John Isherwood

That's odd, neither boxbrownie or I can currently access any slot after 19th December - and the notice in Asda DEFINITELY said that they wouldn't go on-line before 6th November. They're not SOLD OUT after 19/12 - they're just not available to anyone yet. The 'free-for-all' starting on 6th November is for EVERYONE - there is no priority or 'first dibs' for recurring slot customers. John Isherwood.

If you look at the Recurring Slot tab in your My Account section, it will tell you when your Delivery Pass expires - our is some time in April 2021. Regards, John Isherwood.

We don't find it a palaver to do the recurring slot thing - very simple, really, as you can use your previous orders as the basis for your next order, and then delete or add items as required. Reading the e-mail from ASDA, I am assuming that our recurring slots on 21st and 28th December will not be available, but I noticed in Asda this morning; (called in to collect a prescription); that the Festive Season slots will be on-line from this Friday, 6th November. I will be going on-line first thing on Friday and, hopefully, getting a couple of slots set up. Delivery by recurring slot is definitely preferable to going out in the cold and wet at this time of year! John Isherwood.

Ben, Now that is how manufacturer / customer communication should work !! Thank you very much - and please convey this to Rails - for being prepared to consider the views of RMweb members and act upon evidence that comes forward. If there had been more than one 18000, I would have considered increasing my order - as it is, I will have to wait for 18100 / E1000 / E2001 !?! Regards, John Isherwood.

Copyright unknown. John Isherwood.

Dave, I'm afraid that I have zero experience of 3D printing. Sorry, John.

It'll all die down again in about a month - just in time for Boris to tell us that the lockdown ISN'T going to end on 02/12. That done, it'll all start up again - on steroids - because Christmas will be just around the corner! Cynical? Me? John Isherwood.

Dave, I take it that you are aware of my transfer sheet BL183 - see https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm I can also supply the etched I C I letters formerly produced by Appleby Model Engineering. Regards, John. Appleby

So far, I have managed to convert all my Hornby Pacifics - Clan, Duke of Gloucester, Sir William Stanier FRS, Bulleid - so that the pony trucks pivot in the traditional pattern. It can be done, some more easily than others; but it takes courage to apply the piercing saw to an expensive new model! John Isherwood.

As posted here in July : - Price £8.00 including UK P&P for 4mm. scale. Full details under Sheet BL184 at https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm Regards, John Isherwood.

My view is that it was the same carmine red that was used on coaching stock in the carmine and cream livery period - which, as can be seen from the photo in question, was a red with a hint of orange. The similarity in this close proximity image is too striking to be ignored; having taken numerous colour samples from both the coach carmine and the loco lining, the RGB composition is consistently very close. John Isherwood.

I'm afraid that I cannot agree - there is evidence of the presence of the upper side line in photos after the later crest was applied. I doubt that even Swindon would have sent out a loco with half the top lining overpainted - by that reasoning, they would not have renewed the lower side lining either. In fact - a patch of paint over the old crest; a transfer for the new crest; and leave the rest of the paint and lining untouched. There's plenty of photos of locos where that's exactly what happened. John Isherwood.

Angus, Since you insist upon prolonging a non-event ...... I have NEVER, in 21 years, advertised the transfers that I produce. I never wanted to be a transfer producer, and I have never sought to increase the amount of my modelling time that is taken up providing transfers to other modellers. I acquired the hardware and software to produce waterslide transfers for my own use, as Woodhead Transfers had ceased trading. Word got out that I could print waterslide transfers, and I was bombarded with requests to produce transfers for other modellers. I (briefly) offered a bespoke transfer service - but the time that it consumed was insupportable. I therefore simply offer to other modellers the transfer sheets that I produce for myself - that's why the vast majority are BR steam era subjects. I do not 'compete' with Railtec or Precision Labels - we all do our own thing. If I never get another order for transfers I couldn't care less - but progress with my own modelling would accelerate immensely. In this case I merely tried to point out that a sheet of transfers, which might have assisted the enquirer, was already available. As it happened, he needed the later 'boxed' style markings - which I don't produce. Please do not go looking for 'unfair competition' where there is none. John Isherwood.

Automatic tablet catcher for single line running - it folded outwards to pick up the section tablet. John Isherwood.

Not cheeky at all - Railtec and I have a mutually compatible arrangement when it comes to these type of enquiries. I concentrate on the pre-TOPS era, Railtec on the TOPS and more recent period - though there is some slight overlap. The demands upon both outlets are huge, and if one of my readily-available sheets can save Railtec from re-inventing the wheel, it's got to be good for both of us. You will not know this, but I have put hundreds, if not thousands of enquiries Railtec (and Precision Labels') way, when the enquirer requires TOPS or bespoke transfers - which I do not do. The technology that I use is prehistoric in comparison to Railtec's - but I have had many thousands of repeat customers since I started producing transfers in 1999 - so I must be doing something right. In summary - please do not assume selfish motives where there are none. John Isherwood.

Apparently, when one is on the 'naughty step', one has one's Agree etc. and Edit buttons removed - it's not painful, though! Regards, John Isherwood.

See Sheet BL184 at https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm John Isherwood.

I wouldn't hold your breath - all Pacifics from Hornby now seem to come with fixed trailing trucks. John Isherwood.

The purpose of the samples is to identify errors in the livery applied - the over-prominent lining is such an error. ....... or we could just keep quiet now, and then moan when it's too late and the (flawed) models are on the model shop shelves. Which course of action would be more constructive? John Isherwood.

It would seem to be a result of painting the whole cladding band bright orange; (and then, possibly, applying a virtually invisible black line down the centre - though I can't make it out in Hornby's images). That is NOT the way that the prototype was lined, and NOT the way that Hornby (and many other producers) have done it in the past. John Isherwood.

Please ignore the first, irrelevant image posted above in error. John Isherwood.

Ben, I am very disappointed to hear that Heljan / Rails do not intend to apply the reddish-orange roof edge lining to the green version of the above model. I am totally convinced that it was a feature of that livery from the time that it was repainted from black until its time in storage, before it was send to Switzerland. Every photo that I have collected - colour or greyscale - has a clear image or at least a suggestion of this line. Have you an image of 18000 in clean condition where it is clearly apparent that the line is not present? Remember - unless the loco was ex-works or had recently been cleaned, the line would be at least partly obsured by the normal roof dirt, if not virtually obliterated. Contrary to the prototype, most modellers will operate / display their models in a relatively clean condition, and the absence of this line will be very evident. No doubt, if the model is produced in this incomplete condition, those of us who have the skills / courage to do so will add the line, but I am sure that there will be many disappointed owners who cannot / will not make this correction to an expensive model. Please think again about this flawed decision. John Isherwood. Photos NOT my copyright - will remove if requested.

That being the case - and the implication being that all versions will have ratchet tensioners - they won't be selling any to me! John Isherwood.

Ben, Can we be assured that the roof-edge reddish-orange line will be applied to the green livery versions? Regards, John Isherwood.

My phrase is 'the knit-your-own-muesli brigade'! John Isherwood.