[MickY G]

I don't have to model N Gauge. It's what I choose to model, given the means and the space that I have. Being on dialysis, means that I have a lot of spare time (on and off the machine) on my hands, to turn to my favourite hobby. Finances however, do not always permit this however (isn't that usually the case though)? I have modelled OO Gauge before and even tried American N Gauge but whatever scale/gauge I have modelled, somehow I always seem to return back to the GWR? Don't ask my why as I live in Kent and apart from a few GWR Class 57xx that were employed at Folkestone Harbour many moons ago, for banking the VSOE up the incline and a few other GWR 0-6-0T loco's used for shunting at Gillingham (where I was born and just about remember them before moving to Oz), I have very little in common with the GWR? Although I model mainly GWR, that does not mean that it is predominately all GWR (some small amount of SR as well), as I run the main part of my layout as a preserved steam location (somewhere in Oxfordshire). Then any steamer or diesel can visit) and I can also run some modern stuff on the main line now and then as well. I have the usual RTR loco, carriage and goods rolling stock (my old eyes don't allow for building kits anymore I'm afraid), which is OK but all a bit 'long-in-the-tooth' now, especially the GF & GFbyG stuff. Dapol is excellent quality, detail and price, if you can ever actually get their loco's to run properly (and that's a very big if by the way)? I run what I want, with what I want and how I want. As one of the other posters said, so long as the correct line up is behind the correct loco, then thats fine with me! The way I look at it is that I pay for the goods, so I run what I want, when I want and I am certainly no 'rivet-counting anorak' neither! It's a brilliant hobby we have here, albeit for the odd few archaic 'anoraks' who think they know it all and think we all should as well! Thats fine, then when they pay a fortune for my rolling stock, then they can tell me how to run my layouts!

PS: Does anyone want to buy loads of N Gauge GWR rolling stock? I think I shall change to 'O' Gauge or Gauge 1 (in my tiny one bedroom flat), so I can count the rivets and try and prove the buggers wrong! Hehehe!

Happy New Year everyone and I hope we all have a great one! Even the 'anoraks' and 'rivet-counters'!

 

[MickY G]

Those Japanese models look absolutely excellent!!!!
I had toyed with the idea of changing over to Japanese railways a year or so ago, now there are so many beautiful new models on the market, compared to a few years ago but alas, the price has always put me off, although as I can see from your pictures, you obviously get exactly what you pay for! However, I know nothing at all about Japanese railways (although I could always read books and the Internet I suppose) but again, the price factor knocks that out for me again I'm afraid but these are really stunning looking locomotives and with plenty of really good details. I have never seen such quality like this before, mainly because I have never seen Japanese locos in such highly detailed photographs! Thanks for sharing them, I might just change my mind, pending on what mood my bank manager is in next week? LOL!

 

[MickY G]

Hmmm. You have certainly got me thinking about Japanese N gauge now? Seems to me that they are only just a tad more expensive than the American outline and they are well cheap and well made and detailed as well? Would I be right in saying that? Yes, Dapol is exceedingly good value for money and by far superior to anything GFbyB can make at the moment but would be even better as and when they can sort the motors out on some of their loco's and the back-to-back on some of their carriages as well. I have 'B' Sets and Siphons that just wobble like jelly whenever they move and they jump on Peco point frogs as well! Which is a shame, as they are very nicely made and detailed little models as are all their loco's. But running and peformance wise, because of the sheer weight of the GF and GFbyB stuff, they out run Dapol by well over a nose length! I don't have one GF loco that derails on points. Yet all of my Dapol ones do because the pony trucks etc, are to light wieght and need to be made of metal and not plastic. It's just not heavy enough to handle the frogs on the points etc. I could be wrong but I have checked these locos running so many times now and thats about the only thing I can see, that is making this happen with some Dapol locos? I have friends who are experiencing exatly the same thing as well, even with different class loco's. Maybe just me I suppose?