Barry J

On 10/03/2019 at 21:49, RBE said:

I can confirm that there will be close coupling for the coaching stock and between the loco and the TSOE.

 

In all fairness to the manufacturers, I think that your wish for corridors (or even vestibule rubbing plates on locos for that matter) to actually be touching when the vehicles are coupled is a little wishful thinking for a model train to actually work. Model trains have to contend with much sharper curves, the corridors are rigid not super flexible, and the stock weighs a fraction that of a real coach. Cams will allow the coupler to pull out on tight curves but on a sweeping curve they wouldn't pull out at all and if one coach is rigidly up against the next they will derail. Add to that the slop in a tension lock coupler or even a Kadee and you can't account for it. Its better to have tolerance built in than the stock being intolerant of staying on the track.

 

That said we are looking at reliable close coupling that allows for good scale speed propelling as well and pulling with good stock gaps so watch this space.

 

We will also be looking at retracted buffers when coupled to coaching stock.

Roco and other European manufacturers have been achieving close coupling with scale length long body coaches capable of train set curves for many years.

looks to have a strange gangway top section for a Mk2 - curved like on a Mk1 rather than more pullman style that you might expect on any Mk2.

that would suggest that it's an early Mk2z and not Mk2a. My understanding is that all of the pressure ventilated Mk2 in Scotrail livery were Mk2z vehicles, all coming from the former blue/grey vehicles used in the Cl27 top & tail E&G sets.

Delighted to finally see a LL 47/7 from Bachmann and the Scotrail Mk2 coaches. I'm curious with the inclusion of the Mk2 FO. Perhaps it's my memory dimming with time, ( I was a teenager growing up in Edinburgh through the 80's) but I don't recall ever seeing a Mk2 FO in Scotrail - or what I recall being known as Scotrail Express -  livery at the time.

My recollection is a complete set of 4 Mk2z + DBSO (I believe the last remaining of the old cl27 push/pull E&G sets) which was regularly used for Perth - Glasgow / Peth - Edinburgh services and unsurprisingly known as "The Perth Set" or an occasional mk2 TSO being included within a mk2 aircon set for an Edinburgh or Glasgow - Aberdeen set, but I cannot recall seeing the FO in use.

Can anyone help correct my memory? Does anyone have any images of the Mk2 FO in use?

 

We are open to suggestions, but we really need to sell the initial 2500 models in 2 X Versions of Northern & 2 x Versions of the later Metro Red & Silver waves livery. These liveries we are doing take us back over 4 versions/liveries. Any other liveies mean doing the earlier Bus Seats, these we are doing and our plans are for the second Metro/RR Red & Cream & Regional Railways liveries next, these specifically are:

 

2nd Metro Red & Cream with Arriva Branding (1 Numbered version)

2nd Metro Red & Cream with Regional Railways Branding (2 Numbered versions)

Regional Railways livery (2 Numbered versions)

 

The Class 143 Units have a different seating layout to the 144 Units, this we are doing; These are:

 

RT143-211 Arriva Trains Wales 143609 'Sir Tom Jones'

RT143-212 Arriva Trains Wales 143610

RT143-213 First Great Western 'Local Lines' livery 143611

RT143-214 First Great Western 'Local Lines' livery 143620

 

Later we plan Wessex Trains 'Visit Bristol Livery', Valley Lines & Regional Railways.

 

We have been asked for the original Provincial & Tyne & Wear Metro liveries but are uncertain if there is a demand for these, we need 300 orders to make them a goer! So please shout if interested.

 

A suggestion came for a Scottish Pair based on the Bathgate twins, destination blinds being Bathgate-Edinburgh, INTERESTED!!!

 

Please bear in mind we have to shift the original Northern & Metro batches first!!

I;d certainly love a "Bathgate pair" in original provincial blue - perhaps a certain Edinburgh model shop might support you there Charile as thier next limited edition model. Roll on the first batch, at least 1 sold here, maybe both!

Looking at the photo, it is unlikely the Deltic was on the sleepers, at least not on your train from BNS. It looks like a terminal, rather than through, platform and preparing for departure.

Looks like the postal platforms (2-6) at the east end of Waverley

Can someone enlighten us as to what the problems are preventing it's use?

Hi Nigel

Depends on which region & which timescale you mean, so not so straightforward.

is it East Coast, Great Western, Midland Mainline, Cross Country, BR era, InterCity sector, post privatisation as formations have varied over the years & from region to region

Details can be found in the current edition of Hornby Magazine. I believe it is an Ian Allan commisioned L/E

Well, on a brighter note, my 406 has just arrived safe & sound. Compliments to Gaugemaster for the excellent packaging in a box 4 times the size of the model, filled with foam & scrunched up brown paper; perhaps not very ecological, but well packaged indeed!

