Here we can see the main parts of the kit straight out of the bag. Be careful when opening the packs, as there is a section of Nylon included which could easily be discarded accidentally.
I shall hopefully start putting some of these together over the next few days, so keep looking for regular updates.

On my Stereo: Eat Static - Science of the Gods

I had no major intentions of modelling either of Network Rails class 86`s. I certainly have even less intention of buying Hornby`s latest attempt. There are so many better things to waste money on. If I had intended to model one of these locomotives, then I would have painted and detailed the model myself.

I`m sorry that I don`t have a picture of their latest offering, but there is absolutely no way, perhaps with the exception of having a gun to my head, that I would part with cash to purchase this novelty toy. It is nothing more than that, but this was what I was expecting.

Now believe it or not, I really hate moaning. I`m not one to criticise others, unless it`s really deserving. However, this effort is very deserving of criticism. Apart from the obvious errors, bodyside windows, and the usual poor levels of detail for example, surely they couldn`t get much else wrong? How about the colour? Well yes, it is yellow, but what sort of yellow do they call that? It`s far too light. The correct colour should be slightly darker than warning panel yellow, yet hornby have gone the other way, and seem to have painted the ends almost orange! The grey they have used for the roof is also too light. The whole thing just looks so helplessly wrong.
I don`t know what else to say apart from stating that anyone who even considers buying this must be totally bananas!
Does anyone at Hornby feel any guilt at all for releasing this? Apart from doing their reputation no good whatsoever, by releasing this 'model' they are simply out to con customers that they should be looking after. Disgraceful.

On my Stereo: Moist - Silver

After a couple of weeks away from modelling, I am slowly getting back into the habit.
I have recently been doing mini production runs, such as putting pantograph bases together, painting cab interiors, and other similar things. The idea behind this is that I can have stock piles of ready detailed parts which I can simply take out of a box and put to use. The downside to this is that it seems that no visible progress is being made.

I thought it would be nice to freshen the mind with a new simple project. You may be thinking to yourself that starting yet another project is the last thing I should do! However, I find new projects to be beneficial, firstly to break the monotony of the same projects going on and on, and secondly to feel the satisfaction of seeing something taking shape. I feel that if you spend lots of time on a particular project, and when you don`t appear to be making much progress, things can get a little stagnant and interest can soon be lost. This is when a quick little 'project on the side' can rejuvenate the modelling mind!
Anyway, I am digressing as I usually digress on one of my massive digression trips....

I though an ideal 'revitalising' project would be to start some of the VEA wagon kits from Parkside Dundas which I bought last year. It spent me almost as long to find them than it did to put one of the kits together!

Here we can see one of the wagons put together. I will fit couplings and the roof at a later stage. Despite being far from finished (Paint and transfers will be useful,) I always find it pleasing to knock a kit up like this. In less than an hour you`ve got something you can at least play with! Construction was very simple, although I am not convinced with the buffer heads supplied. Perhaps I misread the simple instructions, but they don`t fit very well and appear to jut out too much. I may replace the buffers with brass parts the next time I get bored..... This model will now get added to my large collection of uncompleted projects that will get finished one day.... Maybe!

On my Stereo: Beth Orton - Trailer Park

Monday lunchtime - 5th June 2006

A breath of fresh air....

Regular visitors to these pages will no doubt have noticed a lack of updates. The reason for this is because I haven`t done any modelling for over a week, it`s as simple as that! Not a single pot of paint has been opened, not a single screw has been turned, and not a single hole has been drilled. I have not been on my knees for ages looking for a small part that has fallen from my workbench, and has disguised itself in the carpet. And much to my wifes liking, the bathroom does not smell of white spirit! Oh what joy!
However, I have at least managed to get out and take some photographs. It`s nice to get out sometimes!

The shot I took of 86501 (above) got me thinking about one of my 'liner' rakes I started a while back.

