Steven B

According to Joel (MD) at the N Gauge Show it's likely to make an appearence in the next year or two. Apparently he was quite suprised by the number of people asking about it. He looked more suprised when I said I'd have half-a-dozen of them. Can't think why.... Happy modelling. Steven B.

Where does Tornado (one of the newest locos on the network) or something like a GWR railcar fit in? One's diesel powered and was withdrawn in the 1960s, the other's steam powered and less than ten years old. Each of the Big Four were experimenting with diesel and electric power in the 1940s. Does this make the LNER petrol railcar, the LMS twins or a SR 2-BIL steam image or modern image? What about the BR ran VoR that was steam operated until sold off in the 1980s (complete with BR Blue and double arrows)? To my mind, "Modern Image" describes a short period in railway history around the time that the WCML was electrified together with the new stations, locos and trains that went with it. Give that the upgrade started before the end of steam, it's firmly stuck in the transitional era. The best way to describe a layout is to simply quote the location and date (exactly or approximatly as appropriate). Happy modelling. Steven B. (Late 1980s sectorisation, NW England).

Hi Dave, Are there any ideas from the Farish class 14 that you can borrow? They used a nice lump of metal for the cab detail and didn't have a full length PCB - just one soldered to the back of the motor. Does it have to have all wheel drive? The Farish DMUs can manage a decent train length with just two axles powered. If having PCB on show in unavoidable please remember that they are available in colours other than green! Happy modelling. Steven B.

Are those traction tyres on the lead axle? Happy modelling. Steven B.

Much of my own wishlist has already been mentioned (FFA/FGA, APT-P, Classs 142 etc), so instead here's what I'd like to see from any model: A body that's secure for day to day use but still easy to remove for chipping and maintainance - no clips that are so tight they break as you remove the body (or even worse, the body breaks!), no tiny screws needing an angled screw-driver to get around brake rods or guard-irons. A body that's not connected to the chassis by any wires. A decent drive system - Kato can manage to produce decent mechanisms (with no slop in the gear train, all wheel electrical pick-up, no need to oil before use and no split gears) so it should be possible for a British manufacturer to do the same. Decent soldering. Colour coded wiring for those of us wanting to fit wired DCC decoders. Room for a Bachmann 6 pin decoder in N gauge models. They might not be the best at powering a motor but I'd much rather fit one of these in a dummy or trailler car for £5 less than a Digitrax/Lenz/NCE equivelent. NEM coupling pockets at the correct height which don't droop. Paint colours and finishes that match existing items. Common liveries in first batches - e.g. never did see Olive green Dogfish from Dapol and had to wait ages for sector liveried class 60s from Farish. Boxes that are easy to get into and allow removal of model without damaging detail. If they fill a 9l Really Useful box neatly then so much the better. Wheel-sets that don't wobble. Steam locos with axles that stop the wheel quartering from slipping. Locomotives without names - I don't want all my fleet to be named locos! Easily removed lump of chassis metal for DCC sound speaker Happy modelling. Steven B.

Find a layout that's recently been published in Model Rail and ask where the smoke is..... Happy modelling. Steven B.

I hope the lighting won't rely on wires running from chassis to body - I lost the lights on my Dapol class 58 because these broke off and were impossible to repair. Happy modelling. Steven B.

Perhaps it would be better not to print the bogies in one peice, but a kit made of bolster and two outer cosmetic frames. You could then make basic bogies out of stronger, less detailed material and glue the detailed frames on the top. Or why not use the 2mmSA etched bogie frames and adding 3D printed overlays on top? (Or ask Worsley Works to do somehting for you). There's still an awfull lot of modelling for which a bit of etched metal is a much better solution than 3D printing. Happy modelling. Steven B

Will the Type L container be hollow to save a bit of resin and

Would it be worth putting the airbrake gear (reservoir tanks, brake cylinders etc) on a seperate sprue? Perhaps part of the structure you're using to re-inforce the well for the 3d print? Might make it easier to paint - getting a paint-brush under the lower side of the reservoir tanks looks a little tricky, Happy modelling. Steven B.

The Condor train rain mainly with Conflat P (converted Plate wagons) loaded with one each of Type A and Type B containers. Conflat A's also appeared in the train together with the occasional non-container wagon and tanks. Happy modelling. Steven B.

It's disapointing that the errors have been carried over but I'll take it over the original Farish model which I'd quite happily leave on the shelf! Happy modelling. Steven B.

Still on the "to-do" list but a low priority according to Dapol Dave at the NGS AGM last month. Will they be out before the Mk3 TGS? Happy modelling. Steven B.

I don't think Dapol have done themselves any favours with the Mk3s. I think they tried to do too many liveries in one go and have ended up with the problems of miss-matching paint shades and finishes as mentioned above. Perhaps it would have been better to limit the HST to two or three liveries in its first year but release all four coach types at the same time. I've had the I/C Exec HST since it came out yet now three or four years later I still can't run it as a complete set as I've only got TS's in a matching livery. Had Farish released their Mk3 in Executive livery I'd have bought a train load of them and not bothered with the Dapol Mk3s. They might not have the same level of detail but at least I'd have a train I can use. Happy modelling. Steven B. (with fingers crossed that the TF, Buffet and TGS in I/C exec matches what I've already bought.....)

Dave, can you test the theory by modifying a spare class 56? Happy modelling Steven B.

Nah, just give us a 1:148 RTR one from Dapol! Happy modelling. Steven B.

It's almost a shame that it's set in the current era. Back dating it to the late 60s/early 70s would allow all the lovely new Hydraulics to be used. Just imagine a class 22 shunting the works whilst a western purrs past on a passenger train with a warship sat waiting to exit the freight only branch. I didn't know Cornwall had much in the way of an electronics manufacturing industry. I'd have thought a cider or pasty factory would have been much tastier! Happy modelling. Steven B. (edited to correct smiley)

Never mind running them on Cross Street. I think you need a new layout based on an OTP depot! Excelent work. I look forward to seeing what you do next. Happy modelling, Steven B.

The backscene and lighting made this layout stand out above just about everything else that was at the Doncaster show last weekend. The train indicator boards hung from the layout displaying loco numbers and direction is very simple and very useful. The only think I would have liked to have seen was some more train movements. The yard and branch weren't in use when I saw it on Sunday morning. Hopefully next time I see it there will be more trains shuffling backwards and forwards. Happy modelling Steven B.

Reused under a kit body perhaps? Happy modelling. Steven B.

Is 3d printing the best medium for something like the rail grinder or tamper? For complex curves like the Pendolino it has clear advantages over other methors. For something simpler like the tamper & grinder would it not be better (& less expensive!) to use the 3d printed parts for things like the roof and tamping/grinding gear and scratch build the body from plasticard? Happy modelling. Steven B,

I'm guessing that most Dapol Mk3s will end up in HST sets. If that is the case I wonder why they went for the loco hauled RFB rather than a HST TRUB or TRSB? How many RFBs were there compared to TRUB or TRSB? Happy modelling. Steven B.

And the Intercity executive TF? Happy modelling. Steven B.

The rake of TEAs should be making an appearence at our open Weekend this Saturday and Sunday. I can't guarentee the class 37 will be rostered for it - a class 60 might make an appearence instead.

The C1, C3 & UK1 codes only applies to coaching stock (and DMUs). Frieght stock uses W codes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loading_gauge#Great_Britain There are links on this site http://www.btinternet.com/~joyce.whitchurch/gauges/text.htm which show pictures giving dimensions of each of the loading gauges. Happy modelling. Steven B.