rob D2

And I bet you weren't shunting as slowly as most 08s you see at exhibitions ! I think sometimes modellers forget it was a job people were trying to get done ASAP

Very interesting, swindon. It's these insights that I really love. Were locos allowed to be hot refulled ? IE engines running or was everything shut down

All very interesting, but the changing of locos and assisting up the banks - this is steam stuff surely ? I guess it just stayed where it was like you said......did locos run light from Paignton and Torquay for fuel or anything ? Reminds me of Woodford halse near where I used to live that I never understood the importance of either

Hi, Just looking through some old pictures of peaks at this location in the late 70s. I'm at a loss to work out why it existed - a smallish insignificant town with large stabling and maintenance facilities. Surely most expresses kept going to Paignton / Torquay or down to the Cornwall area ?

Tilling points with CL track ? I'd be interested in hearing how that's goes as I was thinking CL track and peco points for my next one.

Still loving the layout. Any ideas what tankers ECc used for clay slurry in about 1982 ? Looking to get some if they exist

How accurate is the Hornby model ? I could do with a couple of these for my fledgling China clay set up

Interesting. If a loco was filled and then heading for the holding sidings did it do a complex Z pattern or go 6, outlet and then back to the holding sidings. The layout looks rather ' model railway ' in its complexity for shunting !

A prototypical load ? A broken Mercedes ?☺️

Two sidings and a run round = 1 x08, And that's probably an extravagance

Looking good, IS that the blue corridor thingy ? I'd thought it would make a good scenic break as well, like the one at Leeds.

There's no reason why they should want the body. I kept mine and just Sent the knackered chassis back

As long as it's not steam, and it's in s blue box I'll be happy

Never had a problem in many years of using their mail order. In my mind they are not the cheapest, but if I want something FAST and accurate they are the ones. I've also been on the other end of the phone when the public calls and I tried to be polite all the time, but it's the odd one occasion I probably didn't manage it, so I have some sympathy. I'd be happy to see more females in model shops, stops them looking like old people's homes

There are some major mix up with the body though isn't there in terms of accuracy. I had a limby bubble car with the new motor , that ran like a bag of scanners on DCC, which has put me off any warmed over Lima / Hornby hybrids unfortunately.

Ah, so your body has had it too ? That's a big problem. I'd take the £100 and spend it on another different model, and buy a blue 31 off eBay for £75 ish. U fortunately they are not planning on a blue batch, and they certainly won't tool up for, say, 3000 to fix those that have both knackered bodies and chassis. I think you've reached stalemate

Mike, Did they give you the option of waiting until they have some chassis available ? That's got to be the only solution as the 100 quid won't cover one in any colour. This is why I'd really like to see another manufacturer take on making a 31. I don't understand why the boys in blue aren't considering it.

It's abit of a minefield - I have a requirement for more blue ones now and this week one of the ' 31111' variety went for over £100 on eBay. the thing to watch for is not only the chassis, but the screw columns in the body become brittle and break off when the screws are loosened or titened. You would have thought a bog standard BR blue 31 would be in production for ever, but ewhen was the last version actually produced ? 2008 ish ? From memory we have 31270 ( original, flawed ), 31174 ( revised body with strap, some iffy chassis), 31111, 31165 ,31268, the last three being fine

That clay don junction portals in must be lonely outpost - is it manned 24hrs ? They must be bored rigid normally

A 33 towing an HST ? Weird...

Yes, that's the problem - it's batch production , so you have to wait until they are making the 31 chassis. And of course it needs to be compatible in terms of cowls etc.

Be patient Mike, I doubt the receptionist has anyone to put you through to - the service dept probably doesn't take calls as there all busy maybe ? Relax........... Mine took 10 months to return dos they had no chassis at that point....

Didn't even realise you'd made a new layout - I was a great admirer of ' oldshaw ' so was expecting something cool here. I wasn't disappointed !

Sorry mike, It's amazing how things get out of hand easily on forums.....back on topic

So you can't leave it obviously, My original post was not offensive - I'm not abusing you personally, my own opinion is that Lima is " xxxxxx". Unfortunately that didn't fit your view so you bit with your condescending comments , and kept on writing " xxxxx" . If someone said your choice of car was " xxxxxy" would you get all upset ? It's no big deal. Please don't call me ' m'lad' either - again a kind of condescending comment obviously. Like I said , good luck with the Lima. I was in the Lima collectors club 15 years ago, but the world has moved on for me.