Tony57

Hi Final 4 Hiawatha's completed, brought a replacement chassis for 1 loco a 58 version with working head light. Next batch of locos will be my Dock Yard Shunters plus 2 Transcontinental Versions. after them its checking my Budd Railcar Collection, may need to replace the plastic drive cogs and axels as I noticed at least one power car had worn down.

Hi The issue is its a sealed motor, with no way of checking on the state of the motor. It could be that the motor could be starting to fail, most modern motors are only fit for about 150 hours running time, a new motor / motor bogie maybe the only option.

Hi Hate to say this but Hornby used to do train sets with 2 x twin track tunnels mouths and a card tunnel,, some also had a single track level crossing, Goods sets came with a goods shed for the siding in the 1980's, It would be good if they revived some of their old style sets without inflating the price of the sets. I have at least 6 tunnel mouths in my collection of Hornby bits but no card tunnels

Hi Lovely wet day. Been working on the Hiawatha collection so far 4 completed, 2x Canadian 1542s, these have the A3/4 tenders with the steam sound (scrap box) 1x 1955 version brought back to speck and a 1962 Hiawatha with working Head Light, think the smoke unit is dead need to think do I get a new smoke unit or not. Several have the wrong chassis as they don't have the Walschaerts valve gear, which they were fitted with from day one. Will repurpose them to Princess locos. Currently bringing a 1958 version back to speck, this is when the working head lamp first appeared. One interesting discovery several of the early model have a rivet attached to the pickup lead with the insulation sleeve push into the middle rather than the clip.

Hi Just completed replacing the missing cowlings and fuel tanks on my collection of Transcontinental diesel locos it has made a big difference to the look of them. Some will need new whisker transfers but that can wait for now. Couple of the electric overheads will need new wiring that will also have to be put on hold for now. Next job the 10x transcontinental 4 6 2 Pacific "Hiawatha" some need the smoke units replacing / disconnecting, several need the light bulbs replacing possibly with a led. I have at least 4 versions body wise, the best thing is they are all on the same R50 princess chassis dating from 1954 till 1973. Until I start the strip downs I don't know which is which.

Hi Threelink Can you post a picture please

Hi Threelink, Just had a look at the History of Rovex VOL 1 - 3,, it appears there was a batch of Blue Pullmans produced in Nanking Blue these have yellow fronts, Pat Hammond does not say how large the batch was that was produced I would think it was in low thousand. The forth livery version is in Electric Blue with the light grey strip running most of the loco like the grey version.

Hi Have a look at the Blue Bell Line. There was a program on That TV this morning that explained that each station on the line is painted in the colors 1900 1930 1950s. Staff even ware the uniforms of the same period on each station.

The spade fitting just want closing slightly, with a pair of pliers just put a gentle squeeze on the edges and close them slightly, if you close them to much use a screwdriver to open them, simple.

Personally I think all video links should have a dedicated section of their own. It does not offend me if they are posted in the general discussion as there is nowhere else to post them at present as long as it is model train videos.

Hi Are you asking about Ringfield motor wheels, as far as I can remember none were om bogie trucks.

@ntpntpntp Yes I know Trix is still going but Trix Twin Track is not, nor is Trix 14v DC and AC but there is a big following both here in the UK and Europe with a great spares backup including for pre war models (39-45) TTRCA The same with Hornby Dublo 3 rail track there is a UK based company that makes new Diecast Metal bodied locos for both Hornby 3 and 2 rail OO gauge tracks, the same firm makes new / refurbished Wrenn rolling stock both locos and trucks, Dapol makes the bodies for the trucks using the original Hornby Dublo / Wrenn tooling. OK small numbers made but they still sell out, some are cheaper than Hornby's current prices. The original firms producing the models have gone with a large number of others over the years, look at a Ramsey British Model Railway Catalogue at the number of brands that have come and gone but the hobby is still here is what I was getting at.

Hi If you look at the history of this great hobby, you would see a number of companies that have come and gone over the years yet the hobby is still here. Trix /Lilliput, Hornby Dublo / Wrenn, Airfix / GMR, Mainline, whos models I have spring to mind they have gone as have many other companies. Tri-ang are still around trading as Hornby. Manufacturing has moved abroad to China for most producers, it could be brought back to UK or moved to some where else in the world. A lot of Dapol is produced in Wales so it could be done, some Airfix kits are also produced in the UK so who can say where things will be manufactured. The future may be rocky but the hobby will survive.

I have decided I am not buying anything new rolling stock wise this year but I am repairing some of my older Tri-ang stuff, I have just ordered 14x 3D printed replacement front cowlings for my secondhand F7 transcontinental diesels, 7x for MK2 and 7x for MK3 couplings(1955 to 1970s) next week I need to order 14 fuel tanks, I have got 23 powered and non powered A units plus 3 dummy B units to do. Having just repaired my 5 powered and 4 non powered double ended Blue B60s replacing 8 front cowling and 3 of the 7 missing fuel tanks, 4 more on order, I like the ones I brought as screws hold them in place rather than them being clip fit. I have 4 switchers and 4 overhead electric locos to follow, I will need at least 5 Tri-ang cross arm pantographs to bring them back to speck as well as front cowlings and fuel tanks.

It is concerning news its the number of brands that will be lost if they do go into receivership. EFE Diecast and Graham Farish are two that spring to mind.

A completely repaired Davy Crockett

Hi Rana Your right it is the same guy, he now makes the front lamp which I have brought and fitted it, still have to paint it, it nice that for a few pounds the body with everything missing and a broken roof has been made complete.

I wonder if the moulds used to make the items we buy are part of the inventory value, 22m is a lot of boxed items sitting of shelves

Correction its a R628 curve track not a R528 ( silly typo mistake)

Hi Interesting question, The answer is no most scales have been around for years, Triang introduced a TT gauge in the Sixty's but gave up production but it taken up by the cottage industry so was kept going. The question is more how long will Hornby support the scale by producing new rolling stock items on a regular basis as well as producing current track all the time and new track pieces, will they commit to a long term plan? The same can be asked about all the brands in the group (thinking of the international brand range)

Hi All According to Hornby's Own track plan books the rail centers are the same if using Standard Express or curved points as a crossover. (1st and 2nd radius) Also a pair of Y point used with a R528 curve track. The use of Peco points causes the issue as they are of a different track center size and need fillers

Hi Been repairing a Davy Crockett Body had to replace the whistle and boiler dome with 3D printer parts, just replaced the roof on the cab with a 3D printed replacement the same person makes the lamp for the front which I have now ordered

Hi Andrew, The express points give the same track gap as standard points when used as a crossover the difference is needing to add 2x 610 quarter straights on top of the R600 straight to bring the ends level.

Hi The answer is no but it will go into a massive decline as us older ones get off the train of life. How many of the brands the Hornby group holds will still be around 5 years from now? There are youngsters getting into model railways like a lot of us will leave and come back later. In my latest copy of the TTRCA mag showed a very young person learning about and using the Trix Twin Track system, which is older than Tri-ang and Hornby Dublo. Another article was about a youngster showing a TTR layout at a club exhibition.

Hi Yes it would be nice to buy everything advertised in a catalogue like Argos, but if you look at the other competitors in this great hobby they now produce a simple catalogue every three months on what has been produced and is ready to go on sale rather than what they are hoping to produce for the year. Now Hattons have gone it will be harder to keep up on what is being produced unless I/you sign up to receiving emails from the other manufacturers if you are interested in their products.