SouthernMafia

I have done the same with a replacement body on the old chassis. As it will only ever run paired with another 20 or 37, I removed the lighting unit as it will never be used and the body fits a treat.

That looks great Rhys, the old Leighford is not much recognisable now! PS did you acquire that 'other' layout? ;)

What be folk using for curing the squeak problem please? Also spent time opening out the B2Bs on all 9 and vastly improved running through my dodgy hand built track... Cracking wagons though! What's next? *Cough TTA cough

That would be nice... probably as I just finish off modifying mine!

Love those two James, 47711 also on my list and I have a couple of 47701s ready and waiting, picked up for £99 from Kernow (with the TC deal). Ironically the 47715 that you modified is now the rarer NSE model and goes for silly money on eBay!

I wonder if we'll see the Hattons 66 released under the EFE Rail brand one day. Depending on who owns the tooling (factory or Hattons) then it might be an option.

Presumably you're talking about this shot? I cannot find any pics of it with the logo in the "wrong" position, except that one, but quality poor so it might not even be 20308 and it doesn't tell us what year. Here in 1998 logo is in the correct position: 2000: 2005:

I've got independently controlled tail lights, which I map to F6 to turn on, and they are off when F0 is on as normally my locos will be hauling trains. But yes can't see a logical solution for reds at both ends. I note in Biffos 47 project for this new 47, he has 'parking mode' which suggests reds at both ends...I will get in touch to ask.

Has anyone had a go at mapping red taillights at both ends for depot use? I can't see a solution with my Lokprogrammer...it appears Aux 1 and Aux 2 are not wired to lighting but presumably are logic outputs, and when enabled they turn on the reds. I can get them on at one end only without headlights, but not both ends at the same time. Any suggestions?

Another angle of these from Ally Pally. 73136's colours look much better than 73102 from the very first batch!

It's great that Hornby have listened to customer demand for the VEP to be reintroduced, so I fully intend to support their efforts by purchasing at least the SWT one in hope we see further liveries. Connex, NSE and Gordon Pettitt would all be very welcome. I have two first edition NSE ones and a Blue one for our club layout, all picked up before the mad rush for under £100, and whilst they have their issues the dreaded M word resolved a number of them. I can even run an 8-car relatively smoothly!!

Another lovely pair James, 37013 is in my neverending queue of projects still to complete. I remember seeing that model of 37229 on eBay and thought it would have your name on it! Good work.

Nice idea, I have 33103 already for exactly this purpose, but would definitely like to see the pre-rebuild version SR green on Caroline... hopefully one day?

Jeez £5.5k on model railways...do you have nothing else to spend your money on!?

Hi Rich, Just drill two small holes roughly where the markers are and open out with a scalpel to something a bit more rectangular. It's not very thick and Bachmann put the light lenses in as if to say this is what we were going to do!

We have marker lights... Putting right what Bachmann should have done, luckily it wasn't too complicated a job, worst bit was working out the wiring! I have not done the nose end as I will always run them as a pair. Wiring: Common positive feeds off the bottom of the board, it is RK on the connector board (top left). Two SMD LEDs wired in with a 2k2 resistor back to FL1 on the connector board - you could probably wire it in to the circuit board somewhere but this worked for me. FL1 is the feed for the top marker light, so the markers are on for both day and night running. Vid in action:

Every time you post an update James I just end up drooling, stunning work!

That would be rather a shame...as I will part with the £288 for a sound fitted one (excellent value for money for V5 sound at around £84), but £314 is a bit much, though I appreciate what it gets you. Smoke would tempt me, but we all know that it doesn't scale well. Another in the camp of keeping the original fleet with whatever Bachmann produce probably joining alongside, certainly an Intercity variant next month...I've yet to take the plunge with 47004 though.

As wonderful as it looks, I can't help but wonder if the gap between the bogies and body is too big, it looks like it's sitting a little too high? Be interested to see it next to a 37.

What's the general consensus on the height of the hood? Looks too tall to me from pics.

With thanks to whoever it was I saw this tip from, if you remove the internal light guides and circuit board from the new 20 body at the nose end, it does fit the old chassis, which is a nice cheap way of creating a pair. I've removed the motor from the old chassis so it's a free runner, and there is a nice gap for a decent speaker.

There was some discussion in the Bachmann announcement thread about the hoods being the wrong type, and maybe too tall. Here's one I didn't make earlier: It's also a shame the Cardiff Rod Mill one isn't available unweathered unless you get the grey wagon. May go down this avenue if the hood is ok. A pleasing announcement all the same as these did appear at Northam yard (Southampton) and Hamworthy to occasionally.

That is a cracking room for a layout, look forward to seeing it progress!

Can anyone tell me what CV needs changing to dim the interior coach lights on these fine models please? And what the max value is. I've been getting all the fiddly end details on today which for this price I do wonder why most of them aren't fitted already (the ones which don't foul the couplings) Plus the tail lamps need a red line.

Great to see the EFE/Kernow SPA/SEA back with the hoods, though a shame both the Cardiff Rod Mill versions are weathered, why couldn't they have done a pristine one and a weathered one?