Roy L S

Just curious. Has anyone spoken to Colin Heard lately - is there any more news of a new loco this year, or has he decided not to? I know I could phone him but saves hassling him if somebody else has already asked and can say. Thanks in anticipation. Roy

1960s steam/diesel transition is the most popular era by quite some margin so it is a fair and interesting point that this era has no AC electric models whatsoever (Apart from that old Lima thing!). There would seem to be a sound logic in producing a suitable model for this era and maybe Bachmann will see this and put their 00 85 through the "shrink ray"? As it is, all the AC electric attention (such as it is) appears focussed on more recent times. Is this based on a strategy supported by sound Market research? Sales of the Dapol 86 suggest not entirely, but I do not know how popular the Bachmann Desiro has proved to be?. As to the Southern Region Electric Market, is it only me who thinks that as an entry model Hornby may have been better off starting with a 2Bil,in N given that the overwhelming majority of British N modellers are UK based (and I would suggest more likely to buy one or more) or does their homework really tell them that there is a bigger overall Market for a 1:148 Brighton Belle internationally? Reality is that it is Manufacturers will decide and if a specific product group is said to have demand that does not translate into sales I would think that they would learn from it and not try again. But then I guess we all have our own perceptions of "gaps" in the Market and what will "sell". My era of modelling is not AC electrics but BR Eastern Steam/Diesel transition, Ironically Here there are some similar considearations. While we have had a number of excellent (ex) LNER "State of the Art" steam models delivered recently and the J39 apparently now "on the boat", apart from the old clunky Farish J94 there is not a single LNER derived tank loco available RTR. Tank locos are surely a "must" on most pre-1968 layouts so this seems very odd..Every other "Big four" company is better represented!. Regards Roy Regards roy

I think the Dapol 86 is a fine model, but I understood electrics have always been notoriously poor sellers. Indeed I am happy to be corrected but I thought I read somwehere (possibly even on this forum) that Dave Jones of Dapol had said their 86 took a fair old time to "wash it's face" from their perspective. If my recollection is correct I would have thought they would be reluctant to look at other similar overhead electric projects or even re-runs of the 86 while other more lucrative ones were available.. I agree with Alan, While sale prices achieved on ebay may not be the only measure they are generally a fairly good barometer of how much demand is out there. Couple this to the incredibly low prices they are now selling for (traders appear to be giving up pretty much all of their margin just to shift such "dead stock") and it doesn't paint an especially vibrant picture for this particular model. If even a limited run of the BR blue ones will not shift (I believe this is now the second or third most popular era after steam/diesel transition era) that in itself surely adds more weight to the concluion? Roy

Darn it! I was hoping for "something LNER" (A D34 Glen for example). Never mind, maybe next year,,, Cheers Roy

It is usually this time of year we start to hear rumblings about what Colin Heard is planning for his next model. Does anyone know if anything is decided yet (or indeed if there is to be a release this year?). Roy

I agree. Not my region but a lovely little loco. I have shortened this wire on a number of my UM locos and it makes a massive difference. Good to see that this is now how they are supplied. Roy

Hi Joseph The extra work of threading the rails for each 0.5m length is totally worth the effort, I await the point kits keenly and will certainly employ it on my next layout assuming I can make a good job of them. However surely any extra electrical resistance in Code 40 rail would not necessitate a power feed every 0.5m? The issue of DCC is also acknowledged where it may be a consideration and I know that it being "two wires" is myth but again a feed every 0.5m? Also, popular though it is becoming, at this point I and a good number of fellow modellers I know are not even considering a change from Analogue. Ultimately it will be up to Wayne how he progresses the product and how far he moves towards making it easy for the masses (or not depending on what is actually achievable and affordable). However (and just my personal view) much as I admire the achievements of the 2mm fraternity and accept that in most cases it involves incredible modelling skills and standards that are way beyond mine I would hate to see Finetrax's success limited by not at least considering easier alternatives (for those that would want them) and just adopting similar approach to the existing 2mm one. Regards Roy .

Not sure I agree with that assumption. I have tried Wayne's product and it is excellent but I would be put off using it for larger projects if I had to put a wire droppers on each rail end every 0.5m and drill holes through the baseboard for them. I believe Finetrax could be a very credible alternative to Peco, there is no comparison looks wise, but in my humble opinion for it to have the best chance of appealing to the wider N market it would need to be as easy to use/install as possible and for me that means rail joiners conducting the power rather than wire dropers. Regards Roy.

