Stevelewis

For what it is worth I had an Imperium 21pin decoder going spare and needed to fit a Bachmann 4-CEP EMU with a decoder so thought I would give the Imerium a whirl!! ( Big Mistake) I would add that the 4 CEP was a perfect runner on Analogue and I am very familiar with them as there are others in use.here. Decoder was fitted and the power car was to be tested before re fitting the body, Attempted to start off with a crawl test, got to step 2 of 28, car shot off like a bat out of hell, and achieved a speed which was previously unknown on our emus, Then the trouble occured motor started to screech very loudly then all stopped! The cast motor housing was very warm to the touch and obvious over heating had occurred, Next action was to remove decoder and fit a analogue blanking plug to test unit under analogue power, this resulted in no response at all, I began to fear that the motor had burnt out, so I dismantled the power bogie to examine and test the motor, I found the motor was very 'stiff' to rotate the armature, I continued to rotate by hand to see if would free up which it did slightly, I then applied power directly to the motor and it did turn quite slowly and noisily, so as a last resort I applied applied a drop of oil to the armature bearings and the motor improved dramatically. I reassembled the power bogie re fitted it to the unit, and with the fitting of a HAttons branded 21 pin decoder the unit ran perfectly. (and continues to do so) I have used DCC since 1997 and have never experienced a problem like this one , the only conclusion I can reach is the IMPERIUM decoder somehow provided a higher voltage to the motor than it should have, thus causing the extremely high running speed (Remember the controller setting was still only 2 out of 28 steps) Thus causing motor to overheat and bearings to seize up. Comments welcome Needless to say Imperium Decoders will not be on my shopping lists again!

Brian, Surely you have the right to obtain a replacement or refund, personally I would not accept the loco Steve

HAs anyone with a decoder fitted example (ex factory sound version) noticed that the loco speed sometimes increases or decreases without any reason (ie no alterations made on the digital controller) This was also noted on a 'so called' review of the loco which has appeared on You Tube, The reviewer also stated that the loco he was reviewing was his 2nd example as the first was faulty Personally I do not set much store by these reveiws!

Surprising as it may seem I have never actually met Tim or visited his shop but over the past nearly 20 years must have spent a small fortune, especially when I was buying LGB items when I was into Garden Railwaying, one of my sons did pop in to collect some LGB a couple of times when he was in the area, but apart from that it all been through the post. If you are looking for hard to find or 'sold out' items its worth a phone! call Steve

Tim has asked me to confirm that he is still trading via Telephone orders, I can confirm that the service is excellent I have placed a few orders over the last few weeks, His cut off time for same day shipping is around 1-30 pm usually but I ordered an item ( a Digital system) at 3-30pm on Friday it was delivered at 8-00am Saturday. Tim has a lot of items in stock which are hard to find, his website is kept up to date, BUT there are lots of other items in stock not listed, so worth a phone call. Arcadiarail TEL 01706882900 ( usually closed all day Tuesday)

Oh Well there are plenty of other retailers only too happy to supply Hornby products many at simiilar discounted prices so not a problem really!

If anyone has a Farish N Gauge 4-CEP EMU for sale I would be interested Green Livery with or without Yellow Panels, DCC fitted an added bonus!

When I ordered mine on Thursday they were down to 3 so they must have obtained more, My copy arrived Saturday so quite a good delivery service considering there is no postal service on Good Friday

Personally I only buy the RM when shopping in Tesco, However as currently I am resisting going into any shops at all 9 Days now since I did, there is no way I would consider going in for a magazine! My almost unbroken record perhaps of buying RM since the late 50s when it was around 1/6d should remain unbroken as I have May's copy winging its way to my in the post!! Whoops given my age away now

Snag is its actually getting into the stores Both local Asda & Tesco have had extensive queing times to enter the stores due to restricted numbers being allowed on the premises at any time, currently my local Tesco has a 50 minute wait to get in, and being of a certain age feel it best to stay away!

Does that refer to ARCADIA? if so it is closed but Tim taking Phone mail orders and also not moving!

Try Tim at ARcadia 01706882900 not sure if he stocks MRJ but worth a try perhaps?

