SouthernMafia

Any news on the Dacia Sandero ? Great news indeed, still can't decide if I'm getting a Blue Grey or NSE...might have to be both !

From my previous experience of sitting next to NR Train Running Controllers in GWR Control, and now sitting in the sharp end of 387s, the Western are pretty good at giving freights a good run, much to my annoyance when you're sat awaiting signal at departure time! It's a regular theme at Didcot, Reading, Basingstoke and Acton, but I agree that for "the greater good' it's the right thing to do.

Thanks for these, colours are great for the first few months in operation but otherwise a bit bright? And that's a shame but predictable about the EWS branding. Please Hattons fix it if you do another run, you got it right for the numbers so why oh why is it different for the EWS!? I haven't bought an EWS yet but I do have my Freightliner one ready to investigate tomorrow, which I am looking forward to despite my previous gripes about the livery error and lighting issue.

It can be done with clever pathing currently, but only half hourly and non-stop if we go infront of the Oxford -Padd IET which stops Slough. If we left Reading say 5 minutes earlier, running Up Relief to Slough having called TWY and MAI then this would work, depending on what's on the Reliefs at the time. I think the only real solution is 6-tracking to Hayes.

But since line speed on the Reliefs is 90, and they have far superior acceleration to 387s this isn't an issue. What is now an issue is that although 387 services are generally quicker to Paddington (in the region of 45 minutes from Reading off-peak) if we're timed behind a 345 it still takes 58 minutes and it's yellows all the way. This came to a head last week when unfortunately a SPAD occured on the Down at Langley, a combination of low sun and constant yellows and reds following a 345 service. In regards to 345s going to Reading, I imagine the reason is because if they stopped at Maidenhead as originally planned then Twyford would lose its 15 minute (ish) service interval. An additional GWR 387 service would have to pick up at Twyford, Maidenhead and maybe Slough, which is probably dooable with the Fast Newbury service which runs ahead of the Oxford stopping at Slough from Reading, but this is only 2 hourly. Alternatively a Reading to Maidenhead shuttle could infill connecting to 345s at Maidenhead. I'm wondering what our service will look like once Crossrail is in full operation, unfortunately I just don't think there are the paths to run semi-fast all day (ie Twyford, Maidenhead, Slough, Paddington) on the Mains so it will probably stay as it is, maybe losing West Drayton and Hayes and just running on the Reliefs following whatever we get stuck behind. And of course don't forget the huge amount of freight now using the GWML.

12-car set now residing in West Ealing. Expect it's there to be 'out the way' as GWR not running to West Ealing currently and frees up space on Reading Depot.

Having bought a few more EM1s and EM2s on Richards excellent eBay shop I set about installing them in two 60s and a 56. I don't have a milling machine and was surprised to see how relatively little metal work removal is required for the EM2 in these two Type 5s, particularly the Class 56. Some images attached of how I did the 56, firstly removing the bogie gubbins and clamping to the workbench, before removing the screw blocks at the fan end with a hack saw blade: This took less than 3 minutes. You will also need to remove the other end of the screw housing on the underside of the roof either side of the fans. The EM2 sits nicely over the fly wheel but a slight indent is needed to clear them: I tried the speaker both ways up/down and in the end settled on it face up beneath the fans. The fan housing had already been removed for the previous speaker, and fans have been glued directly to the roof. It's a slightly tighter fit face up but I think sounds better. Plenty of material was sculpted off the top edges of the speaker so the body fitted on nicely: Once the body is back on I then drilled through by the coupling mech to add a single screw at this end to hold the body down, as we have now lost the fixing screws at this end. Bluetack also worked relatively well. It sounds awesome, my best EM2 install yet. The 60 has been done too, this needed a lot more chassis removal but still was done with a hacksaw and about 30-45 minutes of hacking. This image is before removal and shows the cleaned up areas that had about 3-4mm removed from them. This was a bit tighter and the circuit board had to be moved, and wiring connections permanently soldered (ie lose the small black boxes Hornby use to attach wires to the pads) to get the body to fit back on. Face down this time so it comes out the side grilles and bogie hole. Sounds great! I've also got a 56 and 60 with EM1 with Richards recommended 12ohm speaker wired in parallel and these sound very nice too. I think they will also be upgraded to EM2 in time and the EM1s put towards other suitable projects such as 47s. I'm also going to try a 150 see how that sounds. Cheers for now.

In marginally related news to this thread, platform extension work I understand is complete at Sandhurst, and is being started at Mortimer to facilitate 769s to run on the GWR Wessex network. Also, as an aside, work is moving at pace with Reading Green Park station, base layer is down and being compacted with rollers up and down all week.

Thanks, I likely will but I always shorten them anyway so the buffer dimension is the useful one. Cheers.

