Love the scenery mick.

Something a little different tonight. I was able to use the 'Up' line so a slightly different perspective to the normal 'Down' main. A few are aware I have compiled a couple of BR Blue trains and so I present to you...............

Blue class 52 D1043 'Western Duke' with a train of blue/grey MK1s

Class 52 Western Duke with train on Heatherley by Mick Hollyoake, on Flickr

Blue class 35 Hymek D7036 with some blue parcels stock

Class 35 Hymek in blue with parcels on Heatherley by Mick Hollyoake, on Flickr

Thanks for looking in

Offering old tooled models at 'attractive prices' doesn't seem to be their MO (unlike Dapol). Farish effectively homogenise the cost of items, so a steam loco is £150 or whatever. Hence you end up with dinosaurs like the 170 being the same as a brand new 158.

They could always do a re-run of their existing V2! It's a decent-looking model despite the solid wheels and boiler skirt. I love my LNER apple-green one. The cost of the tooling must have been long written-off, so Farish could offer it for an attractive price. There'd be lots of outrage about it not being up to modern standards, but I bet it would sell in reasonable numbers. Come on Bachmann, you know you want to.
PW

That's obviously quite the leap. One presumes they think they can't make adequate margin on steam locos (or that there aren't any 'obvious' ones to go at), I'm sure they're not doing it to spite the market.

It does appear, from the outside at least, that some of their decisions are a little odd. They announced the TPE and SWT 350/450s about 6 years ago, and neither has yet been released, despite being just a re-livery (they tenuously call the 450 a new tooling because they need to fill the holes left by the pantograph, not the well, but the actual 1mm screw holes). During that time both liveries have become obsolete, so I guess adding SWR brings them up to date, but I do question how short their memory is given the propensity for discounting the original run in the far more widespread LM livery, and the lack of other modern 3rd rail EMUs. There is little nothing RTR to go with an SWR 350 after all. They've not done a 159 yet, which is the only obvious bed fellow.

Still, we're getting new models, and that's great. Just need some DB 90s please.

NBL Type 2 Class 21/29
MK1 TPO Stowage Van & TPO Stowage Brake
Oakbank Oil Co./BP 40 Ton bogie tank wagon

Quote from: NeMo on Today at 06:51:29 PM

Quote from: njee20 on Today at 11:22:19 AMHave been meaning to do a LNWR 350 for a while, and at £400 I'll keep thinking about doing one I've already got

That was exactly my reaction. I think I paid about £100 for my Class 350, and a lovely train it is too.

But £400 for essentially the same model? At first, I was like, "Okay, a bit steep, but presumably it's been rejigged to have a single DCC decoder, electrical connections between the carriages, and a built-in loudspeaker". But nope. It's the same model as far as I can tell. Needs three DCC decoders (one for the power car, and two for the headlights in each cab). Livery application looks lovely, in all fairness, but some of the weaker aspects of the first release (like the crudely-modelled high voltage cables between the cars) aren't any different.

While I am really pleased to see a LNWR-liveried 'Desiro', an RRP of £400 doesn't seem (to me) priced to sell.

I guess time will tell!

Cheers,

NeMo

Rails have them priced at £330, but given your comments above that still looks a fair amount of bunce for a model that hasn't been upgraded. I guess it just depends on how much people want those particular variants/liveries.

Personally I do struggle with the commercial logic for some of the releases we see and I seem to recall that not so many years ago we were seeing the original run Desiros in the Bargain bin for even less than £100.

Conversely I struggle to understand the lack of even a single new tool steam loco from Farish since the 8F was announced over 7 years ago. Even appreciating that as time marches on there is a wider range of eras to cover, nonetheless there are a good number of steam locos that would be immensely popular. For starters the most recent OO releases include the 94xx and V2 both of which would go down well (the 94xx was an ever present in the Farish range from 1970 until the mid to late "noughties").

Yes, we are seeing some very nicely executed Next18/sound upgrades from amongst the later coreless motor loco-drive steam models which are very welcome and appear to have gone down well, plus the LMS "Twins" show recognition of the popularity of the steam/diesel transition era, but the lack of new steam from Bachmann remains very perplexing, not least because we have seen new steam models from Sonic, EFE and still have the 43xx and Battle of Britain to come from Dapol which I believe are in or close to tooling  .

Roy

I hope things have gone well for you in the move Martin @port perran . Here is one for you to chill out to from the wonderful Solstice, fairly hot of the press with Ebony Buckle taking over on vocals...

https://youtu.be/qQoDyRQm46g?si=XzzzbDmafCQC7Hy9

Bliss...

Cheers,

Tim

PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED!

And so, in Sylvie's boudoir, time slows, and the world outside fades. Two souls, bound by champagne and shared wisdom, discuss how they may weave memories that will endure like the taste of stars.

"Eli", Sylvie began, her voice low and confident. "Tonight is our chance. The Grand Christmas Ball—the one where magic hangs in the air and mistletoe awaits—we must make the very best impression on Jeremy and Giles."

Eli fidgets, her fingers twisting in her lap. "I-I know, Sylvie. But Jeremy and Giles—they're so experienced. What if we make a mistake?"

Sylvie leans forward, her gaze intense. "First, the entrance. We glide towards them, heads held high. Confidence, Eli. Confidence is the armour of amour."

Eli nods, her cheeks flushed. "A-and our gowns—the ones that cling in all the right places. I know Jeremy won't be able to tear his eyes away from you."

Sylvie smirks. "Nor will Giles, Eli. He'll appreciate the subtle elegance—the way your midnight blue gown whispers secrets."

Eli's bright blue eyes widen. "But what do we say? I-I'm not good at small talk."

Sylvie's laughter was melodic. "Giles loves fine wines. You'll discuss the Château Latour Bordeaux he adores—a wine that demands patience and rewards discerning palates."

Eli bites her lip. "And Jeremy? You'll tell him stories—of moonlit escapades, stolen kisses. He'll remember, his sea-green eyes crinkling as he smiles."

Smiling broadly, Sylvie's fingers trace the line of lace at her revealing neckline. "And then there's the dancing. We'll waltz with grace, our steps leaving imprints on their hearts."

Eli's voice trembles. "A-and under the mistletoe? What then?"

Sylvie's eyes sparkle. "Yes. Giles will taste the promise of softness and strength—the 37D promise!" She states followed by her throaty, uninhibited laugh that her friends find so attractive.

Eli blushes. "And Jeremy? His heart will race as he admires your 36C bust and your 24-inch waist."

Sylvie leans in. "Our hips—curvaceous, inviting, mine 25-inch, yours 24-inch—a delightful canvas of smooth skin. They will sway sensuously as we walk in a rhythm that elicits desire."

Eli's breath catches. "Yes, I see it. The silhouette we create—a symphony of proportions. Jeremy's heart racing, Giles' imagination spinning."

My mistake, David!