Steven B

The Lima Mk1 CCT and GWR Siphon had decent bodies on "interesting" chassis - the CCT looked like it was on tip-toes. The Siphon can be much improved by fitting the Dapol chassis. The overscale Lima brake van fits nicely with Tomix's N Gauge Thomas the Tank Engine range. Steven B.

The mines rescue tractor units were used to haul emergency winches and generators around. I've only seen photos of preserved vehicles with flat-bed trailers. It could of course be being tested following maintenance . Steven B.

They're not Farish tooling - they're EFE tooling (with involvement from Kernow Models I believe). The EFE range allows Bachmann UK to get models made outside of the normal Kader Bachmann/Farish factory. Steven B

Mid-train help works with passenger trains too: S&C Rescue At Foredale (Michael McNicholas) by Neil Harvey 156, on Flickr 47644 giving 34092 City Of Wells a push up towards Ribble Head. Steven B.

Were first generation DMUs popular on preserved railways whilst the last few were still earning their keep for BR and its successors? Turn the clock forward a decade or two and perhaps folk will be asking why anyone would want to ride on a newly preserved class 195 when they could travel on a Pacer. It'll be interesting to see how well current units fair with preservation - a Pacer can be fixed with a hammer, not sure the same can be said for a class 800! Steven B.

The silicon power leads also have the advantage that they're more heat-resistant than the PVC version. 90% of my soldering is done with an Antex CS18 that I've had since 1995 (with one replacement element fitted three years ago). Otherwise I use an Antex temperature controlled soldering station. Antex produce chisel bits with 0.5 and 1mm (1105 and 1106) - there should be no need to file bits. Steven B.

The ones on eBay will sell. Two reasons come to mind: people think eBay is cheap and don't bother shopping around. regular model shops will sell out leaving the more expensive eBay ones left available. Often the more expensive of the latest releases found on eBay tend to be smaller model shops that can't afford the discounts offered by the bigger names. You'll also find many shops (not just model railway) have higher prices on their eBay store compared to their own website - I assume the extra covers the extra eBay fees. Steve B.

If you want the lights on Caroline to function alongside the lights on the loco using the loco's address then they either need to have the same loco address or consisted together (and the consist address used). Setting the loco and Caroline to the same address will cause issues if you change loco, or want head lights on on Caroline but not on the loco. Probably simpler and more flexible to set the address of Caroline to something unique. Steven B.

Class 120 has been announced in N Gauge by Revolution Trains - there's always a chance it may get scaled up if enough folk ask nicely! For Accurascale, Mk2D fits their MO as they also ran in the Republic of Ireland. HEA domestic coal hopper must be a low hanging fruit for their "Powering Britain" range - with options for the CEA, RNA and MEA conversions. Both would fill gaps in what's available in 2mm and 4mm scales. Steven B

I'm convinced life-boat crews would much rather a short rescue of someone who's fit and healthy just after they've been cut off. The alternative could be a having a hypothermia case to deal with (and potentially much worse weather). If in doubt, call the coastguard and let them make the decision! Steven B.

Pictures of the PCB posted on Tuesday show the PCB to have Motor+ and Motor- connections. I'd guess you could connect a resistor across those to act as a motor load. Probably best to set the speed curve to zero across all speeds so you don't accidently end up with a heater in the coach! (and remove it if running on DC). Steven B.

Those lights are bright! Have you seen what they're like from the operators side yet? Will you issue operators with sun-glasses? (or a welding mask?) 😀 Steven B

Use of the built in tail lamps varied. In green and early blue periods, you'd be more likely to see a standard tail lamp on a loco with no train. Sadly no one has a F number to get the little people to fit and remove one yet...

I'd have suggested white with "Kensington Olympia" in black to replicate the station signage, but as you're already doing that with the double-arrow logo I'd go for more elephants. Steven B

Nice video - is it a rake of four though? Might it be a rake of one? Steven B

Apart from the ones that don't: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314759229412?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=qugrzrkjrbi&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY A white/cream colours vac-formed box insert is another thing more likely to be found on a Poole era model - some Chinese produced models have them but the vast majority are clear plastic. I don't believe Bachmann used the white box inserts on any Chinese made locos. Steven B

It'll be interesting to see how well the self-adhesive glue lasts - I've seen some rather droopy LED strips where the glue softens with the heat from the LEDs. Might be worth packing some gaffer tape! Steven B.

