JaymzHatstand

Well, I've finally got myself a temporary layout of settrack laid down in my room, and I can play! This is usually accompanied by my son (2 and a bit) who dictates what runs, but the Victory has been allowed out to play with a suitably prototypical train,... ...of cats! We both very much enjoy the sounds, and I'm enjoying learning to actually drive it, being so used to DC! I've got some nameplates on order, so in due course, it'll be named Seb, after the boy! Fantastic model, and great fun to play with! Cheers J

Thanks for that, they were definitely laser cut and on the Peco stand, possibly at the 009 Society Anniversary show at Statfold last month. I had seen the MS buildings before, and quite fancy a couple of them too, but had forgotten what the range was called, so you've jogged my memory there! Cheers J

I'm sure I've seen some photos online somewhere of a few laser cut models of Tan-y-Bwlch station building and the Old Engine Shed at Boston Lodge. I recall them looking pretty good, especially once painted. I haven't been able to find any more details of them anywhere, and was wondering if anyone could help! I quite fancy the Old Shed, to make a photo plank/small layout to recreate some of the scenes often seen in the older photos, and at more modern photo shoots. As inspiration, here is one of mine from 2018 which I hope to replicate in 009! Cheers J

Seems a sensible move to have a temporary exclusivity, as it should make the railway a bit of money before they go on general release. I think I may well see if Santa Claus and the birthday fairy fancy joining forces. The first trip I had with Mrs J was behind Blanche, so I hope I can invoke a bit of nostalgia and sentimentality in the request! I'm already seeing photos of them in people's hands, so the eagerness of a purchase is hopefully doing its job for the FfR and Bachmann! Cheers J

I note that the coupling pockets are separate to the pony trucks, which adds greatly to the realism, though I suspect that will affect the curves the loco will negotiate while hauling stock. No something I'm concerned with, as my tightest bit of track is a run round loop, where a loco will run light, but it may be an issue for others. Minimum radius the loco will negotiate is a useful factor for planning, but minimum radius the loco will haul around is just as useful. Very much looking forward to seeing what looks to be an excellent model progress Cheers J

They are looking lovely, my old Chivers one might have to retire, or at least go on to secondary duties! Plenty of livery options too, but I'll be hard pressed to decide! Another in blue, maroon, ochre, faux Cambrian black green, or BR green as they were when I went in 1988! Crikey! I'd best crack on and build some more stock! Cheers J

Now these do look nice, and as I'm thoroughly tempted, I'm looking for an easy reason to justify one (or two) One of my little projects is to model a decent NYMR goods rake, and there are 6 Machine Flats on their books according to the Railway Heritage Register, but I'm not sire if any of them would be easily achievable from the Rapido offering. BR B 904152 Machinery Flat built 1960 Lowmac AB - ZXR BR B 904551 Machinery Flat built 1952 Lowmac WP - XLV BR B 905009 Machinery Flat built 1950 Lowmac WE - XLO LNER 217315 Machinery Flat built 1939 Lowmac EO - XLV BR B 905100 Machinery Flat built 1959 Lowmac WV - XLW LNER 269004 Machinery Flat built 1945 Lowmac EO - XLV I'm presuming the two LNER built one would be out, and probably the rest, but if anyone else could offer any advice as to whether any of these would be achievable with one of the Rapido models, I'd be most grateful! Cheers J

Ooooooooooooo! Looks like I'll have to pop in to put my name down for a couple! I don't suppose there's any idea of pricing yet is there? Cheers J

Oooo! Intriguing indeed! Obviously the first thing that springs to mind is a new loco, or item of rolling stock, but York lends itself to some potentially magnificent Scene craft buildings too (assuming the announcement is York themed of course!) Perhaps a set of city wall pieces, complete with an erstwhile model shop secreted tantalisingly underneath! If only I wasn't working, I'd pop in and see for myself! Still a magnificent anniversary for a wonderful shop that has taken more of my money than I care to imagine! Cheers J