Rails report the latest batch (33110, 33119, 33/0 twin pack etc) is due imminently. If the images are correct though it looks like the 33/1s have got the old fuel tanks! Edit - and having just reread this thread ironic that they had the late tank incorrectly on 33111 and have the early tanks incorrectly on 33110/119. If anyone wants to swap let me know, I've already got a spare early tank and several others under the early release 33s that need changing!

Roof weathering really makes it, must do that to my pair. You've done well to remove that orange stripe too without leaving a mess, as Trailrage says what did you use? Interesting also how the sunshine really brings out the blue, or did you respray that too just for fun?

I've got 3 Dutch ones in my queue! Already redid my 73102 into 73103 with correct InterCity colours, much improved! GBRf was good I thought.

Yes I must admit I'd not heard it from Hattons either, but seeing as this model shop was already stocking other Hattons products it seemed sensible that the 66 would be stocked, and on good authority of the owner telling me that he'd be 'getting them all in'. Hopefully it will change, if there's any left!!

I visited my excellent local model shop on Saturday whom has previously told me he would be getting the Hattons 66s in, but unfortunately this is now not happening. He said he's now chosen not to stock anything from Hattons, which is a shame. I will still get one for Hattons but it's a shame I cannot support my local model shop as I normally do, and I might have had 2 or 3. I'm sure Hattons have sound reasons not to supply other retailers, but I suspect if this owner is a bit narked about it to cease stocking Hattons altogether I suspect he's not the only one.

I remember picking my NR set up from Dapol at Ally Pally for £50, as it had no couplings. Since they're useless anyway that didn't bother me and both my rakes are now fitted with Kadees. Brings the hideous gap between the wagons nicely together. Think I also got 6 JNAs for £50, how times change!

No, of course they don't want it to be wrong. Neither do I and many others I'm sure. Dismissing the problem as unfixable is not a solution when other (perhaps more experienced) manufacturers have proven that it can be done.

Whilst I appreciate the responses Dave, that is a little disappointing that effectively if you want the model you want, you're paying full price for it with known faults. Returning it for "an alternative" (of which the variants I would have had with sound are now sold out) is not really a solution. The livery issue is minor, I can fix that. The marker light issue is a much bigger concern. I hope that Hattons take this issue more seriously and look for a better solution, rather than just saying 'tough'.

Indeed, 66538-66566 and 66607-66613 are suitable to renumber out the box, adding 66567-66581 and 66614-66622 with the revised yellow/black valance change. My query was were there any other external differences between the subclasses other than the lights, so thanks for clarifying Black Hat.

Had spotted thanks, decided not to comment as there are various different conditions of these on the real thing where it would appear the black paint has faded/fallen off, and so have various combinations of black and silver surrounds. But yes for the 2005 straight off the boat version they are also incorrect. As robD2 says, if it's a lack of research there's no excuse as there are hundreds of pictures of any loco you want available on the web. It could be a factory fault during assembly using the wrong part or an incorrect interpretation of the specification. Either way unfortunately it's not right. Yes it is picky, all modellers are different and have different expectations. I'm happy to correct it, others might not be, others will live with it.

Yup certainly doable...but for £265 I shouldn't have to be doing it. I had to do a similar thing with a Bachmann model, and masking over those 4 raised bits isn't easy!

I hate to be the bearer of further bad news, but having just pre-ordered 66621 with sound in light of the recent availability bombshell, I can't find any pictures of it with the lower front valance thing yellow as Hattons have modelled, it appears to be the black version. 66621 was going to be renumbered anyway but is now only suitable for other members of the 66/5 class and 66607-613, and it doesn't seem to be correct. Visually,are there any differences between a 66/5 such as 66546 and a 66/6? Pics Hattons/loco+

That's surprising that all the main sound fitted ones have gone, can't have been that many ordered :/ I have been repeatedly told by my local model shop that he will be stocking all the Hattons 66s including sound versions, and so have refrained from pre-ordering direct. Is this correct that the 66s will be available from other shops? I'm also concerned that one of the examples I want (66621) has an issue with the marker lights, is this the case on the sound version too?

Thanks Charlie for the reassurance. I may come and see you at Ally Pally, will you have sound fitted examples available, or best to preorder now?

Is the only way to get a sound fitted Reggie Rail unit direct from the Realtrack/DC Kits site? I see Hattons/Kernow/Rails are showing the Non-DCC versions in stock but I'd be tempted to get a sound one having been impressed by various YouTube videos of it. Reading some of the posts on this thread I'm a little hesitant about parting with £340.

Starting to see pre-production samples of Ltd Edition releases for Kernow (33117 & 83301) and Locomotion (33116) so hopefully the next batch of 33/1s are not too far away.