gc4946

I've fired off an email to Hornby seeking clarification on the Gresley carriages, including the diagram numbers they're modelling, because there were so many variants built.

Looks like the LMS Stanier carriages in BR maroon are arriving soon! Incidentally Virgin Trains ran short HSTs in service for a few years after privatisation and First Great Western did so for one day in 2008 http://www.hondawanderer.com/43042_Moreton-in-Marsh_2008.htm

I've already looked at Worsley Works website. There's possibilities for modifying Mk1 (and forthcoming) LMS Stanier stock.

You're right trains were formed of a much higher proportion of all 2nd (or pre-1956 3rd) class carriages but with so much to launch as part of the TT:120 range Hornby probably didn't have the design or tooling capacity to bring out an all Mk1 2nd (or 3rd) class carriage immediately, yet they've done so for the ex-LMS Stanier types they're offering (i.e. all 1st, all 2nd (3rd), brake 2nd (3rd) and BG guards/luggage)

At the moment the choice of Mk1 types is limited, only composites and brake 2nds. According to page 22 of the brochure, in phase 4, Hornby will offer a Mk1 BG (described as parcels coach) and an all second class coach (not known if its SK or SO) in era 4 (crimson/cream) livery. I hope in the fullness of time Hornby offers the same full range of their Mk1s in TT as they do in OO.

My Easterner train set arrived this afternoon, number 698 of 888. I've tested the A4 loco on a short piece of track, but will give it a full runout in a few days time, so far it's promising. However I'll hang onto Hornby's track and accessories even though I use Tillig pre-ballasted track. My two outstanding Mk1s (BSK, CK) are expected tomorrow.

If you cannot justify a full Pullman formation, empty cars were often attached to passenger trains (identity of car not given) Photo taken at Pendas Way station near road of same name in Cross Gates, Leeds on closed Cross Gates-Wetherby line. I guess a Pullman was defective at Harrogate or an extra carriage needing to be added to a service from there. Source: Railways around Harrogate, volume 3 by Martin Bairstow (published by author, 1988)

This afternoon Hornby made more non-digital fitted A4s available online, but nevertheless I'm happy owning a pair of Gresley pacifics in BR lined green, A3 with early crest, and to be delivered, an A4 with late crest, covering the BR period, 1956-1958. Also five maroon Mk1s (3 x CKs, 2 x BSKs) plus plain maroon ex-LMS Stanier 50' BG once all delivered. Future plans will involve purchasing ex-Big 4 carriages in crimson and cream, plus wagons.

Ordered Easterner set because for not much more than the TT Club discounted price of my A3 (£124.09), I get an A4, 3 Mk1s, track and accessories for £165.32 (standard postage) It's now the only way to acquire a non-digital fitted A4 loco from Hornby.

Looks like the separately available non-sound fitted A4s are out of stock, even Mallard, at Hornby! However sound-fitted A4s (and A3s) are available for preorder.

This afternoon I collected my Hornby A3 60078 Night Hawk from the DPD agent. It's now being run in on the layout, initially without load, for 15 minutes each way forwards and backwards, then lifting the loco around to repeat the process. The loco has a bit more presence than an N gauge version, with relatively fine valve gear. It's running relatively quietly and after reading of reports of tender wheels being stiff, mine all rotate OK. Two Mk1 maroon carriages (CK, BSK) which I preordered arrived in Hornby's warehouse but payment not taken yet. Ownership of an A4 isn't ruled out!

I fitted Kato's 24-818 terminal Unijoiners between a pair of Tillig 83 mm straight pieces. They were an exact fit but I had to enlarge a slot on the side of the track bed to let the wiring out.

It should arrive for collection from a DPD agent on Monday. If running and appearance quality are acceptable, I'm not ruling out buying an A4 in British Railways livery to keep it company. However, I can't see myself owning more than two Gresley pacifics because Hornby may announce new additions in future phases beyond phase 4 which may appeal to me more. Photo from Stephen Chapman's book "Harrogate & Wetherby" (Bellcode Books, 2011) page 77, showing an A4 near Horsforth

My order for A3 60078 Night Hawk is being processed and payment taken. Should arrive very soon, it'll be my first Hornby TT:120 product!

