Tag Archives: Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

Model News

And now the SR / BR(S) related news from Warley… is that this year there is no news… well almost…

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Last weekend saw the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC,  as in previous years I have always endeavoured to round-up some of the news and items of interest from mainly a Southern / BR(s) perspective.  It has been usual for some of the manufacturers to use the event to make announcements of new items or showcase updates to new products under development, this year however relevant new announcements of any kind were very thin on the ground. Hornby and Bachmann generally do not make new product announcements at Warley and will be announcing their new ranges in January next year, other manufactures such as Heljan made a couple of announcements in the week leading up to the Warley show. However I can post a few recent SR  / BR(s) related updates / news below.

Heljan

The only Heljan SR related announcement leading up to Warley was the addition to their 009 range of Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Baldwin 2-4-2T Lyn that completes the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway locomotive fleet. Lyn was built by Baldwin in 1898 for the L&BR and shipped to Devon in kit form for assembly at Pilton Works. At the time, the railway needed additional motive power but Manning, Wardle was unable to supply a similar machine to those already in service (and further models of the Manning and Wardle locomotives will be available in December/January OO9 from Heljan, livery samples were on show and I shall possibly update this post with a couple of images in due course).

The full-size replica of Lyn on the the restored Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in North Devon. Picture courtesy & copyright Heljan / Brian Daniels

The new model will depict Lyn in L&BR dark olive green and Southern Railway Maunsell green with authentic detail variations according to period and livery. The initial research work is underway and more details about price, features and specification will be announced later.
Proposed liveries so far announced are as follows:

  • 9980: Works black unnumbered
  • 9981: L&BR dark olive green Lyn (original chimney)
  • 9982: L&BR dark green E762 Lyn (with stovepipe chimney and SR numberplate)
  • 9983: Southern Maunsell green E762 Lyn (pre-1932)
  • 9984: Southern Maunsell green E762 Lyn (post-1932)

Expected Release in 2020. Other new models recently announced by Heljan include a new class 86/1 in 00 and a Clayton Class 17 in 0.

Rails of Sheffield / NRM/ Dapol 00 Terrier

Rails Limited in partnership with Dapol and the National Railway Museum announced at this years London Festival of Railway Modelling in March that they will produce the LBSC Terrier and all its subsequent variants in OO Gauge. 

First view of a couple of the 4mm Terrier EP components

On display on the both the Rails and Dapol stands were a couple of Engineering Prototype tooling components in the shape of the one of the cab versions, boiler top and side tanks. It is still very early days in the process but good to see some progress being made and I look forward to seeing more of the EP parts etc in due course.

Dapol

A bit of a catch up as this was announced a few weeks ago but Dapol have also announced that the previously halted work on the N Gauge Bulleid West County and Battle of Britain light pacifics, has recommence for the original air smoothed versions, at least, they do not appear to advised that the rebuilt version will also be re-instated. The versions that appear to be on the cards, with an anticipated release date of early 2020, are as follows:

  • Battle of Britain ‘Fighter Command’ 21C164 in SR Malachite Green
  • Battle of Britain ‘Spitfire’ 34066 BR Green Late Crest
  • TBC BR Green Early Crest
  • West Country ‘Okehampton’ SR Malachite Green 21C113
  • West Country ‘Watersmeet’ 34030 BR Green Late Crest
  • West Country ‘Exeter’ 34001 BR Green Early Crest Dapol Collectors Club ‘2019 Club Special’

I hope that comments previously provided to Dapol after the release of their first CADs get taken onboard further details and specification are still to be confirmed.

Bachmann

Although as stated above no new announcements were expected or indeed made by Bachmann.

The Class 159 DMU EP Picture courtesy and copyright Bachmann Europe.

They had on display again the 2HAP (Class 414) EMU first announced in March 2016  Engineering Prototype, see my earlier post here for a couple of pictures. Three livery versions will initially be released being: BR green livery, BR blue & grey livery and Network South East livery.

Also on display was the second Engineering Prototype stage is the the  3 car 159 Class annopunced in January this year which is being  released as No. 159013 in Network South East livery.

and finally…

Very many thanks to all those who found me, somewhat out of my comfort zone, operating the Hornby Magazine West Coast Cement layout, being non Southern, DCC  amd Modelrn Image… enabling me to at least talk about a few Southern topics… It was,  as always, good to meet readers of this little corner of the web!
Warley is one of the  only shows where due to the nature of the other exhibitions taking  place at the NEC where you can share a hotel lift heading for breakfast with a leather clad biker and hobbit in full cosplay outfit!

 

Exhibitions, General, Model News

That was the Warley that was ’14, duplication is the name of the game… [Updated 28/11/14]

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Last weekend saw the annual Warley National Model railway Exhibition at the NEC, this post rounds up the news from a Southern / BR(s) perspective. As duplication seems to be the order of the day I have also duplicated part of the post title from one I have used before. It is usual for some manufacturers to use the event to make announcements of new items or showcase updates to new products under development. This year was no exception although Hornby make the unusual step of announcing part of their intended plans for 2015 at the show.
Many thanks to those of you who read this blog for popping by the Shortley Bridge and Felton Cement Works layout on the Hornby Magazine stand, where I was playing trains all weekend, and saying hello it was good to see you.

