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I knew this would come up. I'd give the argument merit if we we're still pre-digital, I.e access to viewing channel 5 is limited. But because we are in the post digital age, there is only one impact on a channels viewing figures, I.e the quality of content on that channel. As it stands, Arguing that fifth gear's viewing figures are a result of the channels viewing figures is a non sequitur. Regards Matt

People saying there is a market for an 'original Top Gear' style show. What the hell was 5th gear? It even had former 'orginal Top Gear' presenters. It should be noted, 5th gear got canned for regularly earning less than 1 million viewers, even after its return to Freeview. Original Top Gear peaked around 6 million, which fell to 3 million for the final series back in 2001. This makes it sound viable when compared to the JC and co era Top Gear, but this fails to take into account the overall decline in TV viewing figures (approximately 20% since 2010) due to broadband internet and various streaming services. Brand has considerably more impact on new car choice than reviews nowadays.

I'm watching it on iPlayer right now. This is the most cringe inducing thing I've ever watched. To be fair, Chris Evans has always been cringe inducting, but I fear I may develop a neck injury if I cringe any harder. Seriously, stop trying to be Jeremey. I can only assume they haven't spent any money on the set, or new ideas, because everything they have done is rubbish, and so it didn't pass the cost-benefit analysis. The show: 0.0000000000001 / 10 Being far worse than I though it could possibly be: 15 / 10. So well done for that.

So far today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPGKlb8hklQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sFT_kt-04M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDGKpwJ3nDE

And here was me wondering what RTR coaches I needed to cut up to model the various motorail services through carlisle in 1974. And with a Q1 2017 release, I don't even need to wait that long, excellent! I shall await with great interest. Regards Matt

Must have missed this, so apologies for the late reply. I flattened off the existing frame molding, then opened out the cab windscreen apertures with needle files. Continually offering the frames up to the model, to check for clearance. It's possible to only partly remove the frames from the rest of the etch, which makes them a little more robust while handling them. Once I was happy, I removed the frames from the rest of the etch, positioned the frames and secured them with pledge multi-surface wax, using a paint brush and capillary action. The use of pledge allows you a little time to reposition the frames while it sets. However, on the two other 87's I have planned, I will probably start opening out the window apertures, before flattening the molded frames. This allows the molding to act as a bit of a guide, when opening out the apertures. Regards Matt

No worries. In the end I managed to pick Yamaha FS1R up secondhand, as a much nicer price. Years later, traded it with a friend for a Korg Prophecy and never looked back. It's more the princible of the matter, Had lectures all morning, will find something suitible to listen to laters. Regards MAtt

Speaking for myself, I couldn't imagine a wholly more boring subject for the basis of a model railways. To me, model railways serve three key objectives: Time travel - Perhaps it stems from me being a basher. But I’ve often remarked that as a frustrated 304.8mm to the foot modeller, given the opportunity, I'd forgo all railway modelling if I could time travel. First stop would be Crewe in March 1974, to catch 50 031 and 50 040 (Hood and my all-time favourite 'vac' Leviathan), over Shap to Carlisle. Nothing short of time travel, or the worlds most advanced form of matrix-like Virtual Reality could replicate that sound! Exercise in Engineering - Alas, much like Dilbert, I too have been cursed with 'The Knack', and as Scott Adams once said "Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems." Probably why I gravitated to P4. Artistic Expression - Hopefully fairly self-explanatory, but here is a quote for good measure "Art without engineering is dreaming. Engineering without art is calculating." - Steven K. Roberts To me, the proposal of modelling a preserved line falls are the first hurdle. While, certainly you could model a preserved line at a given period, that period is unlikely to be of interest to me. Steam for the most part leaves me cold (blame working with steam in industry), and I like to wind people up be telling them I like exactly 1.5 types of Steam locomotives. the 1 being Black Fives, and the .5 being 9F's, because they we're practically Diesels I'm also far more interesting in the History of the working railway, something preserved lines always lack. As the a-typical anti-social Engineer, the appeal of something to move big chunks of coal and steel around, will always appeal far more than a line for tourists and the like. As far as the second hurdle goes, preserved lines are often home to strange engineering practices. A prime example is the multitude of preserved Mk1 coaches, featuring a wide range of single phase electrical charging and connecting components, sourced from the local city electrical factors. White plastic just doesn't go with Chocolate and Creme, Blue and Grey or Blood and Custard... Out of the three, Artistic expression is probably the only fence this horse would clear. But solely due to the fact that it contains the exercise of modelling a railway. Regards Matt

I very much have a personal vendetta against Brian Eno. This is due to TurnKey Music selling him the only Yamaha FS1R left in the country, which I had placed a deposit on. 15 years later, I'm still hacked off about that.

