The 2nd Official APT-E Thread

[Mr_Tilt]

2 hours ago, RedgateModels said:

 

nah, I want to do one in Intercity blue/grey like Kit's Apt-E above

 

Oh yes, a 2 + 12 set in that scheme would look awesome. 🙂

 

I've just driven up to Scotland, up the M6-M74 route, and kept on seeing ghosted signs of POP-Train and P-Train hammering up Shap and Beattock alongside me. 😉

 

They would have been going a LOT faster of course. 

[RedgateModels]

I have plans, if I lose my current eBay game and actually win a set for the low ball price I put in then I’ll get the paints out

[Michael Hodgson]

3 hours ago, RedgateModels said:

I have plans, if I lose my current eBay game and actually win a set for the low ball price I put in then I’ll get the paints out

Good luck then !

[Brian-1c]

On 13/05/2022 at 14:21, Pete the Elaner said:

APT-E was only ever intended to be a 1-off though. It was the APT-P which was intended to be put into full service, so a 'what if' of that in a newer version of InterCity or maybe even Virgin or LNER livery would be more appropriate.

 

Have a look at Electra Rail vinyls, they do sets for the APT-P in blue grey, RTC red/blue, GNER and Virgin, as alternatives to the original InterCity. On the N scale model by Bees Hill of course.

 

https://electrarail.co.uk/apt-fictitious-livery-packs-4696-p.asp

 

 

😁

Edited May 14, 2022 by Brian-1c

[Mr_Tilt]

I took my Inter City E-Train to Scotland last week, as I was taking part in the IPMS Scottish Nationals Show up there the weekend before last.

 

I'm a member of the What If Special Interest Group (SIG), and we build models of stuff that the manufacturers didn't get around to doing, so the E-Train 'update' was a perfect fit. 🙂

 

Not only that, but we were right alongside the Project Cancelled SIG, and of course the E-Train fitted that as well, so we displayed the model across the border between the two SIGs. 🙂

 

I might say it was very well accepted, many people saying things like 'Aye, they shoulda done that for rrreal'. 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Mr_Tilt

[boxbrownie]

I finally succumbed today, well Father’s Day and an extra bit of discount from RoS so clicked the button, I was in a quandary about the livery though, they look absolutely lovely in IC/Swallow but in the end I chickened out and went for prototype, just a bit worried about the end overhang on my layout really.

 

I justified it as great value, especially looking around at some of the HST packs and the comparison between them.

[boxbrownie]

Arghhh!!!  My APT-E arrived today (must have coasted in I couldn’t here it coming) and it is a really lovely model, nice fine detail and beautifully painted/printed.

 

And it’s going back 😪  …..I got a power car out and coupled it up to a trailer just to test clearances (after reading the warning in the book) placed it at several places on my layout which has one small part R2 and mostly R3 and more, and the front overhang is crazy wide, it just won’t do a circuit without bashing things, so bang goes my Dads day present.

[Mr_Tilt]

Re-build the layout.

 

You know you want to, just to hear that turbine roar as your E-Train goes past you. 🙂

[Mr_Tilt]

Dunno why this came up twice. ☹️

Edited June 23, 2022 by Mr_Tilt

[boxbrownie]

Don’t want to rebuild the layout twice though 😉

[John Tomlinson]

On 19/06/2022 at 11:47, boxbrownie said:

I finally succumbed today, well Father’s Day and an extra bit of discount from RoS so clicked the button, I was in a quandary about the livery though, they look absolutely lovely in IC/Swallow but in the end I chickened out and went for prototype, just a bit worried about the end overhang on my layout really.

 

I justified it as great value, especially looking around at some of the HST packs and the comparison between them.

 

Like you I'd been pondering this for a while, and the extra Fathers Day discount tipped it - although I'm not a father!

 

Had to be in original livery, I saw it running in this condition and have some not too special photos thereof as well, now on Flickr see below.

 

Arrived earlier this week and gone into Covid quarantine after external check - looks superb and I can't wait to hear the noise!

 

John.

Edited June 25, 2022 by John Tomlinson

[Mr_Tilt]

50 years ago TODAY, the APT-E first moved under its own power.

 

Only in the RTC Yard though, and down past the Track lab and back again.

 

A momentous occasion. 🙂

[rapidoandy]

That's a very useful fact! I might just have to borrow that...

