You’re looking for very much the same thing as me - good looking, reliable and solid runner, but not high priced super detail. Difficult to find with new releases. Although you’ve a wobble on your 47, you’ve chosen really solid models in the older Bachmann 47 and 37, so good that for people like us you’re not missing much on the new release versions of these locos. Your MGR wagons look great and sounds like you got a good deal. All the best, Colin
Thanks Colin! Don't want to speak too soon but I don't think the, let's call it elaborately soft suspension, is the issue with the 47, I think it was the wheel spacing on the front bogey. It was jumping up into the air as it went over turnouts which is usually a sign. I couldn't get the brass spacer between the wheels. After prising them apart a little it's been much calmer, fingers crossed. Now I know who my competition is when I'm bidding on eBay!! Regards, Chris
Good to see and hear a fellow hobbyist just enjoying the trains rather than getting too hung up on specifics and absolutes. As with you, I know little about the railways and I am building my layout (on my YT channel) because it was a childhood hobby too. Yes, the new prices are utterly obscene and the hobby is a money pit, but if you buy secondhand they should retain their values reasonably well. There's lots of "new other" eBay locos out there! Accurascale, Dapol and Bachmann keep releasing new better specification models so the secondhand market will have more choice as people upgrade their existing stock. Thanks for sharing your layout and experiences. Regards, Julian.
Hi Julian, thanks for the message - I've been watching your channel for a good couple of years now - was it Susanna Joaquim maybe who recommended it? Totally agree - when a new Class 37, 37 or Deltic is released, it's a great time to scour the second hand market for the old models being sold! Regards, Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailwayHi again Chris, yes it was Susannah who gave me a shout out a couple of years ago, for which I'm grateful. I'm glad you've seen my channel and hopefully enjoyed parts of it. Work in progress! Regards Julian.
@@theeventhorizon-valebridge9512 It's hugely impressive and seems vast, there must be a lot of years' worth of work left in it. I particularly enjoy the cab ride videos, they give a completely different perpective and detail just how much work has gone into your layout - keep going! Regards, Chris
Thank you and yes i totally agree! Always do it the way you want to! Not sure i always enjoy it though 😂 i seem very capable of breaking it very often! Regards, Chris
The Hornby carriages with the silver round the windows is pretty much prototypical of Mk 1 and Mk 2 carriages. I see them when I work at the Epping Ongar Railway.
Thank you! For all the APTs and whatever else, I do love those pacers and sprinters. Great to see them rattling around the layout. I had many a trip up the North East coast on class 142s, back in the proper bus interior days too. I have a blue Regional Railways 142 on the bench, just haven't got around to the DCC conversion yet. Thanks for the kind message! Regards, Chris
I had an Orange pacer when I was little. Sorry to say all my old stuff from the 80’s went on eBay over the last 12 months to fund my new layout……. ££££££££ as you say!! Kept a handful of sentimental locos which I will get converted some time in the future 👍
Excellent trains there mate. I buy the retro Hornby and Lima stuff and most of it is better than the new gen models for price and durability as I like to have them stay in one piece without falling apart from general usage.
Thank you! That's where I started out and I definitely still have a big soft spot for them. My dad built me a layout for Christmas when I was maybe 7 or 8, with a Hornby Class 43 and Lima Deltic, I still have them. Regards, Chris
Great video am the same as you If it's running right ill do what ever it needs I've cut all sorts of my locos 😂 people will always say you shouldn't well I did 😂😂 then works better lol some prices for locos are unreal I buy second hand coaches and they and make them better new wheels and couplings to improve them cheers Paul
I think as a last resort I'd do it! As it turned out it wasn't those sticky out bits on the 47 and luckily I realised that before I got the snips out! Regards, Chris
Good to see and you have a very similar approach to mine when buying locos and rolling stock. Used bargains but happy to do a bit of work if necessary but very occasionally buy something new at great expense! Also run a lot of old Hornby Dublo, Triang and Lima so maybe a bit different to you too? Agree that if it looks like a class 47, then even if older and less detailed, when running it probably is a class 47!
