rob D2

6 minutes ago, Fair Oak Junction said:

Out of interest, where were Railfreight red stripe refurb 31/1s mostly based?

I don’t think the western or southern or Scotland got any -

Startford , March , Bescot , Warrington, immingham, Wigan I think 

Interesting .

so the basic one is available for £199….kernow apply standard % reduction is selling at £169.99 …matching the Irish one .

coincidence ? I think not. 
 

bachamnn is clever in bringing out two different numbers on the petrol ones , straight away a useful double act for their TEAS that are coming .

Glad I ordered a EWS one, as they’ve gone 

36 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

If it's about a 31 please stop posting in this topic.

17 hours ago, PMP said:

It’s odd how you get used to the size of them with familiarity, I used to think 146/737/a320’s were big. After a few weeks working in their vicinity they become the norm and you get used to them.

And then once you’d got used to them something a bit larger would turn up to redefine ‘big’.

When I was smaller , smaller stuff like 146 looked big….as I got bigger even the 787 looked average ….the 747 still looks mahoosive 

17 hours ago, PMP said:

There’s no weight restriction for the A380 on Manchesters parking stands, or taxiways except for Lima. Looking at their charts there’s two ‘large’ stands one each off  the end of Terminal1 and 3. Those stands have three positions on each stand and are likely used for a380, and 747-8’s. The operational access to the aircraft is key so airbridges, ground handling and lateral clearance around the airframe are all factors in stand allocation.

 

I’m not aware of any trends for increased numbers of go-arounds. Perhaps there’s more public awareness of them, as any storm story these days seems to have an obligation  to show one on telly. 

Normally accompanied by a shouting cockney 

I don't understand the negative towards duplication ,

It’s like Vauxhall saying we won’t make a small hatchback because Ford already does one .

The 31 has like 60 years worth of potential model period sales , in a multitude of areas, in a multitude of liveries - if Bachmann think they can shift enough to cover the tooling they will. It’s a no brainer, and it’s getting more cutthroat with these tactical releases .

That tension lock thing is a tad clunky though , kind of shouts “ look at this tension lock !” When I want quite the reverse.

I have 2 accura on order , I’ll stick with the new boys and see what they can do for £169. Bachmann one , no frills, £230 ? Maybe ?

On 01/02/2024 at 09:26, BluenGreyAnorak said:

Thanks. I'm not sure that even heavy weathering could disguise this disaster though.

I’ve never used IPA to remove letters. T cut is reliable as are humbrol enamel thinners on some . 
id try and t cut the damage and see if it cleans up 

I have 2 31s on preorder.

Will we need a specific chip ? Seems the days of lobbing a spare bachy decoder in have gone - I’m going need to build chip acquisition into any purchases going forward .

21 hours ago, lego legs said:

Seeing as we're making suggestions for run 2, I'll throw my suggestions in:

- Transrail Dutch

- 56081 in rail freight grey red stripe when it was super shunter at Dove Holes

- Debranded Fastine

- 56311 in DCR grey

Transrail on Dutch always worked well for me like eggs on toast …

im certain original 56036 will be made at some point , I’d be interested in one 

2 hours ago, SHMD said:

At Manchester today, whilst on the (delayed) KL1076 MAN-AMS, I took this (phone) photo of this colourfully-creative-colossus (A380) with the much smaller easyJet trying to photobomb it.

 

(Note the position of the rudder!)

 

The A380s always use that gate, I don't think the rest of the apron can take the weight.

 

Incidentally, our flight to AMS, although an hour late, was due to do the trip in 45 minutes due to tail winds, (Normally this is a steady 1 hour and 5minute leg), but at AMS we circled for 20 minutes (seemed like it) and then had an aborted landing (Captains words) for my fifth "go-around" in 2.5 years, and landed for a total leg time of about 1 hour 20 minutes.

 

In my previous 25 years flying - averaging 50 legs/annum - I never had any aborted landings. 2 aborted take-offs, but their another story.

 

Are "go-arounds" becoming more common now?

And, if so, why?

 

 

Kev.

 

I think the A380 stand is more to do with its size. I cannot remember what category it’s in but if it’s above E it’ll need a special stand I think to fit .

Go arounds…..there’s a multitude of reasons . Windshear, aircraft still on runway , birds, etc…. The number one cause is prob still unstable approaches . By that I mean passing 1000’ I must be on the glideslope and on the localiser ( up down , left right ) , fully configured ( landing flap and gear ) , no more than approach speed +10/-5 , power commensurate with that position ( not idle )…. If this isn’t the case it’s mandatory  to GA as continuing will lead to an unsafe landing ( too long, short, too fast etc) . 
 

unstable approaches are caused by pilot cock ups, ATC cock ups, environmental factors . You never get sacked for a GA you’d get a right kicking for continuing with an unstable approach , and most aircraft have a plug in quick access recorder that is automatically downloaded and monitored .

