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Recently i took some pictures of my Rokuhan Z trains to send to Rokuhan to show their products running on a U.K style fully scenic exhibition layout (Hakuho) But I then got carried away ad decided to photograph them running on Republic Steel as well Republic has a few show booikings this year so was set up in the workshop for some routine maintenace At shows Republic nearly always goes out with the 1990s British stock on these days so giving the Japanese stuff a blast was fun The C11 again, this time on a local passenger I started to get an idea about following and photographing Z Japanese trains from layout to layout so got Cuyahoga out of the layout shed and carried on Rokuhan DD51s, DE10, Kiha 52s, EF 66 and a PRM Loco EF 64 make the Roundhouse a busy place More soon Kev

Continuing my personal reflections on the models currently available in Japanese Z I turn to the electric outline locos available. Now it was never my intention to buy any Electric locos and certainly I don't intend to put any catenary up (not after last time!) but Alison at Contikits had bought a collection of Japanese Z and was offering it at very reasonable prices. So I indulged in a Rokuhan EF 66 and a PRMloco EF 64 The EF66 in Early version livery is in the foreground with the 64 in JRF Blue and white behind. Compared to the rolling stock the PRMloco EF64 is very nicely painted and its performance was very good indeed with one small quibble which you will see on the video The pair together outside the loco maintenance shed on 'Shasta' In the video I test the locos on a variety of my layouts including young Brooklyn's Alpine layout with its evil curves and gradients and Republic Steel and most of my Japanese stock getting let off the leash on my big 'Shasta' layout. This had been out in full length form at the recent Derby model railway exhibition in Union Pacific/Southern guise This show was set in the spectacular surroundings of the original Midland Railway 'Derby' roundhouse with its unusual timber roof and crane gantries set over the turntable (Still in situ) which is now part of Derby College Link to video in a minute Kev