cromptonnut

Does anyone know when repaints from blue to blue/grey commenced, and the last one done?

I could undoubtedly come up with an excuse to spend £200 on something I could run, but not on something I could only look at.

Average loco plus a DCC sound chip isn't far off £200, but people using DCC sound is still very much a minority (of which I am a part).

You're right, size is probably more an issue than cost, but I guess you never know what developments are around the corner - just go back a few years to the days of magnetic wheels to aid traction and something as simple as getting a bag of detailing parts with a loco just wasn't on the radar.

As much as I'd fancy a Hastings Unit, realistically you're probably looking at about £200 for the 6-car set, and then compare it to how many people run full length HST sets on their layouts, that does limit possible sales I guess.

Just checked and it seems that NSE repaints didn't start till the late 80's so I can't really get an NSE one, and will have to wait for the blue/grey one to come out. I do hope it's on the radar for a couple of years time...

I see the NSE one appears to have been quietly dropped from the first batch of releases?

Did anyone manage to find out when the first one was repainted into NSE?

If I can justify running it, and the time fits the rest of my layout, and there is a sound fitted NSE one announced, then I quite likely will end up getting one.

It would help if the sound chip was available separately, so instead of having to offer standard and DCC sound versions of everything, those of us comfortable with DCC installation (or knowing a friend/club member/shop that will for us) could get the variant they want and add sound - which, I guess, is almost a certainty with this particular distinctive unit.

Unless, of course, someone like SWD is working with Bachmann again and is going to offer it as part of their normal range so we can just get the chip and stick it in ourselves.

I hope there's room for a smoke unit too -

I don't suppose anyone happens to know when the first 2 car was painted into Network SouthEast?

I might just be able to use a bit of modellers license...

I do not think there is any question of influence needed! Kernow have always said they will do three car versions but the costs of tooling in one hit mean the models have to be staged. If people do not buy two car versions at all then presumably they will not recover their investment to be able to do the three car version.

 

It is actually no different to Bachmann doing a 2 car 108 first and then following with a 3 car surely.

I would guess so - but the blue/grey era is certainly a big "gap" that really does need to be filled, although of course if there is no 2 car prototype it'll certainly be difficult to fill.

I will almost definitely buy the 3 car in blue/grey - but have no real excuse to buy the 2 car, as my only two options, "all blue" is too early, and "NSE" is too late, for my layout's set period.

Well if the 2EPB and 4CEP are anything to go by then I'd have thought a 3 carriage unit would be a nice "fit in the middle"?

I hope they look at the price too - £149 for a 2 car unit does seem a bit hefty compared to Bachmann's 4-CEP which, presumably, would also have been made from new moulds, drawings etc?

If they do make a 3 car, then that would give the blue/grey - which matches the 4-CEP too - a possibility. I seem to recall Mr Kernow saying somewhere that they couldn't find proof of a 2 car blue/grey in that particular variant ever running, and presumably they weren't prepared to market an 'inaccurate model'?

I'll have a blue/grey one, when it's finally released. I'm sure there must be some good reason they aren't doing blue/grey in their first run.

I hope someone is going to do a sound chip for it as well - it's just crying out for one with several bass reflex speakers in it...

The Kernow website on "search" still mentions Dapol 205, though.

Very nice work. Whose backdrop is that, please?

Is it the Bachmann 39-321 one?

These things are shiny and therefore even more difficult to smuggle into the house when the Mrs is around. If anyone has any suggestions (other than getting the weathered ones) I'd appreciate it

Hide them in the car/garage?

Some years ago, I had a 'hidey hole' in the hedge that I could stick things in, that nobody would know they were there, and then sneak out early the next morning before anyone else got up and bring them in to put them in the big pile of boxes under the layout that nobody counted.

I never, ever, had anything stolen.

It helped that my local shop had dark green overprinted carrier bags, of course.

hi just noticed this thread .must say what a superb piece of model makers craft oh to have your skills i can only drool and froth

I can only be grateful that I don't have a waterside layout to use one of those because I'm tempted enough as it is. My credit card is also relieved.

An excellent piece of work and if only I had the room...

Do you know of anyone who works in IT and has the equipment so you could make your own, if you got hold of a length of coiled cable?

You can guarantee that a loco will play up in the one place that's hard to reach without damageing anything.

That loco will also be the one with the most details on it that are likely to get snagged, ripped off, bent or scraped as part of the removal process too...

Completely and utterly bonkers.

I love it!

Thanks for that, always useful to see how all the bits fit together - which you've done very well in the space.

I rather like the idea of a station, with the yard truncated beyond it.

I expect the answer is "the layout is the size of the room it lives it" but was there any other reason you didn't make it a "roundy roundy"?

On the second and third pictures of post 129 it shows a relatively - for scenic areas - tightly curved track.

It doesn't actually look too bad to my eye, especially well scenicked as it is - what's the radius please?

A trackplan and overall dimensions would be a bonus

NSE ? Good effort there Paul, however that scheme looks absolutely gross. Yuk!

I rather like it actually. But then I do have a soft spot for all things NSE so I guess it's no surprise.

You may have already come across this site: http://underground-history.co.uk/northernh.php ?

I have only two words.

"Completely nuts".

Following this one with interest.

To CromptonNut the thumper is a DC Kits somewhat mutilated by my own hand, I must get it finished!!

Not sure "mutilated" is quite the right word - I'm impressed.

As you may guess by my username I'm a fan of modern image Southern Region too.

That's a very nice looking Thumper, is it a kit or scratchbuilt?

Nice layout too, very inspirational.