Your source for N Gauge news. 07.06.2009 Issue 10. A Grand Central HST heads South at Skelton near York on a service to London. Mike Hudson collection. Hello!! Welcome to N News. I hope to run this at least once a week. I hope to bring you the N gauge modeller all the breaking news of the week from the world of N gauge model railways. It is a quiet time at the moment for N gauge. There are of cause many new items to look forward over the coming months. This is the reason for the long gap between issues. I am sorry for the delay between issues. I have just returned from a week on the Isle of Man and a new job. I had an excellent time riding on the trams, steam trains & meeting Colin Heard of Union Mills. More later on Union Mills in this issue I will be using the Bachmann Period Table for all British outline trains. ALL PRCES SHOWN ARE MANUFACTURERS RECOMENED RETAIL PRICES. I hope you enjoy this news sheet. I would like to hear your comments. See back page for contact details. N news 07.06.2009 1 C Copyright MIKE HUDSON 2009
DUE SOON. FARISH BY BACHMANN The following items are due in the last thirty days. 371-678 Class 220 Voyager 4 Car DMU 220017 Cross Country. Livery red cab ends with two tone body with Cross country markings. Period 9. Price 132.25 372-577 4-6-0 Rebuilt Royal Scot 6115 'Scots Guardsman' LMS. Livery black body with straw lining. Period 3. Price 99.95 New items due in the next sixty days. 371-028 Class 20 Diesel D8307 BR Blue Head Code Box Weathered. Livery weathered BR blue with full yellow ends with pre-tops D prefix number. Period 6 Price 73.45 372-227 Crab 42765 BR Lined Black. Livery lined BR mixed traffic black with early emblem & white numbers. Period 4. Price 89.90 374-677B Mk2 65ft BSO Brake Second Open BR Blue & Grey. Livery Blue & grey body with grey roof with white lettering. Plus new running number. Period 6/7. Price 14.60 374-727B Mk2 65ft TSO Tourist Standard Open BR Blue & Grey. Livery blue 7 grey body with grey roof with white lettering plus new running number and marked as coach D. Period 6/7. Price 14.60 373-600B 46 Tonne VGA Sliding Wall Van EWS Weathered. Livery red body with yellow stripe. New running number. Period 9. price 10.40 373-601B 46 Tonne VGA Sliding Wall Van Railfreight Speedlink Weathered. Livery steel coloured body with red backed Railfreight & speedlink bars new running number & weathered finish Period 8. Price 10.40 373-602B 46 Tonne VGA Sliding Wall Van Railfreight Distribution Weathered. Livery steel coloured body with Railfreight Distribution markings. A new running number with weathered finish. Period 8. Price 10.40 373-925 30 Ton Bogie Bolster Wagon BR Gulf Red. Livery gulf red body with white lettering for BR S&T department. Comes with steel girder load. Period. Price 11.95 373-926 30 Ton Bogie Bolster Wagon BR Grey. Livery BR grey with white lettering on black patches for BR unfitted brake goods version (no vacuum brake) Period 4/5 Price 11.95 373-927 30 Ton Bogie Bolster Wagon LMS Grey Livery. LMS light grey livery with white lettering. Please note this model is being released in GWR dark grey with white lettering Not in LMS livery as listed. Period3 Price 11.95 377-001 40 Tonne Seacow (Ex Sealion) YGB Bogie Hopper Wagon Departmental Dutch. Livery BR departmental grey with yellow band round top of hopper. Period 7/8 Price 18.68 377-002 40 Tonne Seacow (Ex Sealion) YGA Bogie Hopper Wagon EWS. Livery EWS red body with Yellow stripe & lettering. Period 9. Price 18.68 377-100 90 Tonne GLW JGA Bogie Hopper 'RMC'. Livery orange body with white band round top of hopper with black lettering. Period 8 price 18.75 N news 07.06.2009 2 C Copyright MIKE HUDSON 2009
377-101 90 Tonne GLW JGA Bogie Hopper 'Buxton Lime Industries'. Livery White & blue body with black 7 white lettering. Period 8/9 Price 18.75 377-102 90 Tonne GLW JGA Bogie Hopper 'Tarmac' Livery white body wit black lettering. These wagons are used on former Tilcon services. Period 9 Price 18.75 Please note the above delivery dates maybe subject to change. Please be patient. Contact your favourite dealer for more details LIVERY UPDATE DAPOL The Dapol class156 ND-081A First Northern 156440 (powered) Livery ND-081B First Northern 156492 (dummy) Livery as powered model Livery details Please note this not a First group branded model!! This model is in the later First North Western & current to some First Scotrail liveried class156. Known as the Barbie livery. Comes with Northern trains logo with blue red & white lining. This unit can be seen currently in the North West around Manchester. Period 9. NEW RELEASES. FARISH BY BACHMANN 373-925 30 Ton Bogie Bolster Wagon BR Gulf Red. Livery gulf red body with white lettering for BR S&T department. Comes with steel girder load. Period. Price 11.95. Please note the stanchions holes need pricking with a pin to ease fitting of the parts. I also suggest gluing the stanchions in place. N GAUGE SHOW What a grand day for a trip out. I visited the N gauge show in Great Grimsby to give the place its correct title. The venue was just right for a small show & the food was excellent. I spent my time looking at the trade stands. Both Dapol & Farish where there. Both mainstream companies had plenty of new items on show. Here are the highlights. DAPOL Had models of the first issues of their new class 156 dmu on show. All three looked superb. They where available for close inspection. All the vehicles on show where has far as I am aware un-powered units. Being able to pick them up allowed close inspection of the scharfburg couplings fitted to the outer ends. They are superb. But unfortunately for me they are different to the Kato coupling I have used on my class158 units. All three models due for release at the end of the May where present along with two models from the next production run. They are Central trains. This model is in Centrals striking light green body with black window surrounds with blue triangle with black & yellow ends. The model is lettered with the familiar central train s logo with Telephone booking line number & web address. N news 07.06.2009 3 C Copyright MIKE HUDSON 2009
