TouchCabMike

Thanks! Actually, for the final, Aberdeen were the last to know the rules and theme. Each heat winner was told the theme and that it would be a 50' layout when they were announced as winners. We were in heat 4, so were not aware until last. That's because the final was filmed the week after heat 5, so all of heat 5 teams were advised of the rules one week before our filming. So really, Aberdeen and the winners of heat 5 had a monster task to get ready in time! On top of this, there was no clear way forward on how the production team were planning on controlling the "star train" across all 5 layouts. This is why I wrote a set of instructions and supplied the busses to all teams. There was enough to do without everyone needing to think about how to do this! Again, well done to all and thanks to the production team. See you at Warley!

Thanks Jim! I am sure Bill and Dave were watching together tonight. Bill will have been wondering why there was no Z gauge level, and Dave why no O gauge! Thanks for all the support and kind words. We are extremely proud! Well done to C5, KBG and all the other teams.

I agree, the only help out with your own team was help from the other teams. We certainly helped where we could, by supplying materials, screws, tools etc. As someone else said, we even supplied DCC bus and TouchCab to all teams in the final so that none of the teams had to think about control. The wiring was provided for them by us to allow equality. Actually, I believe it was our hoover But, it add's to the point that we are all modellers and all want the same end goal of the show. Finished, working layouts that will generate interest in the hobby and portray it in a way that has been missed in the past. As a friendly, team orientated hobby that requires and is accommodating of many different skillsets and people from all walks of life. It's also an evolving hobby. Seeing people using DCC, iPhones, Macs, PCs etc, that's going to generate interest to a lot of younger people, but it is not going to put anyone off! I know there are some who see it as complex (which it isn't) - but the viewers are not stupid. They know there are 'simple' train sets and it can get as complex as you like. It may just be that they didn't realise that it can get so tech-ie. And that can only be a good thing! The DC/DCC thing matters nothing the the general viewer - from a perspective of "TGMRC should only be DC or DCC". It only matters that it works at the end to make the show entertaining! On another subject, I was a bit sad to see that the shot of Tim using TouchCab to operate our layout for us was cut! Not long to go now until we know who the winners are! Good luck to all! (Sadly I couldn't make it to the final so I haven't a clue who won!)

^^^ What he said...

YES! We did notice this. I also noticed that at the end, on our layout anyway, they have used a still GoPro image (which was mounted on the lighting boom) and photoshopped (other programs are available!) into a "sketch" of the layout. You can see my MacBook and even the charge cable to it and from it to my iPhone! You can also see the Heljan Container Crane DCC Controller too!

Wow, it's like you read my manual! Any chance you want to move to Aberdeen and join the club? With two of us badgering them...

Token team? Hmmm

This is why we've used TouchCab as a club for the last 10 years, and why we own and develop the app now. We operate on the viewing side with iPads and iPhones and encourage the public to engage with us and hand over the throttle to them to "have a go". Even on DC layouts, we have a workaround that allows us to use the app Slightly off topic though!

What makes you think DC would be easier? In DCC, the whole layout is made live, then all the trains work. We were judged on operability. "Hang on a minute, I need to lift off this loco while I put on another one..." DCC is just better for operation on a show like this - disregarding the fact it is just better full stop! The show supplied a DC controller "if you need one" but as far as I could see, DCC was the most common. Competitors were expected to take their existing DCC controllers for the heats.

The final is DCC. I wrote a set of instructions for all teams to fit a bus to their layout. My business, www.KMSRailtech.co.uk , supplied all the parts and the Aberdeen team prefabricated the busses for all teams. It was then operated using Aberdeen's Lenz sets and TouchCab. As far as I know, all wanted to use DCC anyway.

Well I thoroughly enjoyed that! Is it just me or was there much less "infill" cutaways of Fawley Hill this week? There seemed to be much more speaking and shots of modelling... I am extremely proud of what we achieved in the time, even if we did run out of paint for the sea/perspex! As stated in the show, we dedicated this build to Dave Clucas, our ex chairman who passed away a couple of days after we agreed to take part. I feel we did him proud, and the positive comments so far are testament to that, so thanks guys! #ClucasBay It was a brilliant experience being on the show, and I thought the friendship and camaraderie amongst the teams was fantastic. We all stayed in the same hotel and had some great chats. We helped out the Shunter Guys and Wakefield with tools and parts during filming, and rightly so - we are all modellers, not enemies! As I said before the episode, I think all 15 layouts have been awesome. The Shunter Guys layout was awesome. I loved the theme park! And Wakefield, wow, where did that come from. We were joking as time was called that they must have wheeled in a pre built layout. They did amazing pulling it back at the end. Well done to both of the teams! I was excited to see TouchCab on the TV too!

Wow! That's a lot of posts! I want to write so many replies to comments having just read most the thread from the beginning! I was involved in the show, and am VERY excited to see how the editing is done tonight! I know lots must have been discarded on the cutting room floor, but it's hard to judge what on heats you've not been at! I'd like to make some points though, as a sceptical participant to the show. I had some worries beforehand about being involved and stereotyped on TV. But I left after filming with none of that worry. I think KBG and the team did a fabulous job and it can only be described as good for the hobby. While I agree with some of the comments concerning negative posts being deleted not being right, I think people should actually think about what they are posting, and only post negative comments if you are actually being constructive and respectful. I have now seen all the layouts in the heats (4 shows that have been on TV and our heat is tonight). I think each and every team should be VERY proud of what they have built. The people who are saying things along the lines of "the build quality isn't there" or "could be better" - You go and try build a layout in 24 hours of a 10x5 size, sticking to a theme, in an unfamiliar location, with the limited tools you could fit in the van... I think all teams did themselves and the hobby proud. The notion that a model railway should be perfect and take 30 years is one of the stereotypes that I was worried would come across. Why should it take that long? I imagine it puts a lot of people off the hobby! I personally want my layout to be finished in 24 hours so I can run and play with my excessive amount of rolling stock that is sat in boxes! I think the point that some of the nae-sayers are missing, is that this is not, and never was meant to be a display of 30 years work. It was meant to be entertainment, and to show what the hobby is about as a HOBBY. I think it does this very well. It's portrayed it as a hobby that can be fun, humorous, involve people from all walks of life and shown that teamwork is key. I will post more after our episode has gone live, but I certainly enjoyed the experience and I'd do it again. I thought the judges have done a brilliant job on camera, but also off camera. Steve and Kathy were great to work with. They were engaging and genuinely interested in the teams approach. Mike