70000 Britannia

Many thanks for your responses Mike, Jo, and Roy. That's all useful to know. I assume the avoider is the track south/south-east of Westbury station, that passes Amazon Way. Dave

Hi folks, I appreciate this is at a tangent to the model. I am planning to travel from Lancashire down to Westbury to watch the real McCoy. Can anyone give me an idea of which are the busiest week day(s) to see movements going through Westbury? Thanks, Dave

From a system perspective, you might wish to install a circuit breaker.

Haven't posted for a while, just some photos of an exterior stairway/escape for one of the buildings in my Clayton End OO Stone Quarry Terminal section. It's been out on the circuit - so I think it is self-explanatory. The structure was created for the end building in the first image. Dave

😉 - you will have a pm, shortly.

Can't make this show, but I'm sure it will be well presented. Best wishes for the weekend.

Thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Thanks to all the team at Rainhill Club, for organising, hosting, and looking after everyone.

Definitely echo @Burnham-on-sea's comments, always a good friendly show. Looking forward to bringing our US O Scale layout this time: Arcadia Pennsylvania Terminal. Dave

Clayton End is all set up - looks like it is going to be an excellent weekend. Come and say hello. Photo courtesy Tony Wright. Dave

I like that speaker combination: Accurathrash (4 Ohm, 0.5W) + Sugar Cube (8 Ohm, I assume 1.0W?) I have the same decoder and Accurathrash but Just a "MINI BOX" Cube (8 Ohm, 0.5W). Not wired it up yet, as I'm waiting for some micro connectors. Has anyone tried the the MINI BOX. Would it be worth using, compared to the Sugar Cube with a reduced baffle box? Thanks, Dave

Jo, Getting puzzled now: are Class 66/7 daylights (Main + 2 Markers), different to 59/1 & 2s then? Dave

I'm guessing you have got into it way beyond my understanding - good luck.... I made the careless mistake of assuming that DC section 7 and DCC sections 8-10 would have some interrelationship, i.e. section 7's references to SW2 & SW3, using switch postions 3, and the function keys within F0-F5, in section 10. Also, I completely overlooked section 8, CV configuration, because I assumed my separately purchased Imperium 1 decoder would already have been configured. How wrong! I'm sure some of this has been raised in previous posts, but being used to spending half my time running US & Continental locos with [seemingly] much simpler lighting activations, it would be good to nail down e.g.: when markers only; Update: yard lights @Steadfast 12.12.2022 at 09:48 conditions demanding headlight and marker; Update: main line operation why right headlight at night? Logic says darkness is obvious enough. Updates: day lights for lineside safety (59/1, 59/2) @John M Upton 25.12.2022 at 09:30; day lights (59/0) @Steadfast 12.12.2022 at 09:48 and (59/2) 14/12/2022 at 20:05; see lights (59/0) @richard w 11.12.2022 at 19:47 NB: no rear lights, when in train, seems obvious. Dave

Thanks @Classsix T, @Steadfast and @97403_Ixion for your responses regarding the foreign objects with #59204. I agree, @Steadfast's 59 bogie frame below appears to be fully covered in the model. So far as the suggestion of loose foreign sprues in the box/loco, I'm not so sure. Whilst I'm receptive to the idea this could be a wildgoose chase, the parts are not what I'd consider bits of detritus. Just in case anyone might be able to rule them out, I've magnified the components 8x in the image following. I've also placed the 'piece' on the bogie frame, just to give some perspective. They do look manufactured components, but for what purpose remains a mystery. I'll happily just keep them in a bag, just in case anyone does have a similar experience. In the meantime, has anyone come up with a definitive CV/mapping solution to achieve the correct forward lights: I've seen cl 59 photos with just 1 headlight, headlight plus marker light(s), and what seems to be 2 headlights. Dave

All I can contribute is that I've had no problems with the rotating axle boxes - 59204 runs quite evenly/smoothly,

Dapol 59 Alert - "Mystery Critters" - Help! OK, hopefully this may generate some attention: the NP 59204 that I showed above, has produced a little mystery; these, for want of technical accuracy, I have called little critters!! On removing the body (very easy), I found one of these on my desk - they are only 5mm long. Checked the body (outside/inside), the chassis (end-to-end), and the bogies. Could not find any location at all where I/it may have removed itself from. You will note two little 'pins' that suggest they are perhaps a 'friction' fit (not glued). No success, after multiple re-scanning. Decoder fitted and body re-applied. Critter put in a self-seal bag for time being. Today, I remove the body, to look at the exhaust cover. Replaced safely, no issues - immediately afterwards, the 2nd "critter" appeared on my desktop. Again, multiple re-checking of all components - absolutely no indication of any "free/empty" location, anywhere - even looked in the cabs. Now, I'm not the sort to be careless with locos, and the little beggars do seem irrelevant. However, my little critters are so winding me up. Here's the take: challenge, can anyone find where they belong (evidence would be helpful to me, or anyone else subsequently afflicted). Or, are there any (serious 🙂) suggestions that would help. Just think, you could be the next "p**r s*d" to suffer. Dave

Hi, Some views and thoughts on my National Power 59204. Side views: Full view Cab 1 end Cab 2 End Personally, I think the colour scheme is fine. Runs out of the box quite smoothly, and no problems with the rotating axle boxes whatsoever. Noticed a slight light bleed when main headlight is on, but that is with the room lights off!! I expect that can be sealed. The finish is very good, and body removal is very straightforward. Cab interiors are easy to access. I'm happy with it, even though the exhaust block is indeed about 1.5mm over high, so something for the purists to address. Easy to fix though (update: see Exhaust mod - @richard w 13.12.2022. It will be running on Clayton End, at the Doncaster BRM show - so say hello. Hope that helps. Dave

This 2014 RWweb link appears to match a similar problem. Don't know if it helps. Dave

Just heads-up: Class 59s incoming!! Hattons notification received 5 mins ago - they have processed my pre-order and are about to despatch 59204 "Vale of Glamorgan" Merry Christmas!

Regarding the above posts: this is now on Dapol's News page. Hopefully, Hattons won't be far behind.

Have a look at CBRail's post, after yours. That shows a lighter roof shade. Think you'll find It's purely down to the lighting angles from different positions.

Now that's more like it! Regardless of the [understandable] perfect expectations by some, those images are very pleasing. Nothing is ever perfect in this world but those locos will do for me. Looking forward to my Hattons, September, pre-order arriving.

Looking forward to this exhibition - it's been a while since last visited.

Looking forward to being there again, this time with US O scale Arcadia Pennsylvania. Come and say hello - it is a very good show.

Ah yes, the fabled Dapol 59 class ....

Wow, that is nothing short of impressive.... for something that appears to aspire to being a slowly smouldering, mobile, cigarette holder. Just what I feared could be an outcome.