Having seemingly taken a break from my 80's electronic music (been pretty much listening to various Depeche Mode releases for the last 2 weeks), I seemed to have gotton back into something with a bit more grit. Or in the case of Anaal Nathrakh, a LOT of grit, normally as a result of reading/ watching the news. Muse - Orgin of Symmetry Anaal Nathrakh - Eschaton Anaal Nathrakh - Domine Non Es Dignus

He's a little difficult to get hold of ATM, as he's currently rebuilding part of his house! When I spoke to him at Bristol he'd finally got the roof finished. But well worth the effort, I personally think they are his best window etch to date. Regards Matt

Bit of an update my end, found some time today to fit the Shawplan Extreme Etchings Class 87 Reinforced Cab Front Window Frames to the Helimjan Class 87. And a 'Before' image for comparison. I think the images speak for themselves, really transforms the face of the Lima 87. Regards Matt

Not really a solution at all. Freightliners often ran part empty, which would lead to poor running even with the coarsest of wheels due to balance. Let alone the need to run a rake of empties. I eagerly await Bachmann's solution to the FFA/FGA, but I really should get building my Colin Craig kit. Regards Matt

Here are a few phot's from my last mainline outing on a 50. Regards Matt

I visited the Bristol Model Railway Exhibition yesterday, where Mr Hanson of Shawplan forced upon me a set of his now finished etch for Class 87 Reinforced Cab Front Window Frames. As with anything in his Extreme Etchings range, they are 100% accurate to the prototype, and very finely detailed. This has caused me to dig out my Class 87 and put it back on my workbench, Hopefully I can get these fitted sometime this week, once I've filed out the window apertures to the correct size. Also of note, is a Laserglaze set for the Lima/ Hornby Class 87 as is, with no modification to the Cab Windscreens required. Regards Matt

While I agree the Heljan 86 was utterly terrible as whole, certain aspects of the model individually we're quite good. For instance, the Roofwell, sans Pantograph makes an excellent cut and shut into the Lima 87, which requires a little attention around the Pantograph mounting position to be a little more accurate. However, I'm lazy energy efficient, and thus my Helimjan 87 was born! I've good faith in Bachmann with regards the Class 90. Although far outside my area of interest, I do want a nice RfD one for my display case, and the Chassis will make an excellent step to re-motoring 86's and 87's. I'm hoping some spare Bachmann Class 85 Alsthom bogies I have will be a direct swap for the BP9 bogies. Regards Matt

Not yet, as I still haven't figured out a way to fix the rest of the Cab yet (the cab sides are too inset). But Mr Hanson let me have a peak at the artwork a while back, so no doubt they are just as brilliant as the Class 50 frames. Hopefully i'll pick up a couple of packs this weekend at the Bristol Model Railway Exhibition. That is indeed the Old Dalby test track. http://www.old-dalby.com/HSCCP.htm I see Andi has beaten me to it! Regards Matt

Digging up an old post. I understand C&L finescale sell it. I wonder if anyone has tried this now? What is the Railhead profile like? I have to say I am tempted by stainless myself, and I'd love to see some code 82/83 flatbottom rail to represent BS11-113A fb rail in Stainless Steel. In theory it is would be quite adaptable to Colin Craig's track construction method. Regards Matt

Thanks Andi. Probably very few indeed! Regards Matt

I am very much in agreement with Andi on this! And always a pleasure to see your models. I must ask though, did you fettle the Hornby 86 body? Or the Heljan Chassis? I figure the chassis would be the easiest to attack with a b*****d file, but I found that the Lima 87 slides over it nicely with very little work needed. Here's a snap I took in the kitchen this afternoon. A bit of a mock up on what will be an 86/0. The correctly sized Alsthom 10' 9" bogies from the Bachmann 85 make one hell of a difference. I've already hacked the bogie V bracket from the Class 85 donor, chassis will be the stretched 85 chassis, converted to P4 and will (if all goes to plan), be fully sprung with working suspension of the CSB type. Regards Matt

Page 151 (158 of the PDF) contains dimensional information for the Stone-Faivereley Type AMBR pan head in profile, this is already a brilliant find! Many thanks. Matt

A quick google image search showed most of Japan’s high speed stock with something akin the Brecknell Willis pan, and diamond pans on the commuter stock. Not saying your incorrect, just I didn't think that was the case, mind you, I didn't exactly look very hard. Interestingly the design of the diamond and cross armed pans in that video is very different to the GEC/ AEI design. The arms of the GEC pan are clamped to a tube which surrounds another tube acting as a bearing, which is much more resistant to lateral 'play'. The GEC pan also features equalising cross members mounted atop or below this tube, ensures the longitudinal stability of the pan, at least while in good condition... I believe that was written by Gordon H of this parish. Alas, the Lima 87 roof is compromised, and does not have the correct 69 1/2" by 57" footing for all BR pantographs. On my somewhat stalled Class 87, I hacked the whole roof section out of the Heljan class 86 (as that was pretty much the only part they got right), and transplanted it into the roof well of the 87. Regards Matt

The old-dalby site is a well-thumbed book mark of mine. Luckily my interest in Pantographs from a modelling point of view it's limited to only 3 types; Stone-Faiveley type AMBR and its Mark 1 'bicycle frame' variant, and the GEC (AEI) Crossed-Arm Pantograph. Although, the Brecknell Willis High and Low speed pans are interesting from a technical point of view, as the control rods are all internal to the upper and lower arms. Reading between the lines of http://www.old-dalby.com/HSCCP.htm Actual testing of Pantographs didn't occur until the late 1970's. As all testing was more concerned with neutral sections and the like. I think it's safe to say that is probably boils down to speed. Making an educated guess, I think the crossed arm and diamond frame pans are pushed down from the contact wire by wind resistance at high speeds. Hence modern developments favoured fewer arms, and on the Bracknell Willis highspeed pan, even aerofoils. I'm guessing that you want either a flat constant force on the contact wire from the pan head, or at least predictable forces. But, as I say, all an educated guess. Regards Matt