Focalplane
Western Thunderer
I have exchanged emails with John Gymer at Youchoos about the best setup they provide for the DAPOL 14XX. In reading the descriptions it seems that DAPOL really have pulled out all the stops for a convenient installation and Youchoos have taken this two steps further, with one of their ice cube speakers and a stay alive capacitor. Everything fits in the boiler/smokebox with only the minimum of additional wiring.
A second 14XX sounds like overkill for the 1950s Moor Street but with my shorter platforms and Rule 1 that allows the Alcester Branch to stay open, another autotrain would perhaps have saved the North Warwickshire line from early extinction. As it was, the line was very nearly closed anyway but had a last minute reprieve. That is all hard to believe today, but truth is sometimes larger than fiction and any number of Rule 1's can be applied as necessary!
I was going to buy two Orion Hawksworth C83 non-corridor all thirds coach kits to mimic the reduced suburban rakes of the period, but then remembered I already had two Haywoods' Collett C43 coaches. They have been started so there is no need for the Hawksworth kits after all.
A second 14XX sounds like overkill for the 1950s Moor Street but with my shorter platforms and Rule 1 that allows the Alcester Branch to stay open, another autotrain would perhaps have saved the North Warwickshire line from early extinction. As it was, the line was very nearly closed anyway but had a last minute reprieve. That is all hard to believe today, but truth is sometimes larger than fiction and any number of Rule 1's can be applied as necessary!
I was going to buy two Orion Hawksworth C83 non-corridor all thirds coach kits to mimic the reduced suburban rakes of the period, but then remembered I already had two Haywoods' Collett C43 coaches. They have been started so there is no need for the Hawksworth kits after all.