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The Black Hat

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Everything posted by The Black Hat

  1. I think you could be right. Accurascale would be a good choice to undercut Bachmann again with the release of something like the Turbostar - which Electrostar option... Other DMUs to consider I think would be: Voyager/Meridian 220/221/222 Class 185 - with Desiro options All singing all dancing IEP - 800/801/802... etc 110 HST...
  2. If you go back over the various wish lists that were done for a few years, you can use the data to see where the trends are. Matching this to models on bargain shelves tell you what sells and where the demand is. Some models have been made that were mid polling, others higher have been picked but some remain. As such you expect these to be options, but then so too are others that have been done and need the dcc refresh - particularly some steam options. Does a retool make the process cheaper and more efficient so stops the price rises that now make some think twice about which model to get. The fact that tooling options mean that more varients can be done gives hope that this no longer is a reason not to make a model. Cue the B16 and its varients being pushed front and centre. What I would propose is that some models are wanted by those looking to get another model. I would suggest these are: 8F B16 1, 2 and 3, BR standard 3 Ivatt 2MT and 2MT-T Hall Class Bagnall tanks - Victor, Vulcan, Valiant J21 / J25 A8 GWR Large Prairie
  3. To be honest you could have it as a faded one... but the Mk. 1 set that I have repainted I have used Pheonix paints for BR Coach Crimson. As in Blood and Custard livery... but painted full coach in that and they look spot on.
  4. Id say they are spot on. From my research and little memory of the time I think Transpennine was a livery carried at the time and was darker. Regional Railways comes along based on this but think the shade of blue got a bit lighter.....
  5. I get the impression its not what you do, or how you do it, but who you know...
  6. Regional Railways units lasted into Arriva Trains Northern days so ones rebranded would be able to serve your purpose. From my memory, the provincial blue and chocy cream units that were left were painted into Northern Spirit. That then was left while 156s got the paint brush. Arriva arrived and began painting 142s but this saw many of the various regional railways units last well into arriva trains northern operation. I also recall seeing some units swapped over between those in the North and those in Wales. Think that was due to some units having had seats installed in Wales that were matching those up north, so other ones went down that would allow the welsh ones to have standard fleet seats across their 143s too. So a rebranded regional railways unit with a small Arriva logo would work fine!
  7. Hello all, Time for a bit of an update with the build of the layout and the plans for the future. Apologies here but there won't be too many photos jut yet. The layout has been moved so that it can be assembled and tested in place. That saw a need for a van to be hired in order to get it to the venue. When doing this it was realised that even with a few people and the crates concept working properly that the layout overall was going to be too big to move easily. While this is very disappointing I felt that it was better to scale back the layout now rather than continue on and build the layout which would then be taxing for having to need more people to help whenever it was wanted. As such, 4 boards are being removed from the overall plan - shrinking down the total space the layout would take up but then also making it much easier for venues to accommodate should they want to host the layout. The main area of boards being removed will focus on the townscene area, turning departures that that end into a full mainline departure as it snakes it way around the corner. The idea now is that the next board down features the curves into the fiddle yard and can have a townscene built over it for extra scenery. While this is a compromise it allows some scenery to be retained even if the town area will pretty much have a cliff running through the area to get from the lower bottom of the baseboards here up to where the town is over the height level needed for trains to pass underneath. At the far end the loading area looks to have been saved, with the operation of this flipping in terms of direction. This will see the area built on a board so that the line curves round towards the back of the layout. The branch line will still remain between the main and loading area before joining with the double track on the next board. It will also serve as the arrival line for trains to the loading area that will propel stock into this scene. Here it will pass onto the river scene which was always popular with those that have seen it and so has been kept. It makes the fiddle yard a bit smaller but this should still allow a nice amount of stock to be shown and for some to be able to be swapped out when running exhibitions. Despite this, there has been some work done this last week where the plans have started to come together. The boards for the yard and station have been made and crated. Other areas because of the reduced size have started to be matched and the boards that have been made and are now spare will form the basis of a smaller depot layout that can be made and exhibited just on my own. So in many ways it can and has been made to work out. The change still allows the layout to function even if the whole focus now is pretty much on just the station and the traffic passing through. While some boards have gone the compromise on the curves at the end of the layout means that its unlikely high speed running can or should take place and the lack of the extra length will mean that engines running on sound are not seen accelerating as much off scene. Still, it manages to hold onto a lot of the original idea - the station, depot, loading area, branch and north exits all remain. So there should be a lot of activity for those watching to enjoy. Will try and post some updates and photos as time allows, but this is after what has been a change of plans...
