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APOLLO

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Posts posted by APOLLO

    For those interested in old cars.

    in Wheeltappers

    Posted

    In the 70's FIAT had a very large parts & distribution centre just to the north of Warrington. Hundreds of Fiat cars were imported and stored before sale on the old USAF Burtonwood airfield nearby, many on grass and some for quite a while too - no wonder they rusted !!

     

    I read somewhere it was Lancia who used re-cycled sub grade Russian steel. Lancias were very nice looking cars in the 70's - just for a year though before the rust set in with a vengeance !!.

     

    Brit15

    Class 800 - Updates

    in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)

    Posted · Edited by APOLLO

    On the WCML occasionally a Pendolino unit is "the wrong way round". Virgin staff / info boards here at Wigan are helpful and few problems arise. However as I wrote earlier, we also have twin unit voyagers for a number of years - there is still always confusion at station stops, so don't expect this particular problem to go away quickly with the 800's - it won't.

     

    Also many of the 9 car Pendolinos have been lengthened to 11 cars, I reckon the 800's will sometime be lengthened to whatever platform length constrained max (11 cars ?) in the not too distant future.

     

    Other the the above the 800 looks a rather nice train inside.

     

    Brit15

    Hornby's financial updates to the Stock Market

    in Hornby

    Posted · Edited by APOLLO

     

    Update on Strategic Review

     
    Following an initial review of the business by Lyndon Davies, the new CEO, the Board has determined that to maximise the value of its brands over the long term, the Group will no longer offer for sale large quantities of stock at a discount.*

     

    Apollos Strategic Review

     

    Following an initial review of purchases by Apollo, the loyal customer has determined that to maximise the value of its purchases over the long term, Apollo will no longer purchase large quantities of stock at RRP.

     

    Works both ways.

     

    Brit15

    • Like 3

    Wright writes.....

    in Modelling musings & miscellany

    Posted

    My dad used to say the Wigan Central to Manchester line was the money sunk & lost line - (MS&L - Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire)   - Later the GC then the LNER (Late & Never Early Railway) - always the pariah railway in Wigan.

     

    Probably one reason why I model it !!!

     

    Brit15

    • Like 2

    Class 800 - Updates

    in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)

    Posted

    Units coupled together.

     

    A couple of months ago we had a family day out in Edinburgh from Wigan. Out on a Pendolino return on an 8 car (2 x 4 car unit) Trans Pennine Express EMU. The EMU was gangway coupled, and the guard / conductor moved groups of passengers to available unreserved seating between units so they could be sat together. The trolley service catered for all 8 cars also - best cup of coffee I have ever had on a train by the way.

     

    These bi-mode 2 x 5 car GWR trains, no thanks.

     

    Brit15

    Wigan Wallgate

    in Layout topics

    Posted · Edited by APOLLO

    Kev

     

    Regards locos slipping add as much weight as you can above the loco's driving wheels. Another "trick" I use is to roughen up the running rails surface on the gradient. I use an emery block or rough nail file cards. Don' go along the rails, wipe across them, not too hard though. It works for me, been doing it for years on a couple of sections of track and the rails are no worse for it. I need to re apply this treatment every couple of months or so when the roughened surface polishes and locos start to slip again.

     

    Some nice buildings there. I'm just about to go down to the pub at the top of Library St to meet some old work mates !!

     

    Brit15

    Class 800 - Updates

    in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)

    Posted

    Ahh -- the "New Train" smell !!!! Nothing like opening the box of a new Hornby or Bachmann model and having a whiff !!

     

    Up here we still have a couple of trains formed by 2 Voyager units coupled together. There is even now years after they were introduced always confusion at station stops with people getting on the wrong set, walking down the platform etc to the right set with Virgin staff getting them on at the first door in their correct set (but wrong coach) telling them to walk down to their correct coach with bags etc. Quite amusing at times.

     

    Two 5 car units coupled together with no inter unit access on mainline long distance trains is, to me, a retrograde step.

     

    Brit15

    and the sun turned black....

    in Wheeltappers

    Posted

    I just found my car is covered in the same Saharan dust - I only cleaned it two days ago!!!!

    The sun and sky appear as above in the Midlands.

     

    Same here in a now sunny though very windy Wigan. Strange this morning, red sky, just a little dust laden rain, no wind, Again washed cars on Saturday. I'll leave them for a few days now

     

    Looks rough though in the Irish sea 40 odd foot waves off Cork  :O  :O  :O

     

    https://www.ventusky.com/?p=53.56;-4.37;6&l=wave

     

    Brit15 (More like Brit 22 "Tornado"  !!)

    Is this the best time ever for RTR models?

    in Modelling musings & miscellany

    Posted

    YES, this is the best time ever for RTR models, without any shadow of doubt.

