[berth44]

Not a fair way to operate Phil,what did we do to them?? It just means, if you don't have a contact in the UK, forget it, you are NOT going to get that loco you so desperately want, maybe you'll find it on E Bay at an even more inflated price, like my 'City of Truro' as an example!
I was lucky with the 'Deltic', well, sort of I thought, I had the 'contact' over there, but look at the bother I'm having, he's (the Brother in law) had the damn thing in his possession as early as the 11th December,and here's me still up the kyber with nothing to show for my 173 quid at the end of January!!
If the NRM had posted it 'directly to me',well, I probably would not be writing this, I think this will be the last dealings with them irrespective of what 'carrot' they dangle!!.....Dave

[berth44]

At last,"ya ba dabba doo"..it's arrived, Deltic is here,yip yip yip!!! The card 'to collect'was in my mail box yesterday,"international mail,requires signature"..last day of the friggin 1st month,but it's here,let's go get it!
Right,first up there was a terrible 'rattling' coming from within my parcel..worried man,oh woe is me,how many pieces is she in...aaagh!! So, home we go,first up a cup of coffee,then with the knife,tore the parcel apart with dreaded anguish,but wait, wots this??....My brother in law had packed two DVDs along with it,one was on the "Mini"..the MINI, not the 'skirt!!',and a 'double' DVD on the Beatles,it was this 'double' that was 'rattling' as the discs were loose..phew!!
Finally,with excitement brewing,sweating and heart pounding I opened the box, "WOW", she is 'weathered' but it looked great none the less,then something fell off it!!..it's OK,it was only a buffer, I can live with that,quick inspection, found a wonky horn on her roof, and that was it, she's intact...brilliant, I'm as happy as a pig amongst s**t!!
So the rest of my evening was spent admiring it,thinking what can I do to improve her??,I came up with nothing really,I thought I could use the etched set of steel builders plates etc that I got for the 'Dapol' kit, (FOX) but overlaying the 'Manufacturers ' plates over the 'printed ones' on the model, the steel plate came in just a tad smaller,the nose plates,were too large,so I came up with the thought that these are specifically for the 'kit' and I'll leave it be as the printed ones are AOK as is,'metal' would have been the way to go,maybe 'FOX' will make a set just for the NRM..(I don't think!!)
Anyhoo,that's it,the wait is over,tonight I might see if she actually runs!,good idea I think?,I'll cry if it does'nt!!! Lastly,my 'overall' opinion on my model,well, it's what is is,what you see is what you get,is it perfect?,in a word,'ab-so-ma-lootly!!',I love it!!,and my only comment is to agree with everybody else that has one, a set of etched window wipers and 'metal' roof horns would just finish her off 100% (I sorted my 'wonky' one!) I might look at a better method of fixing the 'buffers' later on,I'm a bit concerned that I may loose the one that came off,it's a wee bit dicky....
About the weathering,well, you either like it or you don't,I don't like 'filthy' ,this is only a light dusting of one colour,black,it really shows up the bogie detail, (that's brilliant!!) I'm wondering if I should 'add' a little bit of 'frame' dust as well??, but this might just 'overdo' the effect that 'Backmann' have created, clean, with just a hint that it's a working loco..
Lastly,I compaired what 'Kitmaster' created in their kit of the loco from all those years ago, the 60s...'man' (now the 'Dapol' model),for the time, one would not have complained,but on a very quick comparrison against the Backmann, "back to back' the 'kits' window and the nose shape is out a bit, the roof grills and associated 'stuff' up there is' heavy' and overall the whole body appears to be a bit wide,but it will be a good model when built,but it will be 'static',the motorising unit that I purchased will be used for another project....Happy Dave

[berth44]

P/S on the above,the 'extra parts' that one has to add, air/vac pipes and what is (I think) a support plate (this is red,as per the buffer beam) for the coupling has been 'factory' weathered also!!..now is that not a nice 'finishing touch!!'.......Dave

[SkyFire]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay At last it has arrived in the station. A bit overdue, but here at last.