Here are some of the 20' containers I knocked up over a year ago. Since then, further containers have been acquired, along with paints and transfers to create some variety. Some 40' container kits from C-Rail were also put together, but still await painting. Apart from finally getting round to completing the existing containers, what else could be done to create a convincing rake? How about some of the taller (9'6) containers, or better still, some correct wagons to put them on!

Maybe I won`t finish this particular project after all......

On my Stereo: The Stranglers - Saturday Night | Sunday Morning

Wednesday afternoon - 24th May 2006

Upto the Mark? (2)

Whilst I was in Leamington this morning, I decided to pick up one of the new Bachmann Mark 2`s for inspection. I`m not going to write a full blown review here, I`ll leave that to the magazines and the 'self-appointed experts' whoever they are!
Anyway, The one I took away was one of the original batch of BR Mark 2`s, 5082. It is the middle coach in the above picture. At the top is an old Lima effort, and bottom is an old Hornby offering. Despite being different versions of Mark 2, the improvements of the new Bachmann release are immediately evident.

The most obvious improvements is the glazing as can be seen above. This time, an old Hornby model is top, with Lima being the piggy in the middle.

One concern I do have, however, is that Bachmann have painted the grey area below the windows too shallow by about 1mm. This would be about right for a Mark 1, but Mark 2`s had slightly shallower windows. I hope this will be rectified on future releases, and certainly before my mass Mark 2 replacement program begins! I`m not going to want 20 blue/grey Mark 2`s that are good, but are let down by an unnecessary error.

Anyway, enough moaning, it`s time to get on with some work. Well, perhaps I`ll have a quick flick through Rail Expess which was on my doormat when I got in....

On my Stereo: Snow Patrol - Eyes Open

Sunday afternoon - 21st May 2006

Aerial view....

Why am I such a grumpy old man today? What do you mean 'just today'?? I just can`t seem to get on with anything. It must be the weather.....
At least I`ve managed to put these aerials together for some 86`s which are going through the works.

Maybe it`s sorting out numerous sloppy manufacturers errors that`s making me miserable? I seem to have spent quite a few hours today removing printed detail, only to re-apply it correctly. Or worse still, removing printed detail that shouldn`t even be there! Hornby`s RTR 'Glenfiddich' is an atrocious effort....

No, it`s definitely the weather......

Can it get any worse than this?

On my Stereo: David Gilmour - On An Island

Tuesday morning - 16th May 2006

False economy....

I`ve always been one to believe that you get what you pay for. Take supermarkets for example. I know which supermarkets I will happily use, and which I won`t use under any circumstances.....

But can the same be said for model railway products? Do we really get what we pay for?
While there`s always a place for the "lesser detailed bottom of the range Hornby models" as someone described them in MREmag, I don`t feel they are priced as such. Basically the new era of "we`veneverhaditsogood" models have been priced at a higher level than their ageing colleagues who retain their original asking price.
Can Hornby really justify a retail price of over £50 for their class 47? And a price of just under £60 for their 37??? Go on Hornby, pinch yourselves! Gullible beginners to the hobby aside, you have to ask yourself who these models are aimed at. If these products were really aimed at getting youngsters started in the hobby, then the price should reflect this.

Not that it interests me in the slightest (as I have absolutely no intention of getting one,) but it has been reported that the new Pendolino will have lower levels of detail, and will be aimed at the general market rather than the serious modeller. Is this wrong? It would depend on how basic the detail is, and whether or not the usual compromises leave any major flaws that are often nigh on impossible to rectify. If the latter does not present itself, then the serious modeller, with time and extra money brought into the equation, could perhaps do something about it.
Maybe a two-teir system should be introduced. A 'very' basic version for the starters with a suitably reflected price, and then the top of the range dangly-bits version, with a justifiably higher asking price!

Now here`s an idea. A real budget range locomotive. This model features a standard chasis, so the bodies can be swapped to represent different classes if so desired.... Ok, maybe that`s not such a good idea. However, you will notice that this budget loco does not feature any detail parts. This is ideal for those who may worry about detail parts falling off. If they`re not there, they can`t fall off, so no more sleepless nights.....
The lack of detail parts is also useful for those who would have otherwise wasted time removing them to add better detail parts from other parties. This model could easily be sold at a fraction of the cost!

