The Black Hat

No need to having to worry about the rough riding.... my trackwork will sort all that out good and proper!

Im cringing on how many of these im going to buy.... what with a 2 car 144, a 3 car 144, in Northern, WYPTE red and cream, then Regional Railways, a 143 in Regional, Provincial and Tyne and Wear..... crikey.... better get saving....

And should a sister unit appear.... it will happen all over again....

Engine looks wonderful - but they are putting wheels under it?!

(sorry - thought someone would have posted that by now....)

It looks a lovely engine and sure to please a great many enthusiasts of the wider eastern region by modelling a locomotive with a mixed duty and livery history. Certainly those of us modelling preservation will be buying some, myself included, but then again, why not!?

Not just a 155... but a 142, 150, 153, 155, 156 and even on occasions a 158!

I think the better prospects for this unit and model is to do the class 144 and 143 at the same time. Appealing to modern moddellers with the Valley Lines and Northern and WYPTE will offer everyone that models the current scene the chance to fill that small gap in the unit roster and fleet, providing an up to date model made with the most modern manufacturing methods. Its great news to hear that this is being made, but also should be a brilliant start for this new company REALTRACK.

Whats more, backdating the model should time well with those that are modelling the 1980s, and 1990s, including those who (if the 30 year rule) is anything to go by) should be starting to return to the hobby and one of these would go down well with the Blue diesels and start of railfreight, intercity and sectorisation.

Being from where I am, I've developed a massive soft spot for the humble and much derirded Pacer unit. If the 142 was to follow Id hate to think how much saving would be needed to replace the current fleet I have, but upgrade them for the layout with the latest specs.

Should be interesting to hear the brief and design specs, after those images, to understand exactly how much detail and extras are to be placed in the unit. Hopefully someone from the company is on the forum..... but its brilliant news....

You cant have just one of these.... given where they operate and how frequently they pass other units of the same type, you must have two or three surely?

This really is a welcome addition to the modern unit scene. The class 144/143 is something that Ive put on wishlists for every single time one has come up. Okay, so they arent normally found in County Durham where Im from, but given how good the model looks I'm sure to get some. Taigatrommel is right. Being around for 25 years the classes have performed a sterling service running passengers back and forth on a journey that needed costs to be cut and work cheaply at the time they were made. Yes they arent perfect but the network would be significantly worse off without them, and their sister class 142s.

Its a shame that the 142 isnt following this unit, as the class 144/143 are virtually identical. Maybe thats something else for the future. One question I do have, is that is the centre car for the 3-car 144 going to follow the 2 car varients? Id love to see the 143 back dated to liveries from the 1980s, ie the Tyne and Wear yellow and provincial blue. Would certainly be getting models of those.

If its any help for Taigatrommel 144011 and 144013 carried the standard Regional Railways livery as well as the 143 counterparts that were in the north east, prior to their dispatch to Wales. The rest carried the standard WYPTE red and cream stripe....

Brilliant news all round!

Excellent model of the Eurostar.... sounds very accurate and realistic. Will be very interesting to hear and see the results of your labours for the other engines that you say you have produced. To my knowledge some people have gone and tried to do them... but not to the same standard that your Eurostar was.

My congrats - its hard to impress me, but after that I was.....

Yeah it looked really good on the video... though I thought it was a platform style announcement than the complete speach with the guard on the intercom too. I think i might mount something on a laptop to get something similar as the layout I am building is for exhibiting and im thinking of using a screen to show a departure board too.

Will have to get some videos of mine put onto the site too now that the layout is nearing completion. Good news for me is that its an end to end layout and as a result I wont need to take cover when the camera pans round on a run around the layout!!

Just looking at the class 150 video above - how have you done the train crew annoucements that are featured on the film. Are they under the board on speakers or actually played from a clip on the sound chip. Id guess its the former, but interested how youve done it....

Anyone got news of when 535 is due? And no.... I dont want it to be wrong!

I have a Austerity or two here that Im looking to use on my model railway, which features a preserved line meeting the national network. I am aiming to run things as close to typical operation as possible with those that are supporting me on the exhibition curcuit - when its built!

While the line I have chosen runs for 19.7 miles for preserved operation, the shuttle between two points runs for 10 miles, meaning a 20 mile round trip. There are fueling facilities at one station for the engine to refuel, but how long does it take to refuel a Austerity, and would it be near empty after the 20 mile round trip with say 2 Mk.1s as a load. The line doesnt have too many steep gradients or taxing curves. Any help with answers as to how it would run would be most helpful. While I expect an engine such as a Pannier makes journeys like this in preservation, I think it should be possible for the Austerity, but am wondering how long it has to fuel too.

Anyone started to repaint their own Austerity?

Fact is that even a Jinty is a shunting locomotive and so just as out of place as a J94 would be. The Austerities (I call them J94's - much easier! Especially when typing!) can be just about do anything locomotives, but passenger workings were'nt really what they didn. Despite this I said that railways evolve and so have the duties for the locomotives. I think some of the problem seeing a small shunter is that they still believe in a rigid structre of a role for engines that used to be. There isnt any wagons or Yards for a J94, Jinty, or even better, a J72 to shunt in. As a result they are working on different roles now.

