Horsetan

My first calculator was a Sinclair pocket thing, with red 8-digit (not LED, but sort of electroluminescent) display. Cost ten quid from Lasky's, the hi-fi specialists, in Oxford Street in about 1976.

Fleischmann wheel profiles were always coarse, but then Roco models weren't that much better back then. Nowadays most Continental HO models try to conform to NEM profile (2.8mm wide tyres), which is still quite coarse. Roco in particular still can't decide what profile to use - some models look as though they have RP25-110, others are NEM. I have a model of the famous 18.201 and that seems to have three different wheel profiles on it

The Class 5s were supposedly capable of up to 50mph if occasion (and track condition) allowed it.

Sometimes improvisation is the only thing available.

So, a 100% result there!

Code 75, I would have thought. EDIT to add: I did wonder, if you were just wanting to mess with 21mm first, whether there might be some mileage in taking a short length of RTR 16.5, sawing the sleepers down the middle and then inserting/glueing in your own plasticard fillers to space things out to 21mm. I remember reading about someone who did this when he needed some quick plain track for a fiddle yard in P4, but only had some OO to hand. He was surprised to find his rough method worked. Obviously you'd still need a track gauge or two to ensure the rails were correctly spaced, but this sounds a relatively cheap way of trying things out.

Worsley specialise in "scratch aid" etches, especially in 4mm scale. They are meant to make your life easier, as David says, so that you are assured of being able to build the basic body. Detail castings, however, are left to you. For example, I've had a Worsley GWR 42xx/5205 2-8-0T on the go for a while. The basic body structure is mostly done, with just the riveted overlays left to form. Worsley also include the chassis (a fold-up, even in P4), cylinders, motion and pony truck. In the intervening years, Brassmasters have produced a fully-sprung P4 chassis kit - actually intended for the Hornby model - and this has some potential to be adapted to the Worsley body. Worsley very rarely provide any castings unless it's a model for which there aren't any bits from other sources - the NCC "W" 2-6-0 etch set, for example

Late news: the Markits option may no longer be available, as the death of its proprietor Mark Arscott has been announced.

As you know, Ultrascale is a one-man band. I've never seen a wait time shorter than 5 months. In many ways, he's a victim of his own successful products because, as soon as he manages to reduce the lead times, word gets round and everyone piles their orders in, leading to an immediate lengthening of wait times, sometimes longer than previously! It's not inconceivable that customers have dropped dead before receiving their order...

Actually RC might be perfect for something like this

3D-printed 21mm track could be an opportunity for "PlugTrack" - Martin Wynne's Templot-derived track. Ultrascale - if you can get round the now 1 year waiting time for orders to be processed, why not?

"The worst kind of swine", etc

Good news for the price gougers.

The thing I find difficult is getting the CAD software to work.

At least there's no arguments about the track gauge on that.

I was only aware of P4/S4 standards being applied, via those published by the Scalefour Society, so that's what I chose to use. To make a small fortune in finescale anything, you usually have to start with a large one. Otherwise, like integrated Irish public transport, nothing would ever get done.

They did it with the Class 24. I picked up a slightly broken cheap one and, later, an equally cheap set of P4 wheels for it. Not bad. Accurascale's Class 55 P4 wheel pack is 98% correct for the IRM "A" class. Just fit the wheels onto the IRM axles and 21mm gauge becomes reality.

I'll only bother you for one if you decide to try doing the "421" variant, so you're quite safe

This reminds me of Arthur Shappey in the Radio 4 show Cabin Pressure, for some reason.

Incidentally, the original DVDs have no anti-copying features, so are easily ripped onto other media.

That would actually be an excellent idea

Of all the many photos of the CDR, we don't see many of the lifting of the lines in 1960, so these will no doubt be a useful addition to the knowledge. Always thought it was a shame that logistics meant that the Letterkenny line was lifted into Letterkenny, rather than the other way around into Lifford / Strabane as that might have increased the chances of Erne surviving rather than being isolated.

Sure yer man could tap the Healy-Raes for a few quid

@GSR 800 has produced a 3D printed Class 800 body and tender

That's probably why IFM doesn't make coaches anymore. Not enough demand, not even for the kits.