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Just to prove that some progress is being made, this is currently OMWB:

It was quite a sought after limited edition... until a stack of spare bodies were discovered in the warehouse, and changers tried their luck with selling mint locos but in the wrong box.

Shame about the Peak, I was looking forward to modelling a certain loco currently being enveloped in undergrowth in SW Leicestershire. Perhaps the GBL team realised the Peak wasn't a "Great" locomotive...? As for the HST Power Cars, the last time I looked you could get a pair of the early B/G Power Cars from a Swapmeet for £15, which is evidently more cost effective than bothering to do anything with the GBL model. Perhaps a competition to do something worthwhile with the Chinese clone might be in order...

I agree... ...which is why a lot of the cr@p that is advertised in Sunday magazines looks nothing like an A3 in order avoid infringing copyright interests. I'd be surprised if the NRM had sanctioned GBL, as their other suppliers such as Hornby and Bachmann would have something to say about their models being copied in such a manner.

Do you really think the toolmakers with years of experience and knowledge have studied works drawings from the NRM archive, or scanned and measured one of the preserved locos...? No. They've obviously been given a RTR model to put through their cloning machine and really don't understand the discrepencies on it or if anything is broken, or even what it is. It's a shame the UK copyright laws allow them to be imported as to be they don't offer anything over a 50yr old Airfix kit and can't be seen as anything but a cheap folly (like that crappy £4 coach), but at least Bachmann are at least selling a few extra packets of buffers because of them...

The first 90s did receive small numbers. I'm sure the outcry was over the "Tin" nameolates, as seen in the video. Personally, I quite liked them, as long as it was a proper name. There were some right howlers to follow...

The 84 would be interesting- although a model has been rumoured, they haven't got anything to chuck into their cloning machine except perhaps an early DC Kits whitemetal one....

Not really bothered, I'm just looking for something cheap to model the Macbeth Peak with.... EDIT: (D14, it's unlucky to mention its TOPS number...).

Calling it "Random British Locomotives" might have been more descript, but I challenge anyone not to include the HST in a list of successes. But the Peak, however... I've not gone through every type but it seems to be: Steam- Lots. Diesel- the rest Electric- Where are they...?

At least they are running with the short hood forwards into the direction of traffic, the next working will have the loco the other way round. The propelling move to get there is with the street traffic direction and has to be seen to be believed- a brakeman rides on vestibule with a radio, and whistle/brake dump valve connected to the air hose.

The corridor is at the side, but in the centre next to the cabs. I'm sure 90023 recieved euro buffers and had its Pullman rubbing plates removed whilst still in IC livery. I'll have to check the photo library.

60p per module: EBay item 330504241961 You could even use one plug and a section of brass tube as the socket.

It does mean you have to scramble around in the dark underneath the boards wiring them in, instead of a few seconds with a plug and socket, times as many connections as the setup has. Bare wires into terminal block are generally frowned upon in industry as they can become loose, plus errant strands can cause a short. I'm not saying they couldn't be used within a local section, but they don't look very professional and no-one has baulked at the cost or availability of banana plugs yet.

I'm not suggesting someone builds a plain module as a means of being "accepted" before having something more complicated "let loose" within a setup, but plain modules would always be useful for spacing out other sections and there are plenty of prototypes that add both scenic interest and operational considerations to a route. A plain module doesn't even have to be plain to be considered as such, something like a dairy that could be used more intensively at home, but would only see a couple of trains per day when part of a larger setup.

Too lazy to go to the DIY store when you're short of timber...?

Something like the Dapol Western with interchangeable valences to replace the one with the big slot that the nem coupling will invariably need. Or just model a loco with the valence missing...

I think he already knows...

Isn't it funny how the Hornby AC's appeared to be a dead duck in their present range, but with a better model on the horizon, there is some justification for them to continue being sold, and without the "waste of materials and manufacturing capacity" tag that the Limby Warship gained...? I doubt we'll see a situation where a certain retailer was selling Hornby 50's for only a few quid more than the 47, but buyer beware and the price differences between Hornby and Bachmann are more acceptable to some but not others. I also think that one area where Hornby have also missed the boat was on replacement quality chassis, as per those from Vi Trains that can be fitted in previous Lima models. But perhaps the average customer hasn't the will or ability to perform such a complex job as to undoing a screw and unclupping the old one, and putting the new one in. Don't those models usually have simplified or inaccurate liveries that are cheaper to produce...? (although there's no doubt that the quality of the printing has never been better). Most of my fleet retain the basic factory livery, but that was from 15-20 years ago and very few were brought new, you could get a pair from a swapmeet for £30 and later on Rails had three Virgin or RfD locos for £70. If I was still on my mission to model every loco, I'd be in the lookout for recent locos in other liveries, but wouldn't want to pay a massive collectors premium for a different finish on a plastic body. Bachmann still have a way to go to beat the highest price I've seen for one, £212 on eBay for the ModelRail 90002. I got about half that when I sold one of mine to donate to the 89001 fund.

About 20 years ago a club I'd recently joined inherited a WCML layout, and since stock already existed for the blue era, I thought I'd contribute a loco for my era. This was 90027 in ICML with a Hurst pan and directional lights that stayed on. Then Shawplan were selling the correct Freightconnection paint off cheap at the Bristol Show, and one loco became four (and eventually about 30....).

Fear not, we haven't had a pre-grouping steam loco yet. There are some big clues out there. As for 87001 being de-listed, there is no reason for this decision, the loco is in good condition cosmetically. A Bachy 87 would be the next logical step, but dint forget the re-using of chassis parts means we've yet to witness a Heljan 89 and Bachmann 81, I did once hear a rumour that Hornby would raid their parts bin to make an 86/1, but knowing them they'd use the Lima 87 bogies...

87201 was essentially complete at the Crewe Works open day in early July, and painted for the Queen's visit a week later... But with oval buffers and a single yellow panel, above the headlights.

It suppose it depends on the board size, there are some nice 45 degree curves I've seen but they can look odd together because of the 2x 3" straight sections at the module ends. But I don't see why a 90 degree curve on two boards cannot be built, as long as they are used together or as end boards. Something else I thought of for you is if "Kenton-mo" goes for a 18" wide board but with a single track 3" from the edge, a curved adaptor module would add a much needed bend and bring the track back on centre (is sketch what I mean but it's past my bedtime).

They might be in danger of drawing criticism over not having a complete train available, as happened when Farish and Hornby both overlooked the Mk3b DVT and made do with the Mk4 (later corrected by Dapol and Hornby respectively). I presume they're now prepared to steal some thunder by doing 90034 in DRS soon unless Hornby give their loco one last hurrah, although I'm sure it'll be after the real Pretendolino is disposed of.

Or a "Great Gathering" box set featuring the four Freightconnection locos...

I'm guessing now but perhaps Freightliner gave them access to a 90, and recommended their current livery (of which there will be more repaints) over grey or green. As for other liveries and variations, I'm sure it'll take them a while to cover the lot...