MG 7305

You won't. The section on locomotive liveries in the RCTS series (vol 1, Preliminary Survery) is somewhat opaque but my understanding is that post WW1: Until 1927 - Stars, Saints, Castles, KIngs and Halls had "Great - Garter Crest - Western". At the introduction of 6000 King George V, the GWR asked the Palace for permission to name their latest express passenger engine after the King. This was graciously granted but the College of Arms took the opportunity to step in and point out that the Garter Coat of Arms was being used without Royal permission and was incorrect in this application. Therefore the GWR took note and ceased to use the Garter Coat of Arms and 6000 was the last locomotive so painted. All "lesser" classes had the "Great Western" you refer to on their tenders and tanks. In 1934 the monogram was introduced. These exceptions I am aware of, no doubt there are many others: In the early years (ie 1922) after WW1 Stars at least came out with "Great Western" without Garter Crest (4061 built 1922 for example) The 72xx came out post 1934 with "Great Western" on the tanks but they were rebuilt from brand new 5201 class and on rebuild the only change was behind the cab, no need to repaint the tanks. The GWR was very thrifty. I look forward to reading informed comments on this.

Leaving aside the various liveries we have had 2 of the 3 steam pipe options, the third seems to be being ignored: Produced: Inside type - As built. Elbow - outside from boiler but inside pipe type to cylinders. Ignored: Full Castle - still waiting........... Please see RCTS for locomotives and dates. I have purchased examples of the first 2 but I am still waiting for one with full Castle pipes, this since the model was introduced. Mr Hornby, please take note. Back to liveries, I model the GWR so "Monogram" or "G Crest W" (preferred) would be great. Best regards

Well well. Different bodies! My GWR monogram model does not have a mid nose hole, the position is taken by the monogram. As I stated in my earlier email, that is correct for when No 17 was first introduced. Compare the photographs on pages 93 and 97 of The History of the Great Western AEC Diesel Railcars by Colin Judge. On introduction, see page 93 no lamp bracket and bogie skirts. By 23 Aug 39, page 97, the lamp bracket has been fitted and the skirts removed. Kudos to Dapol to include this detail difference. Best regards Julian

To clarify, there are neither the plug holes nor plug in lamps. Best regards Julian

My No 17 runs well and has a huge motor for just the single vehicle. Some points: It has not been fitted with optional lamp brackets as were the first shipment of passenger vehicles. As I understand it this means that it should only run with the skirts on as lamp brackets were fitted shortly after introduction, I assume that this was at the request of the signalmen who wanted positive sight of a lamp rather than having to look for the rather small electric light during the day. I fit Zimo decoders to my models. When the railcar was tested in the shop in DC the cab and head tail lights came on but not the interior ones. Once the decoder was fitted the head and tail lights work as expected and the interior lights are switchable as expected. But the cab lights do not work at all! I have set up the decoder with the same CV values as my previous 2 Dapol railcars and use the same function keys. Any offers as what to do? Best regards Julian

I put a washer under the head of the screw holding the crane body to the vehicle chassis and this fixed the problem. Make sure the washer is no wider than the screw head and the crane rotates freely when you tighten up. Getting the screw in and out is a bit fiddly but it fixed the problem for me. Best regards Julian

Better news. Bachmann's models have the applied printing of numbers and letters in a paint which releases easily from the body colour by application of a little solvent. Please can you suggest/recommend which solvent you would use?

No. E2001 was converted from the Metropolitan Vickers built 18100. Best regards

Dear Sir Topham Hatt (Fat Director/Controller) In principle, the operating coupling should take precedence over any decorative ones such as a (scale?) draw hook, after all you are trying to run a railway with a serious shunting function. Alright, then I recommend that the perpendicular element of the Kadee (behind the coupling element) should be parallel (in line with) with the front of the buffer faces; the photograph shows the Kadee is too long; one of the benefits of the Kadee system is that it gives a shorter coupling distance compared to the hook and bar system used by Bachby . This set up works with radii down to 26"" or less and can be achieved with selecting the right NEM length from # 17-20. I find # 19 works for most Bachmann rolling stock but eyeball it to check. Next, the coupling "claw" should be set at the same height as the Kadee standard gauge you have in your photograph, trust me, this lesson cost me a fortune in scrapped Kadees and I now have 270 Kadee fitted vehicles which obey the "Get it Right First Time " Law. The photo shows the Kadee drooping far too low. This has meant that many of my locomotives and other vehicles do not have prototypical drawhooks (they get in the way) but on the other hand my railway runs well and I can shunt as the Kadee advertisements would have me believe. Finally, if your vehicles suffer from coupling droop as per the photograph, then glue them in. Dapol coupling attachments are the worst criminals here. I cannot recommend "Loctite All Plastics - 2g + 4ml" enough, see Amazon/Wickes or whoever. It works like magic for polyurethane and is a two stage process. First wipe the surfaces with the Activator, wait 20 seconds and then glue as normal. Job's a good'un. I have 270+ vehicles on my layout, all Kadee,and many glued this way. I hang 25 box vans + Brake Van behind the tender and they go up a 1 in 50 incline without trouble. Give it a try. Whatever you do, do make sure your Kadee couplings are horizontal, in line with the centre line of the track and are set at the correct height from the start, if you are adjusting the height of the pig tail to make it work you will have grief; 270 vehicles cannot be wrong. Best regards Julian