Hornby

In making the unusual step of a pre-announcement announcement of their 2015 range Hornby are going head to head with two previously announced SR / BR(s) models from other manufacturers. This is likely to be due to the fact  that they have been working on the development of these models for some time now, Simon Kohler discusses such duplication in his interesting blog on the Hornby website here (posted just before the Warley show). Some people may ask why manufacturers can not simply talk to each other to avoid such duplication but this of course would fall foul of anti competition laws.

Image copyright and courtesy A York

First up is the ex LSWR Adams Radial 4-4-2T, that was announced earlier this moth by Oxford Rail. Hornby had an Engineering Prototype on display they also had on display extracts from CAD drawings that show their intent to produce variations of Chimney and Boilers (Adams vrs Drummond) and also frame lengths, images of these can be found on the Hornby website here along with details of other non SR related items. Hornby advise that this model should be available late 2015. This particular prototype has finished high in recent wish list polls, hence the interest. I was also assisting another potential manufacturer of this model but this has now been sensibly replaced with another model instead, albeit non SR related, once the intent of the other parties was discovered.

An image of the initial Class 71 CAD

Secondly they also announced a BR(S) Class 71 3rd rail electric locomotive for delivery in 2016. This model has been previously announced by DJModels back in July using a kickstarter campaign hosted via the Kernow Model Railway Centre. only last week they confirmed that the required number of orders had been reached to allow the production of the model to go ahead.

Image copyright and courtesy A York

In addition to the above announcements that also had livery samples of the ex LSWR Drummond 700 Class 0-6-0’s on display.

Hornby will be announcing the full details of their 2015 range on the 17th December and I will bring you a round up all the specific SR and BR(s) information to you at the same time, having been briefed along with the rest of the model railway media at Margate a week before.

Bachmann

Image copyright and courtesy A York

On the Bachmann stand were livery samples of their ex LBSC E4 on display in both Maunsell Pre 1931 lined olive green and also BR black versions.
The exhibition also saw for the first time the, only just arrived,  Engineering Prototype of the Southern Passenger Luggage vans PLV/PMV’s.

An initial image, a better one will be uploaded in due course

I am now also able to confirm that only one tooling [*update 28/11/14 below] for these vans is being introduced to despite their catalogue and website that mixing the terms PLV/PMV and CCT they are not producing a Southern Van U (BR designation CCT) with the end opening doors. Further information about these vans and the various can be found on my Talking Stock #6 post SR Luggage Vans which is based on the kits that this RTR version will now also kind of duplicate.

Graham Farish

No new SR related news to be had as they were showing the same first off Engineering samples of the N class and original style third series Merchant Navy Bulleid pacific that we have seen before, this does not of course mean that no further progress has been made behind the scenes.

Model Rail Magazine

Model Rail Magazine announced a further two livery versions of their USTC/SR USA 0-6-0T model commissioned via Bachmann,  in the form of: MR105 N0. 300 ‘Major-General Frank S. Ross’ in Longmoor Military Railway blue and MR106  No. DS233 in department black with post 1956 BR emblem, these and the previously announced models can be pre-ordered here although Model Rail advise that If you want a ‘USA tank’ you need to be quick placing your pre-order as one livery has already sold out and others are nearly all sold. Away from the show I have been privileged to have assisted in the reviewing of the CADs for these models and they are now very close to going for tooling.

Dapol

Dapol had on display various model samples for models first announced back in 2012 :
In N gauge, livery samples of their Maunsell coaches in SR Olive Green along with the Van C.
In 4mm scale they had the latest Engineering prototypes of both versions of the Class 73 Electro Diesel (73/0 – JA and 73/1 – JB).  It appears that the 73/0 variant might be available first, even though to date they have only announced 73/1 versions!
For 0 Gauge modellers the first liveried sample of the Terrier was on display in Brighton livery.

Heljan 

On their stand in addition to livery samples of the 05 Class diesel shunter (one of the prototypes of course was outposted on the Isle of Wight for quite some time) they had the kit of parts that will make up their 009 ready to run Lynton and Barnstaple 2-6-2 Exe, Tor and Yeo locomotives.

Comet Models

Following the untimely passing of proprietor and friend Geoff Brewin, in September, his family are pleased to announce that the entire extensive range of locomotive chassis, coach kits and detailing items has now been successfully sold to Andrew Hartshorne of Wizard Models (and Model Signal Engineering), welcome news indeed. The transfer is planned to take place over the weekend of the 5th – 7th December inclusive, and Andrew hopes to open for trade of Comet items on Monday December 8th.

