34theletterbetweenB&D

Simple rule of thumb if the vehicles are free rolling enough to keep going (start unassisted and roll) on a true 1 in 100. Whatever trainload the loco will start without slipping on level track, it will start and haul : half that trainload on a 1 in 100, a third that trainload on a 1 in 50, a quarter that trainload on 1 in 33, effectively your 'Lickey'. I cannot emphasise enough that the characterisation of the level track maximum trainload has to be on truly level track, and the gradients have to be accurate also. Without getting too impolite, it is a rare layout - in my experience - where the level track is anything like level. Between 1 in 200 and 1 in 100 is pretty normal as 'level'. That throws everything off in the rule of thumb estimation.

About as different in detail design from the GWR eight coupled tanks as it is possible to get, within the range of standard UK design practise for the Stephenson locomotive concept.

Not necessarily so, if the business is aiming for maximum returns while in a situation of supply constraint. Brutally, the aim is the minimum spend on communication that will obtain the maximum profit as rapidly as possible from the volume of product brought to market. Targetting the most affluent segment with the greatest awareness and willingness to spend is a likely route to this goal, and is consistent with Hornby very clearly seeking to grow their direct sales, with no retailer involvement. The picture I am getting is of a business that probably cannot source the manufacture of goods in the quantities it once did - no surprise considering that their one time supplier, the now closed Sanda Kan operation, was the largest maker of such goods - and so there is a tight focus on wringing the maximum profit as fast as possible from what can be brought to market.

Thanks for pointing out the availability if the service diagram. What did you think looked odd? The reduction ration looks good, probably around 4-0:1 if the drawing is a good representation.

It is no trick at all to make a RTR OO pacific weigh anything up to 600g, balanced about the middle of the coupled wheelbase. It would take outrageously heavy or draggy stock to prevent easy haulage of a 15 coach train, by a model pacific so treated. My Bachmann Peppercorn A1s have been operating since the early 2000s like this, and show no ill effect: and this model has two steel driven axles running in mazak cutouts in the block, for the benefit of those worried about wear. Lumps of lead are the answer, and the very satisfactory process of beating it with a hammer into the necessary shapes for a good fit, allows me to work off all my frustrations with feeble politicians, and much else that is awry at this timeworld. So, much less cursing too.

It's very subject dependent. Probably best not to be in the path of any group of Swindebeests when the expected 4-6-0 with the steam roller look about it is released.

Morning. Off to visit the terminally unwell today. This may not sound like fun, but the two men concerned are both at the end of long and fully lived lives, and as a result it is actually quite entertaining; especially with the guy who is on pretty massive doses of painkillers which give him powers of free association I never suspected!

For battery recharge from the rails, you don't need much pick up, off the driven wheels alone will be quite sufficient. Wipers on wheel backs work perfectly in this location with no drag problem worth bothering about, as the motor has ample torque to directly overcome the small drag. For those who want other forms of recharging, having the option of recharge from the rails does not preclude these alternatives. My preference though will always be for recharge from the rails, simply for the hands-off, 'no need to think about it' convenience aspects. Many they may be, but their numbers are insignificant compared to the market comprising nickel-silver rail users.

'Build it and they will come' I believe is the appropriate expression. Just you get that lovely little Stirling single finished before embarking on all this big stuff, eh?

Provided the battery has charge, adequate for the operating session. I want that 'automatically' with no maintenance, and believe this is necessary for any such system to win it widespread adoption. The great thing about electric railway with track power is you just throw a switch and it runs for so long as the power is on. Not going backwards on that one! The prospect of the option of recharging a battery from the plain track rails is that you get multiple benefits: always ready to go at power on, a much smaller battery is required, no handling or special action required for charging. And it is not necessarily the only option, as it in no way precludes choices such as inductive charging, or plugging in a recharger, or removing batteries for off vehicle charging. But I don't want any of those! We have to clean the track, but it's actually less demanding for DCC than DC; don't have a definite explanation, but am sure of this effect. And we would still have to clean track and wheel tyres in small scales even if the rails are not part of the power supply, simply for adequate running reliability. Unpowered non-collecting wheelsets are where the tyre crud collects on my OO DCC set up. Don't see that changing if the locos were battery powered, the physical operating environment remains the same.