  8. So - it wasn't my best move. Plugging in the connecting blocks to test the track saw me plug in the blocks 2 further to one side than they should have been. There was a short snap sound as all the 3v LEDs got fried at once. I looked around, realised what had happened. Checked the power over to proper supply. Nothing. It would all have to be done again. Thankfully, the way the layout is made has paid off. Taking up the boards allowed relatively easy access to the wiring the lampposts that needed swapping out. Some scenery needed to be given some persuasion to let go, but this can and has been fixed once its back down again. The buildings on the next board are now getting built and put into place. The kits are a range but give the town scene a decent feel to it. There is one that will become the 'North Eastern Hotel' with another to become an office/ council building that deliberately doesn't fit in with the buildings around it. Another view of the buildings into the town scene. The road is made from sandpaper that was bought as a roll and then sprayed with a can from Halfords. This gives it a nice realistic look. Pavements are made from thin wood board with slaters sheeting placed ontop. Most of the buildings here are actually HO scale but given the difference and realism I think all look fine. The aim here is to build a decent scene overall to give depth and interest rather than the fairly simple town buildings you can get at the moment in 00 scale. In this view here you can see the main high street as well as another bridge under the railway. From one end of the town scene to the other is supposed to also be a gentle gradient, meaning that its lower at the station and higher for where the backboard and break scene will be. The two tracks here show the lines away from the station, although the one on the left will be bi-directional so that access can be gained to the branch line point that will be on the final board. Will update more soon. Hope its all of interest.
  9. Tried to place order and one of the few with trouble. Have emailed in as didn't want to miss this! Wonder if any other forthcoming 37s are black and orange with an EWS door...
  10. Or... if you want full comparison over which class 31 is your preference ask Hornby to do 31407 in Mainline Blue...
  11. Nice idea and a good livery to choose, but then fallen into the same trap as Hornby when picking which 'Fragon-wagon' to do. 31452 is the only one with the headlight mounted on the left side, the rest of the fleet had it at the middle above the bufferbeam area. This just makes it harder to renumber a 31 as they often ran in pairs, although doing this for two Fragonset 31s at the prices that these will fetch will show more than some loyalty to those liking the black livery with the red stripe.
  12. Is one function where you whack it off the counter to see how solid it is?
  13. Bachmann usually announce Green and Blue Period releases as one batch, then some other later liveries as a second before back to Blue and Green and then later again. The later ones normally shift between either sectorisation and into privitisation and current privitisation liveries too, when its their turn. Here Bachmann look to be casting the net a bit wider and doing more by releasing more as other companies are doing. Its about time rather than the 3 models per batch that has been done. As regards choices, I saw the pre-production pictures and hoped they would be going for popular choices straight away. The Blue and Green versions I can understand given the tooling and period chosen, but given Bachmann's price point is bound to be much higher than Accurascale I thought thats the part they should have used to get people to go for their version. Choices such as 31/5 in Civil Engineers Dutch, Regional Railways, Trainload Coal (to go with nuke wagons), Fragonset (the plain black one was never done) or 31454. Easy choices would have been any of the last 4 for EWS, save the EWS one itself. Personal best idea would have been 31110 in green, with the disks and modern headlight or 31190. Others have said that Bachmann have been hit by the class 37 not shifting and to be honest I can see the same happening here...
  14. The false floor idea is a good way for me to be able to build strength into the boards but also keep the boards in position and secure. It leaves the flat surface of the main board underneath allowing the board to be moved around and not risk damage to wiring, scenery or other items that can be exposed. Here the frame of this board starts to come together. Struts across the board allow the scenic deck to be built on. Here as well as struts the boards for frames for the raised track level is going in. The bridge also has to be placed so that the levels for track can be worked out. Then buildings start to be placed and the scene starts to build. Trackwork was placed to work out how things would look and lighting went in. Just as things were starting to come together.... disaster strikes... More on that soon!
