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Alex... consider Boxenby provisionally booked for 2025! ;-) Sorry I haven't updated the Showcase website - I need to do that. Cavalex are a late addition! Guy

As long as Nobby had nothing to do with them, they're very welcome next year George! Guy

Hahahaha.... that explains the 'selective' photos Mick! You're panicking, but so are Nobby and I with getting the exhibition ready! Looking forward to seeing Deadman's Lane in all its yellow glory in a 3 weeks time. Guy

I agree it's hard to predict these things but it's proved true for at least the last 14 years. If anything, it's rising even quicker than I stated above. Graph linked below. With the lack of any evidence to the contrary, it's more scientific to base one's business forecasts on existing trends that are observed (with a good amount of contingency thrown in) than guesswork. Guy

OK, back of an envelope calculation: Wages in china are doubling every ~7 years at the moment (http://www.tradingeconomics.com/china/wages). Given that the current average salary in China is around $10K / year (around 1/4 of the UK average - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_average_wage), then we are looking at 14 years before wages in China reach those of the UK (assuming that the current negligible wage inflation in the UK continues). 14 years…. that's really not very long folks! Guy

Mentholated spirits, are they the ones 'avec menthol'?

My job got outsourced to India 15 years ago. I got over it.

Rapscallions! Life would be so much better without those pesky greens. Let's not bother trying to clean up the planet, bring on emphasema for our kids and a 5m rise in sea level. At least there would be jobs in the rail industry! Apollo, that's an interesting fact, thanks for sharing. Guy

Thanks George for getting us back on topic. Nobby.... leave Brent out of it! Guy

Cycling through London the other day and a Deliveroo cyclist waiting next to me at the lights had a full-on sound system rigged into his push-bike on full blast. I told him to buy some headphones.

Obviously that should be 17 minutes past eight!

That wasn't your opinion over on the 4TC thread Roy, where you were arguing that striving for a model to be spot on was not worth doing (given that all models are, in the end, manufactured to a price). So which is it? Given the price, personally I think that Oxford have done a far better job on the mk3 than Bachmann on the 4TC. Glazing (which is the main gripe) is easily replaceable. Just because a model is pricey doesn't make it good, and conversely, just because a model is cheap doesn't make it bad. It's what can be achieved for the price that should be the measure (IMO). Guy

Not guilty George! But if I do ever get the chance to leave Nobby off and give you and Richard all the credit, I will seize it with open arms! ;-) Guy

I wasn't aware we had got anyone's name wrong Bryan?

Folks, I've updated the webpage with the amendments listed above. Nobby: to be fair, on our Google Drive spreadsheet it said Cripple Lane (I just copied it from there). I've amended the doc to reflect the correct name. Next you'll be telling me I've put pictures of the wrong layout in the Showguide (now who would do something stupid like that?) Guy

Well said Ian. 100% Correct! ;-) Just as a reminder, from page 1 of the thread, here is a prototype shot showing just how much higher the gangway floor is on the prototype. Getting this right has absolutely nothing to do with manufacturing tolerances or the thickness of the checkplate steps in front of the recesses. Let's hope we see some photos in due course to establish whether Bachmann have got this right (fingers crossed it's just the angle of the photo!). It true that a model is made to a price (in this case, a very high one) so it's not unreasonable to expect a result commensurate with the price. In this case, the additional cost of adding, for example, etched steps or handrails if they help to improve the appearance and proportions of the front end is a price worth paying. In my opinion, getting the shape right is far more important than stuff like interior lighting and DCC gimmickry - and that's speaking as someone who has many sound chipped locos and who is very fond of DCC gimmickry! I can easily add that stuff later, it's less easy to rectify major errors in the shape of a model that might require a full or partial repaint. Guy

It's precisely because I want one that I want it to be right. There is a perverse logic to not striving for 100% accuracy on a new model. Granted, for certain parts, compromises need to exist (e.g. due to minimum wall thicknesses or moulding undercuts) but in the case of the gangway there doesn't seem to be a reason for it not to be spot on. Or for that matter for the parts I mentioned above not to be painted the right colour. Your last paragraph is just belittling and insulting to those people who want an accurate model. I am fully aware of what is involved bringing these products to market. Models are a compromise between accuracy, time to market and cost, not to mention the modern problems of dealing with communication with offshore teams. This doesn't stop me from wanting the accuracy to be as close to 100% as possible though. Commenting on the accuracy of models is to our hobby what peer review is to the scientific process or press freedom to Democracy. Long may it continue.... Guy

The reason why the bottom of the door looks so wrong when comparing the photos on the Kernow site is because the bottom of the recessed panel and the check plate are both painted black on the model, whereas on the prototype shot (even the one on kernow's website) these are yellow. Visually this compounds the problem. Here is a photo of the recess panel and the checkplate so you can see the parts that I refer to (although they are unhelpfully purple in this photo!). Kernow/Bachmann: please paint these yellow on your unweathered models! In reality, the model looks to still be wrong, but not by a scale foot (more like 3-4 inches). EDIT, further evidence here that the check plate is yellow: https://www.flickr.com/photos/74009/4332806147/sizes/o/ Guy

Yes please! Can't believe I've been waiting so long.

Ok, finally found a good shot on Flickr by Dave Jolly to compare against. I think you're right Shane and Roy, Oxford Rail have the bottom of the grey about right. It runs approximately equidistant between the horizontal door crease and the handle and the grab rail recess protrudes upwards slightly into it. The yellow stripe is definitely too wide!

Agree that the yellow stripe is a bit too wide. The bottom of the grey is actually a bit too low. Looking at photos, use either the tapering horizontal crease in the doors or the vertical handrail to see where this should end, e.g. : https://www.flickr.com/photos/97395593@N08/15352880684/sizes/l

Thanks both. That's certainly a brave and interesting move! Having done the CAD yourselves you should be in a really good position to articulate your requirements. Hǎo yùn! Guy

Hi Alex, I'm interested in placing a small order. Are you able to say who you are partnering with to produce these please? Many thanks, Guy

How have I managed to miss a 70 page quarry layout thread!! Looking forward to catching up on the train on the way home tonight. Guy

I had the pleasure of seeing the boards to the layout 'in the flesh' this weekend. I think you've eclipsed all previous work with this one: it's the best yet! It seems to capture the feel of the fens very well (despite having a bridge!). I'm looking forward to seeing it up and running at a show soon. Guy