AndrewP

Thanks for the comment, unfortunately the wheels have groves where the traction tyre fits and it seems to derail on the points a lot which may be down to these groves. thanks for the thought. Andy

i'm looking for traction tyres for my sons Pendolino and there doesn't seem to be any of the recommended x5856 for sale - they seem out of stock. The x6030 seems to have same spec ie;10mm internal diameter, 2mm wide, 1mm thick - do you know if they work ok? or do you have other suggestion? I've heard about bullfrog snot and sounds like it might be the only alternative thanks Andy

Hi, I'm just trying to wiring up a layout with my son and we have 2 bay platforms and made some homemade red/green LED signals. we can switch the signals between red/green but wondered if there was a way we can wire them so they can only be set to green once the points are set for that platform. The points are what i think are called insul-frog (they isolate the track they are not set for). We only have a simple DC set up. thanks Andy

Thanks for these helpful comments, i also wonder about the dummy trailing unit lighting, is there a blanking plate for that? Andy

thanks Bartram, I'm quite new to this and where do i find instructions on fitting a decoder. I should have made clear i am only running DC. Andy

HI I have just bought from an auction site a Pendolino which is DCC ready but the lights don't work. It runs fine can be a bit slow responding but just wondered how to get the lights working. thanks Andy

I've just got a Hornby Pendolino off an auction site and the top piece of the pantograph is missing. Just wondering where to get a spare? I've done a search and can't seem to fnd anyone who sells spares. thanks Andy

Thanks John, do you mean buy a cheap controller with a 12v ac output just to be used for the turntable? sorry if i'm being a bit thick but i'm new to this an djust trying to get things going for my son. Andy

I have a standard Hornby R695 controllor but have just been given a motorised turntable that seems to need a DC output but the controllor only has 16vAC output. Just wondering if anyone can advise how to wire up the turntable? thanks Andy

Hi Crosland, at the moment it is by hand but plans are for a point motor. do you have ebay links for a microswitch? thanks

Hi, I am setting up a layout for my 4 year old son and I'm wanting to have an engine shed light come on when he switches the points for the engine to 'go to bed' as he says. How do i do it? If i wire the lighting to the track it is variable voltage and will only glow once the loco is moving. If i wire it through a switch using the 16v transformer output then it can be switched on/off regardless of the points. I would like to wire it so that when he switches the point it will turn on the shed light and when he stitches the point back the shed light goes off. I am thinking of using LED's. Any idea's?

thanks for the helpful replies, i think I'll try to borrow a different controller and see how that works... *** update, just got a triang jinty off ebay and that does exactly the same as the Hymek so, think it must be the triang locos and the power controller not getting on well with each other?

Hi, yes, that is the power bogie on the Hymek. Will the high current draw affect be the cause? Lot more complicated thank i thought - i just thought it was putting a train on a track and watching it go!! Andy

Hi smokebox, I'm using a Hornby R965 - would that be the same? (sorry to be a bit thick - don't know much about electrics and brought new to all this by my 4 year old son - but what does 'low power handling capacity mean? thanks Andy

Hi, i have a Hornby/Triang Hymek which runs great for the first few minutes then gets slower and slower until stopping, leave it to rest a couple of minutes and it comes back to life for a bit then slowing and stopping. Is overheating a problem? is there anything I can do??? thanks andy

thanks Tim, yes, i am controlling with a simple DC controller, but the light bulbs sound a good and simple suggestion.

first of all, apologies if this has been covered many times before but i am creating a very basic tram layout for my 4 year old (he loves Crich!) and we are making basic tram using an old Triang 4 wheel bogie and a home-made wooden body with his self painted livery! The problem is speed - my 4 year old doesn't always have the understanding that we can't go full tilt and i don't want to dampen his enthusiasm for trams by telling him off or just watching it fall of the tight bends each time. So i'm wondering if there is a simple electronic fix. (I'm not sure if my skills are up to fitting new ratio worm and cogs). Any thoughts? thanks Andy

I have just purchased a Hornby Toby for my son and frustratingly it only has a rear coupling. I have looked on ebay for spares and there seems to be a number of couplings that look the same an dcould fit - are they basically all the same or are there subtle differences. I am thinking about X8059, X9042, X9660. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Anyone has a spare they could post would be even better!! thanks,Andy

sadly don't do model railways any more - i called end of January and teh owner said they stopped model railways at Christmas

thanks for the tips and comments, really helpful and good to know these items of stock will be of use.

Thanks Rex, where might i get 'top hat bushes' from? by-the-way nice to see a modeler from 'High Peak'.

My 4 year old boy was given a very basic OO set for Christmas and we are just looking to build it up, i was amazed at the cost of things, especially with a 4 year old who doesn't really mind what things look like. Just wondering if anyone has any old stuff that they don't need to add to the layout or any bits of track/points they don't want. I'm in Buxton, Derbyshire, and would be willing to come and pick up. Thanks Andy.

I'm new to this so sorry if this is an old topic re-visited. My son (4 year old) is just starting a layout and we were given some Tri-ang coaches. Unfortunately when we run them they derail on the points and I have been told that the wheel profile (flange depth) is not compatible for the track, i have also been told that a simple replacement of new wheels won't work because the new axles have points where they run in the bogies whereas the Tri-ang ones have a through axle. Has anyone found a way to run this type of coach? Thanks