[berth44]

They're the ones to go to,mind you, they are not exactly 'local', so saving is definately a good idea!!...I'm not exactly building the 'Duke' Phil..by the way, "Happy New Year" .long time no hear!!! It's actual a tender re-build, the 'DJH' tender has been stripped down,the 'Hornby' as well, and the progress made so far, the "Hornby' has donated it's chassis,everything above that is mostly 'DJH'
I not going to get it finished this week end,the wife and I are off to Wodonga for the week end, leaving tomorrow,back Sunday,back to work Monday (just over 50 days left to retirement!!)....DAve

[SkyFire]

Have fun in Wodonga. Don't get cooked by the sun.

[berth44]

Back, had fun,it was 'soooooooo' hot, plenty of fires to see on the drive home, be back with progress reports on the 'Duke' next week...god I hope it cools down!!....Dave

[SkyFire]

Looks like we are heading for a cooler time of it this week.

[SkyFire]

Look forward to the reports on the Duke. Mines still sitting on a siding, while plans are put in place for it's final resting place on the layout.

[bluedot0]

Good to hear you enjoyed your weekend, I however did not.....spent time in 2 different hospitals....serious pain my friend.....Phil

[SkyFire]

Get well soon Phil. Hope things aren't too serious.

[berth44]

What's up Phil??, we hope everything is OK with you, get well soon my friend,keep us up to date on your health issue.....Up to date??,nothing on the 'Duke', new loco on it's way from Rails..Dapol 'Western Consort' '1065', I had to get one,I thought 'Dapol' were doing no more of the class,so I bit the British pound bullet and that in turn blasted our Aussie dollar out of the sky, just look to doubling your money,if it cost 100 quid,look to forking out over 200 Aussie now,but I don't care, love these locos and they are one of my favourites, be nice to own what is regarded as the 'best of the bunch', I'll soon let you know!...Dave

[berth44]

I hope the 'Western' arrives sometime this week,seems that they are 'sold out' again! Through time I'll need to look at replacing my old 'Mainline Warships', and some of its Western 'sisters' to run a western themed line, (plenty WR steam in stock as well) I have a 'few' Westerns in stock , I have the Lima D1000 Western Enterprise in a 'poopy poopy' weathered 'desert sand' livery, (one of my very first efforts, OK, it's a mess!!, it's such a bad model anyway, the Hornby one pissed all over it!!)) I have 2 or 3 of the Hornby ones, these are in maroon, and lastly the most up to date of the bunch is the 'Heljan' version in green, D1004, Western Crusader, it's certainly the 'best of the bunch' at the moment, a good model for sure and a great runner, but it's still got faults and has yetl to be detailed. I've had it for ages and it' still not 'run in' yet, not even the coupling is fitted to pull a train!!
I mentioned the 'Warships', I have 3 of these (I think) and they are all pathetic runners,(always were) I tried to fix one the other week ,unfortunately, no luck, it makes a 'realistic engine noise' but you would think it had a limp!!!....you'd be thinking 'traction tire gone'...as was I.....nope!!?
Anyhoo, I'll look again one day,at it and the 'others' (I might get one decent runner from three??) meanwhile, the 'crew' of the 'failed member' (above) will be transferring to the brand new 'Western Consort'...lucky them, I'm sure that they'll 'come easy!!'
Lastly, I might get the 'Duke' finished off today, a couple of things on the tender to do, like getting the 'handrails' back '''off''' the Hornby one!! The loco is done, it really looks better in its 'shinier' paint job and very slight weathering of its 'chassis', I'll be fitting a crew, but it's still no 'Britannia!!......Dave

[SkyFire]

My Duke is now sitting in a siding alongside the station and not very likely to pull a train again, due to it's failure on the maiden run and other problems.

Bet the crew will be happy having a loco that doesn't have an egg shaped wheel.

'That damn wonky wheel, made me spill me tea, every time. It good to be gettin' a new loco'.

[berth44]

That's not good Anthony,, are you sending it back?? What exactly is wrong,is the wheel not 'round', or is it just not quartered right? Sometimes it makes you wonder if the 'sender' ever 'bench' tests a loco before sending it overseas just to be sure it actually works!!, (saves any future bother as well!) you would think that they would, but there again, what about factory testing, is that not the 'first test' ,even before it gets to a dealer??
I've had two that I know of from Rails incidentally, both were 'Hornby' and both 'failures', a 'Coronation Pacific' just fell off the track when all its gear jammed up...wheels not quartered and 'other' problems, but I fixed that myself, totally stripped it right to the ground , and the other ?, a Britannia, it had a similar problem as well, it still to this day only runs with the 'speedo' cable off!!, but it runs....Dave

[SkyFire]

Actually the wonky wheel comments were in reply to what you said about one of your locos. I'll be keeping it and same as you, I really do wonder if they do any testing of locos before they send them off, these days.

BTW both of my Castle class locos, have seized up drive trains.

[berth44]

That's ridiculous Anthony!!.....are both of them the latest version?? Didn't get to finish off the 'Duke', i got visitors, just as I got my first handrail on the tender......bugger!!!............Dave

[SkyFire]

One I bought in the UK back in 2011, when I was over there and think the other one may have come from Fishers Discounts. They aren't all that old either of them. Hoping the Castle I have on pre-order from Hattons will stay running.

[bluedot0]

I'd pack them up and send them back, they would be covered by a warranty of some description, especially against faulty manufacturing......Phil