bennyboy

You have to download this file to find them out on the new and "improved" website. https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Website_Availability_04-05-2018.xlsx

There aren't any RTR versions, but there will be if I win the lottery.

I noticed that there had been a lot of tree/shrub clearance around the stub of the branch to Platt Bridge a couple of years ago, which was supposedly because they were thinking of stabling trains there, but then it seemed that they changed their plans. But now it looks like they have changed their minds again!

That may be because there was a decline in traffic in the 80s, but then in the 1989 they improved/revised some of the trackwork to try and increase traffic which had some positive effect for a few years at least.

They later changed their name to Cerestar and had their own branded wagons. They still had rail deliveries until about 2002 I think it was. Gronk in the Park by Stuart Riley, on Flickr

Wow, that really does put into perspective how tiny they were!

But it's not just about the labour costs, it's also about finding the skilled people to run the factory. Don't forget that these factories have been making highly detailed models for 30-40 years, whereas perhaps with the exception of Dapol, no one else in this country has any recent experience of running a factory like that. Also you mention the cost of shipping, but do you realise how relatively little it costs to ship a container from China? And you can fit a lot £100+ models in a one container.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/131828-fleischmann-to-end-ho-scale-from-2019/?hl=fleischmann

In that case perhaps your next model should be a snowplough?

Well at least we now know exactly how much the Farish MK2F/DBSO coaches will be at £43/45.

Didn't someone from Bachmann say that one of the moulds for the 45 is damaged and that's why it hasn't been re-released or am I thinking of something else?

Here's some gratuitous Deltics in Manchester porn.... 55016 'Gordon Highlander' by David Flitcroft, on Flickr Deltic 55008 at Manchester Victoria by Awwalker1, on Flickr Deltic 55008 arrives at Manchester Victoria by Awwalker1, on Flickr 55022 approaching Manchester Victoria - 17th December, 1981 by Arnie Furniss, on Flickr 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' at Manchester Victoria - 26th November, 1981 by Arnie Furniss, on Flickr 55016 'Gordon Highlander' by David Flitcroft, on Flickr The final journey - 55004 "Queens Own Highlander" being hauled by 31405 through Manchester Victoria on 29th October 1981 by Jjm2009, on Flickr

I've just found a couple of small pictures of the shunter at the George's Road scrapyard. From what information I can gather it seems to be one of those Hibberd Planet 4wDM locos No. 4006 which thankfully was preserved and ended up on Garw Valley Railway. Stockport Scrap by Alastair Wood, on Flickr Kodak Instamatic photo of Georges Road Scrapyard shunters - 1972 by Arnie Furniss, on Flickr

I believe that it was used to run test trains down the Styal loop line to test a crude version of in cab signalling. Here's a picture of it at Longsight. 8598_21.8.72 by runtheredline, on Flickr 8598 on Manchester Piccadilly - circa 1975 by Arnie Furniss, on Flickr Clayton 8598 Wilmslow 14th July 1975 by Richard Clayton, on Flickr

Not personally, but I think someone mentioned it in the C4 model railway challenge thread.

Well, in the later RES period they tended to use the formation of PCV/SUPER GUV/SUPER GUV/PCV so I guess you could use a formation like that, although I think they generally ran two or more of these together in a single train. There's also this picture of a 47 with just two TPO coaches. http://www.philt.org.uk/keyword/class%2047;royal%20mail;cardiff%20central/i-DPFndf8

I've always had a soft spot for this totally impracticable, but attractive livery and I've a couple of questions about it. The first is when did BR stop repainting them in this livery and secondly when was the last one repainted into what was presumably blue/grey??? Also feel free to add any pics of them that you know of like these.... 50069 at Monument Lane by Steve Jones, on Flickr Class 101/108 DMU - Birkenhead North. by Martyn Hilbert, on Flickr nyks - refurbished met-camm dmu whitby 79 JL by John Law, on Flickr Wadsley Bridge Memories by Paul Braybrook, on Flickr 101 York Stn. 11.7.76 by George Woods, on Flickr Class 101: E50156 + E56366 Stockton by emdjt42, on Flickr E 50201 - Botanic Gardens by Syd Young, on Flickr

I don't know, but I have seen an aerial photo of the site from 1982 and the scrap yard looks like it had already been cleared, so it may have been earlier than I first thought. I believe that the location was tripped using the 6T29 AKA Target 29 train, so perhaps someone with a Working timetable might be able to tell us.

Yeah, there was a rail connected scrap yard there with it's own shunter which I think was still open at around the time that the motorway was built. 40117 at Georges Road Scrap yard - 18th November, 1977 by Arnie Furniss, on Flickr 25184 on T29, Georges Rd scrap yard - June, 1978 by Arnie Furniss, on Flickr

Sadly even the former chocolate factory with the chimney was knocked down a few years ago.

Hattons hasn't been the cheapest for quite a few years.

I have a feeling that it will end up being discounted though as it is only suitable for one of the least popular periods (late 60's-early 70s) and it it's not exactly a nice looking livery.

I'm glad that they are finally releasing an N gauge DMU in the 70s white/blue livery, but I wish they'd chosen the Class 101 instead of the 108. And how the hell is it that five years after they were first announced, the MK2F coaches are still only in the drawing office stage???

Here's some of the pictures that I took of the trackbed a few years ago. By a weird coincidence I also came across this shunter on a low loader at the entrance of a local business premises, although I don't think it has any connection with the line.

I photographed the trackbed a few years ago, but I had no idea that steam was used at such a late date!