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What's your latest acquisition?

Peter C

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(With apologies to the Hornby Forums)

Seeing as we're all in lockdown and probably all going a bit mad without being able to go to shows and the like, I thought it might be nice to make a thread where people could share the things they've recently bought for their model railways or collections. This can be literally anything for your layout, whether it be an engine, some rolling stock, a building, or some form of scenery or trackwork. As mentioned above this idea has come from the Hornby Forums and seemed to be a nice place for people to share things so let's try it here. :)

I'll start it off with my latest purchase: an 00 gauge Airfix GWR 14xx, from 1975 according to the box.
Airfix 14xx - 1466.jpeg
(Apologies for the state of the baseboard - it's my Gaugemaster track rubber which leaves shavings absolutely everywhere - I plan to get one of those fancy Gaugemaster/Piko track cleaning wagons soon)
As you can see, one of the first things I did with the engine was to make a sort-of Titfield Thunderbolt set-up, using the engine, a wagon from @reddragon, and then an Oxford Rail brakevan I got a few years ago. I've wanted a 14xx for a long time now, and I would have preferred to have either 1466 or 1450, as they're ones I've seen in person. I missed out on an eBay auction for another Airfix 14xx, 1466 in GWR green, which was a bit annoying, but then I found this one, which looked to be (and is) in very good condition, along with an Airfix autocoach in British Railways maroon, for £45. This was a bargain in comparison to the prices some other models went for and having run the engine quite a bit, I think it was a good choice to go for it. It uses Airfix's version of the Triang X03/X04 motor and whilst it slows on some bits of track, it works well overall. I've got two autocoaches now and so I can finally run a 14xx 'sandwiched' between them; something I've wanted to do for a while!

-Peter
 
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Iskra

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That’s a good looking locomotive for something from 1975.

My most recent acquisitions are in slightly different condition (steam loco fans look away now):


B7A6DA75-21BD-4CC2-9A3E-9698BEA9A0C3.jpeg

In total those 2 scrap loco’s came to £44, which I didn’t think was bad.
 

Peter C

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That’s a good looking locomotive for something from 1975.
It really is; I really quite like it. It's missing one cabside handrail and some of the other detailing is a bit lose and therefore fragile, but apart from that, it's not bad.

My most recent acquisitions are in slightly different condition (steam loco fans look away now):


View attachment 89279

In total those 2 scrap loco’s came to £44, which I didn’t think was bad.
Those engines look really good and I think they work very well with the scene and setting you're making there @Iskra. The addition of the tarpaulin over one of them makes it even better: I've seen people do coaches like that for heritage railways and whilst I don't think such a heavy rust effect would be suitable for a heritage line, I might think about getting one and then painting it back up to a more-looked after appearance. Where did they come from?

-Peter
 

Iskra

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It really is; I really quite like it. It's missing one cabside handrail and some of the other detailing is a bit lose and therefore fragile, but apart from that, it's not bad.


Those engines look really good and I think they work very well with the scene and setting you're making there @Iskra. The addition of the tarpaulin over one of them makes it even better: I've seen people do coaches like that for heritage railways and whilst I don't think such a heavy rust effect would be suitable for a heritage line, I might think about getting one and then painting it back up to a more-looked after appearance. Where did they come from?

-Peter
I got those from ebay (the FGW 47 paid for them), if you search ‘scrapyard’ and look at the results under model trains a few different types come up including diesel locomotives, carriages and wagons. I don’t know, I’ve definitely seen a few rusting hulks at the back of the odd preserved railway engine shed or yard, but yes a tarped carriage would probably be a lot more common. As you say the scrap locos fit in nicely with my theme.
 

Peter C

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I got those from ebay (the FGW 47 paid for them), if you search ‘scrapyard’ and look at the results under model trains a few different types come up including diesel locomotives, carriages and wagons.
Ah brilliant - thanks very much. :) I saw your FGW 47 on eBay but couldn't bid due to buying the 14xx; as an aside, I was thinking the other day how that 47 went for a brilliant deal for the auction winner if it was DCC fitted - normally a DC Lima model is around £50.

