Lochnagar

Thoughts to the staff, I hope they all find new jobs doing something they enjoy. I remember the magazines of 20 odd years ago being filled with pages of Hattons adverts, and always looking through them wondering what to buy next. How times change.

1 hour ago, IRC said:

Am I wrong to think that 43196 was built from new without a guards window?

correct. 153-198 without. It'll be photoshopped box artwork, normal error. 

13 hours ago, big jim said:

guy on Twitter selling a pair

 

 

I have bought from him in the past without issue, he works for GWR on the platform 

Thanks Jim, I've dropped him a message.

Totally random comment but If anyone has a DRS Compass model going spare please drop me a line.. I'm one short of a pair! Sound or non sound. Can't find one for sale. 

Seeing as my layout doesn't have an incline I'll be saying yes to the replacement bodies if they appear! Nice move, saves me reworking the logos. I'll ask the retailer about it, guessing they'll be request items.

37026 is in stock and available to purchase on our website www.mmrgexclusives.co.uk 

We have revised the price slightly, as well as the price for our 1980s/1990s BR engineers yellow BG.

Weathered versions of both available too.

Alex

Ploughs are in stock and we're continuing to dispatch, if you're interested let me know via message. Also available to buy via our friends at Footplate and KMS Railtech.

Re my earlier post about my 'ONE' 66587, the replacement arrived and it was a huge improvement cosmetically over the previous. Only a few minor issues that I could fix. Loose buffers, same wonky front valance due to flash, and a bit of bleed between the pink and grey on the roof, which would be hidden by weathering.. so I could have sorted all of this things out and be OK. 

No visible glue or residue around the bogies this time, so I was expecting it to run nicely. Unfortunately it wasn't, and the running qualities were up there with the first model.. really poor, extremely wonky wheels and very rough running. The loco got stuck/jammed when changing direction at low speeds, I gave it some time on a rolling road to see if anything needed to bed in and if it would improve, but it didn't. There was also a small twist in the chassis which meant that 3 wheels out of 12 were not touching the ground at any one time which created a 'rocking'. Loco was placed on glass and a slab of machined silver steel I have to check this kind of thing when required. 

So in the end I've given up on this one, and returned it last week for a refund. I can forgive some detail and build issues up to a point because you're not always bothered about those things when it's running around your layout hauling a train and you can enjoy it, but if it runs badly then I can't get any enjoyment out of that aspect either. Even dad commented on the running which is unusual.. so that was the decision made for me. Shame as I liked the pink shed! 

Opened my 'ONE' 66587 last night, I had to have this one as it's such an in your face livery and it'll make the steam boys at the club get the sunglasses out! 

First impressions on opening the box were good, but that quickly went downhill. I'll be contacting today for a replacement due to damage to the etched grilles and handrails, flash/obstruction/misshape on the front of the chassis block at No.1 end which prevents the bufferbeam from sitting flush, and the worst case of wonky wheels/rough riding I've ever seen on a diesel loco. This could be due to the axle boxes being glued on askew in various directions, as the bogies have a fair amount of white super glue misting (doesn't really show on pics) and super glue debris around the axleboxes where they meet the wheels, and in the axle holes. The motor has a bit of a squeal in one direction when starting off too. Several underframe parts loose in the box also, which I don't mind sticking back on.. but I can't fix some of it and theres just too many issues, so this one will have to go back. I'll try another before I give up. The livery is very well applied and the cab interiors are nice, I like the interchangeable bufferbeams too, but this is let down by really poor assembly/QC on the fundamental stuff, and I'm forced to say I'm pretty disappointed. 

The one other comment I'd make is that to access the lighting function switches you have to remove the body, which is flimsy and drags off the bodyside steps and details glued to the lower body as they're at 90 degrees to it.  Can't do anything about that, these parts should be on the chassis not the body. The plastic grille inserts on the block fell off whilst this too, and I wouldn't recommend removing the body unless you really have to. There was no packing in my shipping box either, so the loco box was just rattling around inside which may have caused some of the issues I have. 

Honest opinion, I hope the replacement is OK or fixable. Few pics below if anyone is interested.

On 15/07/2020 at 00:23, adb968008 said:

Thanks for posting that.

 

it is a bit of a groan sigh...

 

Ive just had the recent GWR HSTs, and the numbers can be removed in seconds without trace... I wonder if the print quality is the same here, and if they could be lifted / replaced ?

That's thanks to the gloss finish, they come off a treat. 

Nice bloke, helped me with several things in the early days, and some cracking products which I hope will live on. Sad news :-(

Just ordered and paid for 22 XC and GWR MK3s from KMS Railtech.. I'm quite taken by these to be honest and as yet have nothing to moan about which is unusual.. apart from some naff livery application in the photos above by Bryn Jones. Hopefully mine are all ok. Scotrail set is on order when it arrives. Can't run anything until the club reopens after lockdown, but overall these look fab. Dirt cheap too, making it really easy to buy a rake in one hit. These will sell out I'm sure, hence why I haven't waited. 

Alex

On 21/01/2020 at 08:22, young37215 said:

 

Where are the details of the limited editions? I may need to make arrangements with the Bank of England to be able to buy some of them so need as much notice as possible!

Thanks! Well we'll have the first batch of 37s available to purchase on our stand at Stafford show in a couple of weeks. Anything that doesn't sell from the first batch at Stafford (if I'm honest I'm not expecting to have many if any left judging from the interest) they will be listed on our website mmrgexclusives.co.uk shortly afterwards as 'in stock' for immediate shipment.

