SouthernMafia

A shame about the flash rate, but I appreciate the limitations of the tech if there's no PCB. Is it just a flashing LED or is there something to make it flash? When my ARC set arrives I'll look to run it off DCC and install a small circuit for the right flash rate. Everything else about these looks fantastic, and grateful to hear the ARCs are in the air soon, great service.

From what I can see the HAP (as excellent as it is) is basically a reissued EPB with tooling mods, the tech is identical. It won't stop me getting a second if they hang around long enough for another 6% off like usual.

Things have been progressing well with various projects due to having to self-isolate, luckily I'm negative! Lots of sound decoder and speaker installs/upgrades in various locos, and I've now bought a Lokprogrammer for sound installs at home. Downloaded some of the free ESU files (including a Class 66) and quite impressed with them! One thing I've always wanted to get right was decent photographs of models using Focus Stacking techniques. Having acquired a new smart phone this week I wondered whether we were there yet with this years almost top spec Samsung, but alas not! The phone/camera is capable of taking differently focused shots in quick succession, but I cannot find any phone app that will process them on the phone. Previously I used Photoshop, but it's a bit time consuming, so took a look at Helicon who had a Black Friday deal on. Very impressed with the ease of use and processing time, so much quicker. I've got a mini tripod arriving this week for the phone, but in the meantime here's the first test shot which has come out ok. I haven't focused the front very well (original included for comparison), but the capability of the program is clear to see, so looking forward to getting to grips with doing this more. Now I just need a decently scenic-ed layout to take nice photos of my stock ! One of the original images: Combination of 3 images:

Erm, has anyone else spotted the SRP has gone up from £149 to £159? Andy's post clearly says £149 and Heljan Facebook now says £159. Kernow have already put their prices up to £136.....hmmmm!!

Thanks, just a bit of yellow paint, though I may revisit the headcode box as looks a bit too yellow. One word of warning, getting the body off is tough! I cut off the lugs that hold the glazing/body down for easier access.

Yes you're right. As long as the Eastleigh plates are not bigger than the Shawplan etches I won't mind if the crest is missing!

Bachmann 2-HAP arrived today, excellent model and very pleased with it. However there's a fair bit of light bleed into the cab from the headcode LED, added some black plasticard strips to prevent this. Also yellowed the LEDs, and changed the headcode to something more suitable for me! Oh and taken the Kent Coast logos off too. Just need some juice rail on Portland now! I've also made a start on a BEP/CEP conversion (haven't decided which yet), doing it the hard way without brass sides for now. The end coaches are pretty easy to be fair, the brake coach will be slightly more difficult, I may have to cut n shut something from another MK1.

Very pleased with mine, but fair bit of light bleed into the cab from the headcode LED, added some black plasticard strips to prevent this. Also yellowed the LEDs, and changed the headcode to something more suitable for me! Oh and taken the Kent Coast logos off too.

Indeed that would work perfectly and is on my very very long to do list ! I've seen a few models with it and it does look effective, but doesn't work at all if you want a route code at one end! My plan would be to have blank blinds at one end with separately controlled red/white LEDs, and a route code at the other end with just whites. About the best compromise save working scrolling blinds.

Yes the blinds are fixed colour with white LEDs so they won't change colour with direction. I remove my red ones and just have whites or a code at each end. Must get round to adding some separately controlled LEDs. Why hasn't anyone designed a servo control blind scroller yet ?

Not yet, Steve at Railtec is a busy man but assures me he'll get to them. I may look at the Replica transfers too that have been mentioned.

I posted on the previous page too. I used Humbrol enamel thinner with a cocktail stick, they came off quite easily. Will be renumbering and logoing my EWS example when it arrives, so be interested to see how that goes with the yellow underneath!

Can't complain at that price, and looks like one had to be quick! I picked up 66125 for £105 so happy with that. Let's hope there's some yet to be announced new liveries, and maybe improvements on a Version 2 model to come with this stock clear out.

3 listings have appeared on eBay, and a certain South West based retailer is showing Out of Stock vice Preorder, so hopefully they are here this week! Though I also hope Kernow aren't actually out of stock lol.

