ellocoloco

Is it the current range of Piko A-Track you have been given? This shouldn't be an issue for post eighties Hornby, and Bachmann models. It is Code 100, NEM 120 and should be pretty similar to many manufacturers track inc Hornby and Peco. Piko did used to have a 'Hobby' range. This appeared a much coarser profile but I have never seen it first hand. If it was much different I would expect Roco stock to have similar issues. Are you using a Hornby or Bachmann loco to pull the rolling stock? If so, does this derail also? The other thing to consider is how the points are switched. Are the larger OO wagons interfering with the point switching mechanism or could the British style tension lock coupling hook tail be hitting the point rail?

Hi SK, I guessing you mean what gauge would be suitable for a quarry as the scale would be the same. Z gauge - 6.5mm track will scale out to pretty close to 2'6", N gauge - 9mm track will scale out close to 3'6". These are a little larger than most UK NG quarry railways but there were plenty of '2 ft 6 in gauge railways in the United Kingdom. There were also a decent number of Three foot six inch gauge railways in the United Kingdom. There are also plenty of N scale locos to provide mechanisms and a decent number of Z scale locos. Search for TTm, TTe and TTf - as mentioned above - start on Shapeways to give you some idea of what's available, but it won't be RTR. Have fun

Depends on how you define the market. Hornby (as Arnold), Tillig, Roco and others have been doing this scale for years. Then Hornby decided to offer some British stuff. Great that other manufacturers are offering British outline TT120, but the market is much more than that and existed long before the end of 2022.

A good place to start looking would be Fox Transfers. They have a good range of Gold number sets. If you search through the website you may find the ones for your specific locos.

I'd go for one of those 2-10-10-2 locos, but it would have to be Rivarossi - only the ATSF and Virginian had any.

Mark, I like your thinking. TC and BM are right, there are a host of issues that you will encounter trying to use OO parts for an accurate HO model. Its not impossible, but more than I would ever like to attempt. Firstly, what are you doing for the body? If you have the3D printed HO Flying Scotsman from Shapeways you could put a feeler out on the model railway forums and ask if anyone has used it and what chassis they used or other parts they adapted. You could also look at similar locos of which there are existing models - A PRR K4 has 80" drivers like the Scotsman and Bachmann do a model of that. The DR 01 has 79" drivers and Roco offer those. Could these be adapted? Would the chassis fit in an HO A1/A3 body? You have some research to do............sunglasses Of course the Holy Grail in British 16.5mm gauge modelling is the PSM Flying Scotsman. Almost certainly the most accurate British outline small scale model locomotive ever sold. Even if you can find one it won't be cheap so there is another option. I've ordered the Trix Flying Scotsman which should be available later in the year. Again, not a casual purchase, but I feel I cannot miss out on this. I moved to HO when I realised how inaccurate OO scale is and didn't have the skill or patience to move to P4. My HO Scotsman will look great alongside my German and US steamers.

The one Wrenn loco I have, an R1 tank, is pure junk. But the worst model I ever saw a review of - and don't know if it actually ever made it to market, was the Wrenn N scale 2-6-4T. Back to fictitious liveries. The Rapido APT-E in Intercity blue and grey looks pretty cool.

As RT states, manufacturers have been doing them for years and I reckon they fall into two categories. First are those like the Jubilee HST and Coronation 66. Your coaches fall into this category. An accurate model in a fictitious livery. There are then models that are close enough to a prototype and get repainted and sold. I have plenty of these, some of which I was aware of the inaccuracies before I bought them, others I didn't and felt a little 'cheated' afterwards. Hornby's Capt Tom is one of these. I was fully aware it should have had another door and other details but didn't really care when I ordered it. It looks the part, runs really well (with TTS) and I'm very happy with it. The Electrotren Al Andalus express coaches are similar. I preordered these when they were announced, but it became clear when they were released they were Renfritos - a term used by Spanish railway modellers to describe a model that has received a Spanish paint job and looks the part from a distance, if you squint! The same year these were announced, Hornby announced the OO LMS Coronation coaches - excellent reproductions for the coaches and accurate to the prototypes. This made my disappointment with the Electrotren coaches and the lack of effort put into making an accurate model even more frustrating and I cancelled my preorder. I can understand why this was done. To produce accurate tooling of this unique train for the limited anticipated sales would have been uneconomical. I have since bought a set as they are lovely models and really do look the part, if you squint! And of course, all my Spanish models are running on the wrong gauge track and I accept that, as do pretty much all OO scale modellers. In the context of all the compromises we make as modellers, your Colas coaches are pretty cool. I await your white roof Mk3s. thumbsup

My opinion is........... these coaches look great and are completely plausible. Hornby do an EWS business train, so why not a Colas one. I am wondering why the door on the second coach hasn't been painted though! sunglasses The platform and the layout in general also look great. There is a long history of fictional liveries in the model railway world. Some are fairly obvious repaints into different liveries, some are models that are close enough to the prototype. Some modellers think its a disgrace, many are happy that they can have something that looks the part. Most observers won't know what's accurate. There is also a trend amongst US modellers to 'imagineer' entire systems, creating their own corporate identity and livery and painting whatever locos and rolling stock they wish to match. I'm thinking Alleghany Midland RR here and there are plenty of others. I'm looking forward to your GBRf breakdown crane!

