Phil Bullock

We now know the financial implications - price for this long waited loco is now published on the Bachmann web site £134.95 That makes it by a long way the most expensive Bacchy diesel - if they do a sound fitted version, based on the Class 40 differential of £130 that will come in at £250 plus. Anyone fancy all 33? It will be interesting to see what we are going to get for this large heap of Wonga - must be completely re-tooled loco and chassis surely? The latter seems surprising perhaps given that the 42 chassis is a straight drop in although no speaker recess I guess. And may be those opening roof hatches???? The price is also a huge differential to that which the box shifters were advertising at prior to Bacchy's price restructuring - £76 from Rails for instance - so will be interesting to see if the pre order price policy holds A view of sample eagerly awaited - am aware that a lot of work has gone in to the model by cognoscenti so hopefully this warship will still float our collective boats. Phil

Saw this for the first time at GCR - was superb, took me back to Rotherwood in the 70s.... happy days. Many thanks for sharing - and I had forgotten how bad the tinplate din was!!!! Phil

If you want to use enamel washes over enamel base coats then try thinning wash with turpentine substitute rather than enamel thinners - far less likely to attack the base coat. Might dry slightly glossy so a final seal of matt varnish will finish the job.... Phil

This was the only newbie that caught my attention Cheers Phil

I will tolerate that as a one off vehicle Liveried sample was in cabinet at GCR last weekend - has it been seen on here? Phil

Will do - had hoped for this weekend but looks like weather might be against us.... Phil

Hee hee Thanks Andi and Mike Wasn't even supposed to be a filming session hence no signals And most definitely Mike we need them. 4 of 11 arms are now powered.... Phil

Fantastic prototype - look forwards to seeing this move forwards Is it moose proof ? No buffers....... Afraid not for me but hope this is a riproaring success and other models follow Cheers Phil

Could be a momentous day today! Many of you have made kind comments re our carefully made videos - realistic trains filmed to look as real as possible is our aim, and those videos have had about 4000 hits each on Youtube But this one - when everything went wrong - should make 200,000 hits today! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZhehuil6X8 Perverse or what? Cheers Phil

Got it! On the wall in the MRM... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Old_level_crossing_sign_at_NRM_York_-_DSC07819.JPG Phil

John that sounds great - glad to be of some help! Have you seen the signs that were used to warn road traffic? The NRM has them IIRC Cheers Phil

Smashing John! Now just a thought - had you considered signalling the road traffic on your crossing by the warehouses prototypically? http://members.optusnet.com.au/~mercurytravel/notebook/232/notebook.htm#shrub This page is also a mine of info on the area http://www.miac.org.uk/vinegarmap.html Cheers Phil

Suspected something like that Used to pass this way every day when I was at Worcester Grammar - we went straight up the hill to get our pie and chips in Laslett Street , ate it at Railway Walk and then back to school this way Happy times Phil

Fantastic! Despite the inevitable relocation of some geographical features you are capturing the atmosphere of the canal basin in the prototype superbly The rail over canal bridge is iconic - for those who may not have seen it heres a link to a prototype photo http://www.miac.org.uk/canalbridge.html#gwr4113 Many thanks for sharing this super layout with us - are you local to 85A? Phil

That's because the premiership is full of everyone else's mercenary players! Phil

What is it we lack? Luck? Guile? Skill? Or just world class players? Phil

Clive Mortimore has kindly pointed out we are in a current Model Rail publication entitled Great British Layouts I think Thanks Clive - always nice to get some more exposure! James had a copy on Thursday - its the photos that previously appeared in Model Rail. The company we keep in the rag rather better fits the title I think - but perhaps we are just a bit different! Phil

There were more bogie rail wagons splashing around in the River Wye than ballast hoppers!!!! Phil

Naw - them there diesels is all the same! Hee hee Phil

Thanks Clive Was aware of the programme but didn't know D15 was implicated! CHeers Phil

You lot are hard taskmasters hee hee - and then theres SWMBO's financial proberty scrutiny..... I reckon our programme looks like this: June 2014 - finish current board phase 2 enabling Scenic tidy up July 2014 - Photo session and Toddington diesel gala (provisional) Ensure routes and signalling are fully operational then Sept 2014 Redditch show Phase 2 enabling final board (Birmingham end of fiddle yard) Dec 2014 Bishops Cleeve show Jan 2015 Phase 2 build begins April 2015 Trainwest May 2015 Stow show (provisional) Work on phase 2 build Sept 2015 Great Electric train show - might be nice if phase 2 came here with us - but that's another 6 boards And somewhere in there that nice Mr Bachmann will throw us a curved ball hopefully with his new warships.... So don't think we are slacking too much..... And theres a whole lot of gassing to be done on here too! Phil

Hi Mike Used the sunny weather as an excuse for some trout tickling yesterday HAve a bit of work to do but yup next decent weekend hopefully Cheers Phil

Many thanks John 9f from Bacchy - 92220 Its a lot of work building - and maintaining - a layout! Keeps me off the streets.... Kind regards Phil

In 4mm 50mm masking tape works well - get the cheap stuff from B&Q it has just the right finish to it - and paint it grey with weathering. A dab of superglue on the corners holds the folds in place. Heres the up clayliner with loaded sheeted wagons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYg23Rj-Pl4 The down train is empty with folded sheets in the wagons Cheers Phil

Absolutely! Totally agree with your comments - one of the reasons why I go down this road You will fool any sound chip if you drive inappropriately - but far less likely with a properly tuned installation. Sound chips do force driving discipline in my experience - if we want them to sound prototypical then our driving has to match those aspirations! Kind regards Phil