Dapol assured me this would be a genuine Central train s class 156. The picture in the 2009 catalogue shows a ONE Anglia branded 156 in Central livery. The second new release will be in the new Stagecoach owned East Midlands trains Livery. This livery is similar to Stagecoaches other company South West Trains This model features a red & blue body with white East Midlands lettering. The third release is in Trans-Pennine livery. This model was not on show. This release puzzles me has Trans-Pennine has never owned any class156 s. Tran-Pennine has been in the past run as part of a wider North east franchise by two Companies. They where Northern Spirit (1997-2000). Who took over the former Regional Railways North East? Franchise which included Trans-Pennine services over the Leeds to Manchester route Via Huddersfield & Cleethorpes to Manchester via Sheffield. They also ran services Between Blackpool/Manchester Victoria & Leeds/York via Bradford. This route is now operated by Northern Rail. Northern Spirit launched new liveries for there trains. The class 158 s being painted red with black roofs with a light grey stripe along the bottom of the body. They where lettered at the outer ends for Trans-Pennine and Northern Spirt at the inner ends all other classes including the class 156 where painted blue (mauve) with the large gold N at the inner end of each car. None carried Trans-Pennine red livery. Northern Spirit was taken over by Arriva Trains Northern (2001-2004). They removed the NS branding in favour of Arriva on the sides of these units. There is I believe an odd unit still in this livery with Northern branding working in the North East & Cumbria based at Heaton depot Newcastle. No class156 units carried Trans-Pennine branding. December 12 th 2004 saw the creation of the current Trans-Pennine franchise currently operated by First Group. Dapol are releasing the above models at Warley show 2009. Also on show where the class67 BO-BO diesel locomotives. Three versions were on show. They where. EWS red & gold livery EWS Royal Train Claret livery Wrexham Shropshire & Marylebone Rly two tone livery. Dapol have announced a change of number & name for this locomotive. It will now come has 67013 Dyfrbont Pontcysllte & not has 67012 as first stated. This locomotive will be one of the first releases for the class67 in the Wrexham Shropshire book set which includes 2X mk3 coaches & DVT. Dapol will release the mk3 buffet in this livery as a separate coach when they release them later this year. Please note this set is in the Wrexham Shropshire two tone livery. Not the Cargo D blue Grey livery. Period 9. The second release will be the EWS book set. No details given as yet. TERRIER TANK Dapol had on show the next release s for the Terrier 0-6-0 tanks. Two versions where in BR lined black livery with red buffer beams. The two other models on show where forthcoming commissions from Gaugemaster & Osborne s models. N news 07.06.2009 4 C Copyright MIKE HUDSON 2009
Gauge master are releasing a limited edition model of the BR Terrier in LBSCR green with Brighton locomotive works on the side tanks. Please note only 250 models are being made. Period4/5. Osborne models are releasing the Terrier owned by the Western Cleveden & Portishead railway. This locomotive passed in to GWR ownership when they purchased the WCPR. The engine is in green with small GWR lettering & Portishead nameplate on side tank with GWR style number plate on bunker. This model is also limited to 250 models. Period3. Dapol are also releasing two new BR versions of the Terrier. They will both feature red buffer beams which were missing of the first BR release. Period 4 early crest. Also on display where the new N Gauge 25,000 volts AC catenary s masts. These masts are really fine. On show were the masts only there was no catenery wire. The masts come with a moulded screw thread base which is secured by a wing nut under the baseboard. The samples on show where displayed with a Continental electric locomotive. This showed the true difference s between the British & European loading gauges. Also on show via a lap top computer were images of the new class153 sprinter. The sequence show showed the new model from virtually all angles. From the look of the pictures show it will be superb. FARISH BY BACHMANN Where also present at the show. They also had a number of new items on show. They included the following. CLASS150 Sprinters were on display. They all looked superb. Four models are being released they are First North Western 150/1 all blue livery with white shooting star flashes. With white lettering. Period 9. Central Trains final livery 150/1 Blue & green body with curved white flashes on the ends of the body & in front of the logo. Period9. Arriva Trains Wales/ Trenau Arriva Cymru 150/2 livery Arriva blue (mauve) with grey roof & doors with full yellow and white lettering. Period 9 Regional railways Blue & grey body with light blue body stripe with full yellow ends & black lettering. This is the phase 2 pre privatisation livery with regional Railways branding. When the sector was split into separate companies. IE regional railways North East & regional railways North West. Period 8/9. The class 150 s are due end of July early august. Place your orders now with your favourite dealer. They are sure to sell out very quickly. N news 07.06.2009 5 C Copyright MIKE HUDSON 2009
