Downendian

Great stuff and impressive cutting Kylestrome. I've beheaded a Bachmann 24 and in the process of grafting on the Hornby cabs in a 24/1 build. Of course the Bachmann 25 has the side grilles incorrectly proud of the bodywork for a 25/1, and thus useful for a Hornby replacement where they are flush, and thus incorrect for a 24/1. My cuts are behind the doors, and I must say your cuts look a better position as I'm almost certainly going to replace the strip of rivets by the boiler room, Could you show us the under frame as I see you've removed the fictitious solebar. I presume you've used the same method as described by Jim Smith-Wright? That mod makes a huge difference to the look of the model. Neil

This is a shame, based on the assessments in this thread I've cancelled both my preorders, I'm simply not willing to part with £120x2 on models that will need resprays. True, one cancellation was due to funds being needed to purchase the SLW class 24, but will wait now to see if there are future corrections (there weren't for the greeny-blue class 22s) or if the pricing drops to reflect these livery errors. Neil

Good afternoon an upgrade to my Mac OS has meant some scanning downtime, but resumed this afternoon. Some Hymeks and one solitary Western today. I'm always on the look out for photos of Hymeks in the final years- the time when I remember them best, the first three are all taken at Reading, and must of been around 1973/4, Memories of the "last ten" in service in 1974. I intend to model all of the final locos in this condition, I already have D7011 renumbered. I will look up the recording codes later and edit appropriately D7011 at Reading D7026 at Reading D7029 at Reading Finally a Western at Gloucester in the fine Maroon full yellow livery, D1008 Western Harrier 27th June 1969 Neil

Hi John Yes indeed I asked that specific question. Sound chips and setup can be ordered at a later date, from what I understand from my conversation. Neil

Just ordered a 24081, non-sound and checked that I can upgrade to sound at a later date, Xmas presents deter this spend until next year. Unfortunately my better half already has my present so will have to be especially good over the holiday break. Just a word of warning, my email from Jamie was in my spam folder that I check once a week, and my ISP deletes them weekly. The email was sent on Friday, good job for me that I checked. I hope they sell well, and have supported this in the hope of seeing further baby sulzer action in 2016. Neil

Perhaps we've been gullible accepting previous levels of detailing that are well below those that have been achieved by this model, and prices that aren't too far away from it. RRP for many new diesels is now approaching £130. As stated by many in this thread to which I totally agree , it's a game changer, Hornby, Bachmann et al could try and up their prices to these levels, but only if they match these specifications. I doubt they are rubbing their hands in glee, I think that this release may have put the cat amongst the pigeons. I doubt very much if Bachmann will be releasing any further old tooling class 25s for example, 25 043 will I fully expect to be the last of the Bachmann old tooling, and I'm sure they're looking very carefully now at their new tooled 24/1. Neil

Well as this thread matures (in the cheese sense of the word) I'm still not put off by this model. Nothing that an etched grille between friends can't sort out. That aside, everything else looks spot on, having a Hornby-Bach hybrid 24/1 on the go, I can assure you the bottom of the cabs (a fiddly bit to get right) looks as good as it gets. Going slightly O/T rail exclusive still have the 33/0s which state they are postponed on their website. Having lost track of this after they were let down by Heljan, is SLW going to amaze us with a 33 as well? I still have them on order I hope they emerge because we will be in for a treat. Neil

Hopefully digging the scanner out again this week, been tied up last weekend Xmas shopping in the beautiful city of Bath. May I recommend the "man crèche" called the Raven, which serves very good beer to accompany their bangers and mash. For all Western fans I heartily recommend a book by Stephen Dowle (otherwise known as Fray Bentos on Flickr), my thoughts on it are in this thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/105500-class-52-westerns-the-twilight-years-the-amberley-railway-archive/?p=2116563 In the meantime I've sourced a photo of D1013 with black backed plates, probably on 4th September 1975 at Exeter in charge of the 1V34 Kensington Olympia to St Austell motorail, car flats unfortunately not in shot, I'd always wanted a photo or her in this condition, before the red back plates were attached the following year.. Neil

