andyman7

Agreed, the SLW product is the ultimate one but is simply not widely enough available to directly compete. There are a few Diesel models now where Heljan and Bachmann compete directly.

The situation up to about 2012 was indeed that, Hattons and other big retailers did offer a per-order price guarantee. The system fell apart for exactly the reason you surmise - in particular I recall the first run of Bachmann Thompson coaches and at least one of the Class 40s where the time between announcement and delivery coupled with hefty price rises at Bachmann's end meant that some people who had ordered years earlier obtained these items at less than trade price on release when those buying once they were released paid a lot more..

Yes, functions only to F20 but they can each be configured for 'latch' or 'trigger' on the Dynamis

I do agree that in my experience Hornby's QC and consistency is more variable than other manufacturers. I also agree that rather a lot of these super-detail models end up in cabinets and a rather small proposition are actually worked hard (i.e. hauling long loads and/or used frequently and/or for extended periods. I always check new items before putting them away, even if I have no immediate use for them. I am as guilty as others for buying things because I like them without really needing them and haven't physically got the time to ensure that all my models get run regularly; however, my (teenage) son does use his models more and through repairing and fettling those I have been more exposed to the longer term issues - for example, the lights failing on a month-old HST dummy power car. I could have returned it or sent it back but as the part was available for £7 it was just quicker and easier to swap it out myself. On the 2MT 78XXX thread I was helped to identify where to put back the bits that ended up separated from the model on a arrival - that one's a beautiful model and runs sweetly but I wouldn't vouch for it running for a long period without something coming adrift. Hornby would benefit from attending to these issues but they are not new developments, the variation in specification, design and build quality across comparable items in their range goes back years. The VEP came out in 2010 and it has taken a fairly major redesign to deliver (in 2024) a model that at last is really good and value for money at today's elevated prices. Or take the APT - it reminds me of the British motor industry in the 70s, where those in the know would always wait for the Mk2 iteration of the model that ironed the faults present when the first version was launched too quickly with inadequate development.

Given that Rails are an established major model railway trader whereas WHSmith had no knowledge or experience of this sector of retailing (and it showed), I certainly hope so. I remember trying to buy a model in the Modelzone cabinet of the Croydon WHSmith. It took them half an hour to find the key and they ended up giving me 20% off. I thought at the time that they weren't going to last very long in the game based on that experience

This is really useful to know. Did you just swap out the old and new capacitors noting your comment above that they are located in a different part of the lighting board on the original 2020 version? And do you have a link for where you sourced the new 0.22F / 5.5v capacitors?

You only get additional charges that you need to claim back if the seller does not understand how to print the shipping and Customs label. Anyone that just toddles down to the Post Office with their parcel for Germany (or wherever) won't get the specific 'IOSS' labelling that proves it is a VAT paid parcel - you need to be able to complete the postage paperwork online first. A business ought to have this set up properly even if they are selling through ebay.

...and they already license the name to the CMC, are involved in the design and have the rights to use the tooling. They acquired some of the overstocks from the DeAgostini Dinky Toy partworks to sell, they're not a distributor as such. Essentially, the CMC has been doing more to curate the Corgi brand and acquire new customers than Hornby itself was doing, so it makes sense to bring the key CMC personnel in house to manage the brand.

The other big issue with yellow in the real world is that as colour it is very prone to fading - just look at photos of withdrawn locos that have sat outside for a while. So the paint colour 'off the brush' so to speak does not necessarily equate to the in-service look (my photo of 82003 dumped at Willesden in the 80s)

308, as D6983 didn't make it past 1965 🙂

These early Hornby tender tops are not like the bodies of Super detail models that need easing off a multitude of clips. There's a lip below the body that means you cannot insert shims but there is a specific slot above the brass tender-loco coupling pin that will take a screwdriver blade. It's a case of sticking a flat bladed screwdriver in that slot and using a twisting motion to release the body. In this case the Guitar plectrums won't work as there's nowhere to insert them.

It's a clip fit. The instruction sheet that it would have originally come from advises that to remove the tender body it should be carefully levered off with the blade of a flat bladed screwdriver from the end that couples to the loco.