     

    I modeled in Tri-ang TT gauge back in the 60's, very little variety and not cheap on 2s & 6d  a week pocket money (12.5 pence today !!) - but we got by and made do (enjoyed it also). Mates mostly had Tri-ang OO with one lucky lad having a Hornby 3 rail set up. I had the "bigger" layout though by using TT.

     

    Today I happen to model the 1965/6/7 era, green & blue diesels, last of steam, mixed rakes of maroon & blue/grey, some Mk 2 coaches also in blue grey, maroon & green (non air conditioned). Virtually EVERYTHING is available today for this era, Heljan providing the oddball diesel classes also.

     

    I also model in American O scale - and again lots of good stuff available - though these days mostly second hand. The glory days for this was the 80's, Atlas O was cheaper than Hornby OO back then !!

     

    No moans from me anymore !!!

     

    Brit15

    • Like 4

    Hornby APPOINTS NEW CEO

    in Hornby

    Posted · Edited by APOLLO

    Regarding China, I do not disagree or doubt anything you've said there.

    A theoretically communist dictatorship, plagued by corruption, overseeing a rampant capitalist and increasingly consumer economy.

    With the impending seismic shifts in global geopolitics, it's looking increasingly likely that within the next 15 to 20 years, China will not only be the world's most powerful economy, but will also be the largest and most dominant military power.

    Who knows what the global economic map will look like by then?

    Model trains ??????

     

    .

     

    China has HUGE future problems looming in the next decade or so (along with many other countries). Internal politics will be well down the list of their problems.

     

    Water - particularly clean drinking water. Himalaya snow melt feeding the major rivers is slowing down. Ground water is over pumped and drying up.

     

    Polution - The above rivers are heavily polluted by uncaring unregulated rapidly expanding industry. Serious land and air problems are escalating also.

     

    Population - 1.4 Billion and rising

     

    Food - China is not self sufficient - import lots of food (Rice from Thailand & SE Asia etc).

     

    Energy - There is a lot of coal, but little oil or natural gas - hence the offshore arguments re the Spratley islands etc. China imports natural gas from Burma, and increasingly Russia.

     

    Raw materials - Iron Ore etc - China relies on imports from Australia. They are OK for rare earths though.

     

    Climate change - a bit of an unknown, but it won't be favourable, especially if China's food growing countries are affected.

     

    Of the above food & drinking water are of most concern.

     

    Brit15

    Hornby APPOINTS NEW CEO

    in Hornby

    Posted

    Putting aside the farce that Brexit has become (on both sides of the camp, and within both major political parties), Hornby (and others) have a few major issues to contend with.

     

    Quite simply,

     

    1. An ageing and  diminishing main customer base. Old modelers are passing away at a greater rate than new entrants coming into the hobby.

     

    2. There are not very many mainstream subjects (big sellers) left to model. The choice of models (from all manufacturers) is quite stunning today compared with 10,20,30+ years ago.

     

    3. Because of the above two points, the market is saturated with stuff to buy, ebay, box shifters, most model shops, new, secondhand etc - there is absolute loads and loads of stuff out there ready to buy immediately, at affordable prices too. I myself rarely buy stuff new these days, as I "have enough" (and perhaps too much) !!

     

    4. Current and ongoing inflation / low wage rises will have a large future impact on the hobby as model prices rise. This will relate to less sales.

     

    What would I do if I ran Hornby ?

     

    1. Delineate Railroad and Fine Scale (upmarket fine detail) stuff. both have a market. I personally like my Railroad locos, Crosti included (which should have been a "fine scale" model). Don't sell junk, (Olympics fiasco). Railroad needs to be affordable and good quality (which it more or less currently is). Cut out sprung buffers and very fine details if you must, but maintain standards of running quality etc. Thinking of the railroad black 5's and 9F's here - damn fine models straight out of the "Railroad" box.

     

    2. Perhaps stop selling direct and treat model shops more fairly. Guarantee your products properly also

     

    3. Let the UK model shops stock & sell all Hornby products - continental Lima, Rivarossi etc.

     

    4 Re-introduce concessions. I have bought the odd Hornby wagon etc from visits to garden centres etc.

     

    Anyway, my best wishes to Hornby.

     

    Brit15

    • Like 3

    41 years and counting.....

    in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)

    Posted

    I saw the prototype HST at Shildon back in 1975. A long, long time ago !!

     

    7093583389_52529aa307_b.jpg

     

    As jib states, quite simply the HST worked, the APT didn't, it was a bit too far ahead of it's time, and over engineered with lots of unproven new technology (water kinetic brakes etc).

     

    There is an interesting BBC documentary somewhere (can't find it now) - BBC Horizon I seem to remember explaining the problems.

     

    Brit15

    • Like 3
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