I might well be tempted by a Scotrail HST set. 4 or 5 coaches. These could be done in a 'book set' as is done in N giving the complete train.

Everytime I run my Mainline Jubilee and Collet Goods I expect the axles to have gone and they'll get retired to the scrapline. Such a shame as they are lovely looking models. Peters spares have the J72 axle set in stock as RT suggests and I reckon that would be your best bet.

I always bookmark and edit the title (if required) of the webpage I want to share such as my Spanish repaints or DMU conversion then copy and paste from bookmarks. (Chrome on Windows 8)

Hi, I don't know what font or size the names on A & C are but you could start by having a look through the range of white letters offered by Fox transfers. As to getting complete names made up, you would most likely have to contact one of the decal providers yourself and enquire as to what you are after.

My experience stripping back the paint on Hornby (Electrotren) locos is that the original printing is fairly robust and I doubt they would come off in water. Most didn't want to come off after a week in IPA! If the previous owner has put varnish over the decals then that's another question but see how the bowl of water - or even rubbing with a wet cotton bud - works first.

This is this Japanese set in 1/700 which is 6" gauge in OO. It would make a live steam garden railway but the photo etch looks a bit fiddly. There are also 3D printed models in 1/1200 which would scale to about 4".

Because its not a unique word. Look up Urban Dictionary.

Don't know about the 50, but I have three of Hornby's Electrotren 316s - CoCo locos with belt drive fans. Two have lenz Standard Plus and the other a loksound V3.5. No issues at all. I don't see why the fan should cause much of an issue as it will cause minimal extra work for the motor compared to the effort required drive through the gear towers. I would have thought that if Hornby offer a Class 50 TTS decoder, they would have tried it in their own model. I reckon the fans are pretty pointless and as one of mine has started squeaking, it is very close to getting the snip!

That would be a good use for my turntable. It would cover a reasonable canal and let narrow boats down each side.

I remember the Humbrol authentic railway colours from many years ago and may still have a tin of LMS crimson lake somewhere! I have repainted a number of Hornby's Electrotren locos and was fortunate enough to find a website that listed the RAL codes that RENFE used and for the colours I couldn't find from Railmatch/Humbrol/Extrcolor/Phoenix etc, I ordered from Ebay as car touch up paints mixed to order. The difficulty is paint scaling and sometimes the 'real' colour doesn't look quite right and of course, many years ago there was no exact standard and depot paint mixes would vary. Once in service the actual colours fade over time so no two locos will look alike after a while. Coachman appears to be looking for touch up paints so as to avoid a complete respray and also for kit building. I reckon a listing of paint codes used (if available) you be a great addition to the service sheet included with models.

Or they could incorporate them into the Humbrol range and make sure their models used the Humbrol paint code. Even easier would be to give the RAL/Pantone/FS/BS etc code used and we could get it mixed ourselves.

Not surprised either but it was a bold move and definitely worth ago. The question now is, should we all order one to stick unopened at the back of the attic and forget about it for 30 years?

I love you guys who don't add the detail packs. Means I can get a second hand loco that's just like new............then glue all the bits on.

I think the problem is that you have bought Mk3 sleepers. I don't think these have been updated for some time and I don't think they are likely to be now that the sleeper services are using the Mk5 coaches and models of these have been produced by Accurascale. Most of the currently available Mk3 and MK3SD coaches will be new tooling but check the technical specs as HST mentions above.

I think you have put forward both reasoned and valid arguments for buying both so it would be rude not to. Just do as I do and promise yourself you won't pre-order anymore! Until another 'must have' pops up. slightly_smiling_face

The size of some boxes - not just from Hornby - has become ridiculous. There's a limit to how much packaging is needed for protection but I think manufacturers believe if they jack up the price you'll need a more impressive 'package'. I've just bought a three coach set from Electrotren and I could comfortably get six in the box. At some point storage becomes an issue, and more worryingly, my wife starts to notice and question how many trains I actually have and if I really need more........!