One I considered for Rmweb buy and sell SNOWMAN. NEEDS SOME ATTENTION Neil

Still very impressed with this model. I've taken on board the comments re glazing and the air intake slat numbers for the scavenger fan and boiler. As a BR blue modeller, the boiler slats were blanked by a plate in any case and I'm sure Shawplan or Pete Harvey will do the business here for the large bodyside grille. A doddle to fit these if needed I suspect. Is the large grille an etch? Incorrect slat number is a feature of many RTR diesels, the Bachmann peak for example - how many modellers have noticed this or care? As pointed out the later body style 25s look to be coming as there is already space for engine room cameos behind where the engine room windows will be on the 24/0 chassis. Naturally I fully expect the pseudo sole bar to vanish as seen on the late Bachmann rat, and correct the cab shape errors. Bachmann 25/1s have plenty of errors too from the sole bars to the raised bodyside grilles - something only corrected by using Hornby bodies on a Bach chassis. It will be of great interest to see what Bachmann do with their 24/1, as it will need to approach this spec. Bachmann already have done engine room cameos on their recently released class 43, and finer bodyside etches dictate this where has been unnecessary before. Finger has already hovered over the "cancel preorder' button on my two Bachmann 24/1s as a wait and see for a possible 24/1 release from SLW is probably a decision I will make. Terrific stuff, and will almost certainly get one of the 24/0s to have a real feel for the quality and gauge any (relatively simple) modifications to be done, which at present look little more than a renumber, and grilles/glazing when available. Neil

Interesting times. The model is indeed a game changer, and a good example of a disruptive product (where disruptive is being positive of course). I'm sure Bachmann, Heljan, Dapol and Hornby are watching this very carefully. I had ordered the RE class 33/0, and agree that if they'd gone head to head with Heljan my money would have gone to RE. In all probabilities a fleet of sulzer type 2s will be emerging in the future from the same stable, and the other game changer is that we won't know about them until they're ready to buy. The days of announcing a model years in advance of production to lay claim to a particular prototype may have gone. This is for me the best news to emerge this month, and although delighted regarding the Hornby coke wagons and Rapido/Locomotion HST-P, the class 24 tooling heralds the arrival of higher priced but higher spec British RTR of the type that our European and North American colleagues have enjoyed for many years. Congratulations to Phil Sutton and the team, I now regret not going to the launch. Neil

Hmm. I'd decided last week to flex the plastic and buy one of these, based on the images coming in. Preordered from Hattons at £105, they have now crept up to £119.51 with the imminent release. Neil

A must for me. My first TV appearance was on BBC points west in 1975 when the prototype unit first arrived in Bristol. Duffle bag and notebook in my teenage hands. My Genesis-Lima conversion will be "recycled". Neil

I thought you'd be delighted Phil re the Coke hoppers. A similar working rumbled through Patchwsy in the early 1970s en route to Avonmouth. I will certainly be buying a rake too, a fabulous choice Hornby. Neil

Thanks for the comments on the D6334 shot, I've duly taken it down for copyright reasons. I've more to scan this weekend, which are of known copyright- I.e. Mine. Neil

Thanks Mike - I did wonder why there were three tracks in the photo. Many slides come with no information re date or location, so posting on RmWeb is highly useful for gleaning information such as this. Post edited Neil

Still quietly accruing slides, some absolute corkers on eBay recently. Two quick ones taken from eBay listings of which I now own the originals First is D1002 in my favourite Western livery, MFYE at Reading in 1970, amongst my favourite slides now, and on my home screen on my work iPad -.you'd be amazed by how many colleagues comment along the lines "lovely pic of a Western, did you take it?" Next D6334 approaching Teignmouth, this was a "copyright Unknown" purchase, so if it's a commercial one or someone claims copyright I'll take it down, but certainly not one I've seen before. Only two further NBLs were delivered minus yellow panels - edit image removed due to copyright. Neil

Anyone been in this situation? - I haven't! Neil

The Flickr image you have linked to Phil has the mysterious "crease" about a third up the bodyside, extending around the cabs on this shot. Adrian Curtis has mentioned this in one of his articles, I'm guessing it's an artefact of the stressed skin construction? Neil

Victor Meldrew used a good phrase for this I remember.Neil

Top stuff Gareth, and thanks for keeping the thread ticking over. Must resume the scanning soon myself. Neil

Comedy chimney may just get someone a bargain here http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=221925668157&globalID=EBAY-GB Neil

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34648339?ocid=socialflow_facebook&ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=Facebook Reminded me of a story where a local artist hung one of their pieces in the Guggenheim in Bilbao complete with fake sign. It took over twelve months for them to notice! Neil

Aha lovely stuff Phil - your birthday bash was great fun, and glad to have contributed to the Abbotswood roster. Must get to mine, railway modelling has been a bit of a third fiddle to the day job and our first grandson at the moment. Neil

I've started putting out feed again routinely. There are a lot more Coal tits around this year in South Devon, at one view they outnumbered blue tits. Like Mallard60022 only at feeder for a second or two to grab a sunflower heart and then off. Neil