scots region

Hi all, My Clan Stewart has arrived and its mostly fine, except for the RH crosshead assembly, which has a notable downward angle, I think there maybe a wonkiness to the Cylinder, which doesn't fully reach the running plate. Any ideas on a fix? ScR

I like pre-grouping, but I didn’t think the Romans got in on it.

Sticks head above parapet. I… kind of like the shade, the gloss makes the engine ‘pop’ in my mind, a bit of weathering and it would really be fantastic. But as ever, to each their own. Ducks head back under parapet.

Are these just Accurascale’s home allocation? Or will other suppliers be receiving their share as well?

All told though, these things are going to be hard to resist for an irredeemable east coast fan such as myself.

Hmm…. Not entirely convinced.

Did the champagne bottle bounce off it at launch or something?

Did the really propose a new Scot? Or was it just the old version with a new chassis and a fresh lick of paint?

isn’t that 90% of the hobby?

I wonder what modellers in a parallel universe had to put up with given Lima’s… quirky approach to quality control.

I did imagine that dcc and motor technology has advanced to the point that opening doors would be possible. But then I wondered about curved side stock, how does the actuator work then?

Hello all, I spend an unhealthy amount of time pondering ‘what if’ scenarios. Indeed it seems I’m not alone as the ‘imaginary locomotives’ thread is well patronised. But just as there have been many proposed locomotives and railways in the real world, I imagine there have been just as many in the modelling world. I remember that in the final chapter of the 1975 Hornby Railways album a number of proposed models were discussed, including a Snowdon Mountain Railway locomotive and coach, which had in fact made it to the mock up stage. Another proposal was for a coach that could open its doors in the platform. Both of course never happened, the coach was impractical as it wouldn’t have been possible to keep the doors closed when passing a station, and there was little market room for the Mountain railway set. I also recall, possibly a series, of articles in a magazine on planned models over the years, Bachmann I know wanted to do a Q1, Hornby I’ve heard it said looked at a J36 in the 1980s. In more recent times we’ve seen the failed APT from DJM, though that last maybe to bitter of a memory for some. But is there more? What projects fell by the wayside? To be clear I am asking about proposed, not discontinued models, least this thread simply turn into a list of grievances. ScR

They told me that the world wasn't ready for container croquet, but my dreams were too strong.

Any stops between there and Felixstowe?

No, it looks like an access hatch. Ya'know, I'm a little befuddled by it, the Mission impossible films are set in the present day, so why mock up a fake old steam engine.

Fascinating and horrifying at the same time, good work.

Social media has taken to calling it 'Mocktannia' Does look like what would happen if a Frenchman designed a BR Standard.

Thank you very much, unfortunately the camera hides more than it reveals.

This image brings me so much joy. Still got this to sort out though.

If you will permit me, I have more thoughts on Afghanistan. All throughout the day whats been haunting me is Helmand, as I said earlier I can just about remember when this all started, and I remember 2006 when it seemed like every week another British soldier died, and what kills me is the thought that they died believing it was all worth it. That there mission would be remember as a noble sacrifice. Instead we wasted every bright, noble, brave, young one of them, far too young to die in such a way. Afghanistan has been the background to my entire upbringing, I was still a child when 9/11 took place, is going to be strange to adjust to a world without it. But mostly all I feel is an immense sadness and weariness, what has any of this been for? It's lasted longer than the lifetime of it combatants, its cost trillions that we'll never get back, its killed people who had no part it and all for.... nothing. The ANA did not so much collapse as it did dissolve entirely, the government we'd been supporting turned out to unfathomably corrupt... I could go on. I'm sorry to Andy if I'm going over any lines here, but this war was a mistake from top to bottom, every problem that we're facing socially, and (p-word warning) politically, was either created or exploded by Afghanistan, democratic institutions are creaking at the joints here at home, European integration (regardless of one's own thoughts) has one and a half feet in the grave, infrastructure is failing apart, and the worst elements of our own history have been emboldened by this failure. What an appalling waste, what a shocking, wholly unforgiveable lie this was. The faces and the names of the ones lost, Afghan and British, should be hung on the walls of every seat of power, not just to shame those responsible, but as a warning to the next 10 generations. I just hope that ultimately we can live with it and find some small victory in the future. ScR

Back to work the day. I could talk at length about anti-vaxxers, using language that would not only see me kicked of this site, but exiled to one of the more remote part of Antarctica. Sufficient to say I find their preferred insult 'sheep', particularly amusing, see I've lived on a sheep farm my entire life and so I'm well acquainted with the proclivities of the woolly sods, and trust me your average ewe is anything but mindless. Afghanistan, I wasn't even into double figures when 9/11 took place, its been the background of practically my entire life, and now, in all sense of the words, all over. What a waste.

I would definitely throw money at a full-fat Black 5, mind you at this point it would be monopoly money, but still

Any Speedlink candidates unaccounted for?

I may add the even Rapido, with their dedication to high spec, had to put a seam on the APT-E, in roughly the same place. I think you also have to put it into perspective, literally, we won't be standing on the lineside when these things go by, we'll be at best four feet away. Will a line less a hair thick be really visible?

Well I was born on St Patricks, so it feels fitting.