Truly grateful to Brian and Ben for showing more of the constructional layout. As a pillager of RTR to make other stuff, this is always helpful in assessing where useful modelling feedstock may be found.

Prepare to feel robbed of justice! It's a hot field this year already, and there's some more contenders expected. The Southern vote will be spread over the E4, 700, S15 in addition to the O2, there's the Crusty thing for the BR(M) types, and while the J15 and D16/3 have their admirers, the Eastern ace in the hole is the exceedingly lovely C1. First ever RTR atlantic in OO (let's face it, Southern 0-4-4T models are two a penny in model form) so there'll be no justice if the C1 doesn't race to the fore.

I have posted this elsewhere: the excerpt above is a real necessity for general model railway application. The business that gets this right is the likely winner in wireless control. The ideal solution is frequent recharging from (plain) track, for the significant benefits this brings: Physically small battery for a few minutes run time only, essential for OO and smaller if a realistic range of equipped traction is to be offered. (It's the small stuff that potentially benefits most from independence from the necessity of continuous track supply.) Recharging from the rails means no necessity to regularly handle the model which is when damage occurs. Nothing has to be done to keep charge topped up, so: Everything ready to go from the moment the user switches on the system and picks up the controller. (That's been the de-facto standard since electric model railway started; I am not going backwards, and I doubt many others would care to either.) Potential for full integration with existing track power systems and thus an easy entry for new adopters. (Most railway modellers are 'established', they have kit in use, and it is a conservative hobby.) Construction of any future layout is simplified if the system is fully adopted, just wire power to plain track sections. All point work can be electrically dead, a major simplification. (Track power from the nearest live plain track can be used to supply the point motors, with a decoder - potentially wireless - operating the motor.) The simple fact is that for all folks bruit about the wondrous world of completely wireless by inductive recharging, thus no need to clean the rails and wheels, this simply isn't true. The track will still have to be carefully laid if it is to be mechanically reliable, wheels and running gear still have to be made to a matching standard. And dirt will still accumulate with no power on the rails; fail to clean running surfaces on rails and tyres, and the stock will derail. Might as well make use of the rails and wheels, with the considerable simplification of only needing power on the plain track, and possibly not that much plain track either, depending on the size of rechargeable battery chosen.

Here's an unofficial update: they are working hard on it. If anyone interested goes back to look at the published photos up thread taken when the EP was exhibited there are several poor fits in evidence between the bodywork components. Along with testing ease of assembly for the operator, that's a major part of what an EP is intended to explore, are all the fits correct? If not, then it's 'revise the tooling to correct the fits' time, followed by another EP. And there's what they are working hard at in my opinion, to achieve the planned release date. As for the non-appearance of photos of the liveried samples, on body assemblies roughly contemporary with the EP? My guess might be that they felt they really were not good enough for public release at that stage. A wise move if that's the case, to avoid a shitstorm of uninformed criticism.

That's 'Top Secret' information, I hope you realise!

You have at least as much of an inkling of the coming winter weather in the UK as any climatologist. Long range weather forecasting hasn't become a science yet, despite all the expressed confidence over climate modelling. If I had ever been involved in making consumer products of equal reliability to climate modelling, those same climatologists would - rightly - return their purchases as a heap of crap. I propose for this a brutal test. Require those making the projections to also specify the equipment and consumables required to deal efficiently with the coming winter season. Any errors whether over or under, they pay for. Get it right within +/-2 percent, a bonus. That's the only way to cut pontificators down to size, and find out if there is some group with solid information.

That's how I fund my model railway habit. Better for the waistline, got some kit to show for it, the socialising is with the same bunch of cronies who who once sat down the pub and talked about model railways etc. As for ultimate values, who cares? I'll have had fun wearing much of it out if I am spared. Been pleasantly surprised at the prices for a few items I have bought on the 'magpie plan' (shiny, pretty) and subsequently sold to fund more appropriate purchases.

You didn't enjoy the secondary ed I got then. Two of the pupils in my year had parents involved in porn photo production. The pictures circulated, as they will, and left nothing, but nothing, to the imagination. This became very interesting when as prefects we had to act as ushers/guides/refreshment providers at parent-teacher evenings. There were some people I was sure I had never met, who yet looked awfully familiar. One of the girls in my year - who wasn't quite so wet behind the ears as my teenage self - eventually took pity and explained all.