For me this last one is a real find. If I'm not mistaken the picture captures the end of Whitrope Siding loading bank. I have hunted far and wide for images of it and my experience has been they are as rare as rocking horse doo-doo. Roy

I got my NGS Inspection Saloon today and couldn't resist a pic behind my 4MT on my little Whitrope Siding layout. Now I know this should be blue/Grey behind a blue Class 26 to reflect the the one run just prior to closure of the line, but what the heck I am sure they must have run on the Waverley Route at other times too? Incidentally possibly of interest to other Waverley Route modellers in N - EPs of the forthcoming J39 were on show in the Farish cabinet at Warley today. Roy

Yes, that sums my Class 20 up too. A lovely smooth runner and not a noisy loco by any means, but not pretty much silent like my 24 either. Roy

Is there maybe a need to be lobbying a specific livery when approaching Bachamnn? For sure in BR blue and even beyond they were pretty common in pairs, but from what I can glean from my books at least, in early days somewhat less so. I think the idea of a non-powered 20 is a good one. The reason I say this is because if everyone just says they think an unpowered 20 would be a good idea, it may not be considered. If, however they say they think a post TOPS 20 in Corporate Blue would be a good idea because... ...then just maybe...Bachmann can be persuaded. I like Ben's idea of sale in pairs like Dapol and with this in mind a run of 504 weathered pairs of blue ones may just be the ticket and worth the risk. Just my thoughts. Roy

York's 60828 clearly got around a bit, it was also a regular on the Great Central at least as far south as Woodford Halse. Roy

A3 "Lemberg" a stranger in these parts, passes Whitrope Siding with a lengthy Waverley Freight on a rather stormy and overcast day.

And this morning my Dapol "Lemberg" arrived. I think the pics say it all...

One more from a slightly better angle...

Following on from my posting the other day, I have tidied my Clayton's paintwork up a tad and applied yellow panels plus a spot of weathering to the underframe. I could go on trying to "improve" it but think I will call if finished now. It is destined to a life of being "dragged" as a failure until (if) I ever find a Micro-Ace DD13 chassis for it. Roy

Her is a pic of my recently (nearly completed) Clayton. The model is a Parkwood resin body on a scratchbuilt dummy chassis. The bogies are old Farish coach bogies with new plastikard representations of the Clayton's bogies stuck over the filed down sides. It is early on in the somewhat chequered career of the Clatyon, as yet no yellow warning panels have been applied.. I do hope that one day I can source the Kato DD13 chassis for it, but in the meantime it will do what Claytons did best...be a failed engine under tow!

After many months with no success, at last, thanks to Alan Cox At "Etched Pixels" I finally have nameplates for my N Gauge A2 "Blue Peter". A couple of pics attached. They are not brillaint as I was rushing because the camera batteries were giving up! I am reasonably happy with how the loco has turned out overall, albeit I know it is not perfect. Roy

What an absolutely stunning looking loco.. Not much more I can say than that really, except that I don't model that era and I still want one!!! Roy

Hi Bernard I don't like to contemplate what other info googling of "Mr Whippy" might possibly turn up! Cheers Roy

Hi Kingfisher Thank you for the link, it contains a lot of useful information. The first of the two drawings of the Carflat is very interesting and does show hardly any sides. That said the RMWEB link below does sem to show sides more built up; - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/42292-the-famous-car-trains/page__pid__462636&do=findComment&comment=462636 But I am reaching the conclusion that in due course I do need to have another go. Regards Roy

Hi Dave Thanks for your honest observations, Yes, now I look again at the pics on here I see what you mean. I should have maybe checked fidelity to prototype a little more thoroughly before posting the pics on here given the levels of knowledge that I know exist amongst posters here:-( I scoured the Web for kits or drawings, the only kits I could find were for the much later "Motorail" Flats which were anyway unavailable and drawings were a "no no" anywhere I looked. I therfore resorted to approximation from photos, Some from the other threads on the WR topic here, but also the one on the WRHA site Homepage which is here (The pics scroll through) and elsewhere. It was the WHRA one that finally tempted me to have a go, given the less than trainload aspect and the A3 pulling the train! http://wrha.org.uk/ The basis for the models is old Mike Howarth kit Stanier 57ft underframes, My admittedly only partially successful research led me to conclude that this kind of underframe along with BR Mk1 Suburbans (I have some but they are too expensive to steal chassis parts from) formed the usual platforms. The sides are 4mm platikard strips, That makes them all but 2ft high in N. Allowing for the depth of the Underframes and floor, they came just below the level of the top of Anglia's wheels when fitted which appeared to be approximately right from the photos. The ends are larger because that is what pics appeared to depict and I had assumed that like Motorail Flats they folded down over buffers/drawgear to allow vehcles to be driven along trains rather than needing to be loaded on individual wagons. Have I got this wrong? Maybe I should have another try! Regards Roy

After a few evenings at my workbench, here is the outcome, a couple of Carflats complete with Anglia loads, forming part of a Northbound freight. Please don't look too closely, they are as representative as I could get form photos I had to hand! Roy

The second clip is absolutely stunning. If only we could have had sound as well and heard the V2 working as hard as it clearly was. Never mind, we can still certainly imagine the noise it was making! The camera is so well positioned and keeps the train in shot for so long too...just brilliant. The make up of the train is a treasure trove too. You get to see the whole train in pretty good detail, LMS style brake behind the loco, Ex SR vans, sheeted wagons, a few 16 tonners, a couple or tanks. I could watch it again and again... Roy