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I know you have a strong preference for DC, but please don’t consider some of the comments on here as representative of DCC issues. Many are simply people not understanding the laws of physics, many of which apply equally to DC layouts. For example, trying to power locos that require more power than you are able to supply. Both DC and DCC can be made to operate well and different people will have different preferences. I guess, if we all want simplicity, wind-up didn’t need any wires… Roy

How come you escaped the fumes when the trawlerman has stayed? 🤣🤣🤣 I still think he's looking for his boat........

My DJM and EFE J94/WDs all have as much lead stuffed into the smokebox as I can. It helps them stay on the track, but there are parts of NO PLACE that a Hornby or Dapol J94 can reach that a DJM/EFE can't. The Dapol/Hornby has exceptional track holding. Les

Hi all. I have had the above controller for 3 months and am brand new to model railways. I have built my first layout 8 ft x 5ft 8ins using Peco 100 track and all Electrofrog points. I have 2 Bachman class 08 shunters. One is a very early one which has a Loksound V5 decoder and a stay alive capacitor fitted. I have been having trouble with random stopping with this Loco appearing dead since I started using it. I have sent it to Bachman who were able to service the wheels and pick-ups and they say it works perfectly, they also say the motor is 100%. When I had the decoder fitted it was also tested and was working perfectly there also. After a few conversations with Bachman and the decoder fitter, the subject of the controller voltage output came up as it is 14.3 volts. Both think this is too low and should be more in the 16 -18 volt range. The other Bachman class 08, which also has the Loksound V5 and the same type of stay alive fitted, has no problems and my Bachman class 37 also works perfectly. So the consensus is that this particular loco class 08 needs another 1 - 1.5 volts to operate smoothly. So can I get the DCS 52 to deliver more volts by changing its power supply which states that it should be 13.8 volts input? This will void the warranty of course. I was thinking of changing the controller for say an NCE Powercab but again the output voltage is at the high end of 13 volts. My track has many droppers and 26 points using MP1 and MP4 motors. I am at a complete loss as to what else to do. Any information and help would be very much appreciated.

Hmmm. Perhaps it's time the world heard about the trials and tribulations of getting an 85 year old Beeza single back on the road? With interesting anecdotes such as finding bits of discarded Wet & Dry paper lurking in the oil tank & crankcase casting abuse for the beginner. It could work, and I could do with a free sub.

We are and we do but like someone much smarter than me once said, few plans survive contact with the ‘customer’ (to paraphrase) :) The kinks are ironed out now and we will be able to much more proactively advise customers of their order states both by email and in the account t gui / status page to provide reassurance and visibility for preorders. As always we appreciate feedback and critique. Its what keeps us on our toes and continually improving.

A scour of various groups suggest last seen: 3362 - 8/4/2016 3232 - no record, but flickr suggests its been with wcrc since 2018 (ex cargoD set) 6021 - 2/4/2018 9391 - 24/6/2013 so more long term returnees

The HM7000 18 pin decoder is pretty massive so I suspect you can't get one into a TT gauge J50 and leave enough weight for the loco to pull itself round the track... Les

I Can't Stand the Rain · Tina Turner

Innie is the winner for me. Possibly with the addition of a runaround loop on the closest platform line.

Wow! No wonder Cavalex's models can pull more than any others I've seen - the magnets they must be using can even hold locos upside down on the track!!! Seriously though, I am pleased to see that there is a selection of different running numbers between Cavalex and Accurascale offerings... planned or not by Accurascale. To that extent, also to Hornby's releases, albeit some crossovers. My view of the Cavalex 56 was that it is a fantastic model and one that gave me a lot of faith in a new manufacturer to the OO diesel loco realm. The sound recordings and playback fidelity of the 56 were probably the best I have ever heard on a model and that would give me plenty of confidence for Cavalex's 60. Fair play though, Accurascale's Class 60 may be cheaper but that does not necessarily mean any less good. There are a number of one off liveries that could pose a difficult choice but imagine if both did the other of the pair of 60006/60033 in British Steel blue - for those with DCC sound, each loco could sound different, making it sound like a pair of locos rather than two in a hard-tiled room! True, you can always fit your own choice of DCC Sound supplier's offerings to add more variety but with two suppliers, they will most likely/definitely be different. Cavalex - I am still intending on getting at least one or two (maybe more) as you have won me over with the 56 and my choices have not greatly changed. But I will admit there also looks to be at least one or two of interest from the other team too. Thanks, Ixion.

Hi Guys, arrived down at Norden today. Booked into a nice camp site at Norden Farm just a 15 min walk from the station. We had a recce to the station this afternoon as we have tickets for travel tomorrow. Our first trip to the line. We were treated to seeing five of the Battle of Britain/West Countries and Merchant Navies today. Got some nice video to upload later. Cheers, Ade.

