Robin DL

I have a raised station area, 18ft by 2ft, constructed of 18mm ply (supported by three longitudinal beams) covered in roof felt. It has lasted 25 odd years but now needs replacing. Last time I used marine ply but that is now almost £200 for an 8 x 4ft sheet (and I need two), so the obvious question, what else could I use? Standard ply is about £35 a sheet so if I cover it better than I did last time would that last OK? Or are there any other materials now available that could be used?

Thanks Andrew; found some decoder wire which 0.55mm which should do. Also referred to as 'Ultra Fine'. Thanks for your help.

I need a few feet of that very thin insulated cable that is used in locos to wire up a tender-loco link; that which is on locos I have measures 0.4mm on the vernier, but I can't seem to find any of the usual suppliers selling it. Can anybody recommend anywhere?

My Mainline warship, bought second hand a couple of years back, has a motor problem I've not encountered before. When starting it hardly moves, needs a shove or two, or three, but eventually makes it slowly round a circuit. Then after another circuit or two it springs to life and performs just how you would expect. It seems to need to run for a few minutes to warm up. I've had it in pieces and cleaned it but with no affect, contacts etc all seem OK, so has anyone any other ideas?

Whole load of Lone Star stuff here on my Flickr page:

Many thanks Ron, that is exactly the answer(s) I'm after. Much appreciated.

I'm looking at adding a Hornby Bluetooth set up to my currently all DC layout; it seems the easiest (not to say cheapest) way to have just 2 or 3 DCC locos in amongst a largish fleet of DC. So, easy question, are my current controllers, one H&M Duette and 2 Gaugemaster with feedback, turned up to maximum suitable for use with the HM7000 system? (I know about the chip burn outs, but that doesn't seem to be controller-type related). I've asked Hornby specifically about the feedback but didn't get an answer.

I placed an order with the above on 8th January whilst some of their products were at a sale price; my order included a set that was at the regular price. At the time the website stated orders may take 4 weeks, and mentioned complaints on Forums about delayed deliveries. Well after patiently waiting nearly three months, three emails and a phone call later I have received nothing - phoning now gets the message - 'Oops, you need to check that number'. The website also now says they are in negotiations for a take over, but still says 'please allow 28 days for delivery'. I'm sure I can't be the only one in this boat; can any provide any information as to what is going on, and what the chances are of me every getting my order?

Many thanks to everyone for their replies and suggestions, very useful. I think I've worked out what I will try initially, using microswitches with wire actuator from the point, and see how it goes!

This looks a good idea; have you a couple of photos showing how you connect at each end?

This looks a good idea; have you a couple of photos showing how you connect at each end?

That sounds good; have you got a couple of photos you could post showing each end?

Yes that's the one idea I've come up with; you can get them only about half an inch long; I was hoping someone may have tried it and can show the results.

To operate signals and frogs, I have used Peco point motors with PL13 switches attached (not very reliable) and now gaugemaster Seep motors with a built in switch (much better) but a problem remains; how to fit a switch to a manually operated point. I have found blade contact on new Peco points to be a bit iffy, particularly on the newest 009 range, so have decided they need a little help. What is the best solution for adding a switch to a non-motorised point?

Brilliant Teaky, many thanks.

I'm just getting around to adding numbers to my three ratio clerestory kits from waaaay back, but can't find the instructions that will have the running numbers on. Is it possible someone could scan said instructions for me? Many thanks.

Thanks to everyone for their help and comments. In the end the solution was close to home as my son (an N-guager) realised he had one in his collection that may do and it turned out to be a near perfect fit. Some interesting comments about the Airfix auto-tank here; my own experience is that in its early days (when they were new) I replaced the grooved traction tyre wheels for regular smooth ones and had no trouble at all running 2-coach auto-trains up my gradients, which it is doing once again after all these years. It still has its original 6 plunger contacts (but I did get hold of half a dozen spares sometime so must have had concerns about them) and now newly cleaned after a 10-year gap runs very smoothly at a snails pace. Of my other Airfix locos, the tender drive Scot, Castle and Fowler all run much better with the central traction tyres removed (less wobbling and less derailing but with no apparent loss of pulling power), and it was the Prairie that I always had trouble with and still do - very erratic runner! Thanks again.

I am getting my Airfix Auto-tank back to running order but have managed to lose the spring that provides the connection between the bottom motor terminal and wheel contacts; it's on the pin protruding from the bottom of the motor. This must have happened to someone before, does anyone know of a suitable replacement? I was thinking amongst the pony-truck springs, carbon brush springs etc there must be one similar enough.