Downendian

Quick update, in my quest to build a better WR 37 (Compared to the first release BR blue Bachmann 37/0s) I've been buying a few more Lima bodies, ViTrains 37s and Shawplan resin noses. The Vitrains 37s to me are quite incredibly good value at the moment (I've just picked up two that have been barely used at just over £40), which is close to the price of many Lima 37s on eBay with a significantly better power unit. I've got the Vitrains 37s I need now, just posting for others to benefit on what good value they currently are. Neil

First contact was extremely polite, but pointing out item not as described. Immediate response was item WAS as described and pointing out that seller has a no returns policy. I then mentioned I'd use the ebay dispute system, and post negative feedback. I was then given the simple response "Crack on". So I have, sellers like this should be exposed, although again I suspect he doesn't know what the problem is. Neil

The 119 GRCW were very common in Bristol and as Brian has said, very similar layout as Cross country units to the Swindon 120s. I'm sure these long-frame DMUs won't be too far away - if someone goes for a 120 it will take little extra except a set of cabs to get a 119.Sorry to drag OT. Neil

Happy to do so, but awaiting the outcome of the dispute which gives the seller a couple of days grace to accept a refund. I think there are two possible scenarios (1) the seller is no model railway aficionado and doesn't know the difference between a class 40 and a class 44, let alone the sublty of two different Bachmann toolings. He regards me as a slightly OCD rail enthusiast who is being ultra fussy. (2) he knows exactly what he's doing and is part way of fobbing off a rather substandard class 44 model. He has currently 100% feedback, he won't for much longer and he does sell quite a bit of model railway stuff, so (1) above is suspect. I will post outcome. Neil Should be D326 too!Neil

Seeing Mike's posts reminds me of Christmasses past, when my Grandfather (Bath road Foreman) and Uncle John (Gloucester driver) got together. Some real old railway stories were recounted from their experiences and that of their fathers (both engine drivers on the S&DJR who retired in the 1950s). Really wish I'd either recorded them or written them down. Neil

Summer Saturdays at Bristol Parkway was quite a spectacle. Many merrymaker excursions en route to the South West, mainly peak or class 47 hauled, from most parts of the BR network. Non-boilered 47s often being used, and full of excited passengers and their cool bags packed full of sandwiches etc. Back in 1974/5 their 1Zxx headcodes gave away their provenance. Occasionally too on Adex (merrymakers) were 33s and "Southy" mark 1 stock, even 4TCs; double headed class 25s and LMR based DMUs. On summer Saturday's there was approximately double the passenger traffic compared to midweek - well worth getting up early for - those were the days. Neil

Some progress today on 40 116. Why 40 116? It was the last 40 I saw in BR service at Severn Tunnel Junction, in June 1979. The next month came along my first girlfriend and my railway youth had then gone forever. By the time I had finished being a student and been to the U.S. for 18 months studying, the 40s had gone from BR. 40 116 was odd in that it had its nose doors plated over at the number 2 end, making it look quite odd. I've filed down the door moulds, not worrying too much about the marker lights as eventually they will be covered by discs. Still to fit are nose handrails, scavenger fan, spare fuel/water tanks (if I can source Bachmann bits that is, or maybe try a resin casting) and frost shield. I have a suspicion 40 116 had lost its frost shield by mid 1979, but will keep it as it hides the too shallow side radiator grille. This photo shows a trial run with the Lima body placed on the Bachmann mark 1 chassis - these hybrids give superb ride height. With a bit more work this Xmas I may indeed start a layout thread too. Neil

Unfortunately the dispute system is also incredibly difficult to start (or even find) on eBay. I'm in the process of doing so, but the seller has flatly refused a refund, despite the crystal clear "not as described" issue being pointed out. Just checked the model - it has a DCC chip, and rudimentary lighting installed. Still it's not the new tooling, so will be looking for either a discount or full refund. Will post outcome and overall ebay responses to this dispute - the last one was handled very well indeed. Neil