The BCC magazine article also mentions the tooling change to loose the end steps! Huzzah! I've done several myself, and have a load more to do, and it can be a right bind! But when trying to model a rake of carriages in anything like the present day, they have to go! Cheers J

Well, that's given me a little project to add to our Christmas tree layout. I'll have to dig out a naff box van, paint it black and white and just leave it in a siding! It might even be useful for any shows from November onwards! This is supposed to be fun after all isn't it? Cheers J

That's a really nice (if that's the right term for such a condition vehicle!) hard working looking carriage. The track plan looks really interesting too, the sort of thing I fancy doing for my smaller 009 locos. It has a hint of the classic 'rabbit warren' type layout, but not the fanciful track saturation that was often present in such layouts, though some were very well done! Looking forward to seeing more happen in due course! Cheers J

Excellent! Is it close umenough that I need to get another print of myself in 7mm?! Though would a steam loco crew member be appropriate I wonder?! That's me with the left arm raised, and my good friend Graeme as the fireman. Cheers J

I've got a few such wagons in my stock box, all slightly upgraded with things like vac pipes and better wheels, they usually illicit a positive response (much in the vein of yours) or the appreciation of a younger viewer, or an eye roll from those who regard themselves above such frivolity! I've a Polo and a Duracell tank somewhere to do next! Cheers J

Just a quick update to say that the S&W couplings performed well over the weekend and the Siphon spent quite a while 'out front' being happily shunted about. It seemed to impress a few people too, so that's always a bonus! Cheers J

If you don't fancy joining the club, which is understandable if you only want the one loco, have you looked into finding someone who is in the club, who could order one on your behalf? That's what a friend of mine does, he just transfers to money into his account to pay for it. He just collects the goods whenever they see each other so they don't have to worry about postage, simple really (once you find someone to order for you!) Cheers J

There was a brief discussion earlier in the thread as to whether Spratt and Winkle couplings could be fitted, and the answer is yes! At least they can be if you operate with them below the bufferbeam as I do. With just a couple of notches made in the top of the bogie fram to accommodate the coupling bar, and the NEM pocket removed, it is pretty much non-destructive to the model, and completely reversible. The paddle of the coupling needs trimming to fit the NEM hole, and a big blob of solder to replace the lost leverage, but that's easy enough with trial and error. The van will be gracing my layout, Whitborough Quayside this weekend at the Redcar show, so hopefully the couplings will behave under more stringent conditions than when it's been tested at home! Some light weathering has occurred too, just so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb! Cheers J

On a personal note, and I'm sure several others are in the same boat, I hope the range of NER carriages finds a new home when Dan eventually decides to take a well earned rest. I know a good number of his wagons have found their way to 51L models making them much easier to aquire via Wizard Models (no connection other than as a satisfied, and much poorer as a result, customer!) The arc roofed vehicles would be particularly handy for the recently released G5, as indeed would the clerestiories. I do keep meaning to send off for the latest price list, but I always seem to think about it when the cash flow is low, and I don't want to waste Dan's time if I'm not going to be making a purchase or two. Cheers J

And yet, the main thing I've seen regarding the G5s, mainly elsewhere, is mention of push-pull working. I fully appreciate that it is a somewhat novel and interesting operational procedure, and many people aren't concerned with accuracy, but sometimes it seems, that creates its own problems with a lack of available rolling stock being key in this instance. I don't have a problem with people enjoying their railway modelling in their own way, we all have different aspects that we focus on, and that's part of what makes for such a diverse and fascinating hobby. I wouldn't dream of criticising someone for wanting to run their G5 as a push pull loco, as I said, it makes for a change to regular workings, but I would personally hope that any manufacturer looking at RTR NER stock would concentrate on the more run-of-the-mill carriages first, as they would be much more useful! Cheers J

And livery wise, it'll be nice and easy, by then it would most likely have been plain brown, which is what my D&S clerestory will be in eventually! Quite an involved kit, but certainly looks lovely as it goes together (slowly) Cheers J