My bet is that the chimney is out of gauge when in the use position and therefore hinges back onto the back of the cab/shelter when in the travelling position. The "handles" keep the chimney away from direct contact with the shelter to avoid damage to both when in the travelling position. Best regards

I do not have an 03 but my approach to such issues is to dismantle the model as far as possible, lift motor worm from gear train, is the grinding noise coming from the motor? remove rods and try each axle by hand, is one binding? Has a pickup moved from bearing on the inside of the tyre to somewhere else? Remove drive axle and check drive train is free. This list is not exhaustive but I have managed to keep (and get) 72 models moving as advertised. Good luck Julian

Have you tried Bachmann?

Finding things in the oddest places. Looking through my wife's latest Museum Collection "Sale Book" there is the 2409 in black, early emblem, for £79.99. They claim that the original price was £160.00! Anyway, if you want one for the the money go to museumcollection.co.uk, part # 22308. Best regards

I am running a non sound Zimo MX638 (I have read the decoder manual VERY carefully and programmed it properly) and the model ran well but early on the lights would go out for 2 to 5 seconds from time to time (six bogies and a 1 in 50 gradient.) However with continued running the lights remain on and all is well. I too surmised that something was probably being protected (not the decoder, I have 70 other Zimo decoders that work perfectly and they are very robust.) I suspect that the additional running meant that the running in process needs to be completed and then the model should take less power to operate. Best regards Julian

My Zimo MX638D runs the motor, head and tail lamps as appropriate (F0) and the cab lights (F1 and F2). All dialled in with extended addressing, amended acceleration, deceleration and speed settings. I also use the uncoupler feature of Zimo decoders. All these a fine. But no headcode lights. I have gone back to the factory setting both in DC and DCC except for extended addressing, no joy in DCC but they work in DC. I look forward to the official response from Kernow. Best regards

except no headcodes I too cannot get the headcode boxed to light up on DCC although they work as advertised on DC. In this case I have fitted a Zimo MX638D, 1 A motor output and 6 functions. Email sent so I look forward to a reply.

As you wish. Best regards Julian

Yes, I know, hence my original question kindly answered by Phil. All the other NB hydraulics which had their makers plates displaced when painted blue with the new logo and numbers requiring the space. The D600 model does not have makers plates fitted so I wondered if it was unique. Not so, the maker's plates were indeed moved to the middle bottom of the bodywork, essentially the same (or lowest) point as the D8xx Warships and D63xx painted blue. See below. I will be adding such plates to my D600 when it arrives. Best regards Julian

Brilliant, and very many thanks for finding this picture, The shots I had found did not show the "shadow", it being indistinct due the plate being fitted there for only 8 months. I now know where to fix my NB makers plates (as and when Kernow deliver the model.) As an aside, I have found that double sided sticky tape is more forgiving than any glue for fixing plates. Best regards Julian

The arrival of the D600 models have started me looking at photographs of it in blue livery and I cannot see where the maker's plates ended up when displaced from the nose. I believe that all the other NB hydraulics (D63xx) had them moved to the centre bottom position (would be sole bar if not covered) once the nose position was required for logos or numbers. Any offers? Julian

Lets hope it doesn't run into pirates! Do not forget that there are at least 1500 men o' war in the area to see them off, they should make short work of any pirates. Julian

I had a chuckle when trying to identify the "A" and "B" ends of a GWR diesel railcar (and thus "Forward") only to discover that on the general arrangement drawing for Nos 20 to 33 that they used the terminology of "London" and "Bristol" ends! See The History of the GREAT WESTERN A.E.C. RAILCARS by Colin Judge page 156 Figure 59A. Meanwhile back on topic......... Julian

"Although you get a pair of Roco couplings in the box I fitted a pair of Kadee 19's instead and here's the result. Also, like the Collett corridor's you get a pair of destination boards too. You can see the no smoking signs here too." Beware too many pin joints/flexible links in a coupling between 2 vehicles. I found that if you have 2 coaches with the extending mechanism and then include 2 Kadees then you are liable to get derailments, particularly on reverse curves; I found this out the hard way with the Hawksworth coaches. I took advice from the Gentleman at Keen Systems and he spelt it out. I suggest that you get some real Roco couplings (they are shorter than the ones supplied with the Hawksworth and mainline Colletts.) You will have no problem with the the Kadees between the end vehicles and a locomotive. Indeed I have included the Hornby Restaurant car in my mainline stock with Kadees and there is no problem.

Does anyone else have a 4920 missing the front cylinder relief valves? I was able to cut a pair off a spare chassis so no harm done. Best regards Julian

Dear Paul Of the period that these cranes were in service with the GWR. Best regards Julian