Model Railway - What's your latest acquisition?

[atom3624]

Your layout. You run what you want - no excuses asked or required - simples!!

Al.

[Rana Temporia]

Visited the Bolton Swapmeet yesterday amongst all the other things I was doing so didn’t have time for a proper mooch but I was really happy to find these two Tri-andg green starter set coaches with Mk3 couplings for a whole pound each. They will look great behind one of my clockwork 0-6-0 saddle tanks! Just the odd bent coupling between them!

I also picked up a Tri-ang DMU/Blue Pullman power bogie alongside a class 31/37 one at a very good combined price. Both work but while the DMU one runs like new the other is a bit ropey. The magnet seems OK so i might change the armature.

I was wondering what the future is for events like this. The car park wasn’t very full, not that long ago I’d have had to look for a parking space. Most of the stall holders I speak to regularly said how quiet it had been. I know we have other ways of finding what we need but nothing beats a good rummage round in the odd box of junk/spares. You may just find what you never knew you needed!

[david_abramczyk]

Just in the last few minutes, I put my money down, and bought my second A4; a tender-drive model of Golden Eagle in LNER Green.

[threelink]

I share your concerns, RT. Last year I had a stall at a train fair to dispose of some surplus items. I was very happy with my sales but the guy next to me, a trader with a van load of stuff, did not even take enough to cover the cost of his table hire. No-one can afford that kind of a day.

[Rana Temporia]

Threelink, a couple of the traders I spoke to on Sunday said the same thing. One had covered his table but not the fuel to get there, another hadn’t covered his table. I did one last year and although we sold a lot of stuff it was at ‘to go’ prices and a lot was bought by traders. Anything that was close to what I’d consider the going rate didn’t sell so I stuck it on eBay and got more than I expected for most items, even when you add the around 20% it costs to put it on in eBay fees. I don’t have to give up a full day either!

[threelink]

And that I suspect is the reason, RT - ebay and the like will spell the end for traders at fairs, I fear. Perhaps fairs will go back to what they started as: individuals selling off surplus bits at "to go" prices rather than trying to make a living at it. It would certainly be a shame to see the end of fairs as they are a splendid source of all sorts of stuff and spending the odd day selling once in a while is quite fun, but economics will rule the day, I suppose.

[ColinB]

I don't know threelink we thought that in the Classic Motorcycle community but EBay becomes expensive and the Sellers become greedy. We don't have many toyfairs around here so I don't know what they are like for prices but you have the point that it is much nicer to see the stuff and see all the faults.

[threelink]

I do like to be proven wrong. Went to a toy and train fair yesterday at Coventry. 150 plus stalls, very well attended and trade seemed brisk. I certainly spent more than I should have done. Star buy was an old Hornby tender drive LMS liveried Duchess of Sutherland, knocked about and filthy dirty but reasonably complete except for smoke deflectors, for the princely sum of £10.00. Cleaned and serviced the tender drive (dirtiest I have ever seen) and incredibly it runs very well - even has good tyres. Need to sort out collectors on the loco and do some cosmetic work, but it seems pretty decent under the muck. What a bargain - overall it will come in just within my budget of £12.00 per loco. Also picked up a slew of tatty wagons for £1.00 apiece all of which will fix up nicely, enough fine wire to last me the rest of my days, and a box of all sorts (buffers, 8 white metal cast iron columns, water crane, 2 colour light signals and a collection of scenic items) for £3.00. Perhaps fairs are on the up. I do hope so. As ColinB says, it's nice to have the chance to inspect the goods before purchase.

[DarkRedCape]

This was an expensive day. I've been waiting for this Hush Hush since Feb 2022.

[atom3624]

Nice collection.

Funny seeing the smaller locomotives in the bigger boxes!

Al.

[Bulleidboy]

A nice loco despite not really being the era that I model. It has now had a Power Bank fitted and will get lights fitted in due course for completeness.

