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Yes. Confirmed I have done the same and it’s perfectly loud enough. Video of how it sounds here:

Yes, absolutely loads. Need to find time to write it all up! I’ll leave this here for now… Guy

On the 119 front, I have a DC kits one on the go for Oldshaw that’s a stalled project. My plan was to produce some 3D printed sides. Guy

Very unlikely. When I spoke to the guys at Whatley it sounded like they’d be gone very soon. Guy

Hi Andy, I'm loving the rakes of ARC and Tarmac PGAs running on your layout. They are really nicely observed with a fully range of build codes and variations that are almost all big variations on the Lima/Hornby ones. I hope you don't mind me re-posting a couple of your Flickr shots here showing the variation? I'm working through the PGAs myself at the moment for Whatley and have my head buried deep in them! I've tried to pick photos that show all the different build codes used by ARC.... no fewer than 8 different ones here! I think the only one I'm aware of used by ARC that isn't in the rake is PG013E (but I don't think there were many of those used by ARC). Edit: oh and the salt hoppers too. I think here we have PG006C, PG005B, PG013D... Then PG004A, PG013B, PG016B And finally... PG003A, PG006B and PG004A (again) Superb modelling! Cheers, Guy

I used a Sugarcube and an EM1 together:

Will, that looks superb! I can't wait to see this up close at some point. You should be very pleased with it! I particularly like the corridor connections and the 'Not in Service' on the destination blinds. Guy

We should have a current member list on the door. Did you use your free ticket last year? Guy

The Showguide is now available via the DEMU webite with details of all of the exhibitors as well as an indicative space plan.

Can't wait! Pics so far look very nice. Guy

The leading wagon there is 17901 which was a one-off, slightly longer and had 4 hopper discharge chutes.

Not for basic operations, but because they don't provide feedback then you will have 'unknown' trains operating that will require you to tell the computer (manually) what they are. So more an inconvenience than anything else. I'm trying to gradually phase out all non-Railcom decoders. For me the future of DCC for large layouts is more down the Digikeijs/YaMoRc route: support as many protocols as you can to ensure maximum compatibility and therefore allowing more of a 'mix and match' approach to layout control. That said, I'm still interested to see how the dongle works when it comes out. Guy

Whilst you are right about ease of programming, I think you are kind of missing the point of what Railcom allows in terms of layout automation (feedback to a computer and not a handset). For me, this is the real use of Railcom, to know which vehicle is in which block. Makes setting up a large fiddle yard very easy as you don't have to tell the computer which train is where. I concede that this is 'advanced' stuff though and possibly not relevant to 99% of Hornby's target market. But I'm not sure I'd say Railcom is 'obsolete' on this basis. Guy

I don't.

Yes, good point! I realised this after I posted. Guy

A big Heljan O gauge loco draws a couple of Amps and with a few running at the same time (e.g. double headers) it soon adds up. I was more looking at the 8-10A boosters for the power districts on a friend's big O gauge layout but seeing the 30A Command Station and boosters has made me wonder whether separate boosters are needed. We could isolate the power districts with circuit breakers if we can find ones that trip at a high enough current. The Tam Valley ones I use max out at about 4A. They seem to do reasonably priced high current DCC decoders too (compared to other suppliers). Presumably you can't plug in a 30A booster with a 13A fused plug! Guy

Fair enough, that's pretty offensive Fran. I thought you were referring to Kev's post on Dean Park that MCC responded to (which also touched on the nationality question but with a much different angle). If that's really what was written about the 66, then that's totally out of order. Guy

It was on the Dean Park Facebook somewhere buried in a set of nested comments to one of the posts on the FNA-D.

Does anyone have any experience of these products from mXion: https://www.mxion.de/ They appear to do a 30A command station as well as 30A boosters. Could be useful for big O gauge layouts. Their 8A booster is keenly priced too and seems to have wide compatibility. Guy

It’s in the listing. Of course, the listing might be wrong…

Looks like its 1:68th Scale. So somewhere between S and OO. I wonder why not make it one of the common scales? Guy

Still not the promised 6TPH to Hanwell... :(

Weren't the 58s regular on the Park Royal Guinness workings? QED!

You know what that makes you, don’t you? 🤣 Wear it as a badge of honour! Means you care…

Don't worry, they are same price as Rails (more or less). Around 20% discount. Guy