Ha, exactly John! I do believe in the law of diminishing returns, if I have something that really looks a lot like a Class 47, runs smoothly on DCC, has lights etc. for £80, then if a new one is £260 that's a heck of a lot of money for some detail. Do you have a separate layout / track for Dublo? Regards, Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailway Hi Chris, firmly DC on my layout as too many older locos and not wanting to spend the time, effort and money converting to DCC. My Dublo locos are two rail and run fine on standard Peco code 100 track.
How do I purchase model locomotives? My first stop is the Alexandra Palace Festival of Railway Modelling. I purchased my Southern C Class there for £135.00!! The rest of my Southern Fleet came from various other model railway exhibitions.
Great video, your right about how expensive the hobby is now, myself I go to toy fairs, where you can get some really cheap bargains, never had a problem with any of the trains I've bought, all good runners.
Bargain wise, rolling stock ,£2 each unboxed, but in good condition , hornby platform 7 sections, £10, train wise, found a bargain box on a stall any 4 for a tenner,walked away with 4 BR blood an custard carriages ,my trains are analogue, old school, cheapest train £40,ranging to £65, all Bachmann, excellent condition all boxed, and a complete hornby train set 4-6-2 train all the track, ,controller original box,he wanted £125,got it for £115. Just a case of having a good look around, and getting there early . Hope this as been helpful
I'm starting off with a DC layout (In Canada) and all the older locos here are pretty cheap. I can convert them to DCC eventually, but for now I will just imagine all the sounds they might make, lol.
Great video, enjoyed it 👍 The cost of trains has certainly gone up. I know exactly what you mean about reliability! I like my HSTs and i have made a gradual progression from the old vintage ones to the modern ones mainly due to reliability issues. There is a significant difference in cost but it doesn't seem as bad doing it over a long period of time. Having said that i've recently discovered that the new hornby class 91 seems to be alot less reliable in terms of running compared to the vintage version on corners and inclines! All the best Yorkshire Junction 🚂
Hey Yorkshire Junction! I've watched many a layout update to a movie soundtrack! Isn't it interesting, our different experiences with locos? I have one modern HST now but have had issues with it since I got it earlier this year. It's the farewell tour one. It seems to have electrical issues and is about to go in for repair (this is not a complaint, there will always be the odd issue and Hornby have been responsive and helpful throughout). I also have a modern Class 91 and although it took a heck of a lot of running in, now it's there it's very smooth and consistent. Even on the corners and inclines! The issue I had with the old Class 91 was it would judder and stall - I have the old Mk4s which had really serious issues with their couplings (in my opinion) which meant they mounted each other all the time and caused derailments. So the old one juddering used to cause lots of coaches to derail. I've actually had to put a lot of smooth deceleration on the new one so that it doesn't come to a sudden stop as that derails the old Mk4s too! Thanks, Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailway very interesting about the class 91. I'm determined to get it going better. I can't work out if it's the loco or the track, or maybe abit of both! I take my hat off to you for converting alot of older trains to DCC, must be time consuming and tricky! I'm currently contemplating going fully DCC and making some drastic changes to the layout. We'll see how that develops when I get time. Keep up the good work. Regards Yorkshire Junction 🚂
@@yorkshirejunction1734 is it a new class 91 you're struggling with? Mine really did take a good few hours of running in, not coaches, before it smoothed itself out. I don't do so much of the DCC conversion these days. I have a regional railways livery class 142 In pieces and a 2 car class 158 to do but never seem to get around to it! Regards, Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailway yes the new class 91 seems quite unreliable but maybe as you say it just needs a good running in. I also seem to have many jobs I never get round to!! Part of the hobby I think. Regards Yorkshire Junction 🚂
@@yorkshirejunction1734 Yeah just keep it running. I thought mine was garbage for ages then suddenly it just smoothed out. Now it's the most reliable one I have. Chris
I`ve been trying to get sensible priced MGRs for a long while, I`ve bought several from toy fairs and local model shops for £7-8 boxed or unboxed, even a few from Hattons but since christmas they seem to think there now worth 12 to 15. I did track down a lima HST before they became popular to convert to Dcc and the prices went silly. which I plan on a two power car full rake and cd motor conversion and dcc sound, as it`s far cheaper than Hornby overpriced model
Sounds very tactical! I tried the second hand market but again couldn't find the consistency. I never tried converting a Lima HST. Are you planning to add pickups if you're going for DCC sound too? From memory, I did do the maths, I think the MGRs I bought from TMC worked out around £17 each
Haha😂 can't beleive you told the truth about these being toys 😂 lots of people get hung up on them but at the end of the day they are plastic bodies with tiny can motors 😂 got me subscribed just from that comment. I dont know what you mean about prices, hornby wagon recently for £20... basically with happy fathers day painted on!!! Lol 😂😂 hornby lost SK and his marketing prodogie, so we will see what happens...
