Mikkel

An interesting discussion. Earlier we have discussed on here how the public health acts (I remember the 1875 one being highlighted) had a big impact on town planning, including not just sewage but also wider streets, planting of trees etc. But that would especially be in the big towns I suppose.

11 hours ago, ChrisN said:

This picture shows how close. 

What a lovely scene - right from the front and all the way to the horizon!

Thanks both, I will give it a go. I have previously had success getting the VAT/duty waived with replacements, but not the £20 import handling fee as they claim it still has to be handled again.

Just had a close look. Methinks the link is plastic. Can anyone confirm?

Lovely runner, until this happened:

Looks like a direct break, nothing untoward prior to this happening, the otherwise lovely model just running in quietly at half speed. Happened after about 25 minutes running.

Return label doesn't seem to work for overseas orders, but I have no doubt it will be sorted via e-mail. Import fees due again though.

6 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

I don't know if the Dapol cab is actually any different to to the first run - could just be the angle of the photos.

From the Dapol website:

"New cab with higher and shorter roof"

"Porthole cab windows above the firebox – where appropriate"

https://www.Dapol.co.uk/blogs/news/oo-gauge-43xx-mogul-decorated-samples

That does look like a bit of a challenge, nice result. Looking at the photo you posted above, there are some challenging shapes there!

Ah yes, the order of jam and cream - those all-important little clues that have blown the cover of many a secret agent.

Looking back through this thread, it is interesting to note that all images of the Finchings have disappeared. Clearly someone is trying to hide their identity. This is the last we heard of them: 

On 26/02/2022 at 19:28, gwrrob said:

A few more of 18000 although Flora Finching shews no interest in the new kid on the block.

 

I bet Rob knows more than he is letting on.

Yes indeed, she is a Dickensian character. I can't remember how Minnie came in - maybe Rob can - but the two of them are part of ANTB lore (according to the RMweb search engine they were first introduced by Rob on March 29, 2013).

As for the RSS station, it seems impossible to find anyone who can confirm or deny!

All that, no doubt, but maybe it's just a cover? 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-65707500

😄

Sad to see the layout go, Graham. But as others have said I'm sure something new and excellent will rise from the ashes. Did you save the large oak? A bit of a signature piece for Chuffnell Regis, in my mind.

And Flora Finching sat on the bench. But where is Minnie and why are they in Penzance?

Thank you, I get it now. I should have studied the photo of your new den more carefully. You are a lucky man. 

Inspired by Al's recent blog post, I've been wondering whether I really needed a new 43xx, or whether my trusty old Bachmann version was enough.

Here is No. 4301 in early form at Swindon (as posted earlier):

Here's the new Dapol 43xx (thanks Rob):

Here's a shot I took today of my old Bachmann version, which really is more of a 63xx I now realize:

And here is Dapol's earlier 63xx - mirrored to allow cab comparison:

(Personal conclusion: Dapol 43xx for pregrouping work, but old friend Bachmann 43xx gets to stay for grouping sessions, albeit with some mods. Everyone wins 🙂).

I've had two tabs open in the browser, switching between your two stations - the one above and this one below from your Beyond Dover/Sao Lucas thread. Partly to admire them, and partly to work out if they are the same layout (I think you were working on a concept some time ago where the same layout would depict different locations)?

Apologies for losing the plot a bit, it's all borne out of genuine interest!

On 01/02/2024 at 18:24, Northroader said:

 

I was intrigued by the chalk scribblings, telling stories of long lost journeys.

Acid. 

50 minutes ago, Miss Prism said:

 

It's probably misleading to describe them either as batch 1 or revised new tooling. To me, these are variations in the toolset as originally planned by Dapol. (Although it looks like the slidebars have been improved, as promised, which is very welcome.)

 

4321 represents the earliest prototype state (actually not quite, the short cab/short frame 4301-20 were never intended to be covered by Dapol).

 

I feel Dapol has probably gone as far as it reasonably could without busting the tooling bank, and there are lots of excellent things about 4321 that make it good for the early period - portholes in the cab front, longitudinal vacuum cylinder on the tender, flush-riveted tender body, early pony truck cover, flush-riveted smokebox, small boss wheels, parallel chimney, tall vacuum pipe. What is not included in the Dapol tooling for the very early locos are:

 

- a wooden roof for the cab (steel cab roofs started to appear c 1919 - the first loco so built is cited iirc somewhere on one of the RMweb Mogul threads);

- an early style of lubricator pipe cover and/or smokebox damper;

- light tender springs;

- early brake hangars (on both loco and tender).

 

Painting-wise, it should have polished splasher beading for the very early state (disappeared mostly during WWI I think), and I'm fairly certain wheelboss lining was not being applied to service paints by that stage (1911). Dapol probably got the notion from the works grey portraits of 4302 and 4331. My view is that wheel boss lining on service paints probably disappeared c 1906-7, but I could be wrong. It's one of those 'transitional' painting phases.

 

The cab/tender handrails are too gaudy in my view.

 

Overall though, Dapol has pushed the boat out for such an early style, and commendably so. It looks a cracker.

 

 

 

Thank you, the pre-WW1 features are useful. I would want to address some of them (whether on this one or on my trusty old Bachmann version, which for all its issues runs like silk and has personality).

Looking at these Swindon shots of 4301 and 4302, which presumably have the wooden rooves, I'm wondering whether the rooves are notably different from the model in visual terms.

Thanks Håvard, a fine list of craftsmen. 

Skövde sounds good! Do you know the Ribe Club in Denmark? Good stuff. They have an English website here, with some quirky videos captioned in English. The style is deliberately slow-paced, not your usual social media chop-chop 🙂

https://vibefilm.dk/rhjms-english/

They don't make station buildings like that anymore. Very attractive!

Nice harvest, Chris.

So you're the one who got the last A7 trade horse 🙂 They are currently sold out. But I follow in your footsteps with a couple of Shires and the horsebox from Gary on order.

I look forward to seeing how the horsebox goes. It is strange to think that esoteric pregrouping horseboxes can now be purchased fully printed. 

The brewer's dray looks good, better than the Shirescenes etched one from the same, er, stable.

The 

5 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

It's engine compartment windows have been updated

For details and photo, see this page and scroll down to "Water Fillers" near the bottom:

https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/zrailmotor93/features/features.html

"Stanier Green".

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

 

Trains in a bottle. Now there's a thought.

It looks like a lovely van. I see from the Wizard site that they were "the most numerous of all the Midland ‘all brakes’ ". Your usual fact-based approach, then.

...and then mow grass between rails 🙂

Excellent weathering, quite a transformation.  And an allegory of life 🙂