newbie question

" Les Pickstock" wrote

Yes indeed, thanks.

There were a number of wagons and BR MkI coaches. The wagons need weight, couplers and probably better wheels to operate.

That's the stuff! Series 1 was the same stuff but single ended. Unfortunately the base tends to distort which changes the guage, so one needs loads of it to find enough sufficient to make up a display oval/layout. For some reason most of the turnouts seem to have the points lever broken off (floor usage and feet?) so a terminus and goods sidings is taking a long time to come together. Series 3 was made here in NZ but I like the look of Series 2 better :-)

Regards, Greg.P.

I don't remember the latter. Were they former Kitmaster models which were acquired by Airfix?

(kim)

Yes. The wagons, as I rememer them, were a steel mineral, a "Prestflow"(sp?)cement, a "Transfesa" refrigerator (HO scale), BR brakevan, cattle wagon and a Kitmaster box van once available with a Triang motorbogie for pushing plastic locos. Low center wagon with JCB, ... I'm sure some of those were in the last Dapol catalogue I got in a mag last year. ?

Regards, Greg.P.

"Pat Hammond" wrote

Pat

I think if you re-read Kim's posting you'll see that he was referring to the original Hornby company (i.e. Mecanno Ltd) which did indeed go bust in 1964. The Hornby name was then acquired by Tri-ang (Lines Bros?) and since then Hornby have indeed never gone out of business, despite having a fair few difficult times in the last forty years.

John.

I remember seeing the wagons in the Airfix catalogues of the period but not the passenger coaches. (The soon to be reissued Airfix Tiger tank is also a 'railway' model but that's a whole different can of worms).

There was a shop at the bottom of the street where I lived which sold plastic kits of all kinds and only plastic kits (not RTR). They had the entire Kitmaster range in the window and continued to sell them long after Kitmaster went out of business. If only I knew then what I know now!

(kim)

My point was that owners "Triang" (Lines Bros) went out of business so the name reverted to "Hornby" even though they were making Triang models and not Hornby ones.

(kim)

Perhaps the Mk1 coaches didn't make it to Airfix production - I thought they did.

That's ok, if I'd known I'd have sent you my shopping list!!! I've still got the TT3 Royal Scot, City of Truro and the SBB Crocodile - sometimes I'm tempted to assemble them ...

Greg.P. NZ.

There's not much point to it then, is there? ;-)

It's easier to keep track of, that way. 8^[

A 'railway' model in the sense that it's way underscale?

I never did understand how Airfix could claim a scale of HO *and / or* OO. They are just too far apart.

A 'railway' model in the sense that it's way underscale?

I never did understand how Airfix could claim a scale of HO *and / or* OO. They are just too far apart.

wrote

Hornby did the same at one stage.

I'd also be interested to know how any manufacturer can describe something as a 'OO scale model'.

John.

Why not?

OO is a scale/gauge combination. Saying that something is "OO scale" is simply shorthand for saying the scale is 1/76th. I'd posit that as well as for reasons of brevity, it's also for easy remembrance for non-enthusiasts.

"Hello, good madam, how can I help you?"

"Well, my grandson has asked for an engine shed for Christmas."

"Certainly, madam, we are purveyors of all manifestations of model locomotive storage lodgements. What scale would you like? 1/19.05th,

"Er...there was a seven something in there...seventy-something? seven and a quarter?"

"One engine shed in 7 1/4" to the foot coming right up, m'am. George, get the forklift started."

R.

They're marketing models of Redruth and Chacewater stock?

"Richard" replied to

with

Because the wheels are not the scale distance apart. I would have thought that a scale model would have to be just that, a model made to a consistent scale.

John.

No, it's a stripped-down version of a Tiger as transported by rail. It bears little resemblance to any tank used in action. The radio box, outer wheels and track guards are completely missing. I think it was Chris Ellis who wrote an article on how to convert the Airfix model to a combat version using plasticard and bits from the spares box but that was when you could buy a whole Airfix model just to obtain one spare part.

(kim)

Nor is the glazing the right scale thickness, the rivets on the tender the right scale size, the paint the right scale thickness, the driver's nose the right scale size.

I've yet to see *any* model of *any* prototype in *any* scale (except, er, 1/1) where every single aspect of that model is a consistent scale.

All modelling is a compromise, and to each his own when deciding how much to compromise.

R.