Fyi, I have paid max £50 for most my purchases, and £70 the most and that was for a damaged war black coronation class, which I have since fixed. So my collection is worth way more than I paid for it. 🎉
It's a great feeling to think you've added value. I think I was doing that at the start but I doubt I am now! Not after driving the new APT off the cliff by accident! Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailway oh dear! The class 31 is just a fiddly bugr, I've got an annoying thing where an led isn't working and a squealing noise going only in one direction, it's just so time consuming to fix this particular model, that's if of course it's not come a cropped from mazac rot.
@@WirenwoodModelRailway decided to do a short share of our attempt... less advanced than your loft build but still... fun!! ruclips.net/user/shorts_dFtjZKGlRU
Nice layout and do love that class 37 with its big logo and the mgr rake of coal wagon. Just need 21 coal loads now to finish them off nicely 😊
Yeah I love that big logo too. And the coal had crossed my mind.... it's never ending! Thanks for the comment, regards, Chris
You’re looking for very much the same thing as me - good looking, reliable and solid runner, but not high priced super detail. Difficult to find with new releases. Although you’ve a wobble on your 47, you’ve chosen really solid models in the older Bachmann 47 and 37, so good that for people like us you’re not missing much on the new release versions of these locos. Your MGR wagons look great and sounds like you got a good deal. All the best, Colin
Thanks Colin! Don't want to speak too soon but I don't think the, let's call it elaborately soft suspension, is the issue with the 47, I think it was the wheel spacing on the front bogey. It was jumping up into the air as it went over turnouts which is usually a sign. I couldn't get the brass spacer between the wheels. After prising them apart a little it's been much calmer, fingers crossed. Now I know who my competition is when I'm bidding on eBay!! Regards, Chris
Good to see and hear a fellow hobbyist just enjoying the trains rather than getting too hung up on specifics and absolutes. As with you, I know little about the railways and I am building my layout (on my YT channel) because it was a childhood hobby too.
Yes, the new prices are utterly obscene and the hobby is a money pit, but if you buy secondhand they should retain their values reasonably well. There's lots of "new other" eBay locos out there! Accurascale, Dapol and Bachmann keep releasing new better specification models so the secondhand market will have more choice as people upgrade their existing stock.
Thanks for sharing your layout and experiences. Regards, Julian.
Hi Julian, thanks for the message - I've been watching your channel for a good couple of years now - was it Susanna Joaquim maybe who recommended it? Totally agree - when a new Class 37, 37 or Deltic is released, it's a great time to scour the second hand market for the old models being sold! Regards, Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailwayHi again Chris, yes it was Susannah who gave me a shout out a couple of years ago, for which I'm grateful. I'm glad you've seen my channel and hopefully enjoyed parts of it. Work in progress! Regards Julian.
@@theeventhorizon-valebridge9512 It's hugely impressive and seems vast, there must be a lot of years' worth of work left in it. I particularly enjoy the cab ride videos, they give a completely different perpective and detail just how much work has gone into your layout - keep going! Regards, Chris
When it’s returned to me, it will depict Walmington-on-Sea, and Mr Jones’ van will run on the War Practice Field.
Now that sounds like a creation! Are you already underway with it? Any photos or videos anywhere? Regards, Chris
Like your style and take on railway modelling just doing what like and enjoying, if only more would wake up and smell the coffee 👌😎☕️
Thank you and yes i totally agree! Always do it the way you want to! Not sure i always enjoy it though 😂 i seem very capable of breaking it very often! Regards, Chris
My layout is a little different. It’s a Dad’s Army layout, which will be on display when it comes back from my son’s place in Bristol.