I don’t know, I’ve definitely seen a few rusting hulks at the back of the odd preserved railway engine shed or yard, but yes a tarped carriage would probably be a lot more common. As you say the scrap locos fit in nicely with my theme.
I've seen a few too; though most of the ones at my local heritage line (GWSR) seem to be old coaches with missing windows and faded paintwork. One of my most favourite bits of a train ride on that line when I was younger was looking into the yard when we went past and seeing what was there. Went there fairly regularly but it always felt like there was something different!

-Peter
 

Iskra

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Ah brilliant - thanks very much. :) I saw your FGW 47 on eBay but couldn't bid due to buying the 14xx; as an aside, I was thinking the other day how that 47 went for a brilliant deal for the auction winner if it was DCC fitted - normally a DC Lima model is around £50.


I've seen a few too; though most of the ones at my local heritage line (GWSR) seem to be old coaches with missing windows and faded paintwork. One of my most favourite bits of a train ride on that line when I was younger was looking into the yard when we went past and seeing what was there. Went there fairly regularly but it always felt like there was something different!

-Peter
I only paid £30 for the 47 and used around £2 of weathering materials, but the experience and confidence it gave me was priceless, so I’m ‘up’ on that transaction :)

Yes, it’s possibe to get models of old abandoned coach bodies, which would seem more suitable for you. Yes, I often find the stuff lying around as interesting as what’s running on a preserved line.
 

Peter C

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I only paid £30 for the 47 and used around £2 of weathering materials, but the experience and confidence it gave me was priceless, so I’m ‘up’ on that transaction :)
Sounds brilliant! Now I need to be careful and not start thinking about how much money I could raise if I sold off some of my engines... ;)

Yes, it’s possibe to get models of old abandoned coach bodies, which would seem more suitable for you.
I've just done a quick eBay search and it seems to be that most, if not all of the scrapyard stock on there, is made by one company and they only do auctions, so that's something I'll have to hold back on for the time being. I'll keep an eye on it though!

Yes, I often find the stuff lying around as interesting as what’s running on a preserved line.
Definitely. I've been thinking how I can change around the trackplan for the railway centre on my layout to best incorporate more sidings for things like derelict coaches and the ones I've found online would be perfect.

-Peter
 

Iskra

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Sounds brilliant! Now I need to be careful and not start thinking about how much money I could raise if I sold off some of my engines... ;)


I've just done a quick eBay search and it seems to be that most, if not all of the scrapyard stock on there, is made by one company and they only do auctions, so that's something I'll have to hold back on for the time being. I'll keep an eye on it though!


Definitely. I've been thinking how I can change around the trackplan for the railway centre on my layout to best incorporate more sidings for things like derelict coaches and the ones I've found online would be perfect.

-Peter

I have a core of engines that I wouldn’t let go, but I do sell some loco’s in order to buy different ones.

One of the more mainstream manufacturers has done a derelict and grounded coach body as a scenic item before, so keep looking and you will find one. Google throws up some results.
 

Cowley

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I’ve not bought much recently apart from this little goods shed which is a Bachmann Scenecraft job:

E53DB00E-427A-4A21-9A11-1CD9CEF7AD8B.jpeg

Other than that it’s all been things like wire, paint, ballast etc etc.
Actually I bought so much of that kind of stuff there seemed to be something new on the doorstep every day last week! But that’s only really because I’m stockpiling for the railway extension work.
 

Peter C

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I’ve not bought much recently apart from this little goods shed which is a Bachmann Scenecraft job:

View attachment 89290

Other than that it’s all been things like wire, paint, ballast etc etc.
Actually I bought so much of that kind of stuff there seemed to be something new on the doorstep every day last week! But that’s only really because I’m stockpiling for the railway extension work.
That looks like a nice little building - I might see if they make a 00 gauge version to go on my railway centre.
I've bought quite a few things over the past month, and there were times when it felt like things were arriving every day or every week!

