Warbonnet

Buy one Bachmann Class 25, rip internals out. Transplant into APT power car, graft on bogie sideframes and Robert's your mothers brother! Well, it's what I plan to do anyway.

A mate of mine has been shooting some vids in France recently, enjoy!

Hell yeah! http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=398471&nseq=0

Your shed is stunning, the ramshackle look and weathering is so spot on, well done! The silo aint half bad either!

I'm pretty sure they weren't Anto, they just hauled them as normal coaching stock. I've seen pictures of 071s hauling them as normal coaching stock too.

All 20 will be at a gathering in July. Looking forward to that! I think I have a new favourite, a model one of these might look good hauling my Walthers 20th Century limited, mind you I do like my NYC E7s! It's funny, on the boxes of the 20th Century Limited Walthers attribute the trademark of the NYC to CSX, so obviously both CSX and Norfolk Southern both own the trademark after they took over Conrail. Guessing CSX had no grounds to object!

Looks like a load of Taurus locomotives are getting painted in special liveries for the Euro 2012 festivities in Polkraine. Here is the Czech loco http://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/foto_news_opis/32192/c07571892af9f99745722dc48b0f12fb_d.jpg Will be interesting to see the Irish one, will we see them on layouts pulling Cravens around? Gotta love the Taurus, very musical loco

And here she is, BOOM! http://railpictures.net/photo/398385

Looking forward to it Dave, will have to buy myself a nice crimbo present at it.

Looks like not all players are at the Bridge, 'Nando hasn't looked happy since he signed tbh. http://www.thescore.ie/fernando-torres-tells-as-im-not-comfortable-at-chelsea-457609-May2012/

Good one tony! Just looking at the pics of the open top buses on sky news. Former Dublin Bus RVs?

Eye watering I bet! Lovely bit of kit though.

Don't worry, just winding you up. Still, us lefties boast some of the best players to play the game; Maradonna, Messi, Francis Benali... Gotta love Socrates, what an absolute champ!

And we hate you too!

Sneak peek of the second ACe in New York Central on test. I'm sure a better photo will be forthcoming soon... http://indianarailroads.org/board/index.php?action=dlattach%3Btopic%3D9122.0%3Battach%3D35988%3Bimage

Looks like we haven't got any Chelsea fans on here, or else they went on a mad one last night? I thought I'd hate them winning the Champions League, but I find it impossible to dislike Di Matteo. Also made up for Drogba, I don't think he deserves half the abuse he gets, and he has to be the best centre forward in the Premier League era for me. Also happy about Torres winning it. Hopefully it brings it home to Liverpool supporters that we are a joke club now. He left to win trophies and that he has done, we sold our best players and replaced them with dross. I think it will be a long time before we're competing at such a level again. That bottom feeder Terry showed no class though, running around as if he won it in his full kit. Embarrassing (as was Meireles) to see that considering he didn't play in the final due to his stupidity. When United won it in 1999 Keane and Scholes looked almost embarrassed walking around the the pitch after the game, and wore suits instead of glory hunting. It's a reason Chelsea are disliked so much I reckon. What a terrible match mind you. If I played for Bayern I'd shoot Robben, so greedy with the ball, constantly shooting and wasteful with his final ball. Ribery wasn't much better.

Very nice video Patrick. I do like the CC72000s. A whiff of BR class 56 off them sound wise, hope they're more reliable. On the subject of TGV drags there was of course this one to and from St. Pancras back in March featuring a postal TGV. [video=youtube;Kkybt1JXE-o]

They're lovely Rich, recommended. Need to chip her and see how she runs. It's a pity about the Heljan 86, I have one and it's an utterly superb runner, and the underframe detail is lovely too. It's a pity about the pan and front. Hattons are now knocking some out for under £50, I'm tempted to pick a couple and join them with some Hornby bodies and detail them up. A top notch 92 would be superb, would love an 81, 87 and a 90 too. I reckon they'll appear over the next few years.

Bachmann has just released their first UK outline AC electric locomotive, an AL5 or a class 85 as they were later known. A decent AC electric locomotive has been seen as a bit of a gamble for maufacturers, as they claim that electrics don't sell that well. Heljan released a class 86 a while back, which has been seen as a bit hit and miss, but the Bachmann 85 seems to be hitting the spot. Anyway, I've always had a bit of a thing for electrics, so put my name down for an 85 when they were announced. I went for the final condition BR blue 85 which would suit my desired modelling era of 1985-1995 (one of many I have, sadly) and here she is. Roof detail The pan is a thing of beauty, streets ahead of anything that's gone before, and one place it really trumps the Heljan 86. Now to do my best to resist the gorgeous electric blue version due soon.

Marks in Hawkins Street takes trade ins and has some 2nd hand stuff under the counter, but when they're charging 50 squids for unboxed BR lima locos you know you're not going to get much of a bargain! Always worth keeping an eye on Rails' 2nd hand ebay store http://stores.ebay.ie/Rails-Of-Sheffield

I'd hate to pay the P&P on that beast! What did you pick up there? I have bought a few bits off them over the years, including some limited edition stuff they did. Great for 2nd hand stuff too, with their ebay store being pretty legendary!

Nothing wrong with a bit of bias! the Lima 201 is a good point though, I remember people couldn't believe they were available after years of Lima 33 and hornby hymek repaints. They were top dog and people paid huge money for them. Then the 141s came along a few years later and were from a different planet.

It can, things can only get better. To be honest I'd say the 141s are still the yardstick, but that's just my opinion. 201s arent a bad lump mind you. I think the 071 will be top dog going on what I've seen so far.

I believe there are differences in the chutes too, but they look fairly close overall.

Not the only think that's different either.