[berth44]

Thanks Anthony for the "yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay",maybe now I'll shut up!!..."naw".. I don't think so!! I've now correctly identified the 'extra' detail parts, a coupling 'striker' plate(this can only be fitted to 'static' models)there are no air hoses,2 vac and 2 sand per front end,I'll detail one end only...as per usual. I'm thinking that I can still use the striker plates,but instead of attaching them to the body front,I'll go for the front of the bogie,maybe that'll work?
I've sent an E mail to the NRM enquiring after my LTD Edition paperwork and Deltic Pin,that'll be me done with them unless I personally visit the place..no more orders,now talking of orders,'Rails'..where's me class 22 hydraulic??..Dave

[SkyFire]

Removed the 2nd post that you had Dave. Talking of Rails, how long before my A4 arrives

[bluedot0]

I'm glad to see a smile on youse face and the stress relieved......Phil

[berth44]

Yip,so am I Phil,has not done a thing for the 'stress' though,just going through a phase,too much on me brain at the moment with 'stuff', the Deltics arrival has helped a bit, just need more pills!!..
Thanks Anthony for removing that 'other post' I forgot myself for a minute,but I new I'd done it,and thought,Anthony will be on the ball and remove it pronto...thanks

[bluedot0]

More pills......whatcha got....wanna share em......cackle......Phil

[berth44]

I've got two 'special' pills to see if they can give me a good nights sleep Phil,but I'm not giving them a shot till Friday,so if they work,I won't miss 'work' I can lie there in bed on Seterday morenin till the coos cum hame!!..hopefully,snorrin' ma heed aff!!!..Aye,that'll be great..sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!!
More on Deltic,seeing it is the 'Deltic' bloggypoo thingy...I always look for things that are not 'correct' hoping that I can't find anything,but alas(sigh) I did,gone is her 100% rating,so I've fell out with it!!(temporarily)
I reckon I've came up with something that has not been mentioned,well,I' personally' have not read this anywhere,it regards detailing on her 'nose'. There is a very prominent 'joint/seam' line that goes from where the front of the 'quarter lite' cab window and nose join the 'body', this is there, but, as we move up to the 'nose' there is another 'joint/seam' that comes off that one ,(I'd say about 6-8 inches from the point of the top whisker)and this one goes down the full length (of her nose)skirting the front marker lights,it's definately very 'prominent' on the 'real McCoy' so methinks it should be there....(Backmann did the same when they 'revised' their 'Peak' class locos, they totally omitted a highly noticeable 'seam' on it's 'nose', but on later models ammended their tools and 'fixed it!' I got one of those 'Peaks' and sorted it out myself,twas too easy!!
Now this one is a not so easy,I think it's a 'tooling' thing again, Backmann do have a 'joint/seam' line in place, but it's further back than it should be and 'off the nose',half of it being incorporated into the 'frame' of the front grill....maybe it was an easy solution for the 'toolmakers' to form a 'perfect' nose end??. Fortunately,this line is not a prominent one,but it can still be seen,it would not look right if I 'scored' in the correct joint/seam line where it should be, therefor, I'll just have to live with it!!...maybe not......
Well, I did try and remove the lowest part of one of these lines where it was a bit more 'bolder' than the rest,but the line remained, unfortunately this would require a bit more 'vigorous sanding' to completely remove it, and that in turn would require a bit of 'heavier' weathering to hide the work,as it stands, I require just a tad to hide what I've did anyway,so watch this space,the 'jury' is out for my "Frame Dust Paint!!!!".......Dave

[berth44]

Well,take my granny and burn her peeny, I based all that above on the photo on the 'Backmann' box and what I have written above can now be taken with a pinch of salt,(but it passed the morning!!)
I decided to look into the matter a bit further and could I find any other photo to back up my 'ranting' that would proove my 'theory' was correct. "NO!!" I viewed big pictures,wee pictures,colour,black and white, 'nuttin' on the 'nose'.... 'cepting at the top between body and nose...this is dead right! So I appologise to anybody who is remotely with Backmann or to anybody who is interested at all and has read this...Sometimes we gets it wrong,and who am I to argue with the proof of many,but I am looking at the weathering!!..............Dave

P/s Anthony,you can if you wish delete these two entries as I personally feel it was all a waste of space!!

[bluedot0]

But you did fill in some time by writing the speel,

so others, who read it, will fill in some time by reading it,

so therefore, will fill in some time by discussing it with others,

who will, fill in some time by reading your speel to find out what is going on.........here endth.....Phil

[berth44]

It is a fact that it's still intact,this speel I wrote for some to gloat,but how come I feel like a silly BIlly Goat??

I did my string vest and I did it with zest,as it turned out,it was'nt my best!!

It took me some time to write out this ryme,
and with coffee in hand,it looks quite bland

Why did I bother to write out this fodder?

Humm................................Dave

[SkyFire]

LoL

I be leavin' it in place as it make for good readin'

Arrrrrrrrr

[berth44]

Fer enough Anthony,"yo is da boss man"..in future, I'll get more info,good reading or not, I like to be correct!...thankoo... Dave