Hal Nail

Also as I said before Sunday evening is a really bad time to finish an auction - it's always quiet and a lot doesn't sell. I find week days around 5 is good (just before people go home). For high value stuff it's not as easy tho. A low starting price is definitely key as it gets people hooked and then they often end up in a bidding war but obviously you are taking a risk it doesn't get to what you want. You could try "but it now or best offer" - you can always turn down offers.

There is one listed as Dave Andrews which won't come up for anyone searching for David.

I went past old oak yesterday and there was a 4 coach blue set there with a green power car on one end, blue on the other. No idea if it is in public use though.

I pulled out of some on Ebay recently when they got to more than the current Slaters price by the time you added wheels, let alone buffers!

I thought I read previously they are bringing out a version without hinges in due course but this was just a quick rerun as the first batch sold well? On a different note the much discussed black bonnet top has gone from the green with stripes version I believe.

What have I started?!

Just out of interest what method do you use to splice the droppers together?

Boiler too narrow for me. The 4468 shot is possibly slightly deceptive as the valances are full whereas the model is the cut away version, but the footplate doesn't look too wide to me whereas the boiler width at its widest should be about in line with the buffer centers?

With a bit of luck RMWeb will start charging for photos, someone will find a new workaround and Chaz can do them all a third time for box set season three! Chaz: I can't remember if you mentioned a date for the layout? Having spent years absorbing photos from the late 50s / early 60s for inspiration, it was only when I actually started to try and pin a date down I found a huge number of things i had planned to model didn't actually overlap (just shows how fast it all changed round then). In the end I decided not to worry about it within a few years' tolerance! Edit - forgot to add how much I've been enjoying all these photos as well!

I'm a little surprised by that given the rtr competition is therefore considerably cheaper. I've bought several nicely made up Freightman versions for less as well!

Looking at the various photos the issue in the nose (protuberancegate?) is accentuated by the valances which sweep back quite noticeably immediately above the buffers on the real thing with the apex of the curve where the buffers come out. On the model its a fairly even curve with the apex well above the buffer. Easier to see than describe! Both mock ups looking pretty good though.

Thanks - glad I put in the caveat about only seeing a few photos so far!

I have always liked the idea of extra bodies sharing a chassis which I think you've done with warships before? I bought two peaks in the end as I really wanted green and blue but would have happily compromised on one (filthy) chassis to save a fair bit.

Any idea why someone was selling a peak body in the first place?

Just out of interest, do you think the cabs would fit on a Heljan body?

Agreed and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a range of favourites if everyone was asked! Making a sweeping generalisation, many modellers are of an age where mk1s are incredibly familiar, even without having cause to have studied them. I suspect we'd all get close to estimating the door window size fairly well for example, having leant through them 1000s of times (or is it just me?!) So we probably have a firm idea in our minds of the coaches and hitting some key characteristics would determine if a model "looked" right. I accept there are constructive observations around details but compared to what has gone before, i'm hoping for something where at least the fundamentals are right. From what I've seen, which admittedly is restricted to a few photos so far, these coaches still have potential in terms of the overall shape and feel?

The other option is to order the black 58xx (which doesn't mention a top feed) and add the auto gear!

No problem. I see you are after black without top feed which hasn't actually been advertised yet (I'd prefer that as well). Will be interesting to see if the top feed is a removeable part or if they do two different body mouldings.

There is something called "Peto" which documents all sorts of things including liveries, when top feeds were fitted etc but I've only had others refer to it and not seen it myself. By the way there is already a thread on these locos in the Dapol part of the trade section. Might be worth posting there.

The top photo with the brake end? Suggestion is the corridor would be on the near side and the toilet window on the far side, when seen with the brake end to the right, which a quick Google images search seems to support.

Also don't end an auction in the middle of the night or Sunday's when songs of praise is on. People have better things to do apparently (Good time to buy though)!

Were the likes of North British, BRC&W etc completely independent of the big 4? I'd always assumed they were tied to one of the railways but that being the case, the farming out of panniers would seem strange. For that matter I've never been clear how much actual rivalry there was between the big 4 or whether there was really sufficient demand for all of them to operate happily alongside each other (hence much duplication of routes etc).

A view I concur with! (Before I get slated, said tongue in check)

Let's hope it at least sounds like a mink then!

Flog it on e bay. Have a look at what Tower are charging for new stuff then add 10%. Someone will buy it!