Allegheny1600

I doubt this will be popular! If you want cheap products, then China/Far East will provide but woe betide you if they fail. If you want quality products, make them where you can control the quality. This usually means a “Western” nation but China/Far East can do it when they want to (Apple products, Samsung, Sony etc. Etc). But be prepared to pay the cost of such quality.

Congratulations Keith! I have to say, I’m sorely tempted by the Peco Kits, they look really good to me. I’m going to go begging to my good lady to see if I can spend some money! They look well worth a punt. Cheers, John

Some tender drives were better than others! Back in the 1970’s, Hornby introduced “Silver Seal” which I believe introduced tender drive to the UK. This was actually a Fleischmann motor which worked well but it was more expensive as it had to be purchased from Fleischmann. Hornby then made their own copy, using cheaper materials and the quality slipped. This, coupled with slackness in the loco/tender coupling, caused tender drive to be ridiculed in the UK. Meanwhile, Fleischmann started using Buhler (can) motors in their tender drives, improving the loco/tender coupling and fitting traction tyres to the loco driving wheels, thereby ensuring the loco wheels wouldn’t skid. Obviously, various other Continental makes emulated these practices, Roco even going further by giving some of their locos tender AND loco drive, via a cardan shaft. If done with good engineering practice, there’s no reason to fear tender drives.

It seems to me that there are people who are so offended by the idea that ready to run model British railways might soon appear (honestly, next year - all being well and we’re already halfway through 2022!) that will actually look right on the track - they have spent so long following the doctrine that such models have to be narrow gauge to work, they can’t and won’t believe it. That is, funnily enough, narrow minded but to then go online and get all preachy about it and claim “it’ll never work” and so on - why? Are they so afraid of something new? Do they feel that if this works, they’ll have to dispose of everything else they have? Perhaps it’s a bit of inverted snobbery, thinking the only British outline models that can exist, have to be “fine scale”. If someone can’t say anything good about this new scale, perhaps they should butt out!

Hi Jeff, That does sound familiar, GRASS anyone!?! Tee hee! John

Some lovely modelling there mate. What happened to #238, she’s lost her small radiator fan!

Hi Keith, You’ve reminded me of my N gauge years, from 1983 for approximately five years or so! (Thanks, good memories!) Peco’s Jubilee was indeed by Rivarrossi and I thought it quite okay, they also did a Hymek in kit form. GraFar, pretty much as I recall, most models were quite crude and the wheels were awful. Minitrix varied from good (9F and Britannia) to poor, the 2mt and the 0-6-0T, diesels were mixed, I’m sure the 27 was a little hefty but very reliable and the 47 was the one we all wanted. Lima were a very mixed bunch of widely differing scales, I think their 31 was the only one worth having. There was also a 2-6-4T by Wrenn that was a bit rough! I ended up as a loco doctor for a friend or two who had extensive collections, a lot of those models needed work. What I clearly recall from those days was that the German built stuff was much better made than the Italian and British stuff. I was involved with a large British N exhibition layout up until five or six years ago and everything had come on in leaps and bounds. My “best” GraFar (Poole) loco had to be the class 40, in those days, it was excellent but by comparison, the current Chinese made one is a step above and very nearly brought me back. I do find N a bit too small these days though, hence some of my excitement about new TT. Hopefully, currently proposed TT models won’t have to go through the twenty or thirty plus year development period that N scale went through, otherwise I won’t live to see it!

Curious! I love the diesel hydraulics but I’m less keen on the Swindon Warship, perhaps because I find the V200 that it’s based upon, to be far better looking! Each to their own, of course. Back on topic, I don’t know of many European diesel loco designs that had much of a nose, can anyone think of any? I exclude the “Nohab” designs as they are clearly American inspired. The only one that really comes to mind is this; Copyright “Wolusl” on Flickr.

Speaking as a generally H0 scale modeller, I welcome this scale to British outline for all the reasons above: the correct scale to gauge combination. I do also model British outline in H0 scale and it’s a difficult and time consuming process, so for me, the ability to have all the hard work done for me is a major draw. I have attempted most of the major British outline scales, over the past forty plus years, I’ve even had three serious attempts at P4. There was always some drawback or another for me, lack of skill, motivation, too many interests etc. Whatever I do in TT (1:120) will be small, a side interest as my commitment to H0 is massive but I see it as something that will help me relax and simply enjoy it all.

