Flying Pig

Sorry if it wasn't clear, but I wasn't suggesting blue on unrefurbished body was incorrect at all, far from it, as you say it's totally correct.

Nor did I think you were; and nor was I commenting on the accuracy of the model, but rather commending the decision to release the particular configuration that precisely satisfies my wishes. Well done, Bachmann

It is a shame that they've only released the early configuration bodyshell. I presume the logic was that the old (and not too bad) model was the 1985+ version,

Wrong - it's entirely correct that they've released it in blue with an unrefurbished bodyshell, plated end doors, dominoes and no boiler, the logic being that I want one. Possibly two if my earlier musing about conversion to 31/4 is correct.

 

I reckon they've got the face just about spot on and - good grief - have they even managed to mould the windscreen grommets on the body?. It certainly doesn't suffer the EE squint.

 

I agree about the masking of the yellow panel, however, that is pretty rough.

 

BTW Jo, I think the fan grille on this one is etched.

Possibly, but arguably preferable to separate items made from the same gas piping used for the 25. The handrail under the middle window has been left out altogether which is probably a wise compromise too.

I hope 31/4 will follow soon too

For the first batch of unrefurbished conversions, surely all you need is the jumpers and a new number?

 

sound fitted would be good too!

Honk splutter!

Thanks - more than I thought. Weren't some released on Commonwealth bogies too?

Does anyone have a list of the Mk1 body types issued to Blue Riband standard? Bogies fitted would be interesting too, but I'm not after a complete list of liveries and catalogue numbers.

 

Prompted by seeing an RMB in the new Cumbrian Mountain set and wondering what standard it'll be to.

 

Thanks in advance.

They're waiting for Hubble expansion to correct the error for them.

I think Chris said he needed to get his hands on a production model before he could progress the chassis kit...

 

Dear goodness, what is he - an engineer or something?  Doesn't he know that wild anticipation, disappointment and rage are the bedrock of the hobby? And he wants to make a chassis that fits?

A 2005 photo 0f 62005 shows straight framing:

 

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LNER-K1_62005_Lord_of_the_Isles-01.jpg

 

So does this of 62006 in service in 1965:

 

http://www.semaphoresandsteam.com/p319064844/h3E773BD2#h3e773bd2

 

I'm not so sure about the rear of the tender frames in this picture of 62028 (undated but "early crest"):

 

http://shedbashuk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/darlington-1951-1953.html

 

but this later photo of the same loco is clearer:

 

http://www.modelmasterdecals.com/LNER/058-LNER%20K1%202-6-0%20No.62028.jpg

The North East is a region ripe for development

 

It would surely make more sense for Hornby to continue with the solid GE section theme they are currently developing, rather than switch focus to a new region and perhaps squander the effort so far expended.  While the B17, Britannia, now the K1 and the forthcoming J15 and D16 are a great start, there are still very obvious gaps in the range to be addressed.  A new tooling of the venerable B12 has long been talked of and with clever use of slides it could possibly also be made to represent the original GER 1500 class, which would look magnificent in full pre-grouping livery (and of course a few of these locos were based at Gorton in LNER days to work the North Country Continental). Where too are the all the various Buckjumpers, the J17 and the J20? Or (most inexplicably of all) the Derby Heavyweight DMUs that worked down the Loop Line from Lincoln? Indeed mention of the Loop Line is a good reminder of the GN locos that also need to be considered before this range can be thought of as anything like complete.  There is much work for Hornby still to do before they can afford to be distracted by the products of Darlington.

TMC have revised their price on Ebay to £159.99. Do you suppose it's people power?

 

The basic weathering job on their website brings the price for the K1 up to £154.99 and coal is a £10 option, which I think covers the spec of the model shown on eBay (it doesn't appear to have had its detailing parts added, which is another £10 option). 

 

I'm not sure why TMC should attract opprobrium for offering simple services at clearly marked and comprehensible prices.

 Iain Rice did this with his "Harestone" track plan. It is a nice-looking plan but it is starting to lose the flavour of the original.

 

I can't lay my hands on Finescale in Small Spaces just now, but as I recall, Iain Rice did not intend this plan to be a version of Minories itself, but rather the outer suburban complement, a different station altogether.  As a result the arrangement of points and slips is distinctly different too.

I love the grain sidings and their access track inset in the road - very atmospheric.

