Gilbert

I've used their Simplex sound in two tin turtles in SM32 and a friend has few locos in 09 - it really is very good. Chris H

I think making contact with the seller in a spirit of enquiry would not hurt...Peco will probably charge for sprues. I know this. Chris H

You can hard wire - sometimes the plugless decoders are cheaper...so.....red and black to the track..orange and grey... the other way....

If anyone is at the Weston Show on 14th January I'll be happy to show and tell with my Powercab set up - I'm there with Penmaenbach. https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/y2024/25857-BurnhamandDistrictModelRailwayClub_Exhibition Chris H

and furthermore I am sufficiently comfortable with that arragement I can (just about) keep something moving while conversing with any interested spectators - I operate from the front/side of my layouts and get frequent questions...

I see what you did there....

One rather basic reason I like the Powercab - apart from the ease of simple programming (for me) and the ability to use a stack of 6 locos with the recall button (for fellow operators who don't have to enter loco numbers) - is single handed use of a chunky bit of kit easy to hold in my dodgy left hand with thumb control while the more dexterous (sorry) right hand is available for other tasks such as the occasional contribution to uncoupling or drinking tea... Chris

Photos of 60024 from Saturday's Farewell DB 60s Pathfinder tour have been added to my Flickr Album ...and here's 60024 at Banbury during a brief lunch break.

I've been through my Flickr page and set up a 60 Album...click on the photo..

I find a stay alive desirable with sound as even the smallest interruption in power (which may not be noticeable in stealth mode on either DC or DCC ) knocks the sound off otherwise..its also why - in my inexpert experience - some momentary shorts are only noticeable with sound locos... Chris

I'm not sure if its sensible but I tend to test a Dcc layout with a DC supply and a meter as it immediately shows up polarity etc on frogs... Chris H

Caption added to all photos!

Very enjoyable and worth the train ride from Bristol - although I did fork out for the £15 weekend supplement to travel 1st as each leg was a single ride courtesy of XC. The venue is very close to Manchester Oxford road and I followed the advice from MMRS to change trains at Stockport - thanks for that. I queued for less than 2 minutes to get in with my advance ticket - which happily came with no additional booking fee or "email charge"... A nice combination of layouts and traders - I also caught up with a few friends and contacts. Short queues at the in-hall catering and a very nice sausage "barm" ( it looked like a bap to me.....) My album is here - click on York - I will add better captions as and when I can. Chris H

I get at least failed one email or text from "Evri" everyday...which is amazing as I have failed to respond to all those "Amazon account frozen" emails as well....

I've had my two from Derails. They look excellent and have weight which is excellent I've installed KDs for use on Penmaenbach - I found the legs of the couplers needed a little "bending" upwards to ensure they fitted with the height gauge....and I popped the NEM pockets out of the mountings with a knife blade to make TL removal and KD installation a little less fraught....the NEM connections look very delicate.... Chris H

Always a show worth a trek north so I've just bought my ticket for Saturday..hopefully the trains will be OK.... Chris

Yes - I have a large box of sea foam which may get raided as well...the trees on Penmaenbach were done with sea foam:

Mine is copper wire from battery cables:

Its aspiring to be a small oak. Give it a go - its fun. I've been mainly influenced by Gordon Gravett and Paul Bambrick FWIW. Chris H

Keep up at the back....

Today I have mainly been making trees...

This photo of Midford shows the type of fence I've tried to re-produce at the front:

I faked a fence with just uprights - using the S&D type that appear in many photos with substantial posts (?concrete) with two thin metal uprights in each gap. I then just attached the hedges (horsehair with scatter) by eye and use da bit of PVA. This photo - stolen from a Facebook page posted by Stephen Brooks shows the type with one upright in each gap but it shows what I'm on about - even if this is GWR with S&D above!

Thanks for the kind words. Tufts are certainly a useful addition to our scenic portfolio. In terms of TB I plan to add some hedges running along the wire fence as well to soften things visually... ChrisH

Today at Newport...