-Peter
 

Iskra

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The postman has brought me a few goodies today. I was supposed to be in Vienna this week, but that got cancelled so this how I used my refund :)

The MK2 RFB will feature on my post-privatisation sleeper train, masquerading as the lounge car. It may also feature on Virgin XC services. Interestingly, this is a DCC fitted coach, the lighting affects should work well with the sleeper role. This is the first time I've tried a DCC fitted coach so we'll see how it works out.
The 37 will often be seen on the sleeper train as these were the routine haulage before 67's took over. I'm sure it will be seen on many other duties too.
The DRS Mk2 is procured to run in a consist with some nuclear flasks I have on the way, but may also feature as a stand-in Brake coach on the sleeper as the Fort William portion had quite a few differing liveries involved on it over the years.




Acq1.jpg
 

Cowley

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The postman has brought me a few goodies today. I was supposed to be in Vienna this week, but that got cancelled so this how I used my refund :)

The MK2 RFB will feature on my post-privatisation sleeper train, masquerading as the lounge car. It may also feature on Virgin XC services. Interestingly, this is a DCC fitted coach, the lighting affects should work well with the sleeper role. This is the first time I've tried a DCC fitted coach so we'll see how it works out.
The 37 will often be seen on the sleeper train as these were the routine haulage before 67's took over. I'm sure it will be seen on many other duties too.
The DRS Mk2 is procured to run in a consist with some nuclear flasks I have on the way, but may also feature as a stand-in Brake coach on the sleeper as the Fort William portion had quite a few differing liveries involved on it over the years.




View attachment 89293
Really really nice models. Vienna’s loss is Bachmann and Hornby’s gain. :lol:
I received a little box of 1970s track workers this morning (the nearest I could find to my era).

815AFFBA-0C5E-4BDF-A686-E2D83051C876.jpeg

I’d completely forgotten that I’d ordered them!
 

Peter C

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The postman has brought me a few goodies today. I was supposed to be in Vienna this week, but that got cancelled so this how I used my refund :)

The MK2 RFB will feature on my post-privatisation sleeper train, masquerading as the lounge car. It may also feature on Virgin XC services. Interestingly, this is a DCC fitted coach, the lighting affects should work well with the sleeper role. This is the first time I've tried a DCC fitted coach so we'll see how it works out.
The 37 will often be seen on the sleeper train as these were the routine haulage before 67's took over. I'm sure it will be seen on many other duties too.
The DRS Mk2 is procured to run in a consist with some nuclear flasks I have on the way, but may also feature as a stand-in Brake coach on the sleeper as the Fort William portion had quite a few differing liveries involved on it over the years.




View attachment 89293
Personally, I'd say you've won in that situation: you've got more train stuff! :D
I've seen quite a few coaches now coming with DCC - I understand the idea of controlling lights using DCC functions, but apart from that, I'm not too sure of its benefits. That said, I've never used such a coach. (Actually, I expect it might be somewhat useful if you could set all the coaches up so one press of a button will turn all the lights on or off)
That 37 looks brilliant as well - sound fitted too! I expect it sounds good.

I received a little box of 1970s track workers this morning (the nearest I could find to my era).

View attachment 89295

I’d completely forgotten that I’d ordered them!
I think I've got some of those for my layout as well - either that, or the more modern version. They're currently living in the top of the water tower in the railway centre as the top comes off to allow parts to be stored when in transit (it's a Hornby clip-together plastic building).

-Peter
 

Iskra

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Really really nice models. Vienna’s loss is Bachmann and Hornby’s gain. :lol:
I received a little box of 1970s track workers this morning (the nearest I could find to my era).

View attachment 89295

I’d completely forgotten that I’d ordered them!
They look very good. I like when you forget about something you ordered, it then becomes a pleasant surprise. Typical that they turn up just after the big trackwork job has been completed!