One of Norman Lockett's colour pictures has this to perfection on an S15 in direct sunlight. Overall the loco and tender are in a smoothly transitioning range of grey-brown tones. The brown element more in evidence below footplate where the brake and track dust concentrates, becoming greyer as height increases. The front bufferbeam just hints at the red under the filth, and there's a nice rusty patch somewhat filthed over on the tender side. Those last two are difficult effects to get right too. If the construction is much as Bachmann have been using since the G2A was introduced, then I would be more optimistic, as to date all the models with this feature that I own have proved robust in service (G2A, 3F, C, O4, J11, C1). The locos do go on track and stay there though, no in and out of boxes. Examination of the S15 underside in the pictures up thread shows the wipers on the loco drivers are arranged much in the style of Bach steam loco wiper pick up, short and neatly curved behind the wheel rim. First saw this on the K1. Much preferable to the inherited practise from Margate, the 'could we make it any longer?' style of pick up wiper. I think there has been some knowledge transfer with Bachmann's closure of the former Sanda Kan operations, and Hornby's taking up with several smaller businesses as manufacturing suppliers.

Greetings all, not had the time to do a read back after a fortnight when I confined myself to MR stuff as access was a little limited. The family elders have once again attempted to test the NHS to the limit, and all have survived. It's the coordinated strike that makes it difficult to cope with, needing to be simultaneously in North Yorkshire and Somerset. The Lord High Chief Scout at the time - name forgotten - was of the opinion that as played in the UK our games of thuggery were the roughest of all. and of all authorities the Lord High Chief Scout should surely know. Our rules were held clear off the ground or pinned to the ground, either for the three second count, which also had to have the words 'British Bulldog, One, Two, Three!' loudly shouted during the duration of the hold to qualify. That meant that a small type like myself could still prevail over a bigger boy by a firm grip on the face of the opponent, in the mouth region. It's sufficiently painful that most gave up the attempt rather than endure that. I got told off by one mother for bruising the face of her Adonis!

I don't buy the 'rogue engineer' defence, nor do I buy lone rogue car maker evading legislation. It will all end in a fudged intergovernmental deal, trading off the offences of VAG vs General Malfeasance vs Mercedes Bent vs Fraud Motors, etc. When my wife was selecting her current vehicle, any number of potentials were rejected very quickly because of factors like bad instrument layout and impaired all round visibility due to styling. The vehicle she liked best in many ways was the Honda Civic, but the stupid horizontal bar across the rear hatch window was a deal breaker, the car might as well not have had a rear view mirror.

Tree fellers do it standing up too, and have Kevlar reinforced dungarees for the purpose. There's a commercial opportunity for someone to pursue: modelling apparel. The website's going to get all sorts of visitors, who will be baffled by the kevlar and nomex onesie, proof against falling solder, cutting implements, scalding hot beverage etc.

Handsome. Looks good on screen at O gauge size which says something, and gets the appearance very successfully. Now Hornby, there's a very similarly sized NER mixed traffic 4-6-0 just begging for the same treatment. A query if I may. The factory ident.on the box sleeve? (Guessing at TEC05 as it has features in common with the K1.)

Useful analysis, especially for those of us who don't concentrate enough to remember what first appeared where and when! I see that as another benefit of this style of trickling out the information; it perhaps results in less fixation on a delivery date that has to be achieved? Good choice of location for the topic. I too see this as a natural development with many advantages in economy, reach, and direct engagement of any interested customers. It is happening to a significant extent in other hobby sectors, so no surprise to see it for model railway product. I don't believe it will be Hornby's exclusive customer communication for many years yet: the annual catalogue will continue for just so long as it is profitable. It just so happened I visited a model shop early and late on the day of the Hornby catalogue going on sale about three years back; and was surprised to see how few were left from the original pile at day end. I was then told that a box of them had been used to replenish the stack around lunchtime. Clearly some demand for this item.

We are about to be awash with depictions of Rydnor terminus seen from St Coliface Down, as O2 0-4-4T Shanibourne takes a teeny little train off to Ventin and Bonkle.