The LNER Encyclopedia

Congratulations on surviving a visit to Asda here in Gy. The forms of life that are found in there are parallelled only by those present all too frequently in Cambridge Road Spar shop and sub post office.....

I just about made it out ok while dodging the woman in pyjamas by the booze aisle and the drunk teenager laid in the door. I wonder if channel four where filming that night.

Ay up!

It's worse in Wal Mart USA. Some of it's customers don't bother to dress. Pity there ain't a "puke" smiley! And thank God for UK decency laws. Otherwise......

Wolves ASDA is always like that. Plus the collection of Ladies of Negotiable Affection purchasing their supply of tobacco before clocking on......

Asda in Hull (Hessle Road) also has them. Went in at 11.00 am and they hadn't unpacked the box by then!

Dave

I got the only one on show in Smiths this lunchtime.

At first glance the body has potential...if not at £2.99, nothing wasted, the grandson will get it.

Ay up!

Our local newsagent has a few. The body looks like the latest Hornby production but appears to be unpainted plastic, although I have to say the printing looks 1st rate.

I'll pass - I got a Garter Blue Streak and I'd rather repaint a blue example for the apple green one I'm thinking about.....

I grabbed one today from whsmiths, will give it a look over tonight

First glance impressions are its a possible body donor, hand rails chunky, steam pipe looks wobbly, few mould imperfections on tender, letter/number printing okay, parabolic curve horrible, the red & white are way to far apart

After dinner I will get it out of box and inspect further, fingers crossed as ideas are brewing

oOo

Brian

picked my second one from Asda after the first one fell apart! the second one wasn't even sitting on the rails so I unscrewed it then the front pony truck wasn't on so I ripped it off and super glued to the rails. I can't wait to get the other issues

Right, a bit further of examination

Looking at it closer, everything below body is scrap, only good for static use

Once removed from plinth, it appears that some links to Hornby, the front buffer beam is the same, the tender looks almost the same, and the body shape is spot on

So I have offered upto one of my Hornby chassis, and with a little jiggery pokery it should go in

Hand rails need totally replacing, usual brass fittings but I think a decent model is screaming to be let out

Ebay here I come

oOo

Brian

Picked one up in Canary Wharf for for the introductory price. The tender body is quite good, the loco body isn't bad either and is clearly based (though not identical to) the Hornby super detail version. The fact it has seats, cab glazing and the chimney and buffer beam are separate means it's ripe for fettling. I'm going to take this one apart and put a grey primer over it to see how it all comes out.

One thing is for certain - the tender body alone is worth the £2.99. Trying to get a hold of non corridor tenders has been difficult for a while now without resorting to breaking up Hornby models. The cab glazing, interestingly, will fit the Hornby body shell too.

The chimney comes off easily and a Hornby double chimney will fit the recess left by removing the original. A single chimney will need some work as the recess left by the original chimney will need to be filled.

Obviously it's been vastly simplified but it's the right shape and all major dimensions are more or less spot on. For £2.99…spare parts aside, is this a no brainer?

I have a spare Hornby Railroad chassis (albeit the A3 and not the A4) and a spare one of the new Bachmann A4 chassis on my workbench for customers, I am going to see if these body shells will fit and report back accordingly.

I hope the Flying Scotsman model is as close as this one is - a fully lined out A3 Pacific body shell? Think of the modelling you could do with that. Railroad Scotsman for one with a replacement body shell!

Great fun getting the nameplate off!

As it is closer at hand, and in a "softer" area of bandit country, I'm afraid I dodged the Asda experience this morning and picked up a copy from the independent news agents "Magazine World". Still encountered one or two trolls in the general vicinity, but a little less horrifying than a trip to Asda. I only do that when it "asda" be done.....

I'd better not say too much now about the fact that it has only taken a year after its availability in the home counties for the publishers to release this magazine to those of us in the pleb regions of Britain .

ASDA in Stevenage has a supply but due to space can only display one at a time in the magazine aisle..... checked WHS at lunchtime in the town centre and they have it on display and alongside the tills 6 boxes.. possibly 6 to a box waiting for eager customers!

As mentioned before, the magazine also mentions 4472, a K3 and J39...... but the pricing is interesting... No 2 Coronation at 5.99, No 3 A3 at 8.99 wonder what price the K3 and J39 come in, if they are available over the counter.

The accompanying magazine is of good quality with a mixture of B & W and colour photos and the centre holds colour prints by Stuart Black of 4468 in Garter blue and a smaller image of 60019 in BR Green.

Well worth 2.99 in my view.

Steve

Purchased the only 2 from Asda Hinckley today.

They are not as good as the one I managed to acquire some months ago, but still a bargain for spare parts.

Close examination reveals the same points made by others, though these also have slight nicks out of the top side edges of the tenders. There are instances of excess glue used in attaching handrails too, but replacing these, adding proper buffers etc is not such a tall order.

Will be interesting to see the other offerings as they are released.

Got a couple today.

Loco body , good for a Railroad body for the missing detail , glazing and seats. The Bufferbeam is useful for the ones that seem to be missing on every Loco body for sale on ebay. Body isnt too bad ,spoilt by the horrible ridge on the smokebox front and slight seams on top of boiler.
I doubt I will find a use for it. It would have to have the faults mentioned rubbed down and the lining redone as it is dire and repainted.
Tender body appears id to Hornby version and just need handrails, rear steps and rear mounting point for the chassis and possible repaint I havent checked in daylight yet for colour match. Minor breaking up on tope edge of coal space should repair ok with microstrip.

Well worth £3, dearer version(s) will be decided on in due course, if they appear in shops.