  15. Hello all, Time for another update as work has been going on over the last few months and theres a fair bit to catch up on. With one board of the town scene starting to come together it was time to move onto the next. This saw buildings made for the next board done and then put roughly in place. Due to the scenic items on the layout, such as the bridge the track here snakes over towards the middle. This was just to add more interest as to be honest I have not planned this whole area in great detail. Its just been something that has evolved overall. Here the track can be seen showing where the new routes will go. 60201 The Eleventh Earl of Mar is deliberately placed onto the up line as this area will be bi-directional over one line. A view of the raised parts of the trackbed being done and worked out. This has the need for the board to also have a false floor built in so that electrics can be placed under buildings. Another view of the basic town extension taking place. With the idea of the road down the centre forming the main part of the high street. More soon.
  16. Should the marker lights protrude from the front. They almost look flush. Love the detail captured on it all.
  17. Really wishing Tyne and Wear livery was done...
  18. They need all the DCC fitting as standard, even if not full retool. The Hornby Dublo looks to be an A4 retool in disguise so probably not needed - but A3 still needs DCC ready and sound available as standard
  19. Just seen this so joining in the fun... Obvious ones missing from the ranges available to me are; J21 B16 (all types) Q7 BR Standard 3MT A8 New tooled 8F, A3, A4 New tooled HST and Mk. 3s with lighting in coach and CDL Decent unbranded TEA tank wagons with oil stains and weathering Long welded rail train Working tamper Class 170/171 New tooled class 220/221/222 Voyager/Meridian Mk.2z in choc and Cream a la Vintage Trains rake (dare I say) new tooled Mk. 1 with working lights Bagnall Victor/Valiant/Vulcan Saddle Tank engine
  20. Personally I think this is a very strategic and sensible range from Hornby this year. The choices of models and the levels in the range point to a balanced range to cater for a lot of interest and where it is popular. Locomotion No. 1 surely must have been expected in the run into 2025 and after the success of Rocket. Better it should be here now, rather than Hornby's often repeated performance of arriving after the event. I do like that this ticks a box as a proper S&D engine, although I've often pushed for more NER/NE Region machines that came afterwards. As always, there are a few of the Hornby range that crop up soon after release. The P2 with deflectors was to have been done before and the A4 dublo range appears to be the predicted A4 retool is disguise. There are a number of other choices that tie in with releases - the L1 tanks are back and the various railroad items pitch the accuracy and price point to an area that serves that part of the market. Some of the full tooled items are shooting up in price - which is only to increase again next year. Still the choices should get the sales in. Mayflower should prove to be popular while the class 67 in Royal livery should be an instant hit. Yes theres a lot more diesel and electric in the range as Hornby seek to counter the new arrivals from competitors but the range still hits areas that should see them do well. Its a sign that such choices are whats needed, as steam overall looses its once dominant position. Of interest is the release of the GNER HST. It will be interesting to see what the spec of these is fully and if the stock is based on the Oxford Rail Mk.3 range that was supposed to have been designed with HST in mind. Also interesting will be if another HST brakes cover as I suspect it will... So - overall a decent range and one that those who bemoan its lack of some areas must forget that Hornby will have served them well to this point. A balance, a catch up and a chance to hit back on liveries in Hornby's range that are strengths.
  21. There's still 5 Southern region models on the list of forthcoming items to be released and many others still available at the moment. Perhaps its just that the area has had loads in previous years or perhaps people that don't buy models for an area don't generate sales and so Hornby won't be producing any... I've heard that before somewhere...
  22. Innovations is one thing that Richard has always been looking to push forwards. I have been very grateful for the time and support shown to be when we have had the chances to meet up and chat. The market right now is volatile, but Hattons with Richard have looked for ways to bring more people onboard or help spread the wealth of knowledge needed to take part the hobby. The Hattons directory is a treasure trove of information on the prototype but also the models that have followed. It will be a crying shame to loose it and the effort that has gone into it. I wonder if part of that could be lifted and hosted elsewhere - but soon we will also learn what a loss this truely is when we look in the mags and the ads are gone, we look for the price a good engine would be and the Hattons benchmark is gone. Really feel for the staff but know Richard will be doing what he thinks is right and proper for all and for that he has my deepest respect and lasting friendship.
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