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All of this shows why the concept of a wish list is fundamentally flawed- even asking someone if they'd buy a particular model won't get you a true result until someone can see a production model in front of them, or at least an honest review. Fortunately the research has already been done in this sector, and you only have to look at what is available and has been repeatedly re-run in the larger narrow gauge scales to see what is popular, and thats where more expensive items generally mean purchases are more carefully thought through and rely less on impulse.

Can I join in...? the recent ETL announcement was the final straw and prompted me into dumping a load of unfinished projects, but seeing a video from the weekend of 86101 and 87002 alive at Carlisle has spurned me into tackling something that is both Electric and Blue.....

I was going to say that soon L&B layouts will be the new GWR Branchline, until I remembered back to last year's Warley Show...

I'd echo Shane's comments, I've seen a couple up close but have never worked with one.

Without bombing the thread too much, here is an 84 that has been converted from a Hornby class 86 body: Does it look like an 84...? Probably, although I think the general shape could be better. All you're really using from the original body are the cab windows, compared to making those from scratch everything else is relatively straightforward. I'd be guessing if I worked out it's component value, but at today's prices it's probably about £20, and that's being over generous with the ancillary bits. The costing for the time involved to build it would be many times that figure. New "Weveneverhaditsogood" RTR releases can benefit those on a budget, as some modellers choose to abandon unfinished projects (look out for AppleGreen resin class 84 bodies soon), although don't forget this can be a false economy once other factors such as the cost of a decent chassis and your own time are added in. They weren't as bad as the 86/0's or more recently the class 70's, but sometimes you'd have to be a Rodeo Rider to hang on to a bouncing Roarer...

Yes (that's what mine is made from), but it might be worth waiting a couple of months before cutting anything up, just in case...

I've just had a bit of a "Sell-a-thon" which will shortly be followed by a "Brown paper and tape-a-thon" and a "Waiting to be paid-a-thon". Although I generally find that eBay is excellent if you keep your wits about you and know exactly what you're buying or selling, I'm slightly concerned by a couple of issues- one of the buyers appears to be a trader or avid collector who'se Feedback tells me he picks up lots of stuff really cheaply that'd never fit in with a defined project, but I'm just hoping he won't be disappointed with this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271145274751 I also recieved a message from another possible trader asking if I'd combine "my Diesel auctions"... I had to reply just to tell him they were all AC Electrics...

They are also too far apart (although as pointed out, by then the two sprawling masses w ould have combined to form Nottingby). Reminds me of the time I was working at Notts County Council and one of the gangs put up a "Welcome to Nottinghamshire" sign on the A52 just outside Spondon, several miles from the boundary....

The local media in Coventry had a field day when they realised HS2 would be "bypassing" the city, until it was pointed out the Birmingham Airport station is more accessible for residents and business users than the Birmingham stations are for those outlying areas. The East Midlands station has to go somewhere, and Toton is the best location.

Try going to a HS2 Roadshow and seeing the "quality" of the questions from the general public- gormless folk unable to understand a map and asking whether they'll be a station for their town on HS2, when the previous one closed in 1965 and still isn't close to reopening. Later on I was questioned by the Anti-HS2 Nimby/Banana brigade, when told it'd cost my household £1000, I had great delight in replying "Not a problem, I'll go and get my cheque book and write one now". The local Midlands news seem to take great delight in reporting the plight of larger land-holding businesses on the route, such as Stables, Farms, and Garden Centres. It's nothing but reporting of the problems, instead of solutions such as moving to different sites (if the customers don't follow then you're doing something wrong). It's even possible to move complete buildings to different parcels of land, should the will and effort be there.

Surely thats being quite deceitful...? How could those empty boxes be suitable for a model railway...?

The AL5 was the one involved in the Willesden derailment in July 1969, as discussed in the Bachmann class 85 thread. You've inspired me to dig out my old photos, although they're more recent than your collection.

Apologies to Ian, we saw him operating today and making quite a good job of it too.

It was good to see Roundhouse at the Leamington show yesterday, although like all good layout builders, I cant remember seeing Ian operating ....!

We couldn't get to London, so had to run our own Met 150 train at home (and still got bowled):

It should come with a health warning, as it gave me vertigo... I'd have to agree with Crumley & Little Wickhill, as it shows how a railway fits into the landscape. You can almost picture it before the railway was built, with the Surveyors planning the route. I'm still a little confused by the question tho, as there are layouts with well modelled scenery that looks unnatural, and likewise those whose contours and vanishing points really seem to work, even when the quality isn't as good.

What about wyes or balloon loops...? I'm a railroad consultant, and you owe me $5.

Second day into the new Hornby catalogue...? Go on then.... This is what the new Sentinel might look like if their manufacturing processes mean they have to use the Smokey Joe chassis...

In the area...? It's very nearly my local show...!

It was good to see the layout again and have a play with the coal drops job, if I didn't have the smallest layout in the world I'd definitely consider using a smartphone as a wireless throttle, as this method has the easiest useability of any DCC handset I've encountered. Thanks for letting me have a go.

Nice to see they've given them a chance, they must have been in stock for all of 5 months....

Sounds like 84001. From memory, every AC cab I've been in has had a blue desk.

Nice- it's like they've numbered and arrow'd it ready to have a name applied... (it was allocated the name "Emissary" in the 1960's, but BR didn't go ahead with the plan to name early AC's).

Because it's a Chrysler...? Looking forward to seeing the layout tomorrow...!!

I think the Trix tooling might have gone to Dapol in the mid 80's, they were certainly advertising unpainted shells around this time. A "Railroad" 81....? No thanks....! I think a brand new model would sell as well as the 85, and the cost of modifying the tooling might be prohibitive. It's the kind of thing Hornby would do, and look how well their business is doing...