Thanks for posting Robert, fairly clear that the scavenger fans were offset - very much like the Westerns Dave, to allow space for an engine room walkway as noted earlier. I (ahem) had a photo from the mid 1970s of yours truly stood on the roof of D601 at Barry, long since lost unfortunately, which may have been further proof of the fan grille offset. Neil

I've had a couple of issues with ebay sellers recently unfortunately. First a model just didn't turn up, no communication or anything from the seller. An ebay dispute started and won. Only possible honourable solution was that the seller had been taken ill or worse, but no communication either way and account still active. Other one is this class 44, which I took to be the new Bachmann tooling with correct nose Seam and 21-pin DCC chassis. The photo is pretty conclusive evidence to me as to what I expected to get. . What I received was this. Obviously a renumbered first tooling 44 008 Penyghent, with 8-pin DCC chassis. Told also DCC fitted, yet to check that. For £60 the second version tooling would be a bargain, not quite so for the earlier tooling, so not a happy bunny.

Lima 37s Having a bit of fun with the mark 2 Bachmann 40 tooling, I decided that I'd renose one of my long term residents of the to do box, an ancient Lima 37 of late 80s/early 90s vintage. The work is similar to the Bachmann 40 renose, although that was just a re spray. The Lima 37 tooling was always minus the buffer beam cowling, which was removed late 70s onwards, so I needed to backdate. Armed with a Shawplan resin 37 nose pair with buffer beam cowls I spent a fruitful 45 minutes or so this evening in front of the wood burner with a bit of plastic surgery. For those with faint hearts and have not yet used a razor saw look away now! For many years I was nervous of cutting into precious models with a razor saw, but I was pleased by the cuts this evening. I took plenty of time cutting small guide cuts into the plastic carefully following the line of the full yellow end on the Lima model: Then having cut slots into three sides of the nose, I carved mercilessly into the flesh taking great care not too take too much plastic off. Any remaining yellow nose can be dealt with by filing and sanding. The two Lima noses now gone time to look at the Shawplan resin bit. The resin noses have a handy notch to attach under the Lima shell, but still need a small amount of flash removing. I will graft these on later after they've been sprayed off the model. Here they are crudely attached for this photo with small blobs of blue tac. The resin noses are much more rigid than the Lima shell, and I will attach them with epoxy and a bit of plasticard reinforcement. When all filed and true then they look to be a perfect fit. The whole process above was amazingly quick, and I suspect will need minimum filling, and based on previous butchery jobs I've done, care with the razor saw is the key to success. I got the largest razor saw available from Eileen's several years ago, and it's an indispensable tool. Future work will include removal of buffers from the Vi-trains 37 chassis which is more or less a direct fit to the Lima bodyshell save cutting off the glazing pillars which protrude too far South into the bodyshell. The 37 will get Shawplan windscreens, scavenger fan and I'll probably select a South Wales prototype fitted with frost shields as the Lima body side slats are far too shallow. Eventually I will get to spraying all the Lima 40 Hybrids, but this 37 was a welcome interlude to the 40 fleet being prepared, and a bit more prototypical for my 1970s WR layout. Neil

I went on every Bristol-Edinburgh 1975-1978, twice yearly always fully booked, 0600 start, back by 0200 next day! Rapid trip on push-pull 27s and to as many Glasgow sheds as possible. Lots of others too from Bristol to York, Knaresborough and Harrogate, Norwich, Weymouth, Cleethorpes and there were mystery tours too. All these trips were coupled with shed bashing. There were lots of other special deals by scheduled services, in particular I can remember London for £3 return on the weekend, bucket and spade specials to Weymouth, Teignmouth, Paignton and the good old area 10 all week pass. They were fun and a golden part of my youth spent on these trains. Neil

Flip! I thought I would be one of the few also on the look out for cheap Mazak rot Hornby 31 chassis! That would explain why these models are still producing a reasonable price on eBay, many have similar ideas.Neil

Yes the earlier Hymeks had different boilers. Nothing a spot of modelling can't resolve, the headboard clips have to go too. The new numerals are the fiddly bit! Neil