Looking forward to receiving my ARC rake whenever they arrive, no rush I've got nowhere to put them ! I'm sure you're already looking to future livery variations, I know the later Yeoman livery has already been mentioned. I'd like to see these as well, I assume they are ex iron ore ones used for stone. Makes a nice train being only load 10 as well, that would be another 2 packs ordered from me if announced ! ;-)

Hi Rhys, Good to see this great layout again, I followed Kevin's progress on it for some time so it's good to see it with a new owner being looked after. Looking forward to the stock updates, the weathering looks great and will inspire me to crack on with my ever expanding fleet some day!

No, and I wouldn't expect them for a while yet, if at all !

In the 73? No. The EM2 is in a free running Lima chassis, there's loads of room and all I did was remove the big weight. I think you might be able to get one in a Dapol 73 chassis relatively easily though, there's lots of space as I discovered when I put a custom speaker and enclosure in the gap. This does however have a Lima body on it (NSE 73129) so it might not work as well with the Dapol version. I'll have to try it as I've got a spare EM2 now!

Thanks, I feel lucky to have been able to build it up over the years. The problem with having an interest in early 90s NSE, mid-90s privatisation, and the 2000s is there's always something to add to the shopping list !

Thanks, they are Railtec transfers. Steve's having a look to hopefully match them with Hattons green.

Some more early 2000s loco work and sticking with the Freightliner theme I've been working on my Hattons 66s. I finally took the plunge to sort one of 66621s lighting out - it's still not right but it's a step in the right direction. The markers now work correctly thanks to the excellent article produced ( http://s374444733.websitehome.co.uk/class-66hattons-big-headlights/index.htm ) but I'm still not happy about the wrong colour - they should be white. If I'm feeling brave I may look to replace the LEDs one day. I've also sorted the bufferbeam livery issue and have made the black correct for 66621. Original on the left. My second 66621 has been renumbered to 66539, but I feel the colours are a little dark so I have asked Steve at Railtec if he can sort some greener replacements. I've also fitted a ModelU driver to 66621, and painted up a GBRf man too. Now, perhaps a little controversially, I've swapped out my EM2 speaker. Whilst it's nice to have one, I actually think it's a little too bassy, and doesn't bring out the mid and high tones of the 66 that well, especially when running on the layout passing a camera, I just thought it sounded a bit like a generic drone noise rather than a 66. So I've replaced it with a 40mm x 28mm high quality speaker and custom enclosure, seen here before the lid was glued on. Quite pleased with it, I'll see if I can get a video soon on the club layout. Also finally finished adding nameplates to my GBRf 73s. Olivia's Dapol variant had printed nameplates bigger than the Shawplan etch, (weirdly the original Dapol model 73206 was the right size...), so these had to be removed which left a nasty sheen. A gloss then satin varnish over the whole model helped hide the sheen, and new plates now fitted. 73205 is a Dapol body on a free running Lima chassis, and has an EM2 in it for pairing with 72306.

Well I finally took the plunge to sort one of my 66621s lighting out. It's still not right but it's a step in the right direction. The markers now work correctly thanks to the excellent article produced (http://s374444733.websitehome.co.uk/class-66hattons-big-headlights/index.htm) but I'm still not happy about the wrong colour - they should be white. If I'm feeling brave I may look to replace the LEDs one day. I've also sorted the bufferbeam livery issue and have made the black correct for 66621. Original on the left. My second 66621 has been renumbered to 66539, but I feel the colours are a little dark so I have asked Steve at Railtec if he can sort some greener replacements. I've also fitted a ModelU driver to 66621, and painted up a GBRf man too. Now, perhaps a little controversially, I've swapped out my EM2 speaker. Whilst it's nice to have one, I actually think it's a little too bassy, and doesn't bring out the mid and high tones of the 66 that well, especially when running on the layout passing a camera, I just thought it sounded a bit like a generic drone noise rather than a 66. So I've replaced it with a 40mm x 28mm high quality speaker and custom enclosure, seen here before the lid was glued on. Quite pleased with it, I'll see if I can get a video soon on the club layout.

That's good it's being done but for £159 they can jog on !

Agreed, be ironic if it does come in off-white as wasn't D6515 supposed to be off-white and came in white!?

At last 33008 in a livery variant that we all want! No doubt this will sell out in weeks. https://railsofsheffield.com/products/41948/Heljan-3462-oo-gauge-class-33-br-retro-green-d6508-eastleigh-small-yellow-panels-