The Hornby carriages with the silver round the windows is pretty much prototypical of Mk 1 and Mk 2 carriages. I see them when I work at the Epping Ongar Railway.
Had loads of these as a child 😢. Loved the Pacers and Sprinters. Great to see 👌. It’s an expensive hobby, got some great locos there 👍
Thank you! For all the APTs and whatever else, I do love those pacers and sprinters. Great to see them rattling around the layout. I had many a trip up the North East coast on class 142s, back in the proper bus interior days too. I have a blue Regional Railways 142 on the bench, just haven't got around to the DCC conversion yet. Thanks for the kind message! Regards, Chris
I had an Orange pacer when I was little. Sorry to say all my old stuff from the 80’s went on eBay over the last 12 months to fund my new layout……. ££££££££ as you say!! Kept a handful of sentimental locos which I will get converted some time in the future 👍
Excellent trains there mate. I buy the retro Hornby and Lima stuff and most of it is better than the new gen models for price and durability as I like to have them stay in one piece without falling apart from general usage.
Thank you! That's where I started out and I definitely still have a big soft spot for them. My dad built me a layout for Christmas when I was maybe 7 or 8, with a Hornby Class 43 and Lima Deltic, I still have them. Regards, Chris
Great video am the same as you If it's running right ill do what ever it needs I've cut all sorts of my locos 😂 people will always say you shouldn't well I did 😂😂 then works better lol some prices for locos are unreal I buy second hand coaches and they and make them better new wheels and couplings to improve them cheers Paul
I think as a last resort I'd do it! As it turned out it wasn't those sticky out bits on the 47 and luckily I realised that before I got the snips out! Regards, Chris
The 31 is traveling at over the prototypical speed. The maximum speed of this locomotive is approximately 80 miles per hour.
Good to see and you have a very similar approach to mine when buying locos and rolling stock. Used bargains but happy to do a bit of work if necessary but very occasionally buy something new at great expense! Also run a lot of old Hornby Dublo, Triang and Lima so maybe a bit different to you too? Agree that if it looks like a class 47, then even if older and less detailed, when running it probably is a class 47!
Ha, exactly John! I do believe in the law of diminishing returns, if I have something that really looks a lot like a Class 47, runs smoothly on DCC, has lights etc. for £80, then if a new one is £260 that's a heck of a lot of money for some detail. Do you have a separate layout / track for Dublo? Regards, Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailway Hi Chris, firmly DC on my layout as too many older locos and not wanting to spend the time, effort and money converting to DCC. My Dublo locos are two rail and run fine on standard Peco code 100 track.
How do I purchase model locomotives? My first stop is the Alexandra Palace Festival of Railway Modelling. I purchased my Southern C Class there for £135.00!! The rest of my Southern Fleet came from various other model railway exhibitions.
Great video, your right about how expensive the hobby is now, myself I go to toy fairs, where you can get some really cheap bargains, never had a problem with any of the trains I've bought, all good runners.
Thanks Martin that's a good point. I might look up some toy fairs local to me. What's the best bargain you've picked up at one?!
Bargain wise, rolling stock ,£2 each unboxed, but in good condition , hornby platform 7 sections, £10, train wise, found a bargain box on a stall any 4 for a tenner,walked away with 4 BR blood an custard carriages ,my trains are analogue, old school, cheapest train £40,ranging to £65, all Bachmann, excellent condition all boxed, and a complete hornby train set 4-6-2 train all the track, ,controller original box,he wanted £125,got it for £115.
Just a case of having a good look around, and getting there early .
Hope this as been helpful
@@martinrowland2863 Thank you, helpful and just generally interesting too! Regards, Chris
I'm starting off with a DC layout (In Canada) and all the older locos here are pretty cheap. I can convert them to DCC eventually, but for now I will just imagine all the sounds they might make, lol.