Have some modellers done their own liveries for a J94 / Austerities. Would be interesting to see some results for new NCB liveries or better still, your own railway!

I think a few people have raised issues that would be quite understandable with regards to the image and status of the J94/Austerity in preservation. The tanks were quite popular and versitile in nature and easily accesable for preservation as quite a few came from NCB backgrounds where steam lasted longer. A few railways survive on the reliablilty and power of the Austerity tank engines, Middleton, Embsay, Foxfield and Tanfield being a few.

To say that they are just shunters is I think underestimating the engines themselves. Despite the fact that this was there intended design railways do not remain the same and as such the function of many engines has changed. If people are wanting authenticity like it used to be your going to need a certain police box. As someone else stated, A4's, Kings, and Duchesses were all mainline engines. You wouldnt get an A4 into Pickering, Kiddermister or Bury. Equally so, an 8F or Q6 in unlined black would hardly be rosterd for a passenger working. This can be taken further... how many times do you arrive at a preserved railway and a Black 5 is the rostered motive power. These engines were also built in their hundreds, but thanks to a benevolent history for the class quite a few survived into preservation. The same can not be said for the B1, despite being built in similar(ish) numbers. Eastern regions were notorious for scrapping engines quickly and now as a result only two B1s survive, yet the class was prolific across the Eastern region. Black 5's were not too frequent across to Whitby, yet the NYMR, one of the lines I requent doenst look out of place with one. Yet, who complains when another Black 5 is seen when you arrive at both the Great Central, Bury and Keighley? These are almost as prolific as the Austerity tank everyone derives, but also out of place on 5 or 6 coaches on a passenger working, trundelling along at 25mph on a branch line that would have seen a tank engine.

The austerity tanks have a role to play still, indeed, the class is a marvellous success story that should be celebrated rather than dismissed. I think its a shame that more dont carry their NCB, industrial or even own liveries that an owner or preserved railway wants to apply. Theres only so much green and black that should be seen. Perhaps an engine such as a Austerity can add its own character or colour to the railway on which it opperates. The one at Bury came to the rescue last summer, when other engines were out of ticket or not available. Jo Public doesnt know, and fankly probably doesnt care what the engine on the front is, so long as it chuffs and sounds nice. Lets face it a working Austerity sounds impressive.

So, whether they are industrial or BR, J94 or Austerity, black, green, red or blue - ask yourself one question. Just sometimes, dont you think its nice to have a touch of decent mediocrity?

Those new videos there only confirm just how good Bryans work down at Howes models really are. The idea of having the track groaning and the wheel flange gives the sound of the locomotives a whole new dimension for accuracy.

Im looking through the engines that I have here and am looking at how many are going to need to be reblown! Going to be a lot of pennies and savings needed - but also thinking that my A1, 60164 (yes the number is right!) needs some sound too.... decisions, decisions...

Well I've just given into temptation (or should that be finally got my wages so I could afford it) and ordered 1. Another Truro heading to the north east in the near future. Looks like we are going to be an outpost of Swindon

There might be the odd example of Swindon up here good freind but remember on my line NER has dominion!

While I know I'm anti gimmics, I think the opening doors has some merits. At least then the loco could appear to be being service on shed.

Got back after being out today and admiring City with another engine thats technically in the National Collection. I cant believe people on the thread are already wishlisting away onto the next one....

A suggestion could be:

Sorry I completely disagree with this bit, the cab detail is pants compared to recent Hornby releases and the Castle looks superb in comparison.

 

The detail is chunky, mostly moulded in place.

The water glass is painted wheras Hornby are now using a square section of clear plastic.

The dials have no numbering or hands.

 

Hornby are still well ahead in this area as they are in the rest of livery application.

 

The other thing I noted at Wigan is the representation of the inside motion isn't as good as the T9.

 

It does look tight for P4 wheels but even if they did fit you don't normally get good running on a rigid 4-4-0. If someone opens one up can they see if its geared on both driven axles? The plastic cover seems to suggest so, no doubt the service sheet should show the detail too.

 

Still nice to see an off the shelf City though.

Im sorry but I disagree here. As I said before Im no rivit counter. If the model looks right then Im happy with it. Right now on my line Im trying to get things to look, sound and light the right way - so Truro is already one third of the way there.

Im impressed withn the cab. The floor is well done and the plate on it has been fitted neatly afterwards. Im not that fussed about whether theres a pointless bit of clear plastic that you dont see when you start to put figures there in the way. Hornby have concerntrated on gimmics too much to try and out-do others on models and for what? Do I need opening doors on my class 50, or 31? It seems to be standard that these gimmics are added, but then not needed. Im not going to press doors with fingers on my layout that I hope to exhibit so everyone watching then goes - "oh look... the driver must have got out." Bachmann have applied a smart and neat cab to Truro and not bothered with needless fittings. In my opinion I think thats better and is aimed towards those modellers that get on with modelling rather than pay more for a model as it comes in a red box.

