tomparryharry

3rd rail is the way forward... Ok, back in my cupboard now. Ian.

Sorry folks, are we talking models, or the real thing? Cheers, Ian.

I have mixed feelings about cranes. Sure, I like them, but I'm not sure about seeing them. I always get some sort of feeling that something's gone seriously wrong to see one on the move, and someone's life could be involved. I'm sure it will look good, but I'm not sure I'd buy one. Too much of a portent of doom. Funny, but that's the way it is. Ian.

Yes, you're absolutely right. Back of the class for me!

Good luck to them I say. Limited or otherwise. Quality will sell. Dads will buy the Cola monstrosity, because they'll let kids play it until destruction. When the kids are older, they'll want to play with the better stuff. That's how it happened to me, and I guess I'm in the same boat. It won't stop me buying the B2 6 wheeler. Now, Mr Hornby. Let's talk about the Q6 Peckett.... Happy modelling, Ian.

Hello Matt, welcome to the forum. I did wonder when you'd appear! Don't worry about the time; I've been trying to get my layout off the ground for donkey's years. I look forward to seeing this develop. Cheers, Ian.

It could be that Hornby are leading the trend. That is, a smaller layout. My shunting puzzle contained 8 wagons and a loco. In other words, 2 train sets worth of product. In an enclosed space, such as size of 48 x12". 10 minutes to set up, 10 minutes to pack away. It becomes 'manageable' to the domestic authorities. My inglenook did just that, and lived under the bed for nearly 10 years. It's probably easier on the wallet as well. With nearly 20,000 industrial locomotives in private hands at nationalisation, there is a vast pool of resource available to the modeller. Everything went by rail. The support structure was immense. It's only in the last 50 years that the large lorry has fully replaced the railway wagon, and even then, not entirely. If Hornby want to keep on making industrial locomotives, good luck to them. But, Big But... They (whoever they are) will need to remain faithful to the twin concepts of fidelity & quality. If Hornby stay that way, I can see a long & fruitful partnership between Hornby and the buying public. Cheers, Ian.

Extreme caution is required when buying via 'bay. Like others, I buzzed over there, to find lots & lots of models on sale & display. Closer inspection revealed that by & large, they are the corridor models, not our suburban desires. Caveat Emptor: Let the buyer beware! Make sure you are sure of what you're buying! It's an expensive enough game without being led astray. Mention anything Western, and dodgy 'Arthur-Daley' like characters will infest the market like never before. Check the Hornby 'R' number before you hand over the moolah. It's the same with panniers & 56xx. Mr Daley will tell you :- "Corr, what a nice little runner, yours for £20 guvn'r" , whereas what you're buying is a 20 year Mainline model.... Enjoy your modelling, but watch your wallet.... Ian.

Just a slight aside, mostly geographic. If you travelled down the old Heads of the Valleys road, you would (as Johnster notes) reach Aberbeeg. Then, there is Rhymney, Merthyr, Ferndale, Treherbert. Another to consider is Aberdare, but it's a roundhouse. Depending on the allocation, any of these would have prairies to cover the passenger or mail jobs. Back on topic now! Ian.

I do like those unfitted (grey) wagons, Robbert, very nicely done! Cheers, Ian.

I quite agree. There's a large field of industrial locomotives you can shake a stick at. Avonside, Bagnall, Hudswell Clarke, Hunslet, to name but a few. Then of course, there's the industrial diesels.... Ian.

I like the photo Brian. How did you create the cobble effect? Cheers, Ian.

It is indeed a brake linkage. It runs from one set of brakes, to the other set. Ian

I'd like to see one first. If it gets anywhere to looking like the W4 Peckett in MSC colours, it'll be a bit of a no-brainer again. One wonders where Hornby are going to go next. I'd guess another livery run on the W4, and the (fully expected) livery run on the B2. That takes us out to 2023-ish. What's next, I wonder? Could be a Maerdy Monster; the big Q6, with a power band equal to a 7F. That'll rattle a few window panes! Ian.

Like others, I reset my password. Weak, it said..... So, I re-created my password.... Weak, it said... So, I really set forth, and created a super dooper high tec, high strength password... Fantastic! A Very strong password! Yippee! In my state of euphoria, I forgot the password........

You cab stop all this smutty language right now! Otherwise, Lord Shortford & Mary Lighthouse will start a petition. That box 'insert other media' looks a bit suspicious as well..... Ivor Kodak. Photographer & long exposure expert (stop that! Stop that at once......)

Late into Felixstowe apparently. The harbour authorities are holding the ship, pending the dispersal of froth. Coastguard officials have quoted: "There appears to be a large accumulation of froth appearing near the harbour entrance. We haven't seen this much froth since the 8-wheel tank incidence some 5 years ago." Captain Pugwash.

I'd respectfully suggest that Bachmann are hedging their bets. They won't exactly know how things will pan out over the next year or two. Looks to me that they are keeping the situation under review, and acting accordingly. What I would think is that if things go favourably, then Bachmann will bring on a lot of product very quickly. If not, they might be tempted to shelve certain products until more favourable times re-appear. Either way, there might be gaps which others might have thought as 'dead cert'. As you know, I have no way of knowing the inner workings of Bachmann, and Kevin the Office Boy is keeping schtum.... Cheers, Ian.

It is a problem, created in no small part by the 'big' railways themselves. The onward path on rationalisation left us with a much smaller field of choice. Whereas there would have been a magnificent choice, we're left with perhaps a half-dozen to choose from. On a slightly more positive note, it should be only 'full-fat' models that make the grade. Another line to contemplate, is using 'Bay as a starting point, and trading up, as & when. Happy modelling, Ian.

The only 'halt' I can think of that took timetabled trains, would be the works platform alongside Caerphilly works. Closed in 1964.

I had troubles with communication to people. Everyone texting, and the height of bad manners, ignoring the person in front of you. 2 things can solve this problem. 1, 2lb ballpein hammer. Simply drop phone on floor, use hammer to make smaller, more manageable pieces. 2, Megaphone. Get your message across! I love the art of conversation, me..... Ian.

I got strange looks as well. That's the last time I eat chocolate éclairs with Tartare sauce, whilst wearing high heels and a grey chiffon camisole...

My finger is in for at least one or two. I have a prospective layout in mind, which is lined up for these little beasties. Nice one Rapido. Cheers, Ian.

Ratio do a double kit for 9' wagon underframes. About a fiver for the pair. I'm quietly stashing my stock, ready to ditch the older Mainline standard stuff. Cheers, Ian.

By your nom-de-plume, I'd guess pretty much correctly where you went. You should have had an inkling when you got on the ferry. I also went to an exhibition on the day. Lots of excited children lots of rucksacks, Lots of big coats. But, guess what? They all got on with it. Todays excited children are tomorrows modellers, so you need to keep the perspective. The rucksack population were very minded about how they manoeuvred around the show. I talked to a friendly exhibitor whom very kindly allowed me to 'park' my big coat under his exhibit (Thanks, Danemouth). One less thing for the friendly hordes to worry about. I'd guess some are too tight to pay to leave a coat & rucksack in the coat lobby. If not, it's an opportunity to improve next year. In fact, so bad was my time at the exhibition this time around, I had to be dragged away, because the amount of friends & acquaintances I bumped into would have kept me a good several hours or more. Takes all sorts, I guess. Happy Squeezing & farting, Ian.