I don't know about anyone else, but to me, Atlas O Evans 53ft Boxcars seem to ride a bit too high, looking a bit 'stalky', with a lot of daylight under the body. I've lowered the ones I already have, but with it's silver trucks, this latest aquisition of a Union Pacific example is an ideal one to demonstrate the issue. The excess height is most noticeable with the roof line, and the trucks. On the prototype the trucks are quite tucked up under the body :- On the model, they aren't... Next to another boxcar, the roof is higher by a few mm - enough to notice when looking along the train... So.... next post (due to photo download limits); how I lower the car....

Those are wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing

Good evening, everyone. This evening we have a further four photo’s to enjoy seeing. They are courtesy of John Turner, on Flickr. The first one is a view of English Street goods warehouse & loading dock, Hull - 26th June, 1958. It is a photo’ which shows the size of the warehouse and the vehicles, both road and rail that serviced it. The second photo’ shows Immingham (IM) allocated 20026 (Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn Ltd, 12/1959) along with unifitted 20T CAO Goods Brake Van B953364 (built Faverdale 1956, Diag 1/506, Lot 2868), as it shunts the local daily freight trip at Cherry Tree, Beverley, East Yorkshire - c1980. The next photo’ is a view of E52088 heads a class 123/124 'hybrid' dmu as it departs Hull Paragon station on the 18th April, 1981. Finally, it’s time for a photo’ of 55008 'The Green Howards' at Hull with train, 1A28, the 16:30 Hull to King's Cross, on the 22nd May, 1981. Best regards, Rob.

What a fantastic memory Roy, Thanks for posting. Is it really almost 61 years ago? Other than the wonderful human interest, the position of the B1's worksplate is interesting, and when I fitted the conduit for the electric lighting on my model of 61213, I stretched it straight. Wrong! Regards, Tony.

Good evening, David. It’s great to see you today, and I hope you are feeling a bit better. That’s a delightful selection of photo’s at Olten in northern Switzerland, from the 6th August, 1988. C10289, of C5/6, 2958, is a superb three quarter front view of the locomotive. Very best regards, Rob.

We get a lot of this sort of thinking causing people from being distracted from getting current kit working properly. When you can pour a jerrycan full of electricity into a wagon as quickly as you can a jerrycan of diesel, and it has as much energy within that 23kg weight, then I will be interested. Oh yes, and jerrycans don’t burst when you chuck them 6’ off the back of a wagon onto the deck, so that the people needing fuel can quickly grab them, take to a secure and/or secluded area, and then fill up. They don’t need special cables etc… either! A cynical armoured soldier

No he wouldn't. He would have much preferred something he could do for himself, preferably made from scrap materials. If he could do a job with some wire and blocks of wood, or with a microprocessor, there would only ever have been one choice. His wiring method has nothing to do with the way the crossing noses are wired, so if that was a problem for you, then you weren't doing it how Peter Denny wired Buckingham. His was based on the signals being linked to isolating sections. Pull the signal lever and the track is live to the required controller. If you have a feed to the track and it needs a switch, then having that switch working together with the operation of the signal doesn't add much wiring at all. I have wired my new layout using the Buckingham method and found it easy and logical. I spent a few hours operating Buckingham this morning and as a control system, it is still the best I have seen. I had been considering trying DCC for some of my own modelling but once I saw how Buckingham works, I much prefer the Buckingham way. The operation is so simple and logical. Set the points, pull the signals and turn the controller for the vast majority of moves. If any system can beat that for intuitive and realistic operation, I have yet to see it.

There was also Stsndard Wagon of Heywood. Still building wagons but also doing repairs & conversions on site - mainly private owner fleets. it was fed by regular trips workings from BR yards you then had BR workshops - Doncaster Works had a big wagon shop - later bought by RFS and now run by Wabtec. They built, overhauled & converted wagons there for BR including MGRs, CDAs, Steel Hoods, Autoballasters etc Crewe Works also overhauled wagons including private owner (I saw TTA tanks there in the 1980s).

Weather allowed! Regards Fred

The answer is in your first three words. Self-published.

Hi, the gen mill was buzzin today, word was out that a class 76 was due to be hauled through, en route from Reddish to Derby Loco Works, and talk of a breakdown train move with a 'rare' 37 in charge. Or put another way, it was my pleasure to host @Phil Mason of this parish, to a visit and operating session on HPJ. By special request he turned up with some goodies....... 25125 seen hauling 76047, entered the loop, but I think there was a suspect hot box on the EM2, so the decision was taken to recess the train the yard for a while. Backing into the far sidings..... A nice view of the 76. This was a recent scratch built 'dummy' example which Phil built to supplement the roster on his Bluish exhibition layout. This 76 debuted at the Belper railex in March. I think its all ok now, the 76 is looking good. After a quick cuppa the crew are moving off again for the short run to Derby. That's it for uploads at the moment, some more to come. Cheers D.

November Rain....Guns N Roses

More ECS moves today, reported elsewhere as: 37518 5Z37 to Fort william Fri 7 June with CDL Mark 2s 3362, 3232, 6021 & non CDL fitted 9391