I've decided to use Kato's 24-818 terminal Unijoiners rather than Tillig's own version. It means I can plug them into my pair of Kato controllers. Recently I bought a sheet of Evergreen 20 thou (0.5 mm) thick car siding to evaluate representing 2.5 mm scale corrugated iron because I'll need several sheets to complete my Nissen huts - the 3D printed lines on them run horizontally rather than vertically.

Hornby has TT3004M LNER apple green Flying Scotsman, TT1000M Scotsman set and TT4001/TT4001A Mk1 maroon composites in stock

I wonder if anyone had payment taken for their Easterner sets yet

Great work on the Hymek, but it shows the smaller envelope for motors and transmission available for modelling British prototypes in 1:120 , which often means (former BTTB) motors having to be changed to suit the available space. I think it'll be a major deterrent for modelling. If Lincoln Locos offer appropriate bogie sideframes and fuel tanks, it'll encourage more to model this scale.

This afternoon I consulted Hornby's TT:120 members only webpages. The next three months may see Gresley pacifics, maroon Mk1s, ex-LMS Stanier carriages in BR crimson/cream and maroon (NB no LMS liveried ones listed), and various era 2,3, and 4 wagons appear for sale. With my A3 pacific, and stock expected on stream for the next few months, for a very vague representation of the Leeds Northern and/or Wetherby lines, I could run a through Kings Cross-Harrogate train using Mk1s, a Newcastle-Liverpool express with Stanier stock and the beginnings of a class C express Darlington-Neville Hill (Leeds) fitted freight. Sources: Railways around Harrogate / Martin Bairstow Volume 1 (1986), ISBN 1-871944-00-7; volume 3 (1998), ISBN 978-1-871944-18-1 published by the author Harrogate & Wetherby / Stephen Chapman. Bellcode Books, 2011 (Railway memories; no. 24) ISBN 978-1-871233-24-7

Looked through the forthcoming in next three months webpages, models expected during that time: Gresley pacifics, maroon Mk1s, ex-LMS Stanier carriages in BR crimson/cream and maroon (NB no LMS liveried ones listed), various era 2,3, and 4 wagons, plus track and buildings

Based on what I know of Hornby's plans for locos and rolling stock, it's hard to assess which area of the country I want to model yet. I could base my operations in Yorkshire on the ex-Leeds Northern line via Harrogate because the Gresley pacifics, class 37 and Black 5 worked on that line and more recently in the last 25 years or so HSTs (due spring) and top and tailed Arriva liveried Mk2fs (albeit needing repainting) with EWS 37s (planned by Hornby) worked peak hour Leeds-Knaresborough trains in addition to their Leeds-Carlisle service during 2003-2004. On the other hand, the ex-Great Central London extension pre-takeover by London Midland Region is another possibility, especially with ex-GWR carriages. Nothing's ruled out yet and I hope Hornby announce Southern Region stock in due course.

Not having the TT:120 A3 model in my hands yet, I'm guessing my N scale plates are too small but by how much I don't know and whether I can get away with it

Best fit for Hornby's expected and planned steam/transition era models would be the ex-Leeds Northern line. Gresley's (and Peppercorn's) pacifics were regularly used and Black 5s and class 37s (planned) also worked on the route. Black 5 45211 was photographed at Ripon in Martin Bairstow's book "Railways around Harrogate, volume 1 (1986)" on page 22. On page 19, a split headcode class 37 D6765 on oil train with brake tender was photographed near Dragon Junction in 1964. Mk1s, Gresley , LMS Stanier and Pullman carriages were used too.

Work's resumed on my modified Hornby (ex-Dapol) with extended bunker. I thought it was time to complete the model after several years in store. If I have transfers in stock for the SR sunshine "British Railways" logo I'll finish it as 32646 as per Hornby R30006. If not, I'll finish it as early crest unlined https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/32646-lbscr-46-newington-lbscr-646-iow-w2-iow-w8-freshwater-br-32646/ One possibility of modelling another board is imagining if some of the stations on the former Southsea branch were modernised by the Southern Railway, if the line lasted in use after 1923, and EMUs were used on local services with excursions to East Southsea (in reality passenger service ceased on the outbreak of WW1 and the Southern removed what was left shortly during or after 1923) Excerpts from Kevin Robinson's self-published book about the Southsea Railway, 1986

Tonight I rediscovered two sets of N scale etched nameplates and smokebox plates for 60108 Gay Crusader and 70002 Geoffrey Chaucer which I intended to fit to N scale locos but never got round to doing the work. Instead, they'll grace TT:120 purchases.