Horsetan

Maybe an outsize Amazon cardboard box containing several smaller Amazon boxes might do the business of adequately protecting it?

Seller is in Germany. His auction description, roughly translated, reads: "Locomotive runs in both directions Light change red / white Prepared for digital operation 21P decoder Light traces of glue from attaching the railings. Only used in test operation. Further accessories, manual and box." Photos suggest not a great deal wrong with it. It might actually run perfectly. May only need a DCC blanking plug, so. 13 Euros to post form Germany to Britain. Might be alright to convert to 21mm gauge.

It could only have been better if it was Father Jack's favourite brand: "R's Biscuits"

If there is no recording in existence, we'll never know what the original sounded like

That's promising. I wonder if they'd be correct for the one that's been rotting away in the Clifden Station Hotel complex for a few decades?

The bottom one is more towards purple.

It makes life interesting

Which shade of blue?

Incidentally, can anyone remember the diameter of the tender wheels for the 800 Class? I know they are supposed to have 12 spokes, but am not sure if their diameter is 3', 3'3", 3'6" or bigger than that.

You'd have to mix and match. The 7' x 7'4" wheelbase is slightly unusual but I think Alan Gibson Workshop produces a set of etched coupling rods for that wheelbase. Even if not, AGW also produces a universal set of coupling rods that you can trim and adjust to obtain 7' x 7'4". A similar, if slightly more developed, universal etch is available from Lanarkshire Model Supplies. For the connecting rods and valve gear, AGW has about ten different types of Walschaerts valve gear etch for various British classes including the S15. The important one is that the connecting rods should come out at a scale 11' (44mm) between little end and big end centres. It's a matter of trying to work out which one needs least modification. You may end up using more than one etch to cobble the various other rods together.

Nameplates and numberplates from 247 Developments. I think the background colour might be a bit wrong, as I understood it to be blue rather than black...

Let me know what I owe you for the development costs

Is there a web link to it?

He'll likely sell one J15 kit to me because I want to try @Mayner's Z boiler conversion kit

If the David Quayle photo of 171 is anything to go by, I'd have thought the patch left by the nameplate would have remained visible even under grime. That might suggest Ernie's b&w photo might be 170 rather than 171....

Which one had lost its plates by then?

I'd be interested in snack 1508. I'm in London, so UK postage only to worry about.

I wouldn't say no, but I'm not sure about the logistics of that. I'm still after the original Cravens RPSI set.

Occurs to me that the 500 class looks a little bit like the Urie/Maunsell S15 4-6-0, albeit with Belpaire firebox....

The grime is so bad that there isn't even a tell-tale patch where the nameplate might have been.

With those very substantial frames in front, that looks very "S" class to me, but which one? The camera has picked up the suggestion of a number under the cabside grime. Zooming in, I thought it might even be 171, but did she ever work through Portadown?

I'm still looking as well.

I've only seen Ballyconnell Road twice at shows. Everything on it just works, especially the signalling. The first time I watched it, I spotted something going on between the loco frames. It turned out to be working inside motion....in 3mm scale. If it can be done in 3mm, sure there's no excuse for not having a go in 4mm.

Very curious - no prices or starting bid showing up on either chassis

That little lot will probably be returned to The Monk.