Les1952

The North Eastern Railway built almost all of its branch lines to Route Availability 9. Pacifics reached Middleton in Teesdale, and at least one reached Catterick Camp on the end of the twig line from Catterick Bridge. On a troop train from Kings Cross this required two reversals. The train would run to Darlington with the engine chimney first. The loco would run round and take the train tender-first back down the ECML as far as Eryholme Junction where it would then take the Richmond branch as far as Catterick Bridge. Here it ran round and took the train up the Catterick camp twig chimney first. Normally the troop trains were hauled by V2s. The best reason I've got for Pacifics not being used more often (particularly A3s) seems to suggest problems with the run round loop at Catterick Camp station, but my research got no furter. On my Croft Spa layout a signature train was an 8 coach express hauled by a tender-first V2. Of course the North Eastern did a lot of things to a much higher standard, and was very progressive- Merry Go Round trains of bogie hopper wagons well before 1910 for instance..... Les

No photo as I was a young teenager on my way back to school for the afternoon, but the only time I saw William Whitelaw on a train it was shunting the coal cells at Grieveson and Whitwell's siding at Faverdale, Darlington. A week later it became the only A4 I photographed in BR service, standing as main line pilot at Darlington shed, facing the wrong way round (ie facing the turntable). I did mention to SK that it would have had to work the train tender first after it had shunted the Chemical and insulating Company about a mile further on at the end of the line. I still didn't persuade him the model needed front couplings. Les

On my TT:120 layout I have motive power by Hornby, Arnold (Hornby), Roco, Kuhn, Piko, Tillig, Kres, Schirmer and MTB. I also have a loco by Beckmann on pre-order. I think that adds up to ten manufacturers, or eight outside the Hornby group. Perhaps you need to include the words UK outline in that statement, though even that could be a temporary state- we'll know better in a year or two... The latest steamer- a bit bigger than a Gresley Pacific, but runs round my R2 curves.... Like the layout, it will be in action at Syston Club's show at Barkby Thorpe this weekend. Les

Very few names appear more than once, and most of the questions (of which there are lots most days) cover very basic stuff. A lot of posts start "I've joined this group because I've just bought...." I would hazard a guess based on the data that I can access that of the twelve thousand about a quarter are members of more than one group and about half are based in Europe rather than the UK. That still gives a fairly respectable estimate of between three and five thousand UK modellers of TT:120 who are in dedicated Facebook groups. I've also found 6 more groups that I'm not a member of and where I can't access the data. These could be smaller, or like one of the groups I do belong to, have 7100 members..... Les

I think that most modellers in TT (TT:120) aren't on RMWeb. I am currently on five different Facebook TT:120 groups, which cover different aspects of the scale. Between them (and I've just been on each in turn and double-checked) they currently have 12,114 members. That is twelve thousand one hundred and fourteen. RMWeb claims 44,000 odd members covering all scales, and I suspect there aren't 12114 who are interested in TT:120. Note also there are just as many Facebook groups on TT:120 that I am not a member of- and as a non-member I can't access their membership totals. Les

I accept that my venture into TT:120 doesn't count as far as most on this thread would seem to be concerned, but I've been building Bregstadt since Hornby first announced TT:120 and have used it to get my skill set acclimatised to a new (for me) scale- having previously built exhibition layouts in OO, N (UK), N(continental), N(US), and HO of which the second Continental N and the most recent OO layouts are still on the circuit. I've also been using it as a test bed for Hornby and Peco stock. So far I've established I can't use Pacifics on a layout that will fit in my car, and that I will probably need another two years before the J94 joins the J50 and I can build my UK outline exhibition train set. Meanwhile Bregstadt is out at Syyston MRC's show next weekend then at Sleaford, Ruddington, and Hinclkey in the coming months. Whitelaw on test (which it failed- it still doesn't like my R2 corners) On the other hand THIS Hornby product sails round them...... Vans in tow are also a Hornby product. Note the train crew- fitted in the cab by the manufacturer as standard. Les

Using them myself on Bregenbach im Schwarzwald, with 1 in 25 gradients and very tight curves I can assure you they are. I have also seen a 10 coach rake of heavy OO coaches with them that performs faultlessly. Les

The age gap is the one that needs plugging to maintain and reinforce interest before hormones kick in. The hobby needs those people to stay interested, even if their activity lessens for a while. As a long-time N-gauge modeller I'm not convinced that N gauge is the answer. Pre-Bachmann Farish locos were solid enough, but the modern stuff isn't really all that suitable for under 14s. The future if Hornby don't lose the plot, is probably TT. It needs someone like Tillig to realise there is a UK market and produce a diesel, or even to sell some of their existing stuff in the UK. A bit of competition here would give Hornby's top brass a nudge. However Tillig need to find an importer who they can get on with - their relationship with Golden valley Hobbies seems to have broken down. Les

At the moment the gap is for cheap- ie really cheap- simple locos with not a lot that can be knocked off them to try to keep the juniors who started with Thomas the Tank Engine but who are still treating the trains more as toys. Both of my great nephews who were mustard keen at age 6 to 7 have got into secondary school and dropped out as the affordable up-line from their 0-4-0s mostly doesn't exist. My youngest one still runs his 0-4-0s, and would welcome something a bit bigger and better- a Bo-Bo or Co-Co diesel would be ideal, especially at the fifty quid mark or lower. None of them was interested in running units- you can't shunt with an Electrostar..... Les

Depends how cheap they are. Deep pocketed RMWebbers who want the best detail aren't the only ones they need to sell to..... Les

Ah, now that one is almost positively distinguished.... Built on the "throw bits into the pile and see what you can make" principle.... Les

Two large club layouts actually live upstairs at the venue. they only needed to be carted downstairs and set up. Many thanks to all for the positive comments. Next year we are on April 5th and 6th. Les (club chairman)

For info- The judging committee for "best in show" is one club member, one local resident who is not a club member, and one non-member expert, who this year was Tony Wright. Les

"They're all out of step but our Jimmy"....... For those who don't recognise the quote it is a woman watching her son taking part in a military parade, but does sum up the British attitude to doing things the same as everyone else.

On the point of TT:120 UK stock looking small. in 2022 I travelled from Newark on Trent to Venice by train. Four trains, LNER to London, Eurostar to Paris then an Italian Frecciarossa to Milan and a Swiss train to Venice - the latter being a through train from Geneva. The train from Newark to King's Cross was the only one where we travelled First Class, and had the most cramped seats of any of the trains- despite the seats in UK first Class being 2+1 seats across the gangway and all of the others being 2+2. That brought it home just how much smaller the UK loading gauge is- our trains are not only much lower but also a fair bit narrower, compounded by the Azuma not being built to the full UK loading gauge to allow for tilt. Pics show the Azuma and the Swiss unit. Les

Q1 would have the same issue with the next lot of "in transit" stuff showing as in stock.... That aspect is one they can't win other than getting stuff made closer to the UK, and, barring World War III, that isn't going to happen in any large amounts any time soon. Les

From the Peachy interview the mismatch between coaches and locos is something that Hornby are trying to address in TT:120, hence the Stanier coaches not appearing until after the Duchess and current lack of blue-and-grey Mark 1 stock (until the class 50 appears). All of this of course helps the balance sheet, but Hornby are getting hammered by prospective punters for it as they can't yet have the stock they want.... Les

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