As it is, many of us are still being forced to pay far too much for too little. We have to spend time removing incorrect decals, repainting due to poor representation of liveries, and generally taking longer taking a poor model to pieces than it does to add the superior replacement parts. Maybe a value loco would be useful to a wider range of modellers after all??

On my Stereo: Muse - Absolution

Sunday afternoon - 14th May 2006

Nip in the cotton bud....

Unfortunately I haven`t had a great deal of time for modelling over the last week. However, I had planned to get lots of things done today, but these plans have been nipped in the bud - literally! I changed my agenda, and decided to get some of the more mundane jobs done. As a result, I`ve spent most of the day removing unwanted printed detail with enamel thinners, and watching paint dry..... I may as well have sat outside to watch the grass grow!

Talking of which, this grass seed is making about as much progress as I am....!

Now, if only the same could be said for the lawn below which was only mowed a few days ago.

Or how about this cat grass? Why can`t everything be as quick and easy as this?

Anyway, why am I wasting my time with this? I doubt anyone is interested in my grass. But then, would anyone be interested in pictures of drying paint? I think not....

On my Stereo: Led Zeppelin - II

Saturday Evening - 6th May 2006

Back to 'bases'.....

I was awaiting the arrival of Model Rail issue 92 with much anticipation, mainly due to their announcement of publishing a catenary article.

It turned out that the feature also included a section on improving pantographs for the Hornby 86. The article itself presented some good ideas, and I myself have constructed similar 'hybrid' pantographs in the past. However, I feel the article could have gone into a little more depth, and there are also a few other crucial factors which I hope to cover here.

The original Hornby pantographs (above) were very crude attempts at the Stone-Faiveley type. These were cumbersome, and even when raised, appeared to lie horizontally.

Hornby later produced their class 86`s with an attempt at a Brecknell-Willis High Speed pantograph. Again, very crude and cumbersome, but an improvement of sorts. However, the Pantograph has a totally different base. Although I have used a similar method as that in MR in the past, I use my own method for Stone-Faiveley pantograph bases. Before I go any further, it is important to check the prototype very carefully, as since the old 'cross-arm' days, 86`s have sported both Faiveley and High speed pantographs, so make sure you select the right one!

The above photo shows an 86 which has had the Hornby pantograph removed. It has had unwanted mouldings removed, and recesses filled with plastic card. This particular loco will receive a new pantograph when my package from Hurst Models finally arrives.....

My prefered method of making bases for Faiveley pantographs involves utilising the original hornby bases, as these are the correct profile. I`ve got through a lot of these, and buying every 'Phoenix' from E-bay, simply to utilise its pantograph base can become costly!! Another alternative is to acquire some castings. (See top photo.) With a razor saw, I carefully cut away the sides of the base, as can be seen above. The two side parts should be carefully filed to remove any protrusions, and then painted.

In the photo above, the base sides are temporarily put into position for visual purposes. A hole has been drilled out to take the pantograph retaining screw.

All four legs of the Somerfeldt pantograph are removed, and edges are filed down. Next, I use an extra Hornby insulator. This is carefully cut to 3/4 length, and is threaded over the bolt as can be seen in the picture below. This sits under the pantograph and acts as a spacer. Not 100% accurate, but I feel this gives the best results.

The finished pantograph can be seen below. A little weathering should finish it off nicely. Unfortunately, this loco still requires much work in other areas....

So there we have it, another approach to improving your hornby pantograph. And it also must not be forgotten that some class 87`s also featured Stone-Faiveley pantographs for short periods. 87009 and 87010 certainly did, and I`m sure there was at least another.....?

Finally, well done to Phil Porter and Model Rail for an interesting article in a much overlooked part of the hobby....

On my Stereo: Primal Scream - Exterminator (XTRMNTR)

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