I'm Off To Spain

by Phil Cooper

Hello train lovers from all over the world. Yes we’ve got readers from all over the civilised world now. And Australia. Oops I think we’ve just lost some. Aussies don’t have much of a sense of humour. Just like the Germans. Oops again. I’ll move on

Moving quickly on. This part of the year sees many of us working hard to update our model railway boards and I’m no different. I’ve made a list of “To-Dos” - Clean up board-Clean track-Fit DCC Concepts Legacy Lighting-Repair buildings-Install Neil Stanley floodlights-Clean floor before NanyBarb comes in for her monthly check up and discovers empty Greggs Donuts boxes-Check bank overdraft-Re-organise my drawers of locos and running stock-Repair walls and fences on board and a lot of other stuff which will arise as I work my way through these tasks but I’m sure I’ll just have to run some trains from my Highland Fleet while I’m thinking about it!

One of the things that impress me about this hobby is how willing REAL modellers are to help mere mortals like me. I feel a community spirit and camaraderie exists. So if you’re like me – useless - just ask for help from the experts. They will help you. I use Facebook groups

Speaking of experts, here’s:

NEIL STANLEY

  You’ll know Neil as one of our 3 Modellers of The Year winners. He has amazing talent and treats weathering as an art form. He’s completely changed my opinion of weathering! I used to hate it but now.…

I’m saving up my pennies for various tools such as an airbrush kit and compressor.

Neil has volunteered to help me with my weathering with some tips and here’s a couple now”

He uses Halfords plastic primer grey paint and to show crusty rust he uses talc mixed with rust acrylic paints. There you go, 2 of his secrets. Here’s some of his results:

It’s not just running stock

It works on buildings too

These tankers look perfect weathered

And this is how good Neil’s pylons are.

The pylons take about a month to build from scratch and are very fiddly, hence POA

I’m happy to be a go-between and inform Neil of your interest or you can find him on Facebook

Here’s some more examples of Neil’s work

Weathering combined with the Inverness TMD Stag antlers is pure perfection

Even the wheels and bogies get the “Stanley Treatment”

Is anybody surprised that weathering and Class 37s combine beautifully

Put it all together and you can end up with this brilliant scene or a view from the bridge

MARCUS PICK

I love atmospheric photos like these from Marcus. No trains, but what atmosphere.

Jack the Ripper lived here

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT CASTLE MARGATE?

I’ll tell you. LOTS.

Models of forthcoming bi-mode trains for OO gauge 'one step closer' as sound project recorded, and bogie design refined to improve reliability.

Hornby's forthcoming Class 755 models for OO gauge of Greater Anglia’s Stadler bi-mode trains have reached a step further, after sounds for the model were recorded in October.

The manufacturer is creating, both, three- and four carriage variants of the trains which can run on diesel and electric power and run on Greater Anglia’s regional routes in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

Hornby started work on its models in 2021, when it obtained blueprints of the full-size trains from Swiss train manufacturer, Stadler. The model manufacturer visited Greater Anglia’s Crown Point depot in Norwich in June 2021 to photograph and take measurements of the Class 755 trains, looking at roof details, underneath and inside it.

 Steve Merry, senior product designer at Hornby Hobbies, set to work designing a 1:76 scale model of the trains at Hornby HQ in Margate using CAD (Computer Aided Design) and spent months working on details – from the arrangements on the roof such as fans, exhausts, GSM aerials, electric cabling and the pantograph, to the toilet tanks on the undercarriage of the train.

The train’s large windows – ideal for views of the East Anglian countryside in the full-size version – presented design challenges, not only for its interior, adding seating, tables and passenger information screens, but also making it more difficult to hide the motors which power it.

A 3D print was made of the train so that Steve could run it on a test track at Hornby HQ to check his design worked. During the testing phase, he discovered problems with the small motor and the articulated bogie, and so modified the design, testing his modifications until he was happy that the model would be reliable. This included designing a new bigger motor and trying to hide it from people looking through the windows.

Chris Reilly, sound and electronics engineer at Hornby Hobbies, visited Greater Anglia in October 2022 to record the sound for the project at the depot and by riding a few trains. The horn, diesel engine, and automated announcements on board were recorded, including a conductor going through the train asking for tickets.

HORNBY THE NEW HST

Hornby have announced plans for it’s new HST, Class 43. The originals which were introduced in 2008 were pretty good-I love them and I bought several on eBay because I fancied building a fleet of HSTs and they do look good.

Many of the real HSTs were withdrawn from service in 2019 and 2020 but Scotrail and GWR still use them and Locomotive Services Ltd operates it’s Midland Pullman luxury train. The first batch of new models arrived in Margate in December and they look great. There is an interesting article on the new models and another on the locomotive I n general which is where I got this information So thank you Hornby

Magazine (which is out now and is always a good read. I’m going to beg Hornby for a model to review just for you. Maybe Simon Kohler will be kind! Then again…

Lat’s have a wee look at what’s on offer in the new catalogue

HORNBY 2023

The new catalogue (£10.99)

BR, English Electric DP1, Co-Co, DP1 'Deltic' - Era 4

I love the look of this but its not available until Winter 2024

Will it challenge Accurascale’s Deltic??