 

Andy

[RedgateModels]

35 minutes ago, Mr_Tilt said:

50 years ago TODAY, the APT-E first moved under its own power.

 

Only in the RTC Yard though, and down past the Track lab and back again.

 

A momentous occasion. 🙂

right, test track out and give the model a run tonight :)

[Mr_Tilt]

21 minutes ago, rapidoandy said:

 

That's a very useful fact! I might just have to borrow that...

 

 

Come to one of my talks Andy, and you'll have ZILLIONS of useful facts about E-Train, and a lot of useless ones as well. 🙂

[rapidoandy]

44 minutes ago, Mr_Tilt said:

 

Come to one of my talks Andy, and you'll have ZILLIONS of useful facts about E-Train, and a lot of useless ones as well. 🙂

You know how much I would like to! You must let me know when and where they are so I can see what I can do.

[Mr_Tilt]

Naturally the next two are MILES from you, one in S Wales and one in Darlington.

 

I'll post the dates and places on here when it get nearer the time. 

[RedgateModels]

On 13/05/2022 at 18:31, RedgateModels said:

I have plans, if I lose my current eBay game and actually win a set for the low ball price I put in then I’ll get the paints out

 

Oh dear, looks like this will actually happen, just won a battered set for 55 quid ........

[RedgateModels]

 

[John Tomlinson]

On 25/06/2022 at 16:40, John Tomlinson said:

 

Like you I'd been pondering this for a while, and the extra Fathers Day discount tipped it - although I'm not a father!

 

Had to be in original livery, I saw it running in this condition and have some not too special photos thereof as well, now on Flickr see below.

 

Arrived earlier this week and gone into Covid quarantine after external check - looks superb and I can't wait to hear the noise!

 

John.

 

As it turned out, my model had a problem with one motor. I eventually returned it to Rails last week, for them to return to Rapido, and my replacement appeared in the post today.

 

It is a remarkable thing indeed, and the sound is quite amazing. The basic sound works on DC as well as DCC, although the refinements are DCC only. Thoroughly recommended, and although not cheap worth every penny IMHO, particularly given the general price levels of other 4mm models in 2022.

 

If you buy one DO, DO, DO read the book beforehand. It really would be quite easy to mess it up if you don't especially on assembly. Even for those as old and grumpy as me, who've been doing this stuff for decades.

 

John.

Edited August 8, 2022 by John Tomlinson
added "If you do buy one..."

[Mr_Tilt]

For anyone in the north, I'm doing my short talk on the APT project in Darlington on this coming Saturday afternoon. It'll be at the Head of Steam Museum on Station Rd, at 1.45 pm.

 

It should last 1.5 hrs, but they ALWAYS over run. 🙂

[ElTesha]

On 01/05/2021 at 22:02, Mr_Tilt said:

But can they re-grow my hair to the Marsha Hunt length it was back then? (Me on the left in the pic)

 

Actually I still have the Inspector's Coat, and a couple of the kipper ties, but not the flares. 

 

Sorry to disagree but they are not 'flares. more like a conservative pair of 'Birmingham Bags'.  Flares fitted rather tightly down to the kneeand then 'f;lared out' to the cuffs.

[Mr_Tilt]

I had some of them too................ 

[Mr_Tilt]

On the anniversary front, it's 51 years today that E-Train made its first run on the main line.

 

I can clearly remember lying on the floor of the centre joint module with my head hung through a hole watching the wheelsets to make sure they didn't start hunting. I was thinking 'Is THIS what I signed up for in 1969???'

 

Only to be blacked by ASLEF immediately of course. 😒

[Mr_Tilt]

Now here's an opportunity to 'show the E-Train flag'.

 

The Pendon Museum want to run demos of more modern trains through their amazing Vale of the White Horse scene as the scenery has hardly changed in the last 100 years or so. One of the periods they want to show is from 1971-1985, and of course E-Train did the High Speed runs in August 1975. The only problem is their track is EM gauge, and although I know the E-Train model is designed to take up to P4 gauge wheelsets I don't know anyone who has done it.

 

They want to do these demos in June next year, so does anyone have their E-Train converted to EM?

 

If not I may try and swap the wheelsets of mine around, but I haven't the FAINTEST idea what's available on that front as the wheels are so small compared to many other vehicles.