[LesXRN]

My wife bought me a 1/76 Wall's Ice cream Bedford van, just like one that used to frequent our street when I was a kid back in the 50's. She's good like that.

[atom3624]

Did you get the ice cream cornet as well?

With flake and raspberry sauce as well of course!

Al.

[Yeldarb]

This morning I took delivery of a BR 9F with Westinghouse Pumps and it is a nice model. The thing that struck me was how small it appears in comparison with the Gresley / Thompson / Peppercorn 4-6-2s I have. In my mind's eye I imagined a locomotive of the size of Hush-Hush, whereas it is more Gresley V2 in size.

[atom3624]

That's right.

The 9F's a big locomotive, but quite a bit smaller than you'd expect - still a relative powerhouse nevertheless!

Al.

[Fazy]

got two new, well one new and one new to me. Two class 37s the Bachmann phenix 37-800 and Accurascale DRS 37-607. Both lovely models

[Simmo009]

R3836 / 78047 2MT was delivered at 1204pm today. Yes, they really exist. I will put a picture up tomorrow once I get home.

[atom3624]

Have they painted them yet? All I ever see are the prototype bare metal photos!!

OK, just joking. Interesting to see how she performs with that weight.

Al.

[atom3624]

Turbomotive will arrive at my works address on Monday - as/when I'll remove and post photos - 'though nothing we haven't seen a lot of recently anyway.

Al.

[Brew Man]

I have just ordered an R1 body which fits either a Jinty or Oxford Rail Dean Goods Chassis. I have chosen the latter as I have a non-working one sitting doing nothing. It will spur me on to fixing it. I discovered while browsing for something else that a company named CDC Designs make them using 3D printing methods.

Although I haven't got it yet I am as happy as a pig in muck. sunglasses

[Bulleidboy]

I picked up a Bachmann Bulleid SR Brake 3^rd semi-Open – S4377S (in BR SR green) - I have the other Brake which will make up a two-car set (Set 69). When I buy coaches I tend to but those which make up a set that ran prototypically in the day. Sometime ago (years) someone made a list of all of the Hornby Maunsell coaches, and how certain models made up "Sets" that ran all over the south and west country back in the day.

[Rana Temporia]

Brew Man, I have had a look at those CDC bodies before and they look to be printed to a very high standard. Have you ordered a pre-decorated one?

I have said before, this is something Hornby could be doing with 3D printing, there are plenty of free OO files out there to fit Hornby chassis, just finding someone to print them is the next step.

[Brew Man]

Yes, Rana, it's the pre-decorated one. The decorated ones are an extra tenner, so as I have some transfers I thought I might have a go myself. I'm thinking in advance how I might change the hand rails for metal ones without wrecking it thinking_face.

[atom3624]

On Saturday I was advised by automated RM email that my Turbomotive purchase was at my local depot, ready for delivery - giving the options to redirect, change date.

Destination is my works address - nobody home, no neighbours available during the daytime. Works does not receive parcels on Saturdays, so I simply amended the delivery date to today.

I received another RM email this morning. 'Your parcel from ... model shop ... has been returned to them. Please contact them for more details!! VERY STRANGE!!

Information has been requested!

Al.

[96RAF]

Not mine, but my son’s adopted grandson brought his ‘train’ round for me to check.

Mint condition 1981 R352 British Made Western Courier ring field drive with a Railroad Pullman coach.

Both of them were unmarked, traction tyres never used, wheels bright and un-scored treads, Popped the top off to check inside and give it a light lube, absolutely spotless inside and out. I don’t think this loco has turned a wheel since new.

Cost £3 for the loco and £2.50 for the coach in the local charity shop. Put it on my tram shuttle and it ran superbly.

I gave the lad some track to make up an R607 oval, a spare R8250 controller (with caution about it cutting out) and correct PSU from the spares box and off he went - happy little boy.

Just to whet his appetite a bit I ran an auto-sequence using TGG - 2 locos with sound shuttling round 3 stations all by themselves - he was wide eyed.