Where's my Flying Banana?

[railsquid]

I'm planning a trip to the UK and am putting together a small wishlist of BR blue era stuff I want to buy (to fulfill some frustrated childhood wishes), and would dearly love to have an HST in classic "Flying Banana" livery. However would I be correct in thinking there's nothing currently on the market, apart from the as-yet unreleased 2D-019-001 from Dapol?

[Tdm]

This is not an answer to your question as I don't know the answer, but a question I would put to you even though it is off topic somewhat.

I would love to hear about your life in Japan and more about the Country.
Once had a Japanese girl stay with us for 2 weeks in North Wales and she left us with some glossy brochures all about Japan and it looks a fascinating and interesting place.

Enjoyed reading about Bealman's recent U.K. adventure, perhaps you could put together a similar style Japan adventure story, I am sure other members on here would also be interested.

[railsquid]

This is not an answer to your question as I don't know the answer, but a question I would put to you even though it is off topic somewhat.

I would love to hear about your life in Japan and more about the Country.
Once had a Japanese girl stay with us for 2 weeks in North Wales and she left us with some glossy brochures all about Japan and it looks a fascinating and interesting place.

Enjoyed reading about Bealman's recent U.K. adventure, perhaps you could put together a similar style Japan adventure story, I am sure other members on here would also be interested.

Well my life here is pretty humdrum at the moment, though I'm thinking about reinvigorating a Japan rail blog I once had with a model railways emphasis, which might be of interest. I could probably even include the odd not-strictly-rail-related picture. I will be visiting the UK, Spain and Germany next month, and will certainly be taking a lot of photos, especially in Berlin where I lived for many years before coming to Japan. Come to think of it I should go around and visit all my old haunts and take photos.

[Claude Dreyfus]

When are you out and about?

Plenty of photos around Berlin Friedrichstraase would be much appreciated...our club have embarked on a new layout 'inspired' by the station and immediate environs! 

[railsquid]

When are you out and about?

Plenty of photos around Berlin Friedrichstraase would be much appreciated...our club have embarked on a new layout 'inspired' by the station and immediate environs! 

I'll be there in the last week of October.

I'll certainly be passing through Friedrichstrasse. What period is being modelled? I really wish I'd been able to take more photos from the early 90's, but back then I was a poor student and film development was expensive. (I do have some of the old Lehrter Stadtbahnof just before they knocked it down).

[Claude Dreyfus]

Don't worry, I was jesting!

The layout is set in the 1950s, but certainly some of the infrastructure, station entrance etc. would have changed little.

When do you venture to the UK?

[railsquid]

Don't worry, I was jesting!

The layout is set in the 1950s, but certainly some of the infrastructure, station entrance etc. would have changed little.

When do you venture to the UK?

It's a station on a viaduct, the basic structure (roof, platform layout) won't have changed much (it was remodelled extensively from four to six platforms in the 1920s IIRC). It was renovated heavily in the 1990's, so the current viaduct wall fassade is quite different. I'm sure there'll be photos from the 1950s around; the surroundings at that time will have been largely empty plots as a result of the war, which will make for easier modelling Fascinating station from a historical point of view.

Which reminds me, part of my mission in Berlin is to see if I can dig up an N-gauge Stadtbahn train.

[njee20]

Back on topic, the only HST I've known to be referred to as the flying banana is the Network Rail NMT one, but that doesn't fit with your era or your link...?

Assuming you are after a blue/grey one then there was a run of them, so you may find a retailer with stock, but I'd not hold your breath. They've done all the intermediate coaches except the TGS too.

[railsquid]

Back on topic, the only HST I've known to be referred to as the flying banana is the Network Rail NMT one, but that doesn't fit with your era or your link...?

Assuming you are after a blue/grey one then there was a run of them, so you may find a retailer with stock, but I'd not hold your breath. They've done all the intermediate coaches except the TGS too.

It is the classic BR blue/grey (with the bold yellow stripes on the power cars) I'm looking for. I'm pretty sure that used to be what used to be known as "flying banana" livery, 'cos I've never seen the all-yellow ones and my knowledge of British motor power is largely pre-privatisation (I haven't lived in the UK since the start of the 90s so am a bit out of touch). I might be wrong though.

[railsquid]

Apologies for this link to the "other" site, but that indicates I might just be remembering correctly about the original "Flying Banana" epithet.

[Claude Dreyfus]

I'm sure there are a lot on here that will associate the 'Flying Banana' with one of these... 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_railcars

[railsquid]

I'm sure there are a lot on here that will associate the 'Flying Banana' with one of these... 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_railcars

Haha, now you mention it, rings a bell. Pretty sure I wanted one of those once, but any British stock I'll get is going to be something I have some kind of personal connection with.