JackB95

Absolutely. I've got a normal DRS 68 and will most certainly get a matching 88 for my Valley to Crewe flasks. As has been mentioned already, 68 88 or 88 88 combos were/are regulars on flasks. Those samples look superb. Absolutely gorgeous livery application. Really must put my order in.

Checking back with messages I sent to Steve, the ones I commissioned are 5mm wide, but comparing them to the ones Bachmann did, the Voyagers have smaller ones... I think 5mm ones may look a bit big, so if you message Steve asking for them maybe at 4mm wide, or even ask for a variety of sizes, then you can see what looks best for you? The artwork is done at least so that's something. I've messaged him today asking for Voyager numbers and names. Thankfully he's already got a custom number pack for 221s available. Nameplates however is something he doesn't have. I do, however, known an owner of a couple of the real plates, so once said friend is back in the UK, I'll get some measurements and pictures to send over to get made up. Considering 221112 given that's a regular that I've seen over the years.

Cheers matey. Ahhh hellfire. Yes, that's rather handy! Have you got rid of one of the motor cars or have you kept both? I suspect those heavy 2007 era motors will move a mountain. If you're after the roundels, I got Steve @ Railtec to do some for my Pendolino. I suspect they're the same size (although now I've got both his and Bachmann's to hand, I can probably check the size myself...) if you need them. I'd love for 221115 in the Bombardier branding - something a bit different!

I'm not sure about anyone else, but my Hornby Mk4 DVTs have been absolute dogshat when it comes to the electrical pickups. For whatever reason, the copper contacts are flimsy as, and made no attempt at a reliable connection. You'd think with 4 axles, I'd get something reliable! But no. Attempts at carefully bending them to put more pressure on the wheels would just fail with or without the wheels in place. An order for DCC Concepts' rather shiny gold-plated pickups was put in, and I've been playing with them over the past 24hrs. I'm rather impressed with how convenient they were to install! I was half-expecting a hash at getting them in, but to my amazement, Hornby's bogie design worked to my advantage... Under the bogies are two screws and square bits of plastic. These hold in the (useless) copper pickups that are built into the model. Swapping the plastic for a DCC Concepts pickup allowed for the original screw to hold it in place with no problems at all - now that's ace. The new contacts require a slight adjustment by bending the contacts towards the body due to being in very close contact with the axle. They're wired up using single-core wire soldered to the exposed contacts (removing the paint with a rotary tool and file bit). The wheels just drop in and voila! Both DVTs are done! I only did the outer axles due to the increased friction with the new contacts. I didn't want to make a DVT that was very stiff to move! If you do the same, make sure either your axles are fully insulated, or you adjust the new contacts... it might end up shorting the layout out 👀

Something red has arrived... I've been umming and arring about a VT Voyager for ages. I've got an XC one which, whilst it doesn't fit the North Wales theme, was acting as the layout Voyager. Alas, one internet search lead to another and I ended up with this 'bargain' from TMC near Whitby. Pre-owned, but in a near-enough new condition (albeit without intermediate couplings) 221122 'Doctor Who' in the iconic Virgin Trains colours - a staple to any modern-era North Wales layout. The real thing went to Arriva XC in 2007 so it'll need renumbering to 221101-18 at some point. Naturally with the Voyager model, it'll also require a full DCC conversion including a new lighting kit. Track3D is currently on the case and I'm awaiting parts from him to arrive. On a small side note, I've fitted two DCC Concepts bus spike things to my bus wire. They're said to help improve reliability of the layout, especially when it shorts out. Fingers crossed it does!

Is anyone else having issues with the DVT's pick ups? I've got two TfW ones (thanks Hattons for the mega-cheap second one). I've found the copper contacts to be flimsy as hell, and any attempt at bending them gently to have more pressure on the wheels soon goes again when I return the wheels to the bogie. It's like they're too thin and don't maintain any shape. Quite often looking underneath, I find the contacts just floating and not touching wheels, meaning I get a proper strobe whilst pushing it around. Seems rather poor given the cost of them initially. Half tempted to put in something like the DCC Concepts wiper pick ups as an easy fix. Shouldn't have to though. Be interested to hear others!

My Bachmann XC Voyager returned to the workbench for a few minutes this morning to receive a subtle modification. Track3D has yet again come up trumps with a 3D printed skirting piece to upgrade the Bachmann factory one to the newer Meridian style ones that the real Voyagers got around 10 years ago. Thankfully, they're offered in unpainted, XC brown and VT red! Result. It's a very simple to fit them. I took the front bogie apart by unclipping it all, and took out the screw that holds in the skirt and deflector. The glue join between the skirt and deflector was snapped carefully. Under the light clusters, there's two small notches sticking out that need to be cut back (the white plastic shows in the photo). A very easy job with a knife, and then the new skirt can be glued in place (I used Glue n Glaze). The deflector squeezes back in with a bit of careful persuasion before screwing back in. Reassemble the bogie, and bosh! The paint match is bloody close, and when you consider the real thing has a slight shade difference, it's no problem at all. The mastermind behind the product is working on transfers to compensate which'll be available very soon I'm told. These'll only be to replace like-for-like, so 220016 or 221135 on the XC versions and whatever Bachmann did for the VT ones. Grab yours here for a very sensible price! Great to support small businesses etc.

