Thameslink Time! A love hate relationship with a 319
Loughtbury is based somewhere in the south of England and is roughly based on rollingstock I used to see and use on a regular basis. Modelled around 1997 – 2010(ish) it covers privatisation with a range of diesels and DMU models. This is easy as it means you do not need to modify any track and I tip my hat to any modeller in any scale who has gone to the lengths of fitting overhead wires, gantries and 3rd rail. For this reason I own what can be described as the world’s only diesel Eurostar that wizzes around Loughtbury from time to time.
However I recently felt the impulse to purchase the Graham Farish class 319 in blue Thameslink livery. This dual powered EMU was my mode of transport to school, college and work until they were phased out. I never liked the trains; they were ugly plastic, usually grubby and uncomfortable (well I thought they were until I sat on a Class 700). So I have a love/hate relationship with these units as they have got me home after many a n weight on the town, and I could hear their distinct whine as they went by my home. So I decided I needed to get the model, and what a model it is! The detail is outstanding and I have no idea how Graham Farish have managed to hide the motor under the seats. Having this sat next to my 20 year old 159 just shows how far we have come, and it kind of explains the price increase too!
This is a fantastic model that looks the part, however I do recognise that I don’t have any overhead wires or 3rd rail on Loughtbury so I will have to pretend it is a diesel, if only they made a diesel 319 in real life………………. but that’s another story!