Ha, enjoy! It's definitely the way to start. I'm actually not really into DCC sound, but like how controllable DCC trains are. Regards, Chris
Great video, enjoyed it 👍 The cost of trains has certainly gone up. I know exactly what you mean about reliability! I like my HSTs and i have made a gradual progression from the old vintage ones to the modern ones mainly due to reliability issues. There is a significant difference in cost but it doesn't seem as bad doing it over a long period of time. Having said that i've recently discovered that the new hornby class 91 seems to be alot less reliable in terms of running compared to the vintage version on corners and inclines!
All the best
Yorkshire Junction 🚂
Hey Yorkshire Junction! I've watched many a layout update to a movie soundtrack!
Isn't it interesting, our different experiences with locos? I have one modern HST now but have had issues with it since I got it earlier this year. It's the farewell tour one. It seems to have electrical issues and is about to go in for repair (this is not a complaint, there will always be the odd issue and Hornby have been responsive and helpful throughout).
I also have a modern Class 91 and although it took a heck of a lot of running in, now it's there it's very smooth and consistent. Even on the corners and inclines! The issue I had with the old Class 91 was it would judder and stall - I have the old Mk4s which had really serious issues with their couplings (in my opinion) which meant they mounted each other all the time and caused derailments. So the old one juddering used to cause lots of coaches to derail. I've actually had to put a lot of smooth deceleration on the new one so that it doesn't come to a sudden stop as that derails the old Mk4s too!
Thanks,
Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailway very interesting about the class 91. I'm determined to get it going better. I can't work out if it's the loco or the track, or maybe abit of both! I take my hat off to you for converting alot of older trains to DCC, must be time consuming and tricky! I'm currently contemplating going fully DCC and making some drastic changes to the layout. We'll see how that develops when I get time. Keep up the good work.
Regards
Yorkshire Junction 🚂
@@yorkshirejunction1734 is it a new class 91 you're struggling with? Mine really did take a good few hours of running in, not coaches, before it smoothed itself out. I don't do so much of the DCC conversion these days. I have a regional railways livery class 142 In pieces and a 2 car class 158 to do but never seem to get around to it! Regards, Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailway yes the new class 91 seems quite unreliable but maybe as you say it just needs a good running in. I also seem to have many jobs I never get round to!! Part of the hobby I think.
Regards
Yorkshire Junction 🚂
@@yorkshirejunction1734 Yeah just keep it running. I thought mine was garbage for ages then suddenly it just smoothed out. Now it's the most reliable one I have. Chris
Nice loco thanks lee
Thanks Lee!
I`ve been trying to get sensible priced MGRs for a long while, I`ve bought several from toy fairs and local model shops for £7-8 boxed or unboxed, even a few from Hattons but since christmas they seem to think there now worth 12 to 15. I did track down a lima HST before they became popular to convert to Dcc and the prices went silly. which I plan on a two power car full rake and cd motor conversion and dcc sound, as it`s far cheaper than Hornby overpriced model
Sounds very tactical! I tried the second hand market but again couldn't find the consistency. I never tried converting a Lima HST. Are you planning to add pickups if you're going for DCC sound too?
From memory, I did do the maths, I think the MGRs I bought from TMC worked out around £17 each
Haha😂 can't beleive you told the truth about these being toys 😂 lots of people get hung up on them but at the end of the day they are plastic bodies with tiny can motors 😂 got me subscribed just from that comment.
I dont know what you mean about prices, hornby wagon recently for £20... basically with happy fathers day painted on!!! Lol 😂😂 hornby lost SK and his marketing prodogie, so we will see what happens...
Fyi, I have paid max £50 for most my purchases, and £70 the most and that was for a damaged war black coronation class, which I have since fixed. So my collection is worth way more than I paid for it. 🎉
It's a great feeling to think you've added value. I think I was doing that at the start but I doubt I am now! Not after driving the new APT off the cliff by accident! Chris
@@WirenwoodModelRailway oh dear! The class 31 is just a fiddly bugr, I've got an annoying thing where an led isn't working and a squealing noise going only in one direction, it's just so time consuming to fix this particular model, that's if of course it's not come a cropped from mazac rot.
@@WirenwoodModelRailway decided to do a short share of our attempt... less advanced than your loft build but still... fun!! ruclips.net/user/shorts_dFtjZKGlRU