Mark Dickerson

Permission for lip to wobble, Sir...

If you've got one, it's very Nice, but you'll have to forgive me thinking you Jammy Dodgers. Trying...manning...up! (BTW Did I dream it had a flywheel then?)

I'd be glad to see mine this year - we will see. I just wonder if a delayed release will reduce the chance of something I personally believe is of considerable significance getting the plaudits it deserves, but I suspect long-term it's a winner anyway.

I'm looking forward to taking the train into Oxford next week, but it's bittersweet - if I ever decided to commute that way there would be little improvement in return timings over the coach services as it appears I'd have to go into Marylebone and come back out again to Oyster Zone X. A pity.

It's a Thompson (semi-corridor) Suburban Composite, I think. My wild guess would be the N2 into Railroad and something like a G5, N7 or A5, or a Stanier push-pull coach with something to pull it. In these interesting times, though, only Total Peckett Production is the answer - I hear the acronym may become available soonish.

Heljan are doing a second run of the Met Bo-Bo, the E Class polled highly, there are suitable 2-6-4ts available, so yes. But point taken about ubiquity, which is why I'm glad to see industrial steam doing so well.

Agreed. That said, I could even see a Hamleys, Harrods or Selfridges-themed Christmas set with the new Peckett for the premium market.

...and there appears to be a flywheel on that motor...

Yes, really brightened up the sewage-stinking roads on the way to the bus I thought. *Please* can they introduce negative scores for Eurovision. And possibly fictional entrants - I still think we'd beat Skaro's (Dalek version of Stand By Your Man), but I'm not sure about Mordor.

Gosh. Maybe we'll see a couple of other liveries at some point, what with the upcoming Heljan Sarah Siddons.

I'd be happy to see Oxford Rail announce at least *something* compatible stockwise for each loco announcement, as I expect there's at least a temporary boost in interest beyond fans of specific railways. But these are early days for the company, and it might be better for them look for the gaps. More generally, I note that it was coaching stock from a railway largely contemporaneous with pre-Grouping (the Metropolitan) that came second in the BRM poll after GWR Toplights. Make of that what you will, but worth considering when bringing up consistency with wish-lists. I'd like to see them, but would they really sell? [At this point, I am mandated to suggest a LNWR Oerlikon set, but I'm going to add that a release should also include a Siemens predecessor so as to get the OHLE vote for the later Heysham sets. I therefore insert an infantile gurning pictogram to indicate humorous derision.]

There again, one can infer that it's perfectly OK to suggest that for very small steam types, given some comments on the price of the new Peckett and J50.

The US market also appears to cater for more freelance or shortline modelling - and frankly, I'd guess industrials are likely to be used in a more freelance way than other UK models so I don't believe there would be that much difference in sales between a specific company livery (appearing on a layout as on loan or recently-bought) or the *prototype manufacturer's* standard paint jobs, rather than a random plain livery. "Anonymous" industrials weren't unknown after all. If there is some resistance to unnumbered industrials, I'd personally appreciate the chance to have something with very little to change to get back to the vanilla option (e.g. the Hornby Tarmac Sentinel).

First steps for me (as a buyer, not a designer, yet if ever). One model required sanding but had excellent instructions, the other no instructions but more detail - and compared well to resin bodies. Certainly encouraging. [slightly more on topic.] I wonder how small a batch could be to make a diecast model viable for a preserved railway? Presumably these sell at £19.95 in the shop; at that price I'd imagine make a coach or smaller loco quite attractive as a mid-range purchase.

Don't look on Shapeways then... (Oh, you know you want to.)

Looks great - were I Oxford Rail I'd be sending London Transport Museum a free sample with a note pointing out Beyer Peacock also made a 4-4-0t...

Gosh, if only the LNWR had some kind of multiple unit now part-preserved in the NRM that lasted into the transition era...

Gosh yes, that would work (flagged or otherwise )- and with more space maybe have a couple of condemned 16T mineral wagons on a siding as I vaguely remember being on sidings nearer the new Bedford St.John's (old Hitchin line?). I always remember the old station - what was left of it - and area looked damp.

Looks like it might be down Kimbolton Road to me...

I'd hope that they will have stuck a nice big flywheel in there, although my experience with numerous short-wheelbase models on a now-antiquated-sort-it-out-insulfrog plank suggests that anything may go with reliability. Let's see if they match the Sentinel - or, as I'd like, far exceed it (much as I like mine). ARC Models could be rubbing their hands for alternative bodies if so. Oh, and YESSSSSS!!!

As a test, I set some sliding stacks at 15" - just.... But what were they thinking? I imagine any number of industrials were a tight squeeze to do anything, but why this little space with such a roomy cab in a BR model? Did Hunslet predict Mods?

Had I but known it (the beer) was still on on Saturday, I would've gone again...stonking beer but next time I will have it after the Fuller's Anniversary Ale. What happened to the British Bottle-Conditioned beers this year?

Could I just mention their advert with the babies has just surpassed a 2001 US military poster for a base open day for a my personal Campaign Most Resembling Something The Visitors From "V" Might Produce Award? I'm still cleaning up the sick...

It looks a lot better than I was expecting, something like their HO Speeder. I suppose they've gone for the trailer for better pickups (I hope, at least) and because it's usually a unidirectional prototype(?); yes, perhaps a belt drive mech would have been more interesting, but let's see how well it runs. Critter-fodder...

Yes, I've a couple of jars of Carr's but tend to paint wheels instead, which has done well so far. I admit I'm being Johnny Precious Perfectionist, but I'm surprised with the non-blackened axles.