Chris M

My new hobby is drifting

My thunderstorm sound effect which somehow manages to be loud across the whole hall attracts comments from fellow exhibitors......

One of the regular operators of this layout is very keen on DCC has two DCC layouts of his own. His view is that, whilst his layouts are better with DCC, he thinks this layout is best served the way it is with DC. Having operated his layouts I would agree. There doesn't need to be conflict or arguement, just respect for each other.

 With the exception of a circle of set track and a single engine , DC in reality , has little to commend it .  

  !

Somehow I get by in dc with two controllers

https://youtu.be/bkvb_p6c-VQ

The expression "DC luddites" is extremely insulting and should be withdrawn by the poster with an apology. I spent most of my working life in IT and, based on my business analysis knowledge and experience, have chosen to use DC. It meets my requirements better than DCC. If people want to use DCC that is fine by me but don't for one minute think that those of us who choose DC are in any way stupid or outdated.

Although I am very much a DC person and have no plans to change I am very happy to play with friend's DCC. Here is a very short video which shows some of the advantages of DCC - permanent lights, controlled sound and banking.

https://youtu.be/tXKFPS0aO7c

I have taken part in banking manouvres using DCC and agree this would be much more difficult, if not impossible, with DC. Great fun!

Sorry but I do get bored with people telling me how good dcc is. Yes dcc is fine if thats what you want, the advantages have been hammered home ad nauseum. DC will suit some better and DCC others better. Personally I like the two big advantages of DC - cost and the fact that pressing just one button to change the points automatically selects the correct loco. I'm not bothered about keeping lights on or sound. For others it will be the other way and that is fine but lets not keep trying to tell each other which way is best because one size does not fit all.

In my experience BPRC is by far the best method. I use this for some locos out in the garden and absolutely love it. You simple cant beat carrying the power on board the loco for exceptionally smooth running over points etc. The batteries add weight which is also a good thing. Having said that I can't see me even contemplating BPRC on my N gauge layout in the forseeable future but I am seriously thinking about installing batteries and a chip into an old OO diesel just out of interest.

The model press do seem to have had an awful lot of articles over the last few years banging on about how great dcc is and how we should all be using it. I did find it a bit tiresome last year; it seemed as though at least one magazine was sponsored by dcc concepts. The simple answer is that if you don't like the articles in a magazine then don't buy it. 

Cant see it matters one jot whether featured layouts are dcc or not. Its about the design and the effect achieved.

Where do I vote for battery powered radio control?

They seemed to have some fairly serious alignment problems caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the track as the temperature changed and/or the sun fell on different sections over time. Whilst I can see the merits in Kevin's idea, I do wonder if it would encounter the same problems.

 

 

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Can't see this being a problem in Scotland!

G would be more sensible than O. G locos are designed to cope with rougher track work and all weathers. This is not a requirement for most O gauge locos.

in reality there is rarely much to criticise on new models. In thes days we have forums and Facebook where any issues are quickly raised. If magazine reviews missed major problems they would soon be under discussion here.

I am sure that what has been said so far is correct. They are two entirely separately owned businesses who have started to work together in some instances where there is a mutual benefit. Sounds very sensible and probably reflects the more sensible approach from the new (ish) people in charge at Hornby Trains.

I reckon the magazine will continue to include articles on all scales, not just OO.

Advance tickets will be available by post from Warley Club later in the year as usual. There are often advance tickets available from either the Warley show stand or Warley layouts at other exhibitions. Sorry but I don't know which exhibitions will have them available.

I can't see that the cost of making 45mm track will be significantly greater than 32mm track, and 65 miles of it is probably enough to justify setting up manufacturing to make economy gauge 1 track in reasonable lengths.

At the moment g scale track is around £5 per foot.

G would be good as the stock is designed to run outside on fairly rough track and is expected to just run all day long in the sun or rain. O gauge stock may be able to cope with these conditions but wasn't designed for it.

Battery radio control would be fine. My G scale locos will run for about 5 hours just using AAA rechargeables. With higher tech batteries a much longer running time will be easily attained.

The sheer distance is a problem. I reckon my G scale locos running flat out don't do more than 4mph. So that's at least 19 hours running flat out!

How about "Sloshers" for a layout to tribute the diesel hydraulic era?

I'd be interested to see the rule too.  If it is indeed the case, it is seldom observed.  Names on stand maybe, addresses no.  I used to exhibit regularly at local farmers markets; like the vast majority of other traders there, I had my trading name on public display, but not my address, although the latter was available on my leaflets.  Very much the same applies to traders I've seen at model railway exhibitions - while addresses are readily available on request, they're not generally displayed on the stand or if they are, they're done in such  a way as not to be readily visible.

 

Carping on about possible trading standards technicalities that very few other people seem to observe is really getting quite tedious.

 

DT

Not carping, just trying to pass on information that may or may not be of interest to small traders. Someone from trading standards told me about this but info can be found at https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/business-information-other/company-and-business-names .

The rules apply to the whole of England, not just the fiefdom of Kent.

I think it matters because, as I stated before, sole traders must put their name and address on all business communications and an advertising poster is almost certainly a business communication. Slightly off subject, to stay within the law all traders at a model railway exhibition must clearly show their business name and address on the stand and I'm sure that doesn't happen at every exhibition regardless of whether it is organised by a club or business.

Maybe someone should suggest that the proprietor of the exhibitions in question checks the rules on this. Also maybe all model railway exhibition organisers should ensure the rule regarding showing business name and address is followed.

The law states that a sole trader or partnership must state their name and address on any premises they use and on all business communications. I couldn't be certain that a poster advertising an event is a business communication but I suspect it may well be. I don't live anywhere near the places mentioned but if anyone local has any concern they should contact their local authority trading standards department.

We are calling the layout Hortus Halt. So far as I am aware Hortus is Latin for garden. we will be running it this Sunday (19th) at the Warley club open day.  http://www.warley-mrc.org.uk/

Not my idea of a garden railway I'm afraid 

Fair enough. The point is to create a layout to promote G scale that is easy and cheap to transport to exhibitions. I hope it might generate some interest and get people to think about building a garden railway.

I much prefer running trains in my garden on a nice sunny day.

The significance of the lack of engine shed is that large locos may well have worked short branch trains to get them from the service point to the branch terminus.

Newton Abbott sometimes sent 3,4 or 5 fully serviced locos coupled together running backwards to provide motive power for trains from Paignton.