Oh yes, I see that now! 🤣

Nice job! I like what you’re doing with this, it’s great to see that you’re pressing ahead with this “new” scale and I’m sure it will confound the naysayers. Bravo. John

Hi Stephen, I’ve always thought that the Americans rounded up the scale to one decimal place whereas, on this side of the pond, we just called it after the whole numbers. As to the convention of how to spell/write the scale - it should be H0 (half of 0 scale) due to the original scales being in numerical order, 3, 2, 1 and later, 0. Of course, S scale broke that convention, followed by the remainder of the smaller scales.

Here is an interesting story from the US railnews website, Freight Waves about an early pioneer of railways, Gridley Bryant; https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-classicspioneers-gridley-bryants-granite-railway-was-americas-first I found it interesting that he is now credited with inventing the turntable, among other things. A shame that he wasn’t credited with these inventions during his lifetime though.

A little bit of paranoia might actually be helpful in this day and age. Paranoia? Me, why? Who’s been saying that I’m paranoid?!

Personally, I would really like to see the following; WR: classes 14, 22 & 35 GWR: an 0-4-2T, an 0-6-0T (pannier) and a 2-6-2T (prairie) Plus some suitable rolling stock! That would keep me going for several years at least.

Welcome! I believe you welcomed me to another place so I thought I’d return the favour! Lovely models you’ve shown above, well done. John

Shhh! 😅 I haven’t liked to mention it - the 3mm boys are so upset by the 1:120 announcements, just imagine how the 4mm boys will react! As it is, the very existence of British H0 seems to make them feel threatened, I’d have to buy some body armour if it ever gets British trade support!!! I hope it’s plainly obvious that I’m being very “tongue in cheek”

Is that so? https://kuehn-digital.de/elloks-archiv.html https://kuehn-digital.de/dieselloks---bestellbar-.html https://www.tillig.com/eng/Produkte/produktinfo-501971.html http://www.beckmanntt.de/sites/e-lok-dateien/120_1_DB.html https://www.piko-shop.de/en/artikel/ger-tt-e-lok-br-150-db-iv-35426.html Just a small selection of various WEST German locos, notably of types that didn’t run into East Germany - so, who were these models made for?

Thanks DCB, I think we’re actually on the same page here, especially with your latter paragraph. Best regards, John

I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you mean. If you’re picking up my comment about Euro based modellers running the odd British train on their layout - that’s not anything that needs any justification. That’s entirely about enjoying the trains they own and giving them a run, no more than that. My round robin of friends do this all the time, the only restriction is on having fun. Cheers, John

Good idea! I used to hide the details from my better half until she saw that I was spending so much money, she thought I must have been going to a strip club or worse. Took me no time at all to come clean after that! Ah well, it was good while it lasted, can’t do that sort of spending anymore. I’m happy with what I have, that’s the main thing.

Geez! British 1/120 has only been a thing for a week - give us chance!

Too true! Also, which I think is a point that few in the UK appreciate, is that European (and world wide?) collectors will buy British items because they are often very pretty and they like them. They will also run British trains on their own layouts, even if they are of European prototypes. Because it’s nice to run something different. The key point is that the scale matches what they have. I have seen and conversed with numerous people in Europe who would have loved some British outline models that run on 16.5mm gauge track but they won’t because 00 isn’t H0 and looks horrible next to it. With British TT at 1:120 scale, there is a substantial potential market available. Now, if only we could export such models into some sort of free trade zone, oh dear!

Yes! The scale of 1:120 is as used across Europe so everything will match. UK rolling stock will therefore look slightly smaller than its European equivalent - as it is in real life. You are quite right, this is a very attractive feature, also the look of the stock on the track will be correct too, as with the very fine scale gauges. Hoorah!

As I said on the other (Peco) thread, I don’t really care what it is as long as it’s British outline and to the correct scale/gauge combination - I’m in! I actually like the class 31 so it’s good for me anyway, whatever else Heljan may do in the future (Hymek, Western, Teddy bear?) please do correct any issues as with the Western? Please, pretty please! Thank you, Heljan. John