Nah, save me the time of renumbering and make 56 110 - you get silver window frames too: Grid On The Speedlink Coal (Michael McNicholas) by Neil Harvey 156, on Flickr Note the DCC user-friendly number on the front! Steven B

It'll be interesting to see if the re-tool also includes options for class 69. Hopefully Adam's involvement will fix the livery issues - particularly with the 3 tone grey based models. Looking forward to seeing what they look like compared to the current model. They're due around the same time as the class 87. Time to start saving... Steven B.

Silver wheels is the big give-away, although in the year or two prior to the Poole factory closing Farish did start chemically blackening wheelsets. Early Chinese releases of the Poole era models had an improved chassis. Looking for DCC compatibility is the big thing to look out for. Many Poole era steam locos tended to have the coupling rods screwed to just the middle set of driving wheels - molded pips on the outer ones. Molded on handrails were standard on Poole models too. You can find N Gauge catalogues for Farish up to 2007 here: https://www.ness-st.co.uk/N-gauge-catalogues.html Farish under Bachmann ownership have re-issues new models with numbers previously made in Poole. Steven B

Some examples from the 1975 Midland Region Passenger Train Marshalling book (with thanks to the BR Coaching Stock Group.io page): 18:30 Aberystwyth to York - at Shrewsbury, 5xSPV detached rear, BG and 2xPOS attached front, BG attached rear. BG attached rear at Crewe. Attached to rear at Stockport were 2c BG 2x CCT and another BG. 20:45 Barrow to Euston - POS added to rear and SLCT attached front at Preston. 16:00 Euston to Holyhead - BG attached rear at Crewe 20:50 Euston to Inverness - sleeper/motorail - 3x GUV added to rear at Crewe. Friday saw a RBK also added to the front. 18:06 Manchester P to St. Pancras gained vans in Leicester and lost some in Peterborough. 19:30 Newton Abbot to Stirling motorail had four car flats added to the read at Bristol. 12:41 Liverpool to Edinburgh was paused at Preston whilst a portion from Manchester to Edinburgh was added at the rear. A Manchester to Cleethorpes train had a van added at Manchester from a train from Liverpool and lost vehicles at Sheffield and Grimsby. Steven B.

A book set approach might work with the Mk2 Pullmans - Dapol have history having bundled up the Prototype HST cars into twin sets. I'd happily find space for the ten car Lakeland Pullman set (PFB 2xPFK 7xPFP) but could also be temped by the rather smart reverse blue/grey version even with it being out of my normal modelling era. The 1970s Manchester Pullman was made up of PB PC PK PC PC PK PC PB - making a nice four car set of PB 2xPC PK that could be sold twice to each modeller! Go on Dapol you know you want to. With Farish the Mk1, Mk2a and Mk2F, a Mk2b/c likely to come from Accurascale (I'd be surprised if they didn't do the Mk2d too) and Revolution making the Mk5 there's not much air-braked coaching stock left to be done - although a 91 and Mk4 set could look rather nice.... Steven B.

Nice to see a return of the train sets - although I suspect there will be a lot of Redland PGA on eBay in the new year as sets get split. Might have to get my old ones on there first! A rerun of the Thompsons is nice, and including maroon too! Interesting to see they're continuing to produce multiple versions in each batch as with the Mk1. Shame there's no more Mk2a. Good to see the class 158s getting a few more liveries - hopefully a future batch will include WYPTE crimson & cream. The price is quite eye-watering though - around 10% more than a loco and illuminated coach such as a Mk2F DBSO (£194+£60 vs £285 all RRP). Nice to see more class 90s so soon, although as already mentioned, shame they're in the same liveries - I was hoping for an Intercity Mainline version. Steven B

Looking at the BR(M) Passenger Train Marshalling books for the mid 1980s you'd find passenger trains splitting and joining at the likes of Wolverhampton, Stafford and Carstairs. NPCCS were regularly added and removed at Stafford, Preston, Crewe & Carlisle, although mostly on over-night trains. Some places such as Barrow and Holyhead had sleepers detached from the overnight train, allowing the train to make a return trip during the day-time without it. The sleepers were serviced and attached to a different train set later in the day. I can't imagine BR(M) in the 1970s having fewer vans added and removed from passenger trains. Steven B.

To be fair, the Spamcan, 142, 128 and 158 are all new models. Re-runs (like the Mk3 and HST) should be simpler and happen when the shops have had no stock for a few months - or a year or two at most. Farish, on the other hand leave it over a decade between batches and then release the weird and wonderful liveries rather than a basic Maroon Mk1 or blue/grey Mk2a. That said, their current releases do appear to be better balanced. Steven B