Once you get to the LNER liveried locos, there's plenty of choice as the Gresley/Thompson non-corridor stock has been produced in several liveries over the years, and the vestibule stock is also widely available in several forms. There are also non-brass kits available for a number of diagrams not covered by RTR (which is most of the useful ones) Hopefully some NER vehicles will appear at some stage, as I don't fancy trying to replicate the intricate livery myself! Cheers J

As mine is in LNER black, I thinking would be less than conclusive! The underlying material will make a big difference to the colour, shade and sheen of the paint too, as will whatever varnish/polish is applied over the top. As an example, I have a Hornby Duke of Gloucester which is a product of their Design Clever phase. Now, many if you will remember the terrible rendition of BR green that was en vogue with the red-boxers at the time, was rather insipid and washed out. A coat of Johnsons Kleer over the green has really improved it, not only its shade, but also lustre. Would the same sort of treatment improve the NER green? I do have the E1, which is in the green in question (fictitious as it is on an E1) and eventually will see about doing something about its brightness. I'll certainly be interested to see what other people do with theirs (if indeed they feel the need to of course!) Cheers J

My LNER black loco arrived this morning, and is already on the rolling road running in nicely. It was virtually silent straight out of the box mind and seems to be really well balanced, which is often an issue for an 0-4-4t but no problems here! The sound is lovely, the soeaker being up to the task with the volume at a reasonable level, though maybe a bit of extra bass to give the exhaust a bit more bite would improve it a touch. I'm certainly looking forward to getting some carriages out and putting it to work properly, and adding a crew, renumbering it, and some light weatehring in due course. Cheers J

The Gunpowder Van will be the next wagon through the works, but not just yet, I've decided that can go on holiday with me along with some figures to paint. In the meantime, I've turned my attention to a loco which I intend to have available for use at Whitby MRCs Goathland show on the 22nd and 23rd July. The loco in question is a lovely J72, which I think is from the DJH kit. It was bought years ago already built and painted as 68680, the Gateshead pilot. I intend to keep it's identity the same, but change the BR logos for the two forward facing ones that the loco carried for a while. I also want to add a bit more detail paint wise to it, and maybe a few other tweaks. I do need to fashion a new vent for the cab roof, as the original white metal one has been long lost (easy enough to sort with a bit of brass) So far, I've had the chassis out and given it a good clean and repaired a loose wire to one of the plunger pickups. Testing on a short length of track proved successful and the loco will crawl nicely (if not a little noisy) so ideal for shunting! The couplings are a pair of lovely screw links, though the rear one is missing its screw (I fortunately have the other bits) which I think is a 13BA brass bolt, as a 14 is too slack a fit, and a 12 is a little too big (I'm pretty sure those are the sizes of bolt i tried!). It's not the end of the world, as whatever vehicle it's being coupled to can use its links instead! I've also started attacking the body with some paint. Though the loco has a lovely glossy finish, the smokebox and a few other areas wouldn't stay that way on a working engine, so a coat of mixed matt black/black grey has been applied to add a bit of variation. The next stage will be some painted detail in the cab (which is already nice, just all black, other than the lovely dials!) I've also ordered a couple of figures from ModelU, so hopefully they'll be here before I go away! Cheers J

The Jarrow show went very well, it was a good friendly and fairly busy show, with some very interesting other layouts to see, and a steady stream of visitors to keep us operators busy! Other than a broken coupling on a wagon, and a bogie retaining screw falling out, there weren't any issues. The screw has been recovered and refitted, with a fresh drop of varnish to retain it, and was back in service within a few minutes! I also took the opportunity to launch my new loco. Its scratchbuilt in brass on a Farish 08 chassis with RT Models valve gear and frames. The chimney was a temporary fitting, and is definitely too big, but a new one has been acquired which looks much better! The loco is based on the proposed North Holderness loco, bit with a few adjustments around the cab to give a bit (but not much) more room for the crew. Even Rheneas and Skarloey enjoyed themselves, going for a trip on a much bigger railway for a while! The next outing for Scrayingham is at Whitby MRCs annual show in Goathland (July 22 and 23) and I hope to have got a bit more done on my new loco, and maybe some form of new rolling stock in traffic, though I'm not sure what yet! Cheers J