Mark Laidlay

Is anyone having trouble with these locos shorting continually on plain track. Ross has two and they both do the same thing straight out of the box on DCC.

Any recent update on delivery date? Mark in Melbourne

My first involvement with a Deltic was in May 1980 during my first trip to the UK was with a group of modelling friends. The most experienced traveller (Walter Stuchbery) suggested a trip to Peterborough and back (to London) would be good entertainment for the evening. We all had Britrail passes so there was no incremental cost. We sat in the closest coach to the Deltic (unknown number) just to get the maximum aural experience even though we had first class passes. That would have been my fastest train ride at that time although we rode on a 125 a few days later. Even with all the excitement I suspect I fell asleep on the up journey, Wally Stuchbery was the main driver behind bringing Scotsman to Australia in 1988, I get the feeling that some in the UK view that trip unfavourably but it happened I have some good memories from the visit. Mark in Melbourne

I don't know what mine cost by the time I got it to Australia but I put two RG4s in it and a bit of weight, total is about 1.5kg. no model train can be assembled that will stop it.

Dare I mention "Dead Rail"? Bluetooth decoder with on board battery, maybe charged on live track while sitting in staging or loco depot...

Increased chance of future failure.... Mark in Melbourne

Not curing, I was very careful to say that DCC can mask problems. This is done by the BEMF function and the close relationship between the decoder and motor in a loco. Obviously it's not a good idea to cover up a problem that will probably come back to cause trouble later. I've never seen "masking a bad mechanism" advertised as a feature of DCC but aren't BEMF controllers and specific motors used by some modellers to give a similar result? Mark in Melbourne

I'm surprised to read of sweet running DC locos becoming worse when fitted with a DCC decoder. My experience (as discussed over lunch back in early May (or was that at York)) is that a good quality decoder will mask problems when installed in a loco giving the appearance of a smooth running loco (that actually has a problem or two). Are you reporting the opposite? What's the quality of the decoders involved?

I recognise that 47 class from my trip around GB in April, I equated it to the lurking VW Beetle seen on some Top Gear challenges.

What about non-Loconet decoders or is the only output via those loconet looking connections? Mark in Melbourne

Thanks Nigel, next step would be the configuring of routes or macros, can that be done via a DTM30?

Has anyone used a DTM30 to drive Digitrax stationary/accessory decoders? Mark in Melbourne

Found it thanks. I don't normally frequent British prototype modelling sites but as I do have an admiration of the LNER I've made an exception and am following Tony on his musings. I model the Victorian Railways in H0 scale. "Victoria" is an Australian state, not the Victorian era, I'm sort of in the 1960s transition between steam and diesel. I do read RM, BRM, MRJ and US magazines as many products and techniques work across all prototypes and scales. For example the coaches in the attached photo are coupled using Keen kinematic couplings and they do go around 30" (762mm) curves. So I am using a British product on H0 scale kit built (milled styrene) coaches from the 1937 Spirit of Progress which ran in Victoria between Melbourne and Albury. At Albury the passengers had to get out of the nice new train and get in older NSWGR Stephenson Gauge stock to continue the overnight trip to Sydney (a big city somewhere north of Victoria). I have also attached photo of some unweathered RTR stock that is available now-a-days in Australia (Chinese sourced of course)

April 9th then June 17th unfortunately, it sounds good,

So if I am reading it right the only exhibition on May 1st is Leeming Bar or the open day at Cleveland. Unfortunately they won't work with Bristol on the Sunday.

I'm here in the UK for a "once in a life time trip" from Australia and want to do as many exhibitions as possible over the next three weekends. I have Bristol, Severn Valley and Expo EM on the list but surely there are more while I am here. All the better if the Australian prototype Broadford was coming out. Mark from Melbourne

I'm worried about the wheels and my code 70 track. What are recent Marklin offerings like on wheel standards?

I'll be there, probably Saturday, we are riding behind 60103 on the Sunday. Mark from Melbourne

What prices are people seeing on the Marklin DCC A3?

I don't see any exhibition listed on the weekend of May 6-7th. I understand there is another event on in London but surely there is something I can do. I am visiting the UK with a Railway Modelling friend and want to max out the exhibition action. We can ignore the Coronation. Mark in Melbourne

So is the Website correct? Copenhagen Fields will be there? I'm coming from Australia and it's on my shortlist to see (along with Broadford in H0 multi gauge).

I'm visiting the UK in April and May and want to see the Australian (Victoria) "Broadford" at an exhibition if possible. Anyone know how I might find out where I might find that layout?

Most prototype passenger coaches around the world have couplings up near the floor height. British models tend to have couplings down below the buffer/floor height. I am modelling an Australian passenger train which has full width diaphragms and I want close coupling on straight track and nothing hanging down low as per the photo. Has anyone come up with some way of using Keen couplings to meet my needs? Could I mount them higher in the body or up side down even?

I think the ROD 2-8-0 was done as a H0 scale kit for Australian consumption as some were used in Australia after WW1.

There are very few modellers who correct the gauge for broad gauge in Australia. There's no commercial support or agreed standards in H0 scale. I've got ideas and a few supplies for a small layout using EM standards as per the Broadford layout on the exhibition circuit in the UK. 0 scale is a different matter, modellers in BG states use 1:48 which give 5' gauge while those in SG states (one state only really) use 1:43.5. Other states are historically NG at 3'6" so Sn31/2 suit them on 16.5 gauge track. There is a justification for using under-gauge track as has been alluded to in the discussion on the H0 Marklin A3, if the rail gauge is correct the over-scale wheels and valve gear clearances pushes the cylinder centres out but if you leave the wheel faces in the right spot and move the flanges (and track gauge) in the loco is more correct. Of course this is the original justification for 00 (nothing to do with motors) as it allows the splashers to be closer to the right width. Of course the track looks wrong but that was ok in the '30s when 00 was invented.