Hal Nail

It's a bit unfortunate but I can understand the store being wary. I'd try phoning the store as the seller and confirm they are valid - although how you prove you aren't just a mate of the person collecting might be a problem.

Had a go at mine today and having taken the cabs out, I found out the roof is actually a separate unit screwed to the body. Once that comes off you can pop the main headcode glazing out by pushing it in from the front easily without risking damage trying to prise it out from the front. Its actually a front and back panel in clear plastic and easier to align transfers on the back panel on the flat rather than trying to fit digits in through the hole. Cleaning up any residue sprue on the front one massively improves the appearance. Next job will be to pop the body glazing out and open up some of the door windows - it is, after all, permanently Summer in my little world.

I dont know whether it really needs sealing or not - I merely thought worth mentioning those paints might not actually protect it from moisture in the long run (I'm not suggesting you will get instant problems using them). I think part of the reason I sealed my shelves was to give a hard surface on the exposed edges so I could sand them really smooth, which wouldn't be relevant here.

Worth Googling how to seal mdf. I'm pretty sure from when I was using it for shelving, I read somewhere that using the wrong type of paint merely adds moisture to it.

Is this so DCC modellers can have the true DC experience?!

I thought something like that was the case but couldn't quite recall. Is the use of fishbellies also related to that? Not sure why fairly modern stock would have older replacement bogies?

I've seen those photos elsewhere and they are of an RCTS railtour. There are some good ones of a 58xx in regular use with a 2 coach train as well. My books are in storage but I've got a vague recollection that branch had its own stock for some reason. Those coaches are flat ended and look like later Collett stock but they appear to have Dean bogies with footboards. Photo link below shows this better: http://highworthhistoricalsociety.org.uk/galleries/nggallery/photograph-galleries/railway-photographs/page/3#gallery/950cf0934d0853e36fda06297c49f09b/1068

The Hornby brake 3rd is 6 compartment so the difference to the E135 is in the spacing either side of the 1st class (and a fraction less luggage). Noticeable - but in context, the nearest compromise I figured. Switching tack, I know the E145 had 9' plate bogies rather than 7' and perhaps, therefore, different truss rods (?) but were the bodies the same as the E140? This is a conversion I have toyed with in 7mm just for variety, since I already have spare bogies.

Sorry! Wasn't questioning your choice - just thought I'd mention it to clarify. The GWR did actually build two pairs of E135 brake composites for branch use which were closer to the Hornby brake 3rds than the Airfix E140, with recessed glazing, curly grab rails, a flush guards door and I think 57' (although I don't have my books handy the check the length). The main differences between these and the Hornby's were no end windows and the spacing for the 1st class compartment (which is barely noticeable). These ran on the Looe branch and I seem to recall one was possibly at Kingsbridge for a time as well, so something pretty close to the Hornby brakes were in use as a pair in the Exeter area.

The 2 coach brake composite sets allocated to branches in the west country often had the branch name on the outer end in GWR days. Sometimes the name was suffixed with with a number, if there was more than one pair allocated. Lionheart stock photo as an example. I'm not sure if the window end brake 3rd types from 4 coach sets ever ran in pairs though. Once those surburban sets got broken up the odd single coach made it into branch trains when extra capacity warranted it - there was a brake 3rd used as a strengthener on the Looe line for example.

Not having QC and being able to return defective goods for replacement, costs us nothing whereas as we would foot the bill for the alternative. If the level of returns was generally as high as the OP has suffered, the manufacturers would be forced to do something so its probably just bad luck (sadly). On balance, given the widely reported factors everywhere that are only forcing prices up, I'd rather live with the current approach personally but it has meant I inspect and test immediately and am far less reluctant to return things if not 100% happy than I used to be.

I removed a panel from a loco so had to repaint a small area about 1cm high. I used a 1cm soft flat brush in one pass. Thinned paint and the least brush strokes the better for a good finish. Incidentally you can always sand/buff out any imperfections using 2000 grade wet and dry.

Perhaps worth inventing some sort of national loyalty card so, for example, pensioners visiting a number of times and therefore contributing their share compared to a family making a one-off trip, could get a sizeable discount overall.

I nearly mentioned this yesterday but as a link between two companies direct routes, was it ever actually a mainline? Not being pedantic, just curious...

You get a Blue Peter badge for less. Awesome work!

The originals lasted well into the 80s - see your previous thread!

There are at least 2 previous topics covering exactly this. Both come up if you do a Google search but for some reason can't be accessed at the moment: maybe they will reappear as the problems get ironed out. Edot: just twigged the links probably point to the old server or similar. Rmweb search found one of them now linked below

Does the old New North Mainline count? Whilst the link at Old Oak has been severed, the singled stretch alongside the Central line through Northolt and Greenford is still in use and I think some freight may use the section beyond past Hangar Lane (does anyone know?) When I moved away a year ago there was still a daily parliamentary 'ghost' train running over the section from South Ruislip to the Greenford loop.

There are also numerous theads in the skills and knowledge section under "weathering, painting and transfers" covering acrylics and suitable colours etc. A Google search with rmweb included in the subject generally works. You will, naturally, get completely conflicting advice though!

I'll probably hack the chimney off and replace it with a one piece casting - I usually repaint smokeboxes anyway as part of weathering. The join on these Dapol models does tend to look worse in photos than in the flesh but this isn't their smoothest on the face of it.

This amused me! I suppose the point is there are alternative couplings if you want to add them whereas if factory fitted, then everyone, including those of us predisposed to play God anyway, are saddled with them

https://www.Dapol.co.uk/O-Gauge-LSWR-B4-Decorated-Samples-Under-Review Some photos here.

Sadly many of the recent photos were taken on my phone and I deleted them once they were posted, so I cant now reinstate them.