KNOW YOUR CLASS 150 s. 150/1 No corridor connection three front windows instead. Centre window contains destination box. Slam door to drivers cab & small toilet window. 4 main windows along coach side. 150/2 front end corridor connection. Destination blind built in to top of driver s side front window. All doors on train sliding doors. 5 main body windows along coach side. Larger toilet window. SEACOW BALLEST WAGONS. Where also on show. These wagons look superb. There is a wealth of finely detailed parts on these wagons the operating wheels used to open and close the doors that release the ballast look good as does all the associated safety railings fitted to these vehicles. CONFLAT CONTAINER WAGONS. These models are now painted and printed. They all look superb. There are 6 wagons to choose from. There are two types of container available. They are a wooden bodied BD container & a metal AF insulated container designed by the GWR. The BD container comes in Br Maroon with yellow British Railways lettering. This container is also available in the grey with yellow band Speedfreight livery. The AF container comes in 4 liveries. The first livery is for the GWR version. This comes in white with black GWR round logo & lettering. The next two containers are in BR livery. The first comes with one container in BR light blue livery with BR door to door logo. The second wagon comes with two white BR containers with black lettering. The final livery is for private company Birds Eye frozen foods. This wagon features two containers in the blue corporate colours of Birds Eye complete with Seagull logo. These wagons were a common site around the country especially around Great Yarmouth. SCENECRAFT BUILDINGS. Farish had a selection of the 2009 range of Scenecraft buildings on show. They included the modern motive depot. This is a very nice model of a diesel running shed. Also on show was the ex LNWR signal box, The GWR style covered footbridge & others I cannot recall at present. All the above mentioned building are worth waiting for release dates not known at this time. ELECTRA GRAPHICS. In the members only area Adam Warr owner of Electra Graphics had on display & for sale a selection of his printed sides for modern diesel multiple units & coaches. Adam has also made replacement sides for Br green to Br sector livered units too. I liked the set for first Trans-Pennine class170 dmu s. They came on printed on white self adhesive paper with all side windows pre-cut. They are des-signed to fit straight onto the Farish class 170 dmu. All that is needed is some First group blue paint. Adam stated that part of the kit was a mask to paint the required area. The models on display looked very good. To view & order these items please use the link below. http://www.electrarailwaygraphics.co.uk/ N news 07.06.2009 6 C Copyright MIKE HUDSON 2009
N News. UNION MILLS MODELS. Whilst in the Isle of Man I visited Union Mills models. Situated in the village of Union Mills famous for its connections with the pop family the Bee Gee s. I had a very nice chat with Colin Heard the owner of Union Mills models about many aspects of N gauge railway modelling today. Please note Colin did not reveal any future releases to me. Colin gave me a list of all locomotives currently available. However please note that some locomotives are nearly out of stock until another batch is made. See list below. N news 07.06.2009 7 C Copyright MIKE HUDSON 2009
TECHNICAL DETAIL. All models feature cast metal loco & tender body. All models are painted with a grey primer & semi matt cellulose paint. All models are tender driven. The tender drive uses a double ended can motor which drives the outer axle at each end of the tender. The wheels have traction tyres on one side. Electrical pickup is via one side of the engine & the opposite side on the tender some models come with brass gears fitted on the motor shaft with later models being fitted with plastic gears. All parts are unique to Union Mills locomotives. Standard N Gauge couplings are fitted to the front & rear of all models. Except the B12 (no front coupling) & the LMS 2P & LSWR /BR T9 4-4-0 locomotives. They use a hook type coupling. All three engines use the standard N gauge coupling on the tender. All locomotives are capable of hauling 14 coach passenger trains or 50 wagon goods trains. This includes climbing reasonable gradients. All models are wrapped in a stout cardboard box with a picture of the model on the lid with operating instructions & a potted history inside. Inside the box all models are securely wrapped in bubble wrap. Price includes postage & packing to UK addresses All big four models suitable for period 3. All BR models period 4. Early crest on tender. All models feature one running number unless shown otherwise on the above list. AVAILABILLTY UPDATE. The following locomotives are now sold out. J11 0-6-0 loco & tender LNER black (4354 or 5314) 2f 0-6-0 loco & tender BR black livery (no running no specified) 2f 0-6-0 loco & tender LMS black livery (no running number specified) T9 4-4-0 loco & tender SR black livery (313) T9 4-4-0 loco & tender BR black livery (no running number specified) That s all for this issue. I hope you have enjoyed reading it. Please feel free to send to your friends. If you have any comments contact me at. Harry.hudson7@ntlworld.com Bye for now. N news 07.06.2009 8 C Copyright MIKE HUDSON 2009