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I mean common sense wise that just can’t be right ! The mk2d with CDL is off the platform so you have to walk through the mk1 so that you presumably alight from the next mk2 . So an opening door next to a platform could be two coaches away at the extreme and one coach away at best . Can this be legal? Also even though the mk1s are not for passenger use surely folks going to the toilet must be considered “ passenger use “ .

No longer a problem. ;-)

Ifg it's a case that the contact makes mechanically but not electrically then a "hint" of Track Magic may just do the trick. AFAIK it's a product based on an aerospace product.

Shared legal responsibility is a recipe for confusion, buck passing and legal wriggle room. There's nothing preventing a manufacturer offering a warranty and return to base service, and many do, but ultimately UK consumer law puts responsibility with the seller. That is clear and unambiguous. The seller will have their own relationship with the distributor/manufacturer.

Which would be a great shame. The Caprotti was on display yesterday and looked very promising I have to say.

Ian, if my pre-orders are not up to scratch, they'll be going back end of. Purchasers need to send manufacturers a clear message and return expensive models, which are substandard or don't hit the mark!

Good points Mike. I'm begining to wonder if part of the problems are servicing the shareholders. Over the years I have dealt with a number of plc's (probably up to or near the size of Hornby plc) who have "gone public" to raise funds for expansion & when they move into profit start to buy back the shares (& they were astute enoungh to retain controlling interest). At the end of the day it seems to me that the "tennants" of a certain building at Westwood (whoever they actually are this week) go from finacial crisis to crisis like a wheel that never stops (unless the crackpin fall off).

One interesting thing about Kader is the way its manufacturing numbers have changed and improved. The reason for this is that it was selling - to subsidiaries - model railway items too cheaply. As a result - taking the Bachmann Europe example in particular, retail prices in the UkKwere basically too low for what was being offered but the company was making good profits. What Kader did to sort out its problem was increase the ex-factory price to the likes of Bachmann Europe. This in turn meant higher UK retail prices from Bachmann and also had the effect of turning that company into a loss maker until it too sorted out its balance between ex-factory prices from Kader and its retail price - and returned to profitability. Thus what Kader did through that change was move profit from that particular subsidiary back to the internal books of the parent company. Kader's manufacturing is of course much wider than model railways, for example its die-casting factory in China sells mainly (if not completely?) to the automotive industry both in China and overseas. Plus there has been debate within the company about concentrating its plastics moulding and assembly business on simpler, but more profitable, products than complex railway model - fortunately model railway products still seem to be continuing and hopefully that strategy won't change but tempus fugit

Yup, got the T shirt and matching baseball cap on that one, dealing with those who think a project can be successfully executed by the power of positive thinking alone. <sigh> With the added 'fun' of the problem often being 10 time zones and several thousand miles away! Returning somewhat to topic, for sure there will be a point at which the design will have been frozen, presumably based on a very limited test of samples which won't be exactly production standard, so no great shock it goes wrong now and again, seemingly for some manufacturers more than others.

Layout looks great and second the comment about the photographic backdrop behind. Out of interest, which loco is refusing to go forwards? I’ve got two, the Exe as delivered and the 1903 condition Yeo, I’ve noticed that there is very little clearance on the motion guard on the as built version and it occasionally catches. The 1903 version has a more cutaway version with extra clearance. The other thing to check is the pick ups. Have a Roco chassis under my Hunslet Mallet and it did the same. Turned out to be a pick up that had got dislodged somehow, in one direction it acted as a sprag in the spokes. Andrew Andrew

Let's ask the big boss @McC, would you care to comment?

Surely faulty products, if sent to the retailer, are then sent on to the manufacturer unless to is a very easy repair. But then, if repaired it is not 'new', and the retailer would lose out. I seem to recall Accurascale have sometimes encouraged bypassing the retailer on returns (as long as they are informed).

This one's a cracker....

What is missing are junction modules so this particular module set is restricted to a single circuit, but I guess if you add a junction you'd need a second table and it's no longer a table top layout.

Hi everyone, I'm looking at further enhancing my toolset & i have been looking into pantographs. I want to make some parts for some small 7mm locomotives mainly the frames & curved parts. I have relied on friends to make parts up for me which is slow & hence why i am looking into it myself. The tools my friends have are large industrial sized pantographs which are a little large for my small workshop & probably a little bit overkill for myself. I've been looking at the proxxon pantograph which looks pretty straight forward & simple to use. What i would like to know is how large the cutting plate is? I watched a video where someone did a 2.1 reduction for 7mm parts & wondered if it can do some valances for a 7mm loco or a set of frames. Nothing is going to be above a 4-4-0 or 0-6-0 type engine all rather small pre grouping types too. I would like to know if it is going to be able to do the job before i invest some money in it & if it isn't are their any other options available without costing heaven & earth. thanks for reading

Hi, I’m about to make some stay-alives but before I do, a few questions. First, can they be tested before connecting to the decoder, and how? Secondly, if I’m using a CT Elektronic DCX74z, do I need to program the decoder first? The motor will be a Faulhaber 1219 or 1016. Any advice most welcome. Nigel Hunt

Yep count us in, falling over a couple of months ago didnt help as i dont bounce! First time for everything and Kathy has permanent pain in her knees related to bunion surgery some fourteen years ago.

I'm pleased this exhibition appears to have gone down well, after the shock of January things are rocking and rolling again in the world of modelling. I would have liked to have gone, but as I've probably mentioned I don't so much like crowds these days, Key seems to attract them (which is good) and after the last Milton Keynes I am a little more reticent about attending, though the comments here suggest that the extra room that the NEC can offer has meant it wasn't so crowded perhaps in the halls.

I just reported what happened to Mum. I didn’t need an explanation of research protocols. It is like when Matthew was racially abused at infant school the head teacher explained it couldn’t have happened as they had an anti racism clause in their mission statement.

All very true, I prefer the Bachmann 37 over the AS one, but overall they are both extremely fine models. I think the AS 92 is one of the best models out there (along with their A Class), and the best AS model by far. Moving back to the subject matter, if someone is building a layout where the CDA is a signature model, is it worth holding off in case a better one comes along?

And that answers my next question 😎

The operative word in my post was "shared", therfore the customer would have the choice - deal with the retailer or the manufacrurer/distributor/importer. Retailers (the local model shop size) have a diffecult enough time making a living asa it is without having a considerable amount of funds tied up with dead stock (i.e. defective stock that they have paid for shunting back & forth between them & their supplier). It would be easy to set up (certainly for all of us here) ; 1) You have a faulty product. 2) You log on to the manufactures/distributor/importers webstore & obtain a returns/tracking/pre-paid label. 3) Pack & post it back to them. 4) Await your repaired/replace item. Or you could go through the retailer. If customers had a choice & went direct then I the quality control aspect would improve greatly.

This is the person making the module bases, looks like special runs and one man band so not always available but the idea surely must be something someone in the UK using a laser cutter could make too. https://toypooom.thebase.in/

Still debating names for the Castle, and since I bought up 7029… Clun(ky) Castle, anyone? Hardly going to be to scale once it’s done!