Eskalon update

The coupling issues seem to have been finally sorted (touch wood) and some good running has been done over the last few weeks. The new engine D13 needs to be run in as well as D16 and noticeably struggles sometimes when propelling the push-pull coaches. Perhaps the weight of the coaches is rising the loco's wheels slightly resulting in an impaired electrical contact? D16 doesn't seem to suffer from this so it might just be a case of getting the engine run in.

A dream train

The discovery of the Hornby Guide website and the class 77 model has made me a daydream a bit of the kind of trains i could have run in the early 70s (if i was an adult of course and not a baby as i was). Maybe it would have been a bit like this?

A Hornby treasure trove

This is a lovely website i came across today, the Hornby Railways Collector Guide features all Hornby and Triang rolling stock from the year dot. There are some fascinating models in here, i never knew Hornby did a Class 77 model but indeed they did! It was discontinued in the year i was born which probably explains why i've never seen it before.

The Class 81 model looks very interesting too (see right). It also was discontinued in 1971 (obviously a bad year for electric modellers).

One electric loco i did know about (and once owned) was Hornby's Class 86 model. I remember the fiasco the first time my excited teenage self got the new loco running, i forgot the pantograph was raised and took out my layout's bridge!