Gaugemaster website now showing 47 406 in stock & ready to ship

Excellent!

Many thanks for that Graham, I had a dim memory that they basically just had a stand alone counter & trolley.

I have dim memories of seeing these when I used to travel between Edinburgh & Aberdeen on mk2 aircon sets, so I guess they would also turn up on any Scotrail Express internal Edi/Gla/Abe/Inv combination.

I'm guessing that the mk2 brake & mk2c conversions used on the Far North line would be a very similar arrangement.

Shouldn't be too difficult to construct something representative out of pastic sheet.

Thanks for the info so far.

Can anyone clarify whether the TSOT's just had a stand alone counter or did they have an enclosed buffet area more like an RMB or an RFO?

Thanks,

Barry

Hi flood, I am indeed meaning the TSOT's.

I can vaguely recall the mk2d's used on internal Scottish services in the 1980's as basically having a seating bay removed & an open counter pretty much "plonked" in it's place; nothing like as extensive as the RFB's which I recall having a full enclosed small kitchen with a very small service hatch which I recall being on a diagonal facing the corridor into the adjacent coach. These could only have offered a basic hot & cold drinks service such as todays trollies?

I have a couple of RFB's & a TSOT in OO scale which have been converted externally, but i'm thinking about working on the interiors so would like to gather as much information as I can before starting work.

Going further back, the Scottish Region also converted some mk1 BSK's into micro buffets by using the first compartment as a buffet counter. These often had the first window either plated over or painted white to block out the buffet counter - I can't recall seeing any of these - too far back for my memories

To help a future project, can anyone help with any details regarding the Br Mk2d/e/f micro buffet conversions.

How large were the buffet counters?

were they sectioned off from the remainder of the coach?

any details on where they were used?

any information would be gratefully received.

Thanks to all

Bear in mind that all the current releases are of the ammended "mid life" body cl 47; no sign of the original style being re-designed without the cl57 legacy

Bear in mind that all the current releases are of the ammended "mid life" body cl 47; no sign of the original style being re-designed without the cl57 legacy

Let's hope so!

I can sence February turning out to be an expensive month! 47406, 47461, 107447... oh dear!

Correct EE, 47145 is delayed until further notice as you describe. Rails do have a sample though of 47461 Charles Rennie MacIntosh on their website, so the production model should be with us in a couple of months I guess.

Haven't heard any news about 47406 but i'm also hoping Gaugemaster may have a delivery pending!

Incidentally, I spoke to Rails recently about their Bachmann L/E 47 461 Charles Rennie MacIntosh, but advised they have no delivery schedule for this one yet!

February 2010 is lining up to be a very very expensive month what with the Trains 4U sprinter, REX 37650 and now Rail Riders due... no doubt the Hornby mk3 DVT will turn up then just to stress the credit card further!

you could always modify a set of Heljan ones and fit them like people do with the Heljan snowploughs on the Bachmann class 37

That's a good idea & certainly one worth exploring EE. I did think about trying to attach the Bachmann ploughs to the chassis rather than the bogie but got a bit nervous about hacking into a brand new model so quickly. There's very little clearance between the NEM box & the buffer beam so it could mean some significant surgery.

On a bit of a tangent, but i've just done a similar thing with a couple of Sprinters; mounting the Bachmann snow ploughs from a 150/1 onto the Hornby 153 - in my opinion looks much better than the Hornby ploughs mounted on the coupling arm.

Will have to dig out some Heljan ploughs & see how easily they could be adapted... isn't it handy Heljan put at least 2 sets of ploughs into every box!!

Received my 47 541 from Rails yesterday & very pleased with it overall. The model really captures my memories of seeing this loco around Waverley in the late 80's. Runs well straight from the box & even better after a little running in.

My only frustration is when I went to fit the excellent buffer beam pipes Bachmann have included with this loco - which incidentally are a vast improvement on those previously supplied by Bachmann. However, given the design of the snowploughs, which clip into the NEM socket so move with the bogie, the ploughs foul all the buffer beam piping.

For all it's faults, though i've always quite liked it, at least the Heljan 47 can be enhanced with the buffer beam gear and snowploughs... sadly not so with the new Bachmann!

From memory & from pics on the web, "TQM" was always fitted with mini ploughs as common with most Inverness allocated 47's and they are such a key charachteristic of these IV allocated locos. So it's a frustrating compromise... ploughs or air pipes!