Personally, I'd say you've won in that situation: you've got more train stuff! :D
I've seen quite a few coaches now coming with DCC - I understand the idea of controlling lights using DCC functions, but apart from that, I'm not too sure of its benefits. That said, I've never used such a coach. (Actually, I expect it might be somewhat useful if you could set all the coaches up so one press of a button will turn all the lights on or off)
That 37 looks brilliant as well - sound fitted too! I expect it sounds good.

Yeah, I think I have won actually, although I'm not sure that's the consensus in the household :D

I think it looks good, and it works for me as I only need a couple and they obviously work well on a sleeper train. However, that Bachmann coach is £55 and supposed to be £60+, so I wouldn't want to have to be buying full rakes of them. My other coach that I'm aware of that has lighting is a Hornby one where the lights only work when it moves, but at £28ish I think that's good value in comparison. Some of the BR Blue DCC lighting coaches have door marker lights that light up too that you can operate independently. That's a nice touch for ultra-realistic operations, but I don't think it's essential. The main benefit for me of that coach, is it looks a bit like a sleeper lounge car when its down on the tracks (the buffet area is hidden in its box) and it has an operating tail light, so my sleeper train will be fully prototypically illuminated straight out of the box.

The Bachmann 37's are an absolutely cracking model, I can't praise them highly enough and yes they sound great :) I've not had it on the layout yet, as it will need snowploughs fitting first!
 

Peter C

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Yeah, I think I have won actually, although I'm not sure that's the consensus in the household :D
Haha :D

I think it looks good, and it works for me as I only need a couple and they obviously work well on a sleeper train. However, that Bachmann coach is £55 and supposed to be £60+, so I wouldn't want to have to be buying full rakes of them.
That's the main thing stopping me from getting a lot of them really - although a lot of my coaches aren't cheap!

My other coach that I'm aware of that has lighting is a Hornby one where the lights only work when it moves, but at £28ish I think that's good value in comparison. Some of the BR Blue DCC lighting coaches have door marker lights that light up too that you can operate independently. That's a nice touch for ultra-realistic operations, but I don't think it's essential.
That sounds like quite a nice little feature, especially if you could set it up to make the door lights come on a short time after the train stops at a station.

The main benefit for me of that coach, is it looks a bit like a sleeper lounge car when its down on the tracks (the buffet area is hidden in its box) and it has an operating tail light, so my sleeper train will be fully prototypically illuminated straight out of the box.
Ah brilliant; I use quite a bit of coaches as 'something which looks a bit like something else' and it works well enough.

The Bachmann 37's are an absolutely cracking model, I can't praise them highly enough and yes they sound great :) I've not had it on the layout yet, as it will need snowploughs fitting first!
Lovely :) I expect you would need snowploughs with this weather! ;)

-Peter
 

Cowley

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Some of the BR Blue DCC lighting coaches have door marker lights that light up too that you can operate independently. That's a nice touch for ultra-realistic operations, but I don't think it's essential.

@Iskra - That’s a really cool thing and I didn’t realise any of the coaches did that.
Re lights - On the N gauge Dapol coaches and DMUs they have pickups on the axles and you can just buy one of their LED lighting bars to plug in. My friend has his HST done and it looks amazing in the snow and the dark.

A819C7B0-9C85-4139-949B-E5C160EA250D.jpeg
 

Iskra

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Lovely :) I expect you would need snowploughs with this weather! ;)

-Peter
Par for the course in Scotland, even in June ;)

@Iskra - That’s a really cool thing and I didn’t realise any of the coaches did that.
Re lights - On the N gauge Dapol coaches and DMUs they have pickups on the axles and you can just buy one of their LED lighting bars to plug in. My friend has his HST done and it looks amazing in the snow and the dark.

View attachment 89319
Those do indeed look excellent! Nice 50 too there!
 

raetiamann

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I'm really unsure on the use of lighting in coaches for a couple of reasons.
1) The lights seems to me at least to be too bright and could be maybe 75/80% of what is set. Maybe even less on older stock and Dapol 121s.
2) lighting them highlights the lack of passengers and with multiple units the driver(s) too. In an ideal world I'd like to populate my stock, but sadly that doesn't happen in real life.