£320.99

Available To Pre-Order
Item code:
R30297

R30261 Hornby Dublo: LNER, A4 Class, 4-6-2, 4468 'Mallard': Great Gathering 10th Anniversary - Era 10

Expected Summer 2023

£320.99

Available To Pre-Order
Item code:
R30261

R30195 RailRoad Plus Network Rail, Class 960, Bo-Bo, 901002 'Iris 2' - Era 8

Expected Summer 2023

£134.99

Available To Pre-Order
Item code:
R30195

R30323 RailRoad Plus DB, Class 67, Bo-Bo, 67005 'Queen's Messenger'  Era 10

Expected Summer 2023

£96.99

Available To Pre-Order
Item code:
R30323

R30182 RailRoad Plus BR Class 47, Co-Co D1683 - Era 4

Expected Summer 2023

£96.99

Available To Pre-Order
Item code:
R30182

R30188 RailRoad Plus Loadhaul, Class 37, Co-Co, 37710 - Era 8

Expected Summer 2023

£96.99

Available To Pre-Order
Item code:
R30188

R1271M iTraveller 6000 Train Set

Begin your model railway adventure with the 00-gauge iTraveller 6000 train set. This set features a train inspired by cutting edge technology.

£159.99

In Stock
Item code:
R1271M

The HM6000 DC application is simple, straightforward to use and includes many features not included in  

The HM6000 DC application is simple, straightforward to use and includes many features not included in other DC controllers. For example, the HM6000 not only controls a locomotives speed and direction but also the braking of the model which can be incrementally applied.rols a locomotives speed and direction but also the braking of the model which can be incrementally applied.

R30097TXS BR, InterCity Executive Class 43 HST Train Pack - Era 7 (Sound Fitted)

Expected Autumn 2023

£402.99

Available To Pre-Order
Item code:
R30097TXS

R30095 LNER, Class 43 HST Train Pack - Era 11

Expected Autumn 2023

£362.99

Available To Pre-Order
Item code:
R30095

POSTERS

A new range of posters depicting British locomotive classes and the liveries they've carried has been released by Intercity Posters. The new entrant to the lucrative market of railway-related artwork displayed its range at the recent Warley national exhibition at the NEC.

Proprietor of Intercity Posters, George Elston has created the imagery using a combination of model photography and photoshop techniques. A range is available to purchase in common sizes from A4 to A0.

The most popular larger posters measuring 297mm x 840mm each, depicting the Intercity 125 (HST), and Brush Type 4 (Class 47)

Posters will require mounting and framing for best results, and are supplied rolled up, loose.

railposters.myshopify.com

I’ve discovered a new modeller to join our stellar stable of craftsmen and craftladies and, like Rachel, last week we’re going to see a lot more of his stuff

I suspect, like me, he is into BR Blue and you can’t go wrong with that. Ladies and gentlemen I give you

MIKE RICHARDS

WINE TRAIN ?

Eurostar could launch a direct train from London to Bordeaux by as soon as 2026

Enthusiasts, connoisseurs and plain ol’ drinkers of wine: this one’s for you. A new direct train service could soon launch that’ll take you from London direct to Bordeaux. From as soon as 2026, you may be able to get from the UK all the way down to southwest France without having to change trains. Dreamy, right?

Currently, if travellers want to get from London to Bordeaux they’re required to get at least two trains. One is the Eurostar, which goes from St Pancras to Paris’ Gare du Nord, while the other is a speedy TGV service from Paris’ Montparnasse station to Bordeaux. It’s not that much of a faff – but it’s certainly far from as hassle-free as a direct service.

As yet, a new London-Bordeaux route is very much still in the planning stages. However, British high-speed rail execs reckon the new route could (at a push) be up and running by 2026 and that it should take about five hours each way.

It’s all part of wider campaigns to make rail travel more attractive across Europe. In part due to rail travel being so much greener (as well as better all round) than air travel, the continent has seen a huge resurgence in rail routes, from sleeper trains to affordable high-speed lines.

And, excitingly. Bordeaux isn’t the only Europe destination being eyed-up by Eurostar. According to The Drinks Business, the new train for wine fans could be followed by other direct routes between London and destinations such as Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva, Marseille and Toulouse.

So if you’re a big fan of both wine and trains, there could be some very exciting times ahead! Keep an eye on this page – we’ll update it with any developments.