Too many people spout the rhetoric that Hornby must be good for stuff, but they model on a more well known brand and still put on things like the doors, moving fans that cant be seen when the engine is in motion. Better for models to be like their Bachmann counterparts, with more details like cab lights you can switch on or off, and for making engines more representative the wider network rather than just the Southern region!

City of Truro has arrived here 'up n'rth' in County Durham - the resident guest locomotive from the nearby Shildon NRM 2 annex.

First impressions of the model are very impressive, even if at first I expected the Indian Red to be brighter, I think on reflection and closer inspection that it is very accurate. It just shows how first impressions sometimes give you miss givings. Now I'm no rivet counter but the model looks fantastic. It comes with a myriad of extra detailing parts, even a seperate second bogie truck, but this too has the coupling mounted on the front. Im half tempted to get rid of the front coupling. Quite why the model comes with this second bogie part and the coupling I'm unsure, however, I think its a brilliant idea to supply spare parts that might be needed should the awful happen that I dont want to, but you never know. Theres also a host of extra detail parts for the model, some again seem to duplicate the ones on the model and Bachmann should be congragulated for supplying these - theres nothing worse than damaging an engine by accident, but not having parts to fix it. At the price these cost youd want to have everything you can get for it.

Detailing parts.

So what do you get for your hard earned cash? Well, aside from the model of the locomotive with its certainly individual history, you get a great deal of satisfaction from admiring Bachmann's hard work and due dilligence. Chris and the Model Rail team mustn't have got much work done when this thing arrived at the desk for review.

The model itself is an absolute joy to behold. The carefully crafted lining marks out the boiler, especially the rib leading to the infamous Western copper cap safety valve. The cab details leaves Hornby trailing slightly, as the wooden pannels on the floor are depicted carefully, the copper piping and dials are all present. Oddly, the locomotive doesnt come with a crew! Something Bachmann always used to supply with models. Maybe given its a NRM model the idea of supplying the small 'new model army' (couldnt resist the joke there!) that goes around with this engine and Cromwell would have pushed the cost up slightly higher for all the figures of those that keep the real engines working so well.

Cab detail

I like the fact that Bachmann have tried to include a sound option for the tender. How it will quite work Im not wonderfully sure, but one thing is certain - this machine here is getting it! While it seems the provision is for it in the tender, my model will be soon embarking on a trip to a 'locomotive works' for attention. Now I just need to save for the sound chip! Surely one must be out there somewhere.

The model is wonderfully respelndent, just like the real thing. Its a fantastic standard that Bachmann continue to excel for and in my opinion show themselves to be the better company of the big two for building the more austere models that the railway is more representative of, rather than express model engines or the southern region that the red team seem to plum for.

City of Truro

One thing is certainly clear - George Jackson Churchward would be proud.

Im sorry the pics arent brilliant but they were taken on the phone and light here aint wonderful this mornin'.

Whats needed now is someone modelling the PS Waverley just to complete the whole Glasgow port or Clyde river scene. Would be brilliant for an 0 gauge layout but whos going to volunteer to build it.

That's what I like to hear - I'm sure all of us with copper caps are duly proud of your conversion (btw I can speak from both camps as it happens with one great grandfather who worked for the GWR and another who worked for the NER, plus sundry other relatives who also worked for the latter).

Well most will have read about my views of the North Eastern railway heritage that I've studdied and am proud of. I'll contest any idea the region is overlooked! There should be more models for it, given the scope of potential to model.

Despite this though, being the historian I am, I do really have a wide and more balanced view of railways and their history in general. The Truro is indeed a marvelous machine - even York orginally agreed with this and offered her a place for preservation. Understanding and appriciation of good locos is what should unite this hobby. All opinions matter, and all in many ways are right, even if its fun to tease and joke that ours are better, etc. We each admire and like our own favourites, and an engine like Truro will be liked and respected by many.

So... now that Truro is here and ready... you need a nice J21 for your line! If not, get back ducking behind your sandbags....

I understand the merits for the engine being a limited edition run and thus more expensive - but as someone who could get WOW factor when opperating at some future exhibition, this is a definate purchase for me. Ordered mine online last night and now waiting in the heartland of the 51 area shed plate for a old western region engine to arrive! Who'd have thought it?!

Somerset and Dorset sentinel link....

 

There you go

The S&D Sentinels were somewhat different in shape from our model, but remember, it's YOUR layout, if you want to run a Sentinel, you don't need to make an excuse to do so!

CHRIS LEIGH

S&D is the Stockton and Darlington, which did have preserved 'No. 54' at one point during its career!!

But aside from tounge in cheek comments about which line was around first, I have no doubt the magazine is inundated with requests about gauge, colours liveries, clearences, price, timescales and what features the model has. Keep up the good work!

The class 50's I have on my line are:

50031 Hood in Large Logo

50030 Repulse in Large Logo

and

50040 'Victim Support' in Regional Railways!

David

aka The Black Hat