BUT..!! All 12 locos will be available to order on our website and will be 'made to order', we have a production line going so feel free to drop me a PM if you want to place an order after Stafford.  

Our next show will be the Derby Roundhouse in May, followed by DEMU in June, where we will have batches of locos available to buy on the spot. 

Alex

On 14/01/2020 at 05:41, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

It's a reasonably easy job to smooth the blade Alex, as you say the colour matching is quite simple. I just filed/chiselled the raised details off and inlaid small diameter rod into the panel lines and then sanded the whole blade smooth on mine.

Although it's way out of period for me, I'm a sucker for anything 41A, so could you reserve me a pair for collection at Stafford or the Roundhouse please?

 

Mike.

Hi Mike,

We have a stand at Stafford so pop over and see us! No problem.

Alex

4 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

 

 Sorry to be late to this, I don't know how I missed a 41A related thread.

The ploughs were painted from plain black at Tinsley in November 1992 and moved to Buxton in 1994, but didn't last long, going to Doncaster to provide spares for other ploughs soon after.

As for the model, is the Yorkshire Rose going to be a cast plaque?, and also, the blade/pointed end didn't have the access doors as depicted on the standard Flangeway  production model, is this a re-tool?

 

Mike.

 

Hi Mike, thanks for the info. We were thinking of enclosing a set of Brian's etched plaques but decided to keep the costs down, as I wouldn't have wanted them factory supplied or fitted either so as to avoid 'wonky' or bad quality etches. The Shawplan plates should lay over the top as per the previous ones for those who want to add them. There is only one tool for these, and no modifications have been made to it from last time. To retool/modify would have prohibited this production run. Now that you've mentioned it I'll try filing the raised hatches and repainting to see how they look.. satin black should be easy enough to patch up! 

Alex

Hi folks,

Just to let you know MMRG Exclusives will have a stand at the Stafford show in February.. stocking our current limited editions along with 37026 in pristine and weathered varieties. Also.. a whole lot more 'custom' split box BR Blue class 37/0s and 37/3s which will be available in extremely limited quantities.. maybe just one loco of each type at the show. I'll put a list up on here over the weekend. 

This includes four 'white stripe' versions we've had made specially for us.. custom printing directly onto the model by Railtec Transfers. All other work done by myself. 

Alex

The ploughs will be in stock by this time next week, We'll be in touch with everyone who has ordered re payment and address details, and we'll endeavour to process orders as quickly as possible but please be patient! 

If you haven't heard from us by the end of the month drop me a line..

Alex

On 04/01/2020 at 13:01, James Makin said:

 

I’m waiting on the EWS 66005 (sound one) when they come out and going to renumber, I’d bargained on stripping off both the lettering and numbers for consistency and replacing the lot with some Modelmaster versions - it’ll be very interesting to see if my usual Humbrol enamel thinners will strip the branding without going through the paint.

 

The Bachmann EWS ones were hit and miss (later ones are easy!) so if Hattons can deliver on a clean renumbering process as well as the detail improvements, then that’ll be the final icing on the cake! 

 

Cheers,

James

Renumbering EWS GM stuff is tricky, even back in Lima days. I always repaint the gold band entirely after sanding down the existing printing as it's the only way to get a colour match. The top of the gold band should be exactly one 'rib' below the first angle of the roofline, level with the cab windows. 

On 22/11/2019 at 19:53, SHerr said:

Ordered one at the reduced price last night. I’d bought Coal sector 37049 to respray blue but at the price I will save myself the effort and just re-number and sell 049 on.

 

bought direct from MMRG - it’s to raise money for the club so why would you bother with others getting the profits?

Thank you Sir, appreciated. This offer is for a limited time only (probably a week), so no problem. Starting with the right model saves a hell of a lot of work.. speaking from experience here! 

We've let Kernow have some 026s as it helps us both out, getting them in the mainstream market where people might not see our adverts or know of us. A lot of people still haven't heard of our endeavours.

Alex

Our Black Friday deals are now live on our website, mmrgexclusives.co.uk for a limited time only.. £20.00 off 37026, down to £149.99, and £15.00 off the engineers BG, down to £34.99. Same discounts off the weathered versions too. 

And yes I know it isn't Friday yet..! 

Alex

Our Black Friday deals are now live on our website, mmrgexclusives.co.uk for a limited time only.. £20.00 off 37026, down to £149.99, and £15.00 off the engineers BG, down to £34.99. Same discounts off the weathered versions too. 

And yes I know it isn't Friday yet..! 

Alex

Hi guys, we've had some good news.. the ploughs are now due for being air freighted to us in time for Christmas, so expect to hear from us in the next few weeks..

Alex

On 01/10/2019 at 00:04, w124bob said:

Came across this nice piccy of 20067 with the full Eastfield BTU set, steam crane  BG+BG+BCK or BSO?.

 

So the question is, does anyone know the numbers for the crane and other BG&mess van?

Photo from Spannerman37025 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eastfield/albums/with/72157629642697714-

Fantastic picture! Well I guess it's something to run with the new Bachmann red crane then. Ordered my crane last week as I didn't realise the red ones ran until 1987.  Perfect

Alex

Further samples received and changes made, these should be in production very soon if not already!

Alex

4 minutes ago, roomey said:

 

 

I’d have say not as there very good in there detail there are little things that could have been better, work buffers and working coupling and space for all gauges of wheels

 other wagons this year which have detail is to a truly high standard of detail  would come first but they still a good wagon 

Roomey

I think the Accurascale PCA still takes top spot without a doubt, but this isn't too far behind. It's still in a different league to the Hornby christmas wagon.. LOL. 

Look forward to seeing yours weathered.