I'd been pondering purchasing another GSYP Hymek, as these rarely appear on eBay, and command good prices when they do. Heljan have just released another batch of new Hymeks, and from my favourite box shifter they are now fetching £94. Slightly surprised to see one of these new releases on eBay this morning (D7062). http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321601910381 Snapped up for £20 cheaper for effectively a brand new Hymek with just the detailing pack opened. To become one of the early batch that never made it to blue, D7002, D7003 or D7005. Neil

Coupled with my Lima rebuilds I have four new tooling class 40s, 2 split headcode box and 2 GSYP centre headcode box. All of these locos will have re headcodes to Severn Tunnel Junction bound/outbound freights. The GSYP machines will be re sprayed to GFYE so I've had an exploratory look at how easy the noses on these new models were to remove. The relevant thread and input from D1047 of Kier Hardy fame was my source. Armed with information that just four spigots located the nose, I gently prised the nose off, only to find that two of the spigots are very fine and sheared, the remaining two were much more robust and stayed intact. Two tiny Phillips head screws keep the lighting circuit board in place and once this is removed it's an easy job to pop out the headcodes. Tomorrow evening I will rid them of these ER/ScR codes and give LMR/WR ones. Now to decide which GFYE TOPS 40. The stripped down nose components - screws are in a safe place! The spigots holding the 40 nose in place - the larger ones (top) remained intact. Neil

Neil

So bang goes my idea of renumbering to D1038 then Geoff. They look like Talisman clips on closer inspection, I have D1072 too (now D1032) but models are 121 miles apart so can't compare them tonight. Neil

Terrific layout Rob - looks very Bristolian 1970s, I especially like Bath roads finest, 03 121/382. Those were the days. Neil

Slight delay Pete in response but I've only just had my D1026 arrive. I have a few of the Kernow weathered Westerns which were done as I recall by Mercig studios. The Kernow weathering appears superior, although D1026 has got "wiper trail" marks on the windscreen, I will try and get some comparative shots when I'm in Bristol next which will be end of next week. The D1026 weathering does not look too bad, but lacks paint flakes/fading and oily marks reminiscent of the prototype. Another bonus is that it has the lifting eyes pre fitted which are a PITA to do especially with my eyesight. D1026 appears to lack Talisman clips (the weathering obscures whether they are yellow or not). I promptly though removed the plates and numbers from my model as I am working on a Heljan D1026 in Laira 1974 repaint livery. Plus of course D1026 did not have headboard clips. Neil

It's obviously not in too strict confidence otherwise the Bachmann reps would have been more guarded at Warley. I'm more hopeful the centre car will now come, Kernow have now admitted on announcement of their 116/117/118 trio that the omission of thumper centre cars were a mistake - the bulk of these high density DMUs ran as 3-car like the Thumpers. A strange situation for me - I'd rather hold off getting the 2H despite Netley's observation above one made it to Temple Meads http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/12317-class-205-in-conjunction-with-kernow-model-shop/?p=1676217 I've waited long enough - a couple(?) more years won't hurt to wait for a 3H - plenty to model in the meantime. If Kernow were to say a centre car will definitely materialise I may change my mind. Neil

Just one point Nidge re liveries. Adrian Curtis has published a photo of D1044 MNYP at Ranelagh bridge, so this was livery on delivery from Crewe. Sorry don't have date to MSYP. Neil

Yes See http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/92766-news-from-warley-2014/?p=1674450 Neil

Interesting article on drop bears here http://web.archive.org/web/20130511181210/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/drop-bears-prefer-travellers-says-study.htm They sound nasty, almost as vicious as the Lowland wild Haggis. Neil

The new build class 22 people have a MAN engine from a D600, if that project progresses perhaps better sound files of these distinctive engines can be made Phil when they get to fire the beast up? I never saw a 43 (knowingly) but apparently they were quite different to the Swindon warships sound wise, and apparently could be told apart as they approached (read somewhere). Neil