Lord Summerisle

No it's not fixed at the moment, but i would have thought a little bit of blue-tac to lock up the wheels would do the trick for gentle handling at least. The wriggly tin is made from the backing of some flashing tape from screwfix weathered with enamels, I've been saving it up because, although it's quite flimsy, mounted and sprayed the right color I think it will make a really good representation of 'bush hammered concrete' for 60s/70s buildings as well as flyovers and underpasses etc.

I've started many projects... and finished very few and Having bought a Bachmann Presflo that's largely out of my modelling period I thought I'd have a go at at making a miniature diorama to display it. I took some very loose inspiration from this little corner of the Trafford Park estates; http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=john+gilbert+way&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=John+Gilbert+Way,+Trafford+M17+1,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.466184,-2.298103&spn=0,0.003433&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.465513,-2.297591&panoid=IOxEuRXZ21KXNzlVgxuikw&cbp=12,1.12,,1,11.18 Below are some images of the project (hopefully in chronological order), the frame is a very cheap postcard size wooden frame sprayed black (with the glass still in place, and a plywood base cut to fit within the frame that rests above the glass. The rear walls are some scrappy foamboard with embossed plasticard brick sheets (I believe they are from Slaters and might actually be 7mm scale). Other bits are from the odds and sods box. Bricks were weathered with Humbrol matt scarlett(60) and ivory(41) paints, the ballast is woodland scenics medium light gray B81. The grass is a mixture of woodland scenics medium green turf and painted and dried sisal mixed with a little bit of static grass. There's still a fair bit to do, I really need to give anything a general wash, weather a few leaks from the drainpipe and also weather the wagon a fair bit, though i might try and get hold of one without the name-boards to represent one at the end it's life.

Thanks Philip, I'll give that a try. If that fails there is always the Hurst overlays.

It's really about time Replica dusted of the dies and fired up their injection moulding machine and brought the PCV back into production. I remember reading somewhere that it was very unlikely that they were going to do that as they were focusing on other projects, but my long time project to model a Railnet terminal is going to need at least 4 of these and I can't afford these prices! I knew I should have got my hands on some when they first came out. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/REPLICA-RAILWAYS-15001-PCV-POST-OFFICE-MAIL-COACH-/200565185340?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2eb29ddb3c&autorefresh=true#ht_4587wt_1078 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/REPLICA-RAILWAYS-15002-PCV-RES-MAIL-COACH-RARE-/190490496228?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2c5a1e4ce4&autorefresh=true#ht_4490wt_1078

Can anyone tell me why the Bachmann class 159 in the newest South West Trains livery is so highly prized? This one sold by Rails of Sheffield sold for £200; http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bachmann-31-514-CLASS-159-SOUTHWEST-TRAINS-3-CAR-DMU-/130472513247?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item1e60c48edf#ht_4378wt_1078 and I've seen similar prices realised several times before, though a bit of research seems to turn up an example that sold for £45; http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bachmann-31-514-Class-159-3-car-DMU-SWT-livery-/280614079837?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item4155e70d5d#ht_500wt_898

Whilst I can't think of anywhere where they share the track the 465's certainly used to run into Victoria (I believe they still do), and passed over the tracks used by the 444/450 to get to Waterloo at Queenstown road. So there would certainly be some scope for operating them on the same layout with a bit of license.

The Hattons limited editions in 00 seem to be on their way, (missed the damn postman this morning), guessing the Kernow ones won't be far behind.

Well finally got my hands on one, and only one as thats all they had left, thanks to the heads up with regards to modelfair on here. The finish looks really good, though I can see why everyones annoyed about the ladders, they do let the rest of the wagon down, lets hope that might be rectified in future releases. Can't wait to get my hands on a few more, I've ordered some of the Hattons ones. Would really love to get one or two of the weathered ones as well at some point in the future.