Quote from: Bigmac on November 05, 2026, 06:15:48 PMRe the C Class: Maybe there was a tie up between Bachman and the Bluebell, sponsorship perhaps, otherwise it was a strange choice for n gauge. Was it a good seller ?

The C Class was part of their OO range, I don't think one needs to look any further than that for the reason it then became part of the Farish range along with the SECR "Birdcage" coaches. The loco is exquisite and included features never seen in a British outline 0-6-0 tender loco up to that point such as Next 18 socket and speaker. The ones in the intricate SE&CR livery sold out pretty quickly and there is nothing to suggest the loco was in anything but a success, with the likes of me (with no interest in matters "Southern") buying one just because it is such a lovely model, mine now being fitted with a sound chip.

As @thebrighton rightly points out, the fact there has recently been a second run including a "Collectors club" special and this time including a sound fitted option points to the first batch being popular otherwise they wouldn't have done it.

Roy

I paid two deposits with D.J. for Kings.

Paying by credit card I had the deposits repaid in full. I know others were not so lucky in getting their money back, if they paid by a different way.

I think the most likely to release a King would be Farish.

Dapol have dropped their controversial cardan shaft. I imagine many will be keen to see/try their Mogul and Manor with the new mechanisms. (I wonder who was responsible for the cardan shaft at Dapol?) A Grange with their new mechanism could be next from them?

Sonic could surprise us with a King. I understand their owner once worked for Bachmann, and designed the latest incarnation of the Coronation/Duchess loco.

Any of them may/or may not be working on a King in the background.

You dirty man. Wash your hands next time.

Quote from: Bigmac on November 05, 2026, 06:15:48 PMRe the C Class: Maybe there was a tie up between Bachman and the Bluebell, sponsorship perhaps, otherwise it was a strange choice for n gauge. Was it a good seller ?

Well they released a second run so I would say yes.

Quote from: martyn on November 05, 2026, 03:12:30 PMTo go back to @Dorsetmike OP; the SR has no 4-6-0s, which it relied on for much of its existence for  passenger, and a lesser extent, mixed traffic and goods services. And if the SECR C class was thought viable, why not an SR 4-6-0?

Don't forget that in rtr, with the demise of UM, the LNER only now has two models, the B17 and B1; the latter were only multiplied after WW2, and most were built by BR.

@Bigmac

Sorry, the humour went over my head....

Martyn

Re the C Class: Maybe there was a tie up between Bachman and the Bluebell, sponsorship perhaps, otherwise it was a strange choice for n gauge. Was it a good seller ?

Quote from: Railbank on November 05, 2026, 03:59:20 PMDitto cattle wagons destined for the bargains bin and a very long sales period.

Why do you say that? The Peco one has been around and selling for long enough and the Farish one is a decent model on the correct wheelbase chassis. Cattle wagons were a staple traffic on railways right into the 60s and they were also used for other things like beer in barrels too. There hasn't (as far as I am aware) been a production run of the Farish model for a while.

Ditto cattle wagons destined for the bargains bin and a very long sales period.

I wouldn't be surprised if the HNRC 20's go the same way - they seem too niche just like the LUL set previously.

To go back to @Dorsetmike OP; the SR has no 4-6-0s, which it relied on for much of its existence for  passenger, and a lesser extent, mixed traffic and goods services. And if the SECR C class was thought viable, why not an SR 4-6-0?

Don't forget that in rtr, with the demise of UM, the LNER only now has two models, the B17 and B1; the latter were only multiplied after WW2, and most were built by BR.

@Bigmac

Sorry, the humour went over my head....

Martyn

Quote from: Suffolk Rob on November 04, 2026, 12:43:11 PMLittle surprised to see another 2 150s, been a fair few farish DMUs in bargin bins for a while now.

It is funny how often they announce items that you just know are destined for the bargain bins and then they wonder why their warehouses are full of unsold stock.

Quote from: martyn on November 05, 2026, 02:17:55 PMSorry, but 2" difference in driving wheel diameter wasn't even important at 12" : 1'.

Tyre wear could mean that drivers could be up to three inches smaller than nominal diameter before replacement was needed; it varied from company to company, probably, but I'm not sure.

So you could have a King with worn tyres with smaller wheels then a newly tyred Castle.

The biggest noticeable differences between King and Castle were front bogie and main steam pipe layout.

I've nothing against a King, but they certainly never got to East Anglia  . Though as has just been said, the LNER Pacifics and V2s are available, and they were basically ECML and associated loops or GCR (not A4s) for their working lives.

Martyn

The King has a larger boiler both in terms of diameter and length (over 1ft longer) and the firebox is also 1ft 6 ins longer than that of the Castle all of which for me gives it a greater "presence".