Mike Harvey

Although these are analogue sets, it would be interesting to find out what the DCC capability will be - NEM651 six pin, Next 18, or Kato’s own bespoke decoders.

https://www.revolutiontrains.com/product-category/oogauge/ecofret-fwa-container-flats-oo-4mm/ Order book closes 31 January 2021.

Just on the DCC compatibility it is worth noting that the most recent TGVs have had six pin NEM651 DCC sockets. See page 4 of the attachment. Kato do not mention the DCC capability, just referring to it in the instructions as a way to isolate the lights on the power cars when two sets work in multiple. https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/kato-model/schedule/pdf/202009241821385f6c652214b4c/thalys_pba.pdf

Pleased you got it sorted. Magnets, of course, have a mind of their own. I converted some N Fleischmann Profi couplers to magnetic operation. Magnetic repulsion was being used to actuate the uncouple function. The couplers had 1mm diameter x 1mm long magnets in them for which the orientation of the poles was critical. I devised a reference magnet, picked up the 1mm magnets from it with a scalpel, and , hopefully, wiped them into a predrilled 1mm hole in the coupler the correct way up. Worked 95% of the time but there were still a few strays. :-)

I have not used reed switches. Maybe worth rotating the reed 90° along its axis to realign the contacts.

Plenty of lookalikes in the continental ranges across all scales, for anyone who fancies a carve, cut and shut conversion.

Apologies for giving a useless link. As others have pointed out the Shark topic under KR Models confirms that KR Models bought the CADs from the liquidators. KR Models’ post on February 18, 2020 is one example.

KR Models say they bought the CAD from the liquidator. I think you can safely put your doubts to one side. https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=48182.msg617017#msg617017 The liquidator did not claim the ownership of the Shark tooling, but they did have the Shark CAD which was sold to KR Models.

My comment was based on KRModels saying they bought the CAD from the liquidators. Are you suggesting that is not true? https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=48182.msg617017#msg617017 Tooling may already have been produced from the CAD and held by the factory rather than DJModels or the liquidators.

KR Models only bought the CAD. Looks like EFE Rail/Kernow? have the tooling.

This has just been drawn to my attention, for anyone keen on the former ABS models. http://www.kwtrams.co.uk

@Paul ColesThanks for clarifying your role. Maybe it would be worth publicising here that you now hold the rights to the range.

I am obliged to @Paul Coles for alerting me to these car kits being on sale at KW Trams. Sample link to two of the Wolseley kits. http://www.kwtrams.co.uk/products?search_api_views_fulltext=wolseley&f[0]=field_product_category%3A39

@Paul Coles I am not sure where I was mistaken. The MBF have been long term stockists of ABS Streetscene road vehicle ranges, and have stocked and sold to their members over decades. As I said I was unaware whether they had the car moulds. You have now pointed us towards KWtrams selling the cars. As this is your first and only post I am not aware of your relationship to KWtrams, ABS Streetscene or the MBF. I can confirm that I am a member of the MBF, former customer of ABS, and have no relationship with KWtrams.

A less detailed 2mm scale one is on Shapeways. Maybe the designer could be encouraged to upscale and add the extra details suited to the larger scale. https://www.shapeways.com/product/5BZBQN2SS/plateback-bogies-for-ici-hopper?optionId=63668570&li=marketplace

I don’t think the acquisition by the MBF was focussed on the cars at all. They acquired the bus related spares stuff which they have stocked and sold over many years to their members. So a really strong supporter of Adrian Swain’s business. This is a continuing service to members who have been starved of the products as ABS production was curtailed in frequency. The purchase from ABS included some packed car kits which are now being offered to their members. I do not know whether they have the car moulds and intend to rerun them after packed kits have run out. I do not think that selling the packed cars is intended to encourage people to join the MBF. They will sell them all to their members without a problem. But anyone who wants to buy them from the MBF needs to be a member. I am not aware of anyone who has been selling the car kits in recent years, probably because ABS had stopped promoting the range as Adrian’s health got worse.

12000 loaves a day. Must have a decent catchment area, and distribution set up.

@richierich As in my original post the only kits offered to members by the MBF are the 16 cars and taxis listed on the link. The full bus kits are not currently offered.

Following the passing of Adrian Swain, the Model Bus Federation (MBF) completed its planned acquisition of many of the bus and some other items from the ABS Streetscene range. Some of these are now available to MBF members from the members only shop. As well as the vast range of model bus parts (wheels, radiators/front panels, stairs, wings, seats, bus stops, street furniture. etc) suitable for scratchbuilds and conversions, there are 16 1/76 scale car kits from the 1930s to 1950s. The range is shown under cars and taxis on this page, in case there is anyone who wants to join the MBF to access them. The caravan appears not to be available, and some of the items carry different numbers in the MBF shop. The Taxi is an Austin FX2, but not currently available. http://www.87thscale.info/abs.htm

Looking at the cyclists thighs, as you say, one set is on the wrong legs. I don't know if the video on this page might help. Based on the original version but the principle is probably the same. https://www.magnorail.com/en/faq

Have you room for a short funicular?

My sliders all have the locating peg back and front outboard from the magnets, so two holes in the underside of the vehicle, and reversible if the magnet polarity is the wrong way round. Pleased that Magnorail is fulfilling its appeal.

I have to confess that I did not worry too much about N and S conforming to the Magnorail standard. I did as you have done and then made a reference magnet, basically a magnet embedded in a piece of foamboard with N written on it in Red. Thereafter I marked the magnets by attaching them to the reference and colouring the end pointing away from the reference in red. . All my red ends point towards magnetic north. I am only using cars, trucks and buses so I just make sure that the road magnets have a red magnet facing up ahead of a red magnet facing down in the direction of travel. For the slider the same convention applied red up ahead of red down. Sometimes I put the slider on the wrong way round when changing a vehicle. After a few inches travelling in reverse I discover the error and flip the slider through 180° horizontally.

Richard I load up the chain and join the links through one of the return wheels. The links need to be at 45° to each other for joining up anyway so there is no real advantage in doing this at the motor. Doing it on the return wheel base provides a solid work platform. Anywhere else you are dangling the chain above the channel with potentially dire results if the assembled chain slips to one side. Don't ask how I know. With the return wheel removed there is space to lay the links at 45° to each other and feed the chain on towards the motor. You can change the sequence and spacing of the magnet links on the wheel by having a few spare links with the different magnet spacings to give a float.

Back in the early 1980s coal dust was a serious problem because blow off settled in the ballast, blocking drainage, and producing wet spots, leading to rail damage. With dry coal, a loaded train passed by a 100mph express such as in the Trent Valley, could produce visible blow off. Wetting the load reduced the blow off, but in the end, the raised cape was more effective. I attended dozens of meetings between BR, CEGB and NCB trying to get the best balance between the practices across a range of collieries, power stations, and rail routes.