Black Friday
by Phil Cooper
Hello again. I’m afraid I had a few days off this week, so this blog is much shorter than usual – you lot at the back stop cheering! And I’m afraid to say I haven’t got any photos from David Styles or Sean Selley-West but there will be plenty from then next week and then there’s my redevelopment of Highland Rail after the disasters of last week
I’ve had a wee disaster on “Highland Rail” (my layout) My grandson, supergrass, Harrison likes any trains that are Pendolino-shaped, so I have a red Pendolino (Virgin), white Pendolino (Eurostar), a black Pendolino (GWR 800) and a blue Pendolino (Blue Javelin – HS1). Yesterday he suggested I buy another white Pendolino (the new Azuma); which will have to wait a few weeks until I’ve got a bit more pocket money and then I have to smuggle it past Nanny Barb without Supergrass giving me away. I’m beginning to think Harrison hates me! No, I’m joking, he gave me a huge cuddle yesterday (Father’s Day).
Anyway, I bought another blue Javelin with 4 cars. My thinking was that I could add the new coaches to my old coaches giving me a 6-car train and have a new power car too. Great idea? No, it wasn’t. Hornby have updated the train with new couplings. The old, original couplings were a ring and a hook (I don’t know the technical term). But the new couplings are similar to the Virgin Pendolino and GWR 802 - male and female which click in together so my HS1 super train idea wouldn’t work. There was another disaster-the new Javelin continually derailed coming out of curves. I suspected the problem was that the new train couldn’t handle 1st radius (R605) track so sent off an eMail to Hornby’s excellent support team and unfortunately, they confirmed this was the case. I suspect the new couplings are forcing the train to derail. My layout consists of 2 ovals, one inside the other with the inner oval having 1st radius (R605) curves and the outer oval 2nd radius (R607. Some weeks ago, I mentioned that I was thinking of changing the layout. Now I have to do just that.
It’s a big bit of work (for me) because I am going to take out the entire inner oval leaving just the points leading to my 2 stations in place. Then I am going to take out some straight sections of that original oval to shorten it and then fit in a new outer oval with 3rd radius (R609) curves which will widen the oval meaning I may have to alter my extension leading to the container port and TMD. It’s going to be a nightmare and then I have to think about ballasting and as I’ve said before the traditional way of ballasting looks much better than ballast foam so can I find the confidence AND patience to ballast properly.
I may have to involve Jimbo with this and maybe to help me getting the new Azuma in here when I’ve worked up enough courage. David and Sean would enjoy this alteration and have it done in a couple of hours. It’s going to take me a few days! That wasn’t the end of the problems on this particular Black Friday because later in the day I dropped the Virgin (red) Pendolino) on the floor. My son, Iain, put it back together for me but now it doesn’t move so I assume something inside isn’t right. It was a terrible day. We all have these days as model train enthusiasts So my idea of having extra coaches AND a new locomotive didn’t work. This time! Some “train packs” come with just 1 coach, a power car a dummy. For me they are not realistic. In my mind a locomotive needs at least 3 coaches or 12 trucks behind it.
So, the new couplings are a concern. But I have to say that Hornby fitted similar couplings to their GWR Class802 which have been fine. But just to be on the safe side I found the couplings for sale on eBay, so I jumped at the chance to buy some for that day. The couplings are listed as Part X9703 and they are available from Hornby at £2.49 per pack so you might want to get some now while you can. I’ll be talking a bit more about eBay next time.
Still on Hornby, they’ve been quick of the mark making a Lumo Class 803 available (for pre-order) in a 5-train pack. The Lumo (Edinburgh-Kings Cross) service started in October 2021 so well done to Simon and his crew getting them almost ready this quickly. I like the look of the real thing.
Rangers Blue (Yes, I support the mighty Gers)
And the model is pretty good too.
But it’s expensive. It will cost you £502.49 which makes it even more expensive than the Azuma (Celebrating Scotland) And this is just for the DCC-Ready version. An Azuma (Celebrating Scotland) train pack will cost just £434.49. I hate to say it, but Hornby may have made a mistake pricing the Lumo. It’s not an Earth-shattering ultra-new design and it’s based on models they already have and a train service whose boast is that tickets are so cheap. You could buy about 10 returns to Edinburgh for £500! I don’t think it will sell well.
Before I go let’s chat about eBay. I’ve almost had it with them. I’m receiving too many duds in the post. I’ve got one purchase to come. It’s a GNER Class 43 with 2 illuminated coaches with DC control. I have to say I like the classy (to me) GNER dark livery. It’s definitely growing on me and in my book it’s right up there with the sophisticated (to me) style of Grand Central and the wildness (to me) of Transpennine. Have a look.
Dignified
Classy
Wild
And just for Harrison (Supergrass) if he manages not to tell Nannybarb:
Beautiful especially when it’s heading for Inverness swooping over the Culloden viaduct
See you in 2 weeks for a bumper edition!
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The views and opinions expressed within the content are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of Trackside Signs or its affiliates.
