the-gog

So it's a case of sending a faulty D1000 to DCC Supplies by Royal Fail for repair? They're not too far from me, if, and that's a big if my Enterprise has the chewed chassis screws like skin_2's. Apropos to this thread, here's a photo of Heljan's O gauge Wezzie at ModelRail Scotland: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151331259938207&set=a.10151331259038207.469723.176420418206&type=3&l=128d8b8dcd&permPage=1

I'm sure you've all heard of the anecdote with these machines (can't remember if it was 21 or 29, mind). They were regularly used on banking duties out of a Glasgow station (forgot which one), and due to their unreliability, they had to be coupled to the train they were pushing in case they went kaput. If they got to the top of the bank without dying, the driver pulled a length of wire in the cab that was attached to the coupling in order to uncouple. Now, I can't remember where I read it. I concur with Daddyman on the subject of archives. My experience of using them over the years is that items are either not catalogued or wrongly catalogued. Sometimes just asking for XYZ will produce a negative reply, when it actually exists - filed with something else. You might need to ask for a broader search term and hope the plans you're after are in it. Or you might have to request to trawl through the whole f**king lot. A good archivist knows *everything* about *everything*, a bit like editors at publishing houses. This hefted knowledge has largely been lost over the years due to staff cutbacks. The chances are that the NBL loco drawings are in Glasgow - you just need to strike lucky in speaking to the right person. Or make a high-level request for someone from your firm to spend time in the vaults and thus bypass the catalogue. RWJ

Good question. Do commissioners of ltd editions have a few more lumped onto the order to take account for any damaged/faulty models?

It's a 280 mile round trip for me.

Many thanks for this. I just need mine to turn up. 3 days on and "Royal Mail First Class post" still hasn't produced anything.

I don't see why it should cost Dapol anything. If the contractor fouled up (as it looks like they did by gluing things together when they shouldn't have), then it's up to them to rectify it at their cost.

This is my worry with fitting cab crew. This might sound like a radical suggestion, but as the Chinese factory caused this problem due to not adhering to manufacturing instructions, surely they should cough up for replacement cracked parts in a similar way that Hornby have been replacing the cracked chassis on some of their 31s? Richard (another one)

Just a suggestion. There may be a different way of holding it close.

So if you managed not to break it, and ditto 43179, then perhaps cctransuk was unlucky?

Even better, use a bit of ribbed rubber (calm down) and glue a bearing to the speedo pickup, attach to wheel centre with double sided tape. RWJ

On Tuesday night, Jon 43179 posted images that he was able to access the inside of his headcode glazing and removed the black lines with Cif, washed it, then attached two of the supplied headcode labels on the inside. Now, was he able to do this without breaking anything? http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67674-Dapol-western-photo-review/page-24 RWJ

There's an extremely positive 2-page review in Rail Express. "...undoubtedly being the definitive 'Western'... ...quite possibly the best 4mm diesel model, overtaking the Hornby Class 60 and Bachmann prototype Deltic..." You get the gist.

Note that Heljan have chosen not to represent the black rubber surround. If China really can't print it, leaving it off altogether is the least worst option and the most prototypical. The small headcode aperture and numbers is the bigger problem to fix, and fixed quite easily by not printing the black paint on the inside. Even without the black rubber surround, it'll still be streets ahead of every other Western. Those of us who want to represent it can do so ourselves. RWJ

I think the glazing is part of the main bodyshell.

The black line could be drawn in by hand. It just requires a template to be made up (say out of very thin steel), put on the front of the loco, and drawn round with a fibre tip pen. That's what I anticipate I'll do. It will have labour cost implications for you though. I don't understand why they can't tampo print it on. All sorts of other small detail has managed to be printed on, but this is a very thin line, less than a mm in width. RWJ

I think someone wrote somewhere that models with pre-Talisman-crash battery clips will be produced later. Can't find the quote at the moment. Edit - Can't find the quote.

Another fictitious Western name: D1188 WESTERN HANDBAGS

A friend of mine is involved in the pres of D1013 on the SVR. I've asked him if he could ask one of his pals on/near the SVR if they could go and measure the headcode glass and the black rubber surround. I'll report back when I hear something. RWJ

Hmm, EM is still only halfway. Grumble... I did vote twice as I'll need to buy two sets to convert two locos.

That's interesting. Obviously, it makes sense not to have to drill different holes half an N width to the left of the original ones. I'd imagine that they'd be an ideal place for the dreaded tin worm to start. Looking at the photos of the Westerns on the scrap line with their plates removed, the area under the plates look to be pretty crummy. Still, at least that's going to be a modelling opportunity for people with Heljan Westerns. A fitting end to an unsuitable model.

Can I point out that I first raised the idea of clearing the black paint off the h/c glazing - Jon acted on it. (I'm still waiting for my model, else I'd have tried.) You know, credit where it's due and all that. RWJ

Yes. Certainly ask them not to print the black line on the h/c box glazing. As for printing it around the aperture instead, without changing the tooling you don't have much of an option. The only other thing you could do is make the rubber surround a separate etch for it to be fitted on, but this would add to material and labour costs. The most practical option would be to print it round the apertures, considering that most modellers won't want to add an aperture etch. As I said, the apertures look to be the correct size. Any larger and there won't be enough room for the black rubber surround to be represented. Richard

It's still infinitely better than any of the lemons we've had in the past. Anyone remember Lima's patio on the cab front? Enough room there for a barbecue.

It looks like the black rubber surround on the prototype is less than an inch in width. This would make the etch waffer thin, like the waffer thin mint in a certain film.

Yes, that was what I was referring to. Glad it worked.