I think that Loch Lomond's stock is quickly getting short now

I just spoke to Tim at Arcadiarail on the phone! to ask if he had the May RM, but he advised that he would not be getting any as Peco had decided not to distribute to the model shops as they were closed,, They would be going to the Supermarkets etc and WHS etc. Tim would have posted a copy to me if he had them. I don't feel inclined to go to my local Tesco at the moment and both nearest WHS are also closed so it looks as though I will have to give it a miss I suppose I should take out a subscription, but SWMBO tells me off for too many other mags dropping through the door!

ARCADIARAIL SHAW, OLDHAM Someone has already posted that Arcadiarail is trading Mail order only, but only Tims email details were mentioned. Tim has asked me to add that it is better for him if customers could telephone him on 01706882900, as this will provide a quicker response. Opening hours are 10-00AM to 4-00PM Monday,Wednesday,Thursday. Friday & Saturday CLOSED Tuesday

Tim at Arcadiarail Shaw has asked me to post on his behalf that he is trading normally at the moment...…… if in the event of traders being instructed to close he will be still available to send mail orders during normal opening hours, In this event please contact by telephone 01706 882900, (Closed Tuesday & Sunday) Also worth noting that all items on his website are in stock, and many other items are in stock which are not listed on the website so its always worth a phone call. I am sending this info as a satisfied customer and have no connection with the shop!

Yes I remember the Asian Flu epidemic still went the The Corn Exchange in Manchester for the Annual Manchester Model Railway society Christmas Exhibition, I Also remember the earlier problems we encountered with Polio, Diptheria, Smallpox, and a few other nasty things in the 60s

I have just purchased a Hornby 2 HAL EMU and a Heljan Metropolitan Bo-Bo Electric loco from a well known Lancashire retailer for a Tiny Smidgin over £200 inc postage, I have dealt with Hattons since the early 70s but sadly these days my purchases are relatively small and a lot less frequent. The inability to purchase Bachmann 00 & 009 items from Hattons, has not helped either

Totally off topic in our area there have been many instances of Children suffering from productivel Coughing episodes slightly raised temperature lack of appetite etc but recovery in around 7 days, It is a typical Childhood infection passed on at school and in the case of our youngest Grandchild at the local Playgroup..

Its ngrm-online.com (hopefully from memory)! Steve

It may be worth posting this info on the NGRM forum website, apologies if it is already there I had a quick shufty on there but did not see anything! Regards Steve ( Buckley Flints)

Where we live the road is named MAYFIELD Drive, it has existed for over 50 years ( once there was a Mayfield farm!) around 10 years ago a small development of around 20 Homes was built around 1/2+ mile away some bright spark decided that the Name of MAYFIELD Mews would be fine, ( our inbound post code, that is the last 3 digits and the Mews last 3 digits are totally different), but we often get misdelivered mail and takeways and Tesco deliveries tendered at our address which are intended for the Mews address, I have had items redelivered to me which initially went to the Mews! Luckily none were from Trackshack

Over the years of online purchasing, I have often advised suppliers NOT to add to their return address details any clues as to the contents of the parcels, this was due to my having had some parcels 'going astray without trace' My advice was taken by most of them! Since when the non delivery rate has been Zero except for one parcel which fell off a conveyor belt and got hidden in the works underneath!

Beatties Manchester had 2 possibly 3 LGB High Level circuits, where the trains circulated all thro' the stores open hours! I was quite a big LGB Buyer in those days, one day I went in and the assistant manager told me that they were going to replace the rolling stock on the lines so if I was interested I could have anything I wanted very cheap, So I bought 3 or 4 goods vans for a tenner each, in those day they were around £30 each, considering the enviroment they were all pretty dusty but this washed off well, but due to their extensive use and the fact that they had never been 'turned' on their tracks, the inner wheels Plastic in those long gone days,(ie those on the inside of the almost continuous curved circuit, had very distinct grooves worn into their treads , they must have run several 'Real' miles, The manager gave me several pairs of replacement wheels though.

For info of any one interested, I have now succeeded in obtaining the Relevant MASTER VOLUME CV for the J11 this was obtained via the ECoS website, The CV in question is 63 and the range is 0 to 192 ( 192 being Full Volume)