Noel

Looks like it didn't sell. No picture of a box, nor the other side of the loco, nor an indication of its condition (i.e. new, mint, test run only or used). So perhaps folk not happy to buy at that price without enough info. They can be got with boxes in near mint condition for €100 from time to time.

Superb

One hour to go! 141 = Zero bids. http://www.ebay.ie/itm/CIE-B141-Class-Loco-Model-/262284503510? Not presented well in photos, looks covered in dust and the lower chassis seems to have had some strange rust weathering.

Question, were the mk3 corridor connectors magnetic or were they fastened together?

Yip one of mine wobbles too but the other doesn't. Mine are 'dog' rough runners and impossible to operate at prototypical manoeuvring speeds. They be great if they were for scalextric

Cheers JB. I assume the Mk2s can take the weather better than the Cravens which in turn can survive better out doors than the older vintage stock.

Both my 33s run like insane rockets, they are just useless at slow crawl speeds. Toys designed for the 70s to go roundy roundy at high speed and make little boys faint with excitement.

Thanks. Is the coaching stock stored indoors or outdoors?

Thank you

Good to hear. Are most of them up north or are there any at Inchicore? This is the coach I saw in Heuston (Kingsbridge) in the early 70s.

Thank you JB, thats better right side up

Is there an official presidential or vip coach in use anymore? I remember seeing Erskin Childers on board the Killarney train in 73 or 74. The old presidential coach back then looked like something from the 19th century, but a piece of historic art. Can't imagine anything as modern as a mk2 having much heritage value.

As ever great photos Kieran. Do you know why 226 was pulling and 8209 pushing the 16 auto balusters? Are the two locos electrically connected for driving from one cab, or do they have some form of comms between two drivers?

I though a CD or DVD motor would normally be run for a long time at a constant speed but very low loading.

Stunning

JM, I wonder how many on this forum now, never had a toy train set at some stage growing up? I suspect few. Yes current hobbyists have it good, therefore the hobby is doing ok right now, but if half decent toy train sets disappear from the market, and fewer youngsters get that first exposure to model trains hurtling around their bedroom floor the long term future for the hobby may not be as bright - the supply of hobbyists diminishes, market constricts, prices rise, market constricts further, etc. Todays modellers are little boys who grew up, but less kids now = less grown up modellers in the future. It does seem to be sunset industry but the sun probably won't ever fully set, leaving a small thriving hobby of specialists and higher prices. 30 years ago most major high streets in the UK had a really good model train shop or toy shop that had a decent Hornby railways section, but most seem to have closed. It's not so long ago Dublin had many more than just one decent model railway shop. I remember three that had fabulous layouts in store! We are lucky here in Ireland that the hobby got a major lifeline from Murphy Models and the supporting cast of small symbiant suppliers that supply Irish RTR stock, kits and accessories. I do hope Hornby return to profitability and have fond memories of the introduction they gave me to this hobby when they had different shareholders and were called Hornby-Dublo.

Hear hear. The only constant is change. PS: Youngsters today are getting extra experiences from LCD panels in all shapes and sizes, but loosing out in tactile interchange, dexterity and imagination skills triggered by physically playing with wooden blocks, meccano, lego, toy soldiers, airfix, drawing, painting, etc. Perhaps not better not worse just different.

Looking really good Dave. This looks like it is going to be very special when its finished. Is the track work in the photos permenantly fixed or is it temporarily fixed pending further work such as ballasting, wiring, etc? Cheers Noel

How to make track work LMS style

A question about the materials train above. Is track laid in short sections like the loads above on main running lines, or just in sidings and yards, etc? I thought main line rail was predominantly continuous welded rail laid in long sections, or are short sections like the above welded together? PS: Nice photo btw.

My first model train was a clockwork 0-4-0 tin plate set on a circle of track. Hornby-Dublo freight below was my first 00 gauge model train set. My favourite of all time was the BR/exGWR "Cardiff Castle" set I stopped buying Hornby gear about 20 years ago and switched to Bachmann, BUT I do have a nostalgic and very fond affinity for Hornby and hope they turn the business around.

Aside from anything else, we as consumers need healthy and continuing competition between Hornby and Bachmann. The last thing we need is a monopoly.

rolf

It was only a very marginal improvement but a dreadfully unrealistic runner with either motor. It just could not run slow and smooth. The scale start speed with the new motor was still grossly unprototypical.

What Ho - Jolly hockey sticks