A splash of paint over the past 24hrs has got me to this stage! It's certainly coming on nicely. Plenty more work to do, but loving how it's looking.

PHWOARRRR!!

Popped into my local model railway show this morning before work. That being the rather big one at York Racecourse. Before the main reason for me going, I came across a trade stand that happened to have two HOe Zillertalbahn coaches that my driving car was needing. They're certainly more prototypical, and suited, to the set than the two coaches I've already got. The main event, however, other than drooling over Deadmans Lane, was to pay a visit to JSModels to collect a little something... The Llandudno Junction booking office and waiting shelter is here! And what a beauty it is. Like the main shelter it's accurately modelled on the real thing, down to the bricked up door on the back of the office. Jonathan has done a gorgeous job of this, and I'm excited to get it painted up. The canopy simply slots over the top and through the roof like the real thing. Bravo that man.

Thanks for that! I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Saw the layout in the flesh this morning. Been trying to get to a show with it for a while. Couldn't say no to it being on my doorstep. Absolutely gorgeous layout. Even better than the pictures! Loved watching it for the brief amount of time I had available. Especially loved the Meridian. Incredible work on that. Here's my selection of photos to share.

Brilliant stuff. Was that one of the £135 Goggles with sound on eBay? Spotted them... Who makes the double decker coaches? Can't find any anywhere online! Cheers.

Some really great work going on here. It's incredible what the 3D printing world has done - the 380 will look gorgeous once finished.

A small update - I received my YaMoRc YD9401 upgrade module to go into my Digikeijs DR5000 controller. This upgrades a number of features, some that I'll probably never find myself using, but apparently improves reliability in some aspects too. Anyway, it's something that the crowds are doing, and the part came into stock (and straight away out of stock 🤣) at DCC Automation, so I cracked on and upgraded. It's a very easy upgrade with a couple of screws, swapped out the modules, then did some computery magic with the very easy-to-understand instructions and voila! The Z21 apps on my phones work as they did before, so now to keep an eye out for any problems that I once had! Bosh.

@melmerby mine arrived a minute after yours - wasn't expecting that! Anyway, I did the upgrade today, and I managed to get it to work. Well happy. Similarly to you Keith, I got the odd COM7 error message. I found it was just my PC being silly and sometimes having two of the programs open. Go into Task Manager (Ctrl Alt Del) and end all DR5000 or YD7001 programs. Then try again, usual double click etc. It should work. Or if not, try unplugging and plugging back in the USB lead to the controller. May have to restart the program a few times, but it does work. As long as you're following the instructions, you can't go wrong from there mate.

Similar to others, my module arrived today, installed, and just waiting for my activation codes! Exciting...

Oh wow that's impressive! Really caught the real thing well.

Looks absolutely brilliant that 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

After I sent the CMX round cleaning the mainline, I decided to give the Valley bombs a spin round. 20312 leading the train through Conwy on 6D43 from Crewe to Valley CS Fully loaded and after a spin round the triangle, 20312 leads the train through Llandudno Junction on 6K41. The more I take these photos of Junction, the more excited I am for getting the rest of the station building, and more importantly, the footbridge. It'd really complete the scene.

Oh yes, still going strong. Hope you're keeping well Neil.

Been nearly 4 months since my last update! Nothing much has happened, but the Bachmann Virgin 57 has now gained the Illuminated Models lighting kit to give it the correct marker lights. Unlike the Arriva one I did a year or two ago, I've decided to only wire up one end of the loco given it'll always be coupled, and it'll allow me to have reds on the 'front' when coupled and nothing on the inside. It's a fiddly kit to fit, but worth it. Even if Illuminated took forever to send them out with zero comms 🙄

Delicious update! Really like the finish you've made on them MHAs! They look absolutely spot on especially.

This is a great announcement. One that I saw was being demanded for on all corners of the internet, and I'm very glad Revolution have taken it up. Just hope Bachmann don't pull a blinder now 👀🤣 Now, if they could follow suit with the Peps, I'd happily snap a couple of Merseyrail ones up 😉 Link to website article if the Facebook link above doesn't work https://revolutiontrains.com/revolution-upscales-to-offer-320-321-in-00/

That's smashing! Really looking good. Regarding the bogies, contact Hornby Spares direct. I've had parts that've not been listed anywhere before off them and they've been pretty good about it in fairness.