Hmm - Betjeman's best known railway films must be Metroland (Metropolitan Railway) and John Betjeman Goes by Train (Great Eastern Railway).  So there's some more nice tenuous connections to froth over (though to my eye, the OxfordRail image looks more Midland &Great Northern...).

There are one or two photos of Wooler on Disused Stations.

 

One interesting feature of the signalling diagrams is that there doesn't appear to be a wrong line route signalled through the station from the main in either direction, which suggests that running round was not indulged in.  Surely the North Eastern would have provided fixed signals for such a move?

Yes, a 5'3" wheel 2-8-2 which was a direct equivalent to a Britannia, not requiring yet another boiler design!

 

Interestingly, in Living with London Midland Locomotives, A.J. Powell (a man well versed in real life traction needs) proposed two classes of 2-8-2 for the post-WWII LMR: a 5' 6" 7P9F using the Britannia boiler and a lighter 5' 3" 6P7F using the Clan boiler, for operation on weight-restricted routes.  AFAIR he doesn't actually get round to commenting on the Clan, but as his Jubilee rebuilt as a Pacific using a Brit boiler would surely render it superfluous we're getting back to boiler profligacy again   Perhaps a simple shortening of the Brit boiler's front ring would have sufficed for a light 2-8-2?

Booster, you say...?

 

For a post-steam layout, I'd remove the engine siding and fill in the resulting hole, which would increase the length of the bottom platform face.  I'd also demolish the goods shed and lay a couple of carriage sidings over it, perhaps with the foundations of the shed and odd patches of stone setts still poking through.  Remaining newspaper, mail and parcels would be handled in the station.  MUs would dominate of course: the platforms will easily hold a pair of two-car trains.  The atmosphere would be of general dilapidation and grot.

 

By the time Sprinterisation came along, the place would likely be heavily redeveloped or closed,.

 

 

From my point of view over here (and it is most certainly a sweeping point of view) I feel that the “British" (and I’m still one of you) are fixated on building layouts centered on a passenger station (real or fictional)  - I just decided that it is now not necessary...

 

All true, but if well imagineered, busy urban termini like Minories give a great deal of operational interest in a small space, at least as much as a shunting yard of equivalent size.  For many home users this is an significant factor.

Or bite the bullet, use medium points and flip the whole lot round:

 

 

I'll shut up now and go and do the shopping...

I got to discuss Minories with CJF at one of the Chatham shows. He was rightly proud of the plan but for goods far preferred his later version with a kick back yard occupying the empty space in front of the throat.

minories with goods CJF.jpg

 

 

A slightly different treatment that gives a more generous runround at the expense goods departures being wrong-line.  I'm loathe to solve this by using Peco tandem turnouts in the throat (dotted blue line) as the radii are rather tight and it would involve one of the passenger routes, so I'd probably imagine another trailing crossover just off-scene.

 

Bradfield Gloucester Square is not much more extensive than Minories and features a variety of long distance and parcels trains among the locals. 

 

Another approach to freight operation can be seen in Geoff Ashdown's excellent Tower Pier (which has certainly appeared on RMweb if not somewhere in this very thread).  Here the freight lines are kept entirely separate and provide variation in levels as well as traffic.  It has integrated signalling too, though the Crispins remain flesh and blood.

 

Part of the secret in both cases is the imagined hinterland of the model which justifies the variety of destinations and trains (East London and the West Riding are both very fertile in this respect). It ain't all about what you can see.

I've added some "mod-cons" such as westy-house pumps and air tanks, headlights, a giesl ejector, mini-snowploughs, modified cab and tender to be enclosed and roller bearings etc etc.

 

I've done two post TOP liveries inc a mid 80's full yellow cab which I prefer tbh.

 

Nice - I like the yellow cab too. However, if we're keeping steamers into the 80s, they should be red, at least metaphorically.  Drill some holes in the firebox and give it GPCS and a mechanical stoker.

Nelson, if your wagon is anything like wooden wagons built on this side of the Irish Sea, then it was held together by bolts and not rivets.  Usually, the bolts were threaded from the inside and what you can see on the outside is the nuts.  These can be represented by suitably sized cubes of plastic if you're very dedicated (the method Chris Crofts described in his articles in MRJ 12-15 which will tell you more than you really want to know about British wooden wagons), but getting them small and even enough is tricky to say the least.

It's a Banded Demoiselle.

Oh dear, looks like sugar may trump Nocton's wholesome potatoes. Great choice of prototype, Dave.  I can see all sorts of fun freelance light railways resulting as well as industries.