a maximum of four days in the car before the season starts and two of those have already gone.

Yes, hes tested in 2016 machinery, but they are fundamentally different cars and (crucially in one of his accidents) different rubber

I do think that it is daft that F1 has focussed on Aerodynamics this year. If you want to increase the show, increase the mechanical grip available to the cars (wider tyres, new suspension geometry, unlimited (but cost capped for customers) engine development, new fuel mixes, active suspension, smart regenerative brakes etc.) These things will not only increase the spectacle and enhance the racing, but have serious relevance to road cars - thus encouraging the manufacturers to return.

Formula E is a perfect example. What amounts to no impact from the aero has a profound influence on the racing (there is some), the mechanics of the various engines and suspensions are the only variation between the cars and the racing is wonderful. Whats more, manufacturers have a maximum price that they can put on components. For instance, this year, a 'new' starter Techeetah (silly name, I know) has taken on the power train used by the Renault works team at a cost of about £500,000.00 for the year. A lot, but an order of magnitude better than the cost of a Mercedes Power Unit of about £20,000,000.00 in F1.

Now F1 has always been about total car construction, but it would help the Manor's of this world and level the playing field if cost caps could be introduced and an emphasis placed upon mechanical, rather than aerodynamic grip

I must be up too early because I could have sworn I just saw London Undergrpund stock being hauled out of Birmingham New Street by a quad of class 20s.

Presumably on their way to Derby

a topical suggestion, you could run through waving a Hornby Peckett in the air and smugly explain how you got it for £30 there are a few people I know who would bat me to a pulp if I tried that

For me, the Dapol 9Fand Q1 for me were the ones - characterful locmotives that ran as well as their 'OO' counterparts

I'd grab a couple - big fan of BR blue (steam only, of course) and of DJ models.

Hornby were very surprised by the popularity of this model - that much they told me at the Toy Fair last week. The problem they have is that production slots have to be booked a long way in advance so unless something else gets dropped or delayed, the chances are all the slots are already allocated so a new run in a new livery is almost impossible.

 

It might not be desirable either. Offer too many colours at once and people will get choosy. Put out a couple a year and I bet the collectors market will buy both. You can keep doing this for many years into the future with nothing being discounted or sitting in the warehouse.

 

Like the Sentinel, this is a cash cow that can produce the milk of money for a long while. I'd be thinking along the lines of adding a new model to the line-up at the next announcements that could do the same job. Then offer a new Peckett/Sentinel chain drive/Sentinel rods/New loco every quarter in a new livery every year. Do a Collectors Club exclusive too and you'll sign up loads of people to that too.

 

Sounds cynical, but cash flow matters.

I quite agree, but manufacturers always have the option of buying up a  few 'fast track' production slots with the factories - they are always available. Problem is that money talks, and they need to be sure of sales before they go forward. That being said, the peckett has sold like hot cakes literally everywhere and the black one is sold out to pre-orders in an increasing number of places

With the success of the peckett, I don't find it hard to believe that there will be other liveries coming - possibly as early as this year