LET’S MOVE TO SPAIN

Spain now has (another) dazzling high-speed train route

The southern Spanish city of Murcia can now be reached from Madrid in under three hours

If you’re a train enthusiast, Spain is the place to be right now. After decades of investment, the country’s high-speed rail network is finally being revealed in all its glory. And what’s more is that new routes between cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville aren’t just supremely fast – they’re gob-smackingly cheap, too.

And now the Spanish government has unveiled yet another spectacular new high-speed route. This one goes from the capital Madrid down to the south-eastern city of Murcia and runs four times daily in each direction. It launched in December

00:25

00:26

BARCELONA-MADRID 18 EUROS

Spain’s new intercity train is low-cost and high-speed – and it’s now launched.

Fans of European rail travel are having an absolute bonanza this autumn. First France announced new high-speed trains, which will zoom from Paris to the Riviera in four-and-a-half hours. And now there’s news from Spain too: a new high-speed train service has launched that links the country’s two greatest cities – Barcelona and Madrid – for the unbelievably low price of €18 (£16, €18).

The new service comes courtesy of new Spanish train operator Iryo, which is part-owned by Italy’s Trenitalia. Every day 16 trains now run each way between Madrid and Barcelona, with a service at least every hour. The trains will also stop in Two other operators already run trains on the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail route: the state-owned network Renfe (operating as Avlo) and recent newcomer Ouigo. All that competition means that tickets are almost unbelievably affordable. Tickets with Renfe and Ouigo can cost as little as €7 and €9 respectively, while the cheapest fares on Iryo will start at €18.

While Iryo may not be the cheapest on the market, that’s still incredibly good value for the 314-mile journey. It’s also worth knowing that Iryo is running all-new trains, which it claims are the fastest and quietest in Europe – and the most sustainable, powered by renewable energy and made almost entirely from recyclable materials.

The company is aiming its services at business travellers, and each train has a fancy restaurant car, good wi-fi and a dedicated workspace in the third carriage.

Iryo also plans to launch trains between Madrid and Valencia on December 16, from Madrid to Seville, Málaga, Antequera and Cordoba on March 31, 2023, and from Madrid to Alicante next June. (Avlo and Ouigo already run trains from Madrid to Seville, Valencia and Alicante).

Tickets for all these routes are on sale now

Two of those daily services are direct trains that take two hours and 40 minutes, whilst the other two stop at the beachside city of Alicante and take three-and-a-half hours. All trains are on the AVE low-cost rail network, which is run by national rail operator Renfe.

So what’s there to do in Murcia? The capital of the autonomous region of Murcia and the seventh-largest city in Spain, Murcia is known for its baroque buildings, towering cathedral and huge religious festivals. Much like the rest of southern Spain, it’s also pretty hot and dry all year round.

Tickets for the Madrid-Murcia route start at just €19 (£17, $20) and you can buy ‘em on the Renfe-AVE website. So what are you waiting for? Time to get exploring Murcia!

SPAIN FREE INTER-CITY TRAVEL THIS AUTUMN

From September, passengers can ride RENFE trains across the country totally free of charge

While some governments dither and delay in taking action to help out with the cost-of-living crisis, Spain is storming ahead. Having already halved the cost of public transport nationwide, slashed VAT and cut tax on fuel, the Spanish government now says it is going to be making a huge number of short- and medium-distance train journeys totally free.

The scheme was announced yesterday (July 12) by Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, who said that all Cercanías (commuter train), Rodalies (commuter routes in Catalonia) and Media Distancia routes (mid-distance regional lines, covering journeys of less than 300km) run by the national rail operator Renfe will be free of charge from September 1 to December 31 2022.

For travellers visiting Spain, free Cercanías and Rodalies trains will unlock easy trips to the outer reaches of the city. But it’s the free Media Distancia trains which are really exciting: you’ll be able to city-hop all the way from Barcelona to Seville or Madrid to Bilbao, discovering a few underrated Spanish regional capitals along the way, all for absolutely nada.

It is worth noting that the 100 percent discount will be on multi-trip tickets, and single fares are not included.

The new scheme on Renfe routes is in addition to a policy announced last week, in which the central Spanish government said it would fund between 30 and 50 percent discount on all public transport, including metros, buses and trams.

The idea of the price cuts is to reduce the impact of inflation and the war in Ukraine on Spanish consumers. Alongside other cost-of-living measures, these cuts are due to be funded by a windfall tax on the banks and energy firms who are currently profiting the most off of high energy bills and interest rates. That tax is due to come into effect in 2023 and is set to generate about €7 billion (£5.9 billion, $7 billion) in tax revenue.

Of course, cutting public transport fares (unlike reducing fuel tax) is also great for getting people to switch away from polluting private transport and even air travel, tackling the climate emergency as well as the cost-of-living crisis.

All of which means that, from September, travelling around Spain will be exceptionally cheap indeed. So what are you waiting for? Get planning that early-autumn jaunt around the Iberian peninsula!

RIGHT, I’M OFF TO SUNNY SPAIN

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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.