LMS Twins

I like this line from Rails....

"We have been given invaluable assistance from a gentleman who worked on the construction of the Twins at Derby and he has supplied a huge number of photographs that have identified many differences and changes that are not documented elsewhere, even in the most authoritative of publications."

It is a poke in the eye answer to give to rivet counters criticising some miniscule detail of your model.

Dezzi

Hmm, that never came out as I composed it, I had underlined "not documented elsewhere, even in the most authoritative of publications."

[...]

Limited editions of locomotives are possible because they vary mostly in livery and details. The former are relatively easy to vary these days, the latter are cheaper than they used to be because details are nowadays add-on parts. If the variation is merely the loco's name and number, it's very cheap to make it. That's why some dealers/wholesalers can arrange to have exclusive limited editions.

That being said, the numbers produced depend more and more on the pre-orders. Dealers will order a number on spec, but even so, minimum production will have to be a couple gross, but two gross (188 pieces) may be a large number for a special edition locomotive with limited appeal.

Over-ordering specialised items over here in the past resulted in sell-offs of surplus stock at below wholesale prices, and an expectation that if you waited long enough, you could buy your favourite loco at a bargain price.

Well, that's no longer the case. Here, limited editions have become almost entirely a matter of pre-orders: if the maker doesn't get enough, then the item is cancelled. Conversely, the number made will be very close to the number pre-ordered, so that if you didn't pre-order, you may not get the item at all. Eg, a recent production of CPRail cabooses was sold out before it even arrived in Canada.(One of my customers wanted one as soon as he saw it, but by then it was too late, all the ones I had were spoken for.) I'll wager the same trend will show up in the UK, if it hasn't already.

So if you want the LMS one, my advice is pre-order it.

cheers, wolf k.

On 04/08/2010 09:29, Dezzi wrote: [...]

Did you use shift - underline _like this_?

cheers, wolf k.

Thinking more of the recent cases where theres only one run of the loco type and thats it.

Never keen on the first run, thats when more serious problems are likely to show up - same with software, always wait a few months before upgrading. However, as you say, if want LMS and thats only certain in first run, then will have to take it.

Cheers, Simon

No, I had underlined a whole sentence. I had composed it in MS Word and cut and pasted it, but the formatting wasn't retained.

Dezzi

SNIP

SNIP

Accept its still marketing but Dick Flower of rails and MRemag fame appears an honourable chap. However it doesnt show up on nearly all photos then being interested in essence rather than rivetts, not too fussed about that.

cheers, Simon

I wasn't referring to Rails or Dick Flower or anything in the context of the article it was in, I was simply saying that "differences and changes that are not documented elsewhere" is a good reply to someone who is saying your model doesn't resemble the prototype.

Dezzi.

Apologies if seemed that way, wasnt intending to suggest you were. I wonder if Mr Flower said it to get people to wait for Rails one or to delay Dapol by sending them scurrying back to photos and a modified design :-)

Cheers, Simon

Usenet is designed to be a plain text only medium, so all of your formatting is automatically stripped. In any case, useful retention of styling information when using the clipboard is hit and miss in general - even between MS Office applications - and not to be relied on.

Some pointers for how to imply emphasis on certain things on usenet:-

_This is underlined_

/This is in italics/

*This is bold*

It's generally best, if you really /have/ to emphasise something to keep the 'highlighted' block short to maintain readablility. Note that 'SHOUTING' (typing normal words in block capitals) is considered bad form by most people and can be tricky to read.

HTH!

I wonder how whoever it is that's bringing out the Q6 will handle the vacuum ejector pipe - only the preserved one ever had one and IIRC that was fitted less than ten years ago (Dad and I saw them working on it).

Considering that the manufacturers are really scraping the bottom of the diesel barrel now I'd expect to see quite a few pre-grouping designs coming through in the next year or so.

Ahh, gotcha, Cheers, Dezzi.

Dont know about pre-grouping, you would be lucky to put together a pre 1935 layout with RTR - in LMS at least. Got a range of locos but not with correct livery. Are they doing the ROD in anything other than BR ?

Cheers, Simon

Bring back the Hornby 2P and Deeley 3F ! I have an original "Midlander" set in the loft for which I repainted first-of-class no. 3775 in

1907 goods red and a IIRC 2P de-rebuilt to Johnson condition with Plastikard, in lined Midland crimson lake :) Also a 43775 in black and (not R-T-R) a whitemetal Kirtley 0-6-0 (K's?). Reliable old chassis, those Triang-Hornby 0-6-0's !

Have a part built Johnson 2-4-0 as well somewhere ...

Nick

OH yeah - and those brass outside cranks are a *sod* to quarter ...

Nick

Most of my kit built ex LNWR and Midland are in 1920's livery, but if its RTR then its around 1935. Dont you have a crimson Compound - isnt that in Midland livery ?

CHeers, Simon

Don't have a Compound, no. I had the two MR locos since I was a lad, so I kind of settled on 1907 as that is when 3775 was built so it could be no earlier. The 1907 Compounds were very different looking, much more Edwardian beasts.

It was a great period for the modeller as it was a time of changeover in centuries, CMEs, operating practice, and design styles (even livery). So loads of opportunity for bashing R-t-R around on my favourite railway :)

The MR R-T-R bodyshells were a great base for detailing and rebuilding into related locos for the novice we all started as ...

Nick

The last time I checked, 1000 was about the minimum run which could justify a new mold. A limited paint run would probably be about the

188 you mention. Mold variations by way of inserts (different grills, smokebox doors etc) have been in use for the last couple of decades, but then you're back to 1000+ to make molding machine setup worthwhile.

Greg.P.

Although presume that doesnt include initial research/design costs. Suspect these are the costs that have dropped as more use made of computers and some design now outsourced to cheapo labour.

Cheers, Simon