Noel

Visually it is not bad at all. The black might have been better as a dark grey to better contrast with the maroon. However, I'm not a fan of wavy patterns on trains. Passenger trains look better with horizontal colour schemes in harmony with their longitudinal shape and should be bi-directional.

Thanks

Forgive my ignorance but what is the difference between the powered and non-powered versions of the Bachmann auto ballasters? Does one have a motor drive?

Now that's what I call panoramic scenery. Superb.

Novel idea but real water and electricity? It will eventually go green and provide fungus. Unfortunately at 4mm scale real running water has the wrong texture and viscosity so won't look like a real stream or river. The stream/river bed would need to a made of a really waterproof material that is also UV proof. If using a circulation pump the water would need to go through a filtering system. I think products such as woodlands scenic would create a far more realistic visual effect even though it is static. Don't mean to dappen your enthusiasm for a novel idea but that's just my tuppence.

Fast work laying that amount of track. Nice job. Will enjoy watching your new layout evolve.

Hi Folks. I am about to attempt my first respray of some old Hornby LMS stainer coaches into CIE black and tan livery. The original coaches are LMS red plastic (i.e. they appear not to be painted except for lining). I've decided on the advice of some wiser and experienced modellers on here to use acrylic paints for spraying rather than enamels. A few questions: Q1: Should I spray a coat of primer onto the LMS coach bodies first? Q2: If yes should I use the spray gun and an acrylic primer, or just halfords plastic primer from a spray can? Q3: Should I remove the existing lining and emblem before priming (i.e. sand paper or brake fluid)? Thanks in advance. Hopefully they will end up having some sort of resemblance to CIE laminate coaches or at least pass Dave's very sensible 2 ft rule. This is the type of Hornby coach I am thinking of respraying.

The D class thread reminded me how much I like the older black and tan livery on CIE locos PS: Yes I will finish the engine shed one of these days

Update. I put a Lenz silver+ decoder in her and she now runs a lot better.

PS: Dave what I would really like SF to do is source a suitable high quality centre drive chassis for their existing A class product (i.e. twin axil drive on both bogies, all wheel pickups, twin flywheel and working lights). If they could source an adaptable Bachmann chassis even if cut'n'shut.

Thanks, I didn't know that. I've only found photos of plain black versions on d'internet. The b&t is my favourite livery (i.e. black with mid level white stripe and thin lower tan band).

Apologies, I was merely stating that I myself am not a 'rivet counter' (i.e. accurate scale modeller) and was not casting aspersions on folks who do take prototypical scale modelling seriously, nor those who have fine scale modelling skills building, adapting and acquiring acurate models. I can assure you I was not marginalising anybody. I assumed my personal modelling preferences or tolerances would be in the minority of those who enjoy this hobby. Unfortunately, discussion on SF related topics seems to trigger polarised debate that gets misinterpreted and unintentionally causes offence. As I said 'each on to their own'. I admire those who 'strive to model real railways' accurately despite my own preference for more simple train operations. For me most models that passes the duck test 'do what it says on the tin' Duck test: 'If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.' Thats enough cliches for one night. Vive la difference

Hi Dave, only suggestion I can think of is to respray the Hornby model instead of the Bachmann chassis as the Hornby appears to be a better runner. Noel Just spotted these interesting posts: http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/1574-D301-Class http://irishrailwaymodeller.yuku.com/reply/6155/Heir-Flicks-little-projects#.VS1T4qazLww

Well I'm not a rivet counter. It is only a hobby afterall. Personally I don't worry if models are not absolutely prototypical. If they look the part and more importantly run well in trains they float my boat. If we think about it most of us are in serious danger from the 'scale police' anyway by running 4mm scale models on only 16.5mm guage track!!! I do like the overall look of the black liveried D class look-a-like respray in Dave's post. As already said, if it were the Hornby chassis I would probably buy a pair (i.e. better slow speed running over insulfrog points). I'm quite happy with the look and feel of the SF models running on our layout so far. Personally speaking, they do nicely what they say on the tin, but that's just me. Perhaps I'm not a real modeller, but I do love running model trains. Happy days all and each on to their own.

The Hornby on the videos also seem to be geared better for slower speeds. I'd have expected the reverse. I might even try painting it myself, but with a bit of poetic license. I like the idea of a white line down the side of the body like the 1960s B&T 141s just to give the model more visual appeal on the layout even if not prototypical it may look at home. (running for cover now)

Hmmm! Having just watched a few YouTube videos of Hornby and Bachmann RTR class 08s running, I would now only buy the Hornby chassis models. The Hornby 08s and 09s seem to be significantly better low speed runners, smoother and more reliable at crawl speeds over insulfrog pointwork which is what one needs for a shunter. So a change of mind. It's normally bachmann chassis that run better but in this case Hornby seem to win on running quality and on detailing quality (ie for BR versions). This thread is motivating me to buy a Hornby and repainted it!!!

Nice. I'd buy one of each if the euro price is sensible. Being a bachmann chassis with three all wheel pick up axels means it should be a quality runner at low speeds over point work which is essential. If it doesn't run right perfect looks matter nil.

Drifting slightly off, but having watched many hours of DVDs on Irish railways to jog my memories of GM and MV loco sounds, I could not help but notice A class locos sounded rather tame and nondescript compared to the evocative and distinctive sound of the baby GMs notching up and down.

Very impressive model engineering skills

Wow your landscaping is incredible. Do you mind me asking what sort of plaster did you use and what is the structure supporting the raised profile sections of the paster (e.g. foam, newspaper, etc)?

There are old pilots, and bold pilots, but very few old bold pilots - he was one of the few exceptions who thankfully lived to pass away in a bed of natural causes!!! The still photo at the end of the video suggests he very nearly had a prop strike which would have been fatal. Superb skills but NO kudos for pushing the envelope so far outside the safety margin even for top display pilots.

Horses for courses. For some it will be authentic scenery through which railways run, for others it will be more about trains on the move and track work accompanied by scenery. Both equally valid preferences. Many middle to older members may have been introduced to the hobby as youngsters with 'table top' model railways where designing and plugging different track formations together almost like meccano was as much part of the hobby as running trains, or adding scenic accessories to enhance the 'imagination'. Others may have evolved or were drawn by the challenge of incredible modelling skills to represent authentic scale scenes. Reading 'Railway Modeller' mag 30-40 years ago inspired many by showing what was possible.

+1 A little on the fast side for my taste too. Not very realistic at all. If you watch old B&W video clips of UK yards the speeds were quite low.

Thanks. I just found this clip of 3173 the 'successor' you mentioned. Seems half way through a repaint or at least primed. Wonder what the final livery will be. LMS maroon? It will greatly improve the look of a rake arriving in a station, especially if it is 1st coach. [video=youtube;Tk382-5T-08]

Super photos. The RPSI loco and cravens look great, but boy are they let down by the junk heap of GSV which looks like it came from a breakers yard.