Indeed, and if you really want something then to pre-order and buy on release makes sense. Items such as the Kernow GWR Railmotor are real 'one-offs' and I would not hang back if I wanted one. But a Class 47 is a different matter, with a much higher chance of at least some liveries hanging around

I think we're all familiar with the pricing approach these days by pretty much all manufacturers. First releases, RRP or minimal discount, those who want a specific example now or for whom money is no object will buy. After a couple of months, a better offer on some examples will no doubt appear. A little further down the line a retailer may decide to clear some stock and offer a special deal, or the manufacturer will want to move a slower selling line and do a deal with retailers. If you're not picky on the exact one you want there will be more agreeable deals to come. I'm not biting with these right now but can see myself succumbing down the line - we may have a glut of 47s right now (as with 37s) but if your modelling period encompasses these locos there's always an excuse for another one.

It's exactly the same wheelset - part number X.116 if you want to search for them loose

It's a fair point to say that Bachmann's paint colours have historically been somewhat variable. The only things I would add is that in their various attempts at BR SR Green, they were also representing a colour that displayed an enormous range in real life - it could fade to a pale colour or through repeated varnishing get quite dark.

With everything reassembled, if you hand crank the armature does it turn the wheels without binding? My initial thoughts are that despite everything seeming to mesh correctly, something must be out. It's possible that when on the track and the right way up, the gears are dropping put of mesh with the torque of the motor. When you say it just shakes, is it possible the armature gear is not held in place strongly enough? In which case the shaft might be spinning but the resistance of the gear train means that none of the gears move

I get 70% off. None of us will be privy to the algorithms but I suspect it's more nuanced than that. As an inveterate collector of things, ebay was godsend for offloading stuff so that I didn't end up getting buried in my own junk a la those hoarder programmes. However, I'm experienced enough to know what to sell, how to describe it and actually move it on, so my 'conversion rate' of listings to sales is pretty high - that might be a factor. Another is value - if someone sells lots of items in the £20 range, the 'system' might point to 80% fees - if you sell more £80 items it might favour 70% off. Or maybe the other way round.... Similarly the so-called 'coveted' £1 max fees isn't much cop if you're selling a wagon for £8, in which case a % off is much more useful. All I can say is compared to the days when a friendly dealer would give you half value on anything you had surplus, ebay fees with selling promotions are still well worth it for the amount they take and the market size they reach.

Ex-works, BR Blue era coaching stock was a much darker shade of grey than used on the earlier maroon/green/carmine liveries. But for roofs I've never bothered with trying to get a 'special' colour, I just mix up a suitable shade. As @cctransuk says, they very quickly end up simply as 'grimy brownish grey'

Thank you!

Well I'm not supposed to be buying any more steam locos but the opportunity to buy one of these at a discount plus use a heap of loyalty points was too good to pass up. Anyhow it turned up today, as I got it it was still sealed in the outer cardboard carton so I'm the first to open it since it left the factory but I could hear a rattle and sure enough it was obvious there were a few detached parts. Being pretty experienced at this superdetail malarky I followed SOP (= standard operating procedure) which is to unpack carefully on a sterile surface (i.e. not on the carpet...) and recover everything that might be loose. This paid dividends as one of the front buffers was loose in the pack and a younger, less experienced me wouldn't have realised until later that this means a near invisible tiny spring lurking somewhere there - duly captured and contained. One tender footstep was also folded back on itself - again definitely a factory issue - but the plastic is soft and I could fold it back without it snapping off. At this point I tested the model as I wasn't going to put it back together if the running was faulty, but it was smooth and sweet straight out of the box. Anyway the buffer and spring snapped into place but I'm left with two bits I cannot identify the location for. One is (in 4mm scale) a tiny tap handle. I think it may have come from the cab interior but there isn't an obvious one missing. This piece literally looked like a piece of grit when the box was opened, it's only my Spidey Senses that these days know that such 'grit' is often a detached part. The second piece ought to be more obvious to locate but I haven't worked it out - a green footstep-shaped piece except I can't see anything like that missing from the model. If anyone can confirm the location of these bits I'd be grateful, for now they can live in the details bag. It is a very pretty loco and the green really 'pops', I'm so glad it isn't one of those dull insipid finishes.

Photos of the tweaked DJH Class 25. Compare with the pictures further up which are as it came to me.

Re that Bachmann edition, I remember being disappointed that the TOPS numbers were rendered in Rail Alphabet on the model - the real thing having the serif typeface. It's not like there was a shortage of reference material either!

Can I be permitted another shout out for the Mainline Mk1 RBR - what other 43 year old RTR model could sit in an Accurascale rake and actually look pretty decent?

I can help with the destination blind as I managed to acquire one at a transport auction last week 🙂