Bob Reid

Most might have been in light steam, but Maude managed to travel with the two Caley coaches in both directions without at some point (if I'm remembering correctly)! an accompanying diesel loco - entirely under its own steam, much to the chagrin of a few of the other preservation groups at the time. There was road access to Bold Colliery where all the loco's were stabled however these were the days when moving stuff by road when it was both fit and could run on rails was a non starter.

There was a different shade green/brown stripe on the blue/green material used for the loose covers on all three parts of the seat (whether one of three parts got the stripe included was a matter of chance - depended where the trimmers cut the cloth off the roll) It's not likely to be the original covers and although the pattern remained the same they were frequently dry cleaned and any damaged one's replaced in service. Those are the original Oatmeal curtains that were fitted when they were built. They were not replaced by the orange at any time - though no doubt someone can find an example of where they were used. These were also laundered as a routine job. Here are some other examples - courtesy of #Flood http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/84539-br-scotrail-carriage-interiors/?p=1414715 with (of course) the same interior....

The oldest MkIII's were barely 10 years old at that point. Although there had been a few prototypes for the InterCity refurbishment, the main scheme wasn't authorised until the middle of 1986. Until then, any interior work consisted of replacement where required of the original as built trim. Those are HST MkIII's in the phot's but had otherwise identical interiors to the MkIIIa's throughout those years.

Orange and Blue respectively = well I say Orange but it was a Red according to the supplier but it turned out was a dull / dark orange and darker than the loose cover trim. First Open; MkIII coach - original first class interior by Thomas, on Flickr Second Open; MkIII coach - original second class interior by Thomas, on Flickr

The furthest south they got was before the service launch in 1979 when the prototype set `(the only one complete) formed 47704 / 12029 / 12023 / 12004 / 12017 / 11007 / 9701 was used for functional tests around Derby. After that the furthest we got south was Berwick-upon-Tweed on Brake Tests. They were just too few and too precious to be let go for any of the usual off piste workings..... Of course as mentioned elsewhere, Rule 1 applies! Prior to the service start, the maintenance set got pinched for a run down south, seen in at the photo at York.

47712 ran with the square headlight for a short while before going over to ScotRail livery.... as mentioned though you are only talking about a small window - still, Rule 1 applies

And not just any old blue stripe coach as well....

I would doubt very much if Hatton's have the cash up front for any major expansion into manufacturing of the like which the major manufacturer can - DJM is perhaps a good example of where your aspirations can if not careful exceed your finances. Don't pretend that the loss of Bachmann sales hasn't affected their profitability. They are already heavily committed to projects that require cash up front but have no guarantee of success and may well in one case leave them with 57 varieties of 1 'oo' loco that's being sold to a limited market, and that's before you look at the planned 'O' gauge releases. No, I'm sure they'll kiss and make up eventually with some form of compromise deal.

I would think there's a bigger kick up the backside for Hatton's - They're losing one of most important brands which they can sell by the truckload that at present they are selling zero. Us, the customers, will just move elsewhere to buy them so Bachmann won't lose out (save for one less outlet) in the long term but Hatton's sure will if they can't compromise and get Bachmann back on board.

It was the sprouts okay! . . . (other non-Microwave meals may be applied)

Hornby are of course going to follow up the J36 with an equally excellent 439 Class and a pair of "Accurate" Caledonian 57 footer's (Diagram's 111a & 124) to haul behind both of them.... Didn't anyone know?

The clips were short sections of steel 'U' section channel and each had (in the rear and not usually seen) a threaded hole into which a bolt was fitted that was tightened against the rear of the faceplate - and held in place by a locknut. The position height-wise, varied as it was really dependant on where the filters put them! - sometime later the brackets were screwed onto to the ply shield but that didn't stop them being lost or knocked off from time to time especially when they were removed from the vehicles going to Glasgow Works. Nearly ten years after they left the region, you could still occasionally find one of the clips lying about the yard in Craigentinny. Add to that towards the end of their ScR lives the shields became very dilapidated and the screws pulled out forcing them to move them either side of the original position onto fresh wood. What you are seeing David is the shadow of the curved, when viewed from above, roof "dome. From face on, it was level and it's that curve of the dome that creates that curved shadow on the flat panel below it. This was the best part image I could find that would take some enlargement and show the curved shadow. Imagine the sun, is up and to your right behind you. On the curved edge it creates that shadow curving down the way on a flat panel.

Santa gave me..... The fear of the unknown

I was known to play Darts when I was an Apprentice?

I think you've got the wrong person try your insults somewhere else.

If you look at the model, you'll see the correct join between the original curved roof and the conversion flat front. The shadow highlights the join shape and that it is exactly as the prototype i.e. it deepens towards the centre of the cab window tapering to zero at either end.

I saw and was involved with these from the conversion in 1979 till they left us in 1989 on an almost daily basis and they look perfectly fine to me. It was you that said one panel on the roof sat above the other - in your words "too flush", not mine but now you've decided it isn't? The point of using the fingernail on the cab front was to prove that the cab dome to flat cab front step is there - exactly as the prototype whereas you said it was flush? Of course if that's how you perceive them well that's entirely your choice but I would suggest you are looking for an issue that doesn't exist.

The end roof panel was supposed to be flush with the adjacent roof panel - i.e. one flush with other, though the join (as with the other weld lines on the roof) have not been modelled the join between the roof end panel and the cab front has been correctly modelled with the usual Mk2 curved end replaced during the conversion with flat framing and panels. If you run your fingernail over the join to the roof on the model, you'll see it has been modelled as the prototype. You need to look somewhere else for whatever you think doesn't look right.

Having been introduced to both over my career you can imagine the hilarity...

Looks like 60031 Golden Plover, which did have the stripe....

Absolutely spot on Rob. Yes, there's still the issue of the height of the white lining at the top however without a major repaint (which I've no intention of tackling either) that's not easily fixed and perhaps offers little in return for the amount of effort. The only other thing you might consider is repainting the gangway doors / inside of the gangway rail warning yellow...

I would doubt any company would do that. Extended development and production times and unplanned "diversions" like factory moves make for very fluid timescales and it no doubt lots of revisions to the plan. Without any firm statement It'll still be their intention to revise these models but just how long that'll take is anyones guess.

Yes, still Vacuum Brakes - The Westinghouse QSA (Quick Service Application) were just another variant of the D.A. Direct Admission Valves popularised and already used by the GWR and LMS for more rapid application of the Vacuum brakes between the front and rear of the train reducing the braking distance at higher speeds.

They did that for the RUB only - if you look close between the blue band and the black on the roof, there's a ragged edge where they appear to have added more blue on as an afterthought - it doesn't have the normal crisp edge produced by the tampo? printing so may well have been a bit of hand rectification. I suspect that was done to reduce the height of the red band - something they didn't do on the FO but left it even wider.

Which is exactly what I said in my previous posting http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107460-oxford-rail-announces-oo-gauge-mk3-coaches/?p=3385465 however there's no getting away from the point that even if you reduce the height of the blue / colour band down to the top of the door / gutter strip it's still too wide by a country mile (OK slight exaggeration there) - the white lining band is still marginally low reducing the height of the grey above the bodylights. It could be something as simple as the white lining being placed over the grey panel edge and not the blue that's caused it but if your happy with it as it stands it's your choice. If it helps anyone understand the issue I'll put real numbers around it later. p.s. I've a photo of Mk3a where the Litchurch Lane painters continue the upper Rail Blue Band (but not the red / yellow classification band) above the top of the door / gutter strip up to the weld line on the roof panel - see my photo here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107460-oxford-rail-announces-oo-gauge-mk3-coaches/?p=3050007