In addition should you be running a few longish rakes of coaches on dc, then there may be quite a drain on power.
 
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Iskra

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I'm really unsure on the use of lighting in coaches for a couple of reasons.
1) The lights seems to me at least to be too bright and could be maybe 75/80% of what is set. Maybe even less on older stock and Dapol 121s.
2) lighting them highlights the lack of passengers and with multiple units the driver(s) too. In an ideal world I'd like to populate my stock, but sadly that doesn't happen in real life.

In addition should you be running a few longish rakes of coaches on dc, then there may be quite a drain on power.
I agree on point number 1; coach and DMU lighting seems to be 50-50 as to whether it’s too bright or spot on, it even varies across the stock of single manufacturers.
Some of my Bachmann rolling stock came with passengers fitted, and most of their loco’s come with a driver figure, so this is becoming less of a problem.

I agree about the power drain, I think you need to think carefully and decide on a case by case basis whether it’s right for your specific layout or not. For me having 2 lit coaches works well on my sleeper train portion as it’s only 4 coaches long and the 2 MK3’s SLEPS don’t need lights to look realistic as the blinds are usually down in each berth. My 2 modern DMU’s have interior lighting to match, so it works well. I agree it wouldn’t be a great idea on a large layout for a number of reasons.
 

Jaz avalley

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That’s a good looking locomotive for something from 1975.

My most recent acquisitions are in slightly different condition (steam loco fans look away now):


View attachment 89279



In total those 2 scrap loco’s came to £44, which I didn’t think was bad.
I like the diesel refuelled, has a floating sensation,add some ballast me thinks......See pot calling kettle black lol.....or worse a case of do as I say and not as I do....nice piece of kit though, looks good on your layout.
37EFD4F2-D836-478E-9A7C-BC78A8D4BB98.jpeg
 

Iskra

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I have some ballast on the way, so that should be done fairly soon :)

These two have arrived today, well worth the wait:

C430A0DC-F2D8-4F2E-B59A-AF2E57E549CF.jpeg
 

hexagon789

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For my BR ScotRail operations - the new Mk1 RBR tooling.

After that I'm sort of holding off now, given Murphy Models have announced their are to model fully accurate Irish Mk3s, so I'm basically waiting for those.
 

Iskra

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They look amazing. Is that TMC weathering?
Yeah, I asked them to do one as medium weathered and one as light and they kindly obliged. I’m not confident weathering IC livery yet so I left it to the experts this time. I have acquired a Lima IC 47 however so that I can have a go in the future.
 

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Yeah, I asked them to do one as medium weathered and one as light and they kindly obliged. I’m not confident weathering IC livery yet so I left it to the experts this time. I have acquired a Lima IC 47 however so that I can have a go in the future.

They’ve done a great job of the area above the windscreens. That’s pure nostalgia for me!
Is the 47 in Intercity Executive or Swallow?
 

Iskra

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They’ve done a great job of the area above the windscreens. That’s pure nostalgia for me!
Is the 47 in Intercity Executive or Swallow?
They really have, I’m very happy with them. It’s an Executive one, it won’t be staying though it’s literally just for weathering practice and hopefully I can sell it on for a profit again.


I like those @Iskra - I assume they're new fancy Hornby ones? The weathering is brilliant.

-Peter

Yeah they are :) They are a massive upgrade on the other Hornby HST’s I’ve owned!
 

Peter C

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Yeah they are :) They are a massive upgrade on the other Hornby HST’s I’ve owned!
Cool! I'm currently interested in finding a Lima HST powercar pair but those Hornby ones do look nice.

-Peter
 

Peter C

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What livery are you looking for? The Lima ones look decent!
I'm not looking for any particular livery, but I have seen a few Great Western ones which look nice. The Intercity ones I've seen also look really cool and would make a contrast with the BR Blue/Grey Hornby HST already on the layout. Lima's HSTs had far more detail than the old Hornby ones.

-Peter
 

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