Les1952

That is answered pretty comprehensively by Hornby in Peachy120TT's video. You do need to sit through three quarters of an hour or so to get the whole answer, but it is there. Les

A frequent culprit on smoking Dapols is the circuit board. Less likely to be the motor. Les

They have nem pockets. The 3-axle umbauwagen have self centring mechanisms, which are a pain in the fundament to reassemble when taking the chassis out to get passengers in- I've only done one so far and am dreading the other three... I've not yet looked again at the eaos wagons. Les

The TT:120 Pacifics? Les

OHLE in TT:120 is produced by Sommerfeldt and Veissmann.

I have a rake of four Eaos wagons with variations from 5.5mm to nearly 7mm, to the extent that coupling them has required me to use two different lengths of Hunt coupling. I've not checked my 3-axle Umbauwagen, but they don't couple gangway to gangway with the original couplers as fitted by Tillig. Les

The couplers will take NEM355 alternatives. Does NEM355 specify a distance from buffers? If so nobody seems to have told Tillig...... If you want your coaches to touch on the straight and stay coupled when running I would suggest you might want to invest in a Hunt coupler starter pack from West Hill Wagon Works and try the different lengths until you find a pairing that does the job. I now have magnetic couplings on all of my TT:120 stock (Hunt on the stuff that doesn't shunt and Dapol Easi-shunts on the stuff that does) and did a 2-day exhibition the other weekend without a single random uncoupling. There is still a little work to do adjusting the Easi-shunts as occasionally they refused to uncouple, but the Kadees on Burch Green have taken three shows to get working properly. No connection with Dapol or WHWW other than being a satisfied customer. Les

And the second video from South Notts Show. All for today. Les

South Notts Show video, number 1 of 2 Number 2 to follow. Les

Pics from the show. The layout as set up on Sunday morning, with the "Plandampf day" board in place. The class 106 shunted the yard both days. The only casualty was the class 280, which shed a traction tyre, though it seems to run quite well without it. looking into the goods shed yard. The only two issues with the layout were firstly that some glue fumes had found their way into the mechanism of one of the semaphores. A little work with the end of a scalpel blade had that working by Sunday morning. The more serious issue was a point wire popping out of the tie bar hole on Sunday morning. Fortunately Neil Stevenson of PLS Layouts/Sherwood Models is more adept at putting these things back than I am, and got it sorted before the show opened. Many thanks, Neil. The class 798 at rest in the platform. The show was opened by no less a person than Sir Topham Hatt. Videos are being processed and will eventually be posted. Les

To be quite honest, given the size of the TXS chips I'm glad they haven't- far too much weight would be needed to be carved out to make room for them. Given that Digitrains have got sound and a stay-alive into an EFE N-gauge J94, why not just get quality sound fitted? Les

Stadtler Eurodual, modern Bo-Bo electric in a number of liveries. Very interesting but out of my period. The prototypes have a wide range, though I'm not sure how far those in the catalogue get. Les

that doesn't mean those details would survive the reduction in scale without being so thin they fall apart as soon as you look at them....

given their military origin, a parade of Austerities?

The cameraman- ie me- didn't when plonking it on the track for a photograph.... Les

I think Hornby are struggling to meet the demand for the miles they've already done- extra miles are a long way off..... Les

My TT:120 train set "Bregstadt" has just completed the first day of its first show (South Notts Show at Cotgrave). The two beer vans in the middle of the picture are Hornby group - Arnold. Another Hornby group product in action on Day 2 will be this beast- bought on the Hornby website and mostly paid for with accumulated Hornby points. It will be joined by the 2-10-0 tender engine class 58, which is sound fitted (proper synchronised sound) and which made a substantial contribution towards generating those Hornby points, both these locos are by Arnold. If only Hornby would look more closely at the work of the designers in the other arms of their own group they would make some very serious improvements to the breed. Both these locos glide effortlessly round the radius 2 curves my A4 and A3 won't even attempt. Les BTW, those ARE Hunt couplings on both locos. 100% reliable on the fixed trains today, and the Easi-shunts in the yard about 80% reliabe, but that is good for a first time out.

Peco almost certainly haven't lost their interest, but their timescales are rather glacial. I suspect there are more wagons in development, but if we get an announcement before Autumn with an introduction a year later I would only be surprised at how quick they've been.... Les

Given that Hornby includes Arnold, and Arnold has an established market share on the Continent AND a reputation for being amongst the best quality out there in TT:120 I suspect that TT:120 is going to be around in Hornby for some time. Looking at the way the "in stock" numbers of the Hornby Pacifics are fluctuating on the Continental retailer websites it seems pretty apparent that Hornby UK has gained a foothold into Europe that OO gauge has just failed to manage in the last umpty twiddly years... The 66 will sell well both here and on the Continent. The time that Hornby have taken to get this up to Arnold standard shows they realise it has to be a flagship product. While there isn't enough UK stuff presently for me to do much more than dabble in UK outline I'm learning new skills with my new TT:120 layout Bregstadt, and after setting up at South Notts show I'm wondering why my three 4 wheel railbuses are consistently running smoothly where my seven B-B diesels are finding every speck of dirt and stalling on Hornby's long dead frogs. If a 4 wheeler runs smoothly through Hornby points why not a heavier 8 wheeled diesel? Les

Not Austria. That country is 15KV, 16 and 2 thirds hz electrics, the same as Germany. They could work into parts of Hungary and Slovakia, though from their base in Bulgaria. Les

I think the missing part sentence was "new to the UK"...

I'm seriously considering whether shoving a 30-page chunk of stuff I fail to find interesting into the middle of BRM makes it worthwhile continuing with my subscription for similar reasons. Les

that is the history of TT:120 on the continent, where the aggressive incumbent is Tillig...... Les

On the positive side it does mean I can put off the UK outline TT layout for at least a year, and spend the intervening time getting the standard of Bregstadt raised. The latter goes off this week to its first show without the 08, which has tangled a pickup in its wheels and broken it off. One piece of Hornby failing to look sideways across the group. I currently have Hornby points in my fiddle yard (because they were shorter than the Peco ones available at the time. Arnold's Kof won't even look at running through them, yet they are both made by the same group. At least someone has looked sideways and seen a container wagon they already make.... Les

First loco to get a little weathering is the class 106. Kept relatively clean as a loco that is a recent arrival and looked after by the Bregtalbahn. I will probably add some more soot to the cab roof, it looks cleaner in the pic than in the plastic. Note the Easi-shunt couplers, this loco is the first call for shunting duties. Next up the 112. This needs a bit more soot and a bit of dirt on the running plate. Then the 212. Probably more cab soot and spread the footplate crud to the end. The steps at the long hood end have taken a bash but I might leave them bent, just adding a touch of glue to make sure they don't fall off altogether. Cruel shot of the exit at the Furtwangen end. Still some refining needed, but not until after the first outing at South Notts Show. All for now Les