So all in all a very busy Warley show, with many announcements made, including those of interest to modellers of other railways. I am sure some will have ongoing ramifications within the model railway world, including no doubt some conspiracy theories,  interesting times ahead I feel…

[*update 28/11/14]

I have now received a further clarification from Bachmann with respect to the tooling being produced for the PLV/PMV and they have advised the following:

The first engineering samples of the forthcoming Bachmann Branchline Southern Utility Vans were displayed at the 2014 Warley Show. Two bodies have been tooled for these models which cover the Southern PMV which have one vent at each end (item Nos. 39-525, 39-526 & 39-527); whilst the second tooling portrays a CCT vehicle which has been converted to a PMV, this is evident from the sealed end doors with four vents at each end (item No. 39-528). An image of such a vehicle can be found at http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/srcct/h1552e6d6#h1552e6d6. The image used in the 2014 Bachmann Branchline catalogue for item No. 39-528 incorrectly shows a standard PMV. I trust this clarifies the situation.

Thanks to Bachmann for the clarification over and above what I was informed by them at Warley.

Exhibitions, General, Kernow Models, Model News, RT Models

Warley updates from a Southern Perspective

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Well the annual event that is the Warley National Model Railway show at the NEC has now been and gone and by all accounts it appears that it was a good year for the show. I certainly thought that this year there was a good selection of layouts, attendance was apparently up by 8% and most of the traders appeared to be doing good business. I certainly had a good weekend on the Hornby Magazine stand operating Mike Wild’s Hettle layout despite it being N gauge, Midland Region and DCC meaning my comfort zone was somewhere outside of Hall 5, but I think I pulled it off!

As is becoming more usual now a number of suppliers and manufacturers time announcements, product development updates and availability of new product around the time of / during the show and this year was no exception. This post attempts to round up some of those items of interest from a Southern perspective.

Kernow Model Centre

As per my post on Saturday, Kernow Model Centre have announced they are to commission via Dapol a Beattie Well Tank in 7mm along with suitable china clay wagons. Pre ordering and making a deposit payment of £100 will give you a saving of £100 off the £299 usual price. A ready to run 0 Gauge loco for £199 is a bargain I am sure many will not be able to resist. Full details can be found on my previous post here.  I predict a number of new Cornish china clay shelf type inglenook shunting layouts popping up due to these models, which could also be easily changed to be a decade or so later by switching the Well Tank for  a Dapol Class 08!
They also had some of the livery samples of their Class 205 ‘Thumper’ DEMU on display, commissioned via Bachmann this certainly looks an excellent model.

Peco

At the show an entire area was dedicated to the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway with the full size replica L&B locomotive Lyd being a centre piece surrounded by more L & B layouts than you could shake a stick at.

Peco’s R-T-R L&B Wagons

Peco took the opportunity to announce a new range of ready to run wagons and coaches in 009. Initial releases will be a box van and an open wagon in both L & B grey and SR brown available early in the new year with suitable coaches to follow later. More details and pictures can be found here  Whilst I am sure these will be popular with existing 009 modellers the current lack of any suitable R-T-R locomotives in 009 might still deter new entrants to the genre (although fingers crossed that perhaps locomotives might follow).

Bachmann

The long awaited C Class from Bachmann in both the exquisite full SECR livery and post 1937 Southern Liveries were available at the show and the BR black version is also imminent. I will be reviewing this model on this blog hopefully later in the week.

The EP of LMS diesel 10000

In their usual display cases at the show were a number of Engineering prototypes of current work in progress and their version of the LMS main line diesel twins 10000 and 10001 looked impressive, mentioned on here as they of course ran on the Southern Region. This model is in part commissioned by Rails of Sheffield with some livery versions being exclusive to them. Availability is anticipated to be early next year.

Dapol

Whilst the announcements made by Dapol at the show were for some modern image wagons in 0 Gauge (I assume to compliment their previously announced Class 08 shunter) they had for sale on the stand SR 5 and 8 plank open wagons also in 0 Gauge although I think these are generic open wagons rather based on specific SR prototypes.
Dapol have also rereleased their N Gauge CCT (Van U) utility van which appears to have been slightly updated with finer tooling and NEM coupling pockets.

RT Models

Robert continues to add useful detailing items to his ever expanding range that can be found at www.rtmodels.co.uk. I covered his etched LSWR and LBSC lamp irons in my post here and can now confirm that the LBSC version is now available and has enough irons for two locomotives including the extended bufferbeam irons.
On show for the first time at Warley were SR engine lamps very nicely cast in white metal offering a much finer scale alternative to those available from Spingside (although Robert’s do not have the jewelled lens).
Also under his custodianship the Albert Goodall range now includes cast white metal brake cylinders for the Bulleid Pacific 4500 and 5500 gallon tenders that are noticeably absent from the Hornby models and are well designed to be a simple direct fit.

Trafford Model Centre (TMC)

The TMC Mk1 Horseboxes, picture courtesy and copyright M Wild

The TMC commission, via Bachmann of the Mk1 Horsebox was available at the show and the weathered Southern Region green version I saw certainly looked extremely good. Further details can be found here.