NHY 581

You'd think I'd remember that..... Edit- suitable correction made.

Rank has it's privileges.......and if that fails....possession is 9 points of the law.... Rob

Morning Dom, Lovely job on the grass. I really like the change in shade. Rob.

No I don't. Accurascale's price point is once again spot but not so different to that of the existing Bachmann 94xx. You can pick up good, boxed examples for anywhere between £40-£70. Some later releases will be more but realistically, not much more. . There will still be a buoyant market for s/h if not new Bachmann Panniers. Rob

Yes. Mine has had a test drive but nothing too strenuous. It's now back in it's box and has been spirited away by Santa's official Chateau Sheep representative for formal unveiling in a little over a months time. But.....it's a bit of a rather nice lump. Rob

Pretty much done deal Chris. ... Has your 6703 arrived ?

Well, I have to say, much impressed by the Pannier shaped news from Accurascale. Top, top, top result ! There will be an order placed for 7754, the Mountain Ash Pannier which will replace the existing version from Modelzone/Bachmann. In addition, with a lead time of Q1 2025, there's plenty of time to formulate a layout around other examples. Yes, the sheep could well go West ! Rob.

Er......hang on, Roger. It's all been very L&NER this year. You've had lots of Flying Scotsmans ( Scotsmen ? ) to chose from, at least one other A3 in 1923 guise, the TMC G5, several A4s coming......oh and the streamlined B17s on their way and, and Hush Hushes......and and the Y7 from Rapido and you will no doubt, as I am, be eagerly awaiting the J67/68/69 also coming from Accurascale...oh and the J52 from Rapido..........so not a completly bare cupboard. I of course would have loved it to have been an E4 but it wasn't to be. That's life. So come on, just let us peasants who also enjoy small useful, incredibly cute Western tank engines, LONG overdue for an upgrade have a bit of the limelight today. Rob.

Well, bloody damn, flippin' good. Needless to say I've sent details to NotenoughPanniers to allow him to get his pre-orders in early. So, could we now, finally, see a bona fide Western Region layout emerge from Chateau Sheep ? Time will indeed tell but with enough lead time before delivery in early 2025......probably. These look splendid........ Rob

In addition to any new plots and schemes for new layout ideas, the inclusion of the Mountain Ash pannier is excellent news. Will sit well with my NCB No.8 Austerity on Sheep Dip.....and I can gracefully retire my Bachmann/Modelzone example of 7754. Top stuff. Rob.

Bloody damn good.....an arrival of Q1 2025 should be just about spot on for the commencing of a new layout.... Rob

Morning John, No, sadly not. Tregarrick ( ?) was extensively featured in the old Model Railways magazine but I don't know off hand which issues. I'm not aware of any other articles or features elsewhere. Rob.

No one likes a grass........

Thanks Steve. Neither me or the consultant are 100% on how much of or if any improvement there will be. There is a distinct possibility that the problem lies elsewhere but this needs ruling out first. It's contributed towards there being a gradual tailing off of output. Some days are worse than others which slows things down a bit so any improvement, no matter how small, will be welcomed. But, there are modellers out there who cope with far worse adversity. Rob

I see what you're doing and you are all very naughty.

Very nice. Frivolous of Cardiff.

Came very close a week or so ago, Alan. But..........I've decided to stick with 4mm for the foreseeable. Too many nice things on their way......and I really do not have the space to do what I would want. Rob.

Hi Steve, Green, Small Yellow Warning Panel. In my humble opinion, the best BR diesel livery. Period wise, it would place the layout at 1965-69. No full yellow ends, no double arrows, no TOPS panels. I currently have a selection ( using TOPS codes ) from Classes 03, 05 ( Wrong cab but rule 1 ) 08, 15, 16 ( stretching it a tad ) 24 and 37. DMUs from Class 105 and Derby Lightweight. On order are representatives of Class 31 and the W&M Railbus. An outsider would be a Class 21 which escaped the earlier mass exodus further north ( Massive rule 1 appliction there ). So when space becomes available, everything stockwise is there. Rob

In other news........... I have ( I think ! ) secured an Accurascale EE Type 3, D6703. This is their exclusive and one which the ordering of I managed to make a rather good horse's ar$e of first time round. However, having received an email this afternoon from them, I'm pretty hopeful I've managed to resolve. Sadly, I haven't got a suitable layout on which it can play and probably won't for some time to come. Therefore, upon it's arrival, it will join it's other East Anglian diesel chums in store pending the construction of a bigger East Anglian BLT than is currently planned. On that subject, two of the J15s intended for the new project were tweaked yesterday using Bachmann decoders and were tested on Ewe. I have one more to do and one which will receive more attention to produce a more specific Mid Suffolk Light Railway example. Of the Mid Suffolk project, there will be a delay in it's start. Rather unexpectedly, I've been called in, some six months earlier than previously advised, to go under the knife. The plan is to operate on my right hand to try and alleviate the numbness/pins and needles I've been suffering from since early 2021. If succesful, they'll have a go at the as affected left hand once the right has healed. So, with a little over a week to go, I'm loathe to start anything. Once done, it will pretty much write off any modelling before Christmas, if the previous identical op/ recovery was anything to go by. However, I can at last make a start on organising SWAG'24....... Rob.

Evening all, Rest assured, I have been conducting clandestine operations against Notenoughpanniers.................( copyright @figworthy ) Rob.

Nice. Had to be done. This fictional East Anglian diesel era layout might have to get built now. All the stock.....no idea.........! Rob.

Well, Fingers crossed, I think I've just secured D6703......... Rob.

Phew ! I hoped you were being somewhat tongue in cheek !! Totally agree. Talk about flogging a dead racehorse......... Rob

Hi John, Sorry but I can think of nothing less deserving. There are far more attractive locomotives to choose from including those more suited to smaller layouts. Accurascale are already leading the way and their price point must be giving Bachmann and Hornby a headache. Retailers offering Bachmann Class 37 'bundles' cannot be coincidental. No, time to look at more workmanlike subjects. Rapido have chosen well with their recent announcements. Dapol are developing their GWR 2.8.0s. An 8F from Accurascale would be splendid.......or...........a Jinty to modern standards.....but continuing with their Great Eastern theme.....an E4 2.4.0 is a bit left field but would be welcomed I'm sure or even an ex GER 2.4.2T such as an F5..........but there are loads more. Rob.