Adam1701D

Some nice pics and a very respectible Class 86, to boot. I shall certainly be getting an Intercity liveried one to go with the DVT and Mark 3s.

The bodyside grilles and front end windows look just right and the livery application spot-on. Well done, Dave and team!

Celebrity News - Cheryl Cole has fallen over after trying to do her washing at fifteen degrees.

From that angle it goes to prove that the 70 is actually not a bad looking loco, just with an atrocious paintjob! B)

Teething problems with new traction units are not new - I well remember the introduction of the 91s on the ECML during 1988-9, which was plagued with issues. I have a shot of 91006 on a test rake in Kings Cross with "APT AGAIN" scrawled in the dirt on the nose! Every time a 91 passed under the booking office at New Southgate, it used to wipe the memory in the APTIS ticket machine until some extra shielding was put in place

The 70s are radically new, being the first AC traction diesel units and I certainly never expected to see them working out of the box without the need for a few reliability mods and tweaks down the line.

I've had a bash at 153 in fully upswept NSE (in the later Turbo style), as if these units were in use by Thames for the Greenford shuttle.

I think i shall produce these sides as full vinyls in N if anybody fancies having a go! I've just backdated my own Dapol unit to Reggie Rail.

OK, I couldn't resist...

It's a re-vinyl'd Dapol 153 - I thought I'd take the easy way out and do a modified version of the scheme applied to the 121s without the upswept ends. The asymettric window spacing of the cabs would make this a nightmare to look right.

That looks superb. I have to admit I'm quite taken with the 395s after a blistering run to Ashford and Margate on Saturday. These units are the new CEPs!

If any talented Photoshopper would like to have a go at a 395 in NSE livery, there's one to play with here (taken by me on Saturday)

Please feel free to do as you like with this picture

I hear that Venos are sponsoring a new video game...

Catarrah Hero