The 787 system used to auto generate emails to us if it was a minor infraction ( not unstable approach ), I used to call them t@@t ograms ;)

3 hours ago, Accurascale Fran said:

Hi everyone,

 

We should have an interesting little announcement later this week all going well that will please many. Just awaiting some final details before we go public. 
 

What could it be?

 

Cheers!

 

Fran

Oooh . You are such a tease .

Hopefully nuffink involving coal .

My Bachmann EWS 37s are lame , I need to put them out to pasture ..

Nice work James.

ive been re reading the Rail archive from 96-2000. Some great inspiration there to reignite  my interest. So many  unusual workings using unusual power 

I want to keep using it as I like the way it looks, it’s frustrating as a lot of my planks are 1990 s onwards and the 60s are the kings of the fleet .

1 hour ago, Yo said:

Cheltenham model Centre are not stocking the class 56s unfortunately. They will be stocking the class 60s though. Great model shop,  worth a visit if you're in the area, I'm very fortunate to have them on my door step.

I go a fair bit, it’s not too far.

curious decision seeing how popular they have been 

16 minutes ago, andyman7 said:

 

Understood - I live south of London. However, John Dutfield is half an hour by train out of Liverpool Street station and I fancied an afternoon out. It was just a personal choice, but also based on the store itself being an Aladdin's Cave of stock with no internet listings so well worth an enjoyable rummage...

I should have taken a look, was in the Ipswich area a couple of weeks ago . Closest  to Swindon is Cheltenham model centre now….not a bad place for a trip out 

Not an option for many . Cavalex retailers seem to follow a lay line - nothing much west or south of london .

Theres a couple of geographical holes there I’m surprised kernow and or derails didn’t fill but I’m not party to the commercial agreements 

Bullheads still disagreeing with Hornby diesels and that’s now the 60s as well as the 31s… shorting out on the Vs as the chunky wheels don’t just touch their own rails .

none of the Bachmann do it .

back to painting the wheel backs a la 31 or varnish in the points to make the insulated V longer but then the 08 may not like it 

40 minutes ago, ColinB said:

I suppose the bigger question is what does this do to the Hornby class 56? I was never tempted to order one because of Sam's review where he stated that getting the body off was difficult because of the connectors that fall apart as you do it. As I run DCC it would mean I would have to take the body off, so for me it was a non starter, I don't think it has working fans either.

Getting the body off isn’t that difficult. Maybe he just made it look so 

I found the Hornby one and Hornby in general much smoother runners than Bachmann. I hope the cavalex is good .

What puts me off Hornby more than anything is the lack of after sales support and the feeling they are not really interested in DE 

Yes, DCC has become a Godzilla of a control system . A tedious hobby within a hobby .

Ive been using DCC since 2005 ( congrats gaugemaster, that’s the only bit of electrical kit that has ever lasted that long !)
 

I use it because it is only two wires , I can park locos together , and turn on the pretty lights …..look 2 wires !

Nice , I agree , one of those would be useful in OO 

Yes. This is getting tiresome .

You have some DCC issues - start a new thread or private message them .

It won’t stop my getting one . I’m a train fan not Elon musk designing a CB for space X 

6 minutes ago, andyman7 said:

We have two of these fine models in our household -  having seen the real thing up close at York a couple of years ago my teenage son was dead set on a Colas one which we pre-ordered. I went down in person last Friday to pick up from John Dutfield and succumbed (as I rather suspected I might) to a spare Blue 56008 for myself which replaces a Hornby 56013 as my 'Romanian' example. 

By way of contrast, I was having a browse at the final Hattons pre-owned items added today and one of them was a built MTK 56. Anyone who has been following the thread I started in Classic/Collectable will know my guilty pleasure at finding and restoring MTK models so I now have a companion on the way for my Cavalex one 🙂

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/1562092/kitbuilt_kb3055_po_class_56_56133_crewe_locomotive_works_in_br_large_logo_blue_built_from_unknown_/stockdetail

 

Cavalex v kit built ……beauty v the beast. I’ve got a potato in the air fryer looks more like a grid than the MTK one .

46 minutes ago, James Makin said:

Time to conquer Ben Lui..!

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Gently picking off the '60's one by one, it was only a matter of time before a former Trainload Metals machine would get added to the fleet, and here we can now welcome 60031 Ben Lui, modelled in early 1998 condition.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

I've a soft spot for all the Trainload sectors, and though my favourite one still alternates on a regular basis, it's hard not to like the bold yellow and blue chevrons that still look so fresh, even some 37 years since first being unveiled.

 

Where to start? Much as I'd love a nice Cavalex '60' when it drops, for now we'll make do with a bargain used Hornby one, and picked up for £70, couldn't say fairer than that!

