John Isherwood

In the spirt of showing our recent modelling, this is one of a rake of ten Hattons TOPS era ICI limestone hopper; (still available to purchase); that has been backdated by the addition of Appleby Model Engineering etched ICI lettering and Cambridge Custom Transfers number and owner's plates. The ICI etches and the transfers are both available from https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm John Isherwood.

This is a Hattons TOPS era ICI limestone hopper; (still available to purchase); that has been backdated by the addition of Appleby Model Engineering etched ICI lettering and Cambridge Custom Transfers number and owner's plates. The ICI etches and the transfers are both available from https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm John Isherwood.

This is a Hattons TOPS era ICI limestone hopper; (still available to purchase); that has been backdated by the addition of Appleby Model Engineering etched ICI lettering and Cambridge Custom Transfers number and owner's plates. The ICI etches and the transfers are both available from https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm John Isherwood.

This is a Hattons TOPS era ICI limestone hopper; (still available to purchase); that has been backdated by the addition of Appleby Model Engineering etched ICI lettering and Cambridge Custom Transfers number and owner's plates. The ICI etches and the transfers are both available from https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm John Isherwood.

There are non-fogging superglues available. https://www.glueonline.co.uk/product/permabond-947-20gm/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlp2t8baT6wIVTbTtCh1tuwwqEAQYASABEgLlEPD_BwE Not cheap - but if it does the job ....... ? John isherwood.

Of the photos that I appended, I would say that the two Bachmann publicity shots: (which are still in current usage by most retailers); and the two prototype photos; show a remarkable similarity. That cannot be said by comparing your photos of the actual Bachmann models with any of the above. If you remembered :- ordered on the basis of :- and received :- I think that you might be a little disappointed - as I was! (I can confirm that your photo is an accurate representation of the model). John Isherwood.

I find that, nowadays, the square holes in Markits wheels are usually too small to fit onto the square end of the axle as bought. I invariably have to remove, with a square needle file, a little of the casting taper in the holes to get an accurate fit onto the axles. I am careful NOT to file the square hole towards the front face of the wheel; just in the first millimetre or so from the back face of the wheel. If the wheel is 'pulled' onto the axle by tightening the fixing nut, without clearing the casting taper, the square hole can be 'trimmed' slightly off its correct orientation by the cutting action of the square steel axle into the softer mazac wheel. The wheel should fit onto the axle - without any need to press or force it - before assembly, if quartering is to be accurate. John Isherwood.

Fair enough - that certainly shows that my recollection of the first batch is in error. What perhaps mislead me was this :- and this :- My clear contemporary recollection of the AL series of AC electric locos is much more akin to :- and Hornby Dublo, Trix and Tri-ang all seemed, at the time, to interpret the livery as I did / do :- The Bachmann AL5s may match but, IMHO, they are not Electric Blue. Regards, John Isherwood.

I hope that a lot more modellers feel as you and I do. I will await the bargain sell-off of rejected models, and then buy some Electric Blue paint! John Isherwood. PS. If any member is in a position to take one, it would be educational to see a photo of the first and latest issues of the Electric Blue AL5 side-by side.

A little?!? John Isherwood.

Does anyone know of a source of these oil axlebox cover plates in 4mm. scale? I'd like to backdate the roller bearing axleboxes on my Hattons hoppers - I'll need 80 covers! John Isherwood.

Does anyone know of a source of these oil axlebox cover plates in 4mm. scale? I'd like to backdate the roller bearing axleboxes on my Hattons hoppers - I'll need 80 covers! John Isherwood.

I now have the Appleby Model Engineering etches - in excess of 200 of them! They can be ordered from my website - see https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm I have also produced transfers for the solebar number and owners plates - see Sheet BL183 at https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm Together, the etched I C I lettering and the transfers make an easy job of backdating Hattons remaining stock of (at the time unpopular) heavily weathered TOPS era wagons to the 1960s era - I know, I've just about finished ten of them! John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

If fitting 14mm. wheels, be prepared - if necessary - to cut clearance holes in the floors to clear the larger wheels. John Isherwood.

Because Hornby only want to supply retailers with whatever stock they can't sell themselves at full retail price! How can the retail trade possibly survive on Hornby's cast-offs? Cynical doesn't come close - this is da*ned arrogance and indefensible sharp practice; I haven't bought a Hornby product for several years, and I can't see that changing in the light of this latest incident. John Isherwood.

For my money - and a little bit extra for the hard-backed envelope if necessary - I would far prefer my MRJ to arrive uncreased. I have 'em all, including 0 and the Compendia, and I'd like to keep future issues in the same condition as hitherto. John Isherwood.

Ditto. John Isherwood.

There, there - I told you so - a troll! John Isherwood.

Mind you - Hornby Dublo, Airfix and Kitmaster all went to the wall BECAUSE the injection toolmaking was such (expensive) high quality that they could not sell the product at an economic price. Now THAT'S a whole different commentary on the development / decline of British engineering. John Isherwood.

If I understood what that meant - I might well agree. John Isherwood.

..... and all from sixty-year-old kits !! Says a lot for good old 20th Century British engineering. John Isherwood.

Nope - he said "OO has really rocketed in price. I'm glad I jumped ship"; a straight (misleading) comparison on price. I don't feel strongly about the large scale / small scale (non) issue - I feel strongly about idiotic and pointless statements, intended to provoke argument; (akin to trolling). In that, he succeeded! John Isherwood. PS. "....very soundly engineered real working miniature steam locomotive.... "; "sophisticated plastic toy train". Are "miniature .... locomotive" and "sophisticated ..... toy train" interchangeable in this context? Discuss!

The OP made an invalid comparison - a basic, unprototypical 0-4-0T versus a highly detailed scale model of a six car train with two power cars. I merely pointed out that, had the comparison been between basic, unprototypical 0-4-0Ts in two scales, there would have been no (spurious) point to make. Agreed - the whole premise is nonesense, but then I didn't open the can of (pointless) worms. John Isherwood.

A totally pointless and meaningless comparison. Please quote the price comparison between a Hornby 'Smokey Joe' and a Roundhouse 'Millie' - see what I mean? John Isherwood.

Now that, I think, hits the proverbial nail on the proverbial head !! Let's hope that it comes back to bite them!! John Isherwood.