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The donor model was once a Mainline Grey 'Canisp' example, with the old branding removed back to the base colours and gloss varnished, ready for the new decals to be applied. Railtec's excellent Trainload decals were added, alongside numbers and electrification flashes where needed.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

At this stage of the project, a couple of the unique details could be added - the bodyside doors on one side was a slightly lighter grey than the rest of the loco, and interestingly, a little bit of the blue triangle was missing from the sector logo, so this was carefully cut away before the model was finally sealed with a coat of Railmatch matt varnish.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The bodyshell was then left for around a month for the varnish layer to harden, after which the invasive paint-on & wipe-off layers of weathering could commence - the dangers of not waiting could be that the varnish layer is accidentally stripped off when enamel thinners is used for the washes, so it's worth waiting! I know many modellers have moved over to acrylics these days but I'm a bit basic and just stick to my old fashioned techniques, I may do some experimenting one day with the new generation of acrylics that seem to have moved on a whole load since first fettling with them in the late 90s!

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Time for the weathering stage, and accompanied by a lovely bit of Röyksopp, the layers of browns were added onto the luscious triple grey body - starting with shades of Humbrol 113 and Humbrol 251.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

I tend to vary the application of the paints depending upon the final look being sought, in this case going for nearly-neat paint, but other times I'll mix a large amount of thinners - you get a feel over time fo the effect you're looking for and how much to thin the paint, it is ideal for a bit of trial and error! 

 

Next, a kitchen towel is used to wipe vertically downward and remove most of the paint in one go: 

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Thanks to the layer of matt varnish applied previously, the paint will then cling to the bodyside, leaving you the option to remove as much as you like, using cotton buds dipped in enamel thinners - letting you  create streaks dirt patches as you wish.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

One feature of 60031 noted from photographs of the time, was an ingrained dirt build up on the bodyside around one end of the bodyshell, and this was recreated by rolling a cotton bud around in some thinned paint on the body, with lots of fettling before getting the effect being sought!

 

As well as this, Ben Lui also had a long scrape on the side too - possibly some sort of shunting yard mishap maybe?

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Regardless of how it happened, it was recreated by running a strip of Tamiya masking tape down the side, and touching in the relevant areas with a fine 5/0 brush and three different shades of brown and grey paint to replicate the damages. 

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

60031 in all its glory! The bold blue and yellow of the Trainload Metals markings really set off the triple grey, it is a shame that more of the Metals machines didn't make it far into the privatisation period, '031 was one of the very last!

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The machine would lose one of its Ben Lui nameplates around 1996 - leaving just bolt holes and a few marks where it used to be - presumably liberated 'unofficially' and perhaps still out there on someone's wall, all these years later...

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

After reassembly of the bodyshell, the chassis had the full-depth bufferbeams added at both ends, and the tension-lock coupler and self-catering swing function entirely removed, to be replaced with a 0.33mm brass wire loop, drilled into the chassis and superglued in place, to allow the usual bufferbeam pipe detailing to be fitted, yet still haul tension-lock-fitted stock. 

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

A view here showing the somewhat forlorn bodyside on 60031! The scrapes and damaged sector logo add to the character of the machine, whilst it would've been lovely to model the loco in peak ex-works condition, it's fun to do something that portrays the hard life and bad luck they often experienced!

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

Up on the roof, the exhaust silencer was painted in several rusty shades, along with a bit of talcum powder mixed in for texture, before being coated with shades of roof dirt, dirty black and my custom black/blue exhaust fume mix too.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

A driver was added in the cab - one of the cheap eBay Chinese 1:75 figures was chopped up and painted up, and homemade blinds added in each windscreen too.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

60031 was a hard working beast! New to BR's Trainload Metals sector in 1990, the locomotive was allocated to Thornaby and wore the iconic Kingfisher depot plaques, with the legacy of its time there being the scars left on the cabside where the plaques were removed in 1997.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

The geographical names on the '60's were most magical - namesake Ben Lui being one of the Scottish 'Munro's in the Grampian mountains of northeast Argyll, and measuring in at 3,710 feet tall. 

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

One of the fun little oddities seen on 60031 was the damaged No.2 end - a big punt in on the yellow just inboard of the buffer on the secondman's side - after some head scratching, this was achieved using a soldering iron, and touching in the damage with some spare yellow paint!

 

Completing the story, the real 60031 would go on to lose its remaining Ben Lui plate later in 1998, and then swapped the 'Metals' colours for a shiny coat of EWS red in 2002, along with a new name - ABP Connect. The mighty beast would continue in service until storage by DBS in 2009, after which it would see out the remainder of its years to date in the confines of Toton yard, alongside its many classmates all awaiting their final fate.

 

60031 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 3, on Flickr

 

It's been great fun bringing this one to life, part of the special club of '60's to retain the original sector colours into privatisation and into the history books, and what a looker it was back then!

 

Cheers,

James

 

Nicely done as ever ! I’m looking forward to your Transrail 56 - my money is 007 or 086 :)