Kris

I see that with the truncation of HS2 there was an announcement of the completion of the electrification into Bristol via Chippenham. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/651d64646a6955000d78b2e0/network-north-transforming-british-transport.pdf Point 74 is the bit relating to this.

You can get hold of LED tube lighting that just plugs into a standard socket. I got mine in screw fix a while back but I don't think they do it any more. The stick on under cupboard led strips are also a good option.

I get them every couple of weeks and have taken up the past 2 offers for these.

My 2 3 work well enough, but I must round to fitting a sound decoder to the second and third ones. With the sound fitted one I have changed the tender body and have given it a BR early livery tender. From a distance the GWR livery on the loco looks like a BR livery.

I have just seen this on the B H Enterprises Facebook page.

I wonder how much these would have been if Hornby had have completed a major chassis redesign to allow for underfloor motors.

I believe that the following is large, especially as there have been 2 films and a 3rd is due for release next year.

How not to secure your dog in your car whilst driving. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66969843

If you are taking advantage of the Hornby double points offer this weekend you might also want to get a further 4.25% cash back via Top Cashback. Apparently this cash back amount is only on the ex VAT price of the model. If you are not a member of Top Cash back and use this link below to sign up, you will get £10 extra once you earn £10 cash back. In full disclosure by using this link I would get a referrer bonus. https://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/mr_bd If you are a member use this link to take you direct to the Hornby offer. https://www.topcashback.co.uk/Hornby-railways/ If you are worried about using this, I only recommend it because I have received just under £500 back since I have been a member and I have yet to find a catch.

Having a speaker in the loco makes them sound better to my ears. When the sound is in the tender it sounds like it's trailing the loco. The larger the gauge the worse this is.

If a 2 platform option is too expensive as has been suggested, then why not look at at platform arrangement as found at Penryn. If the loop went round the Gunnislake part of the platform then it could work.

It looks like there will be new 5 coach sets coming as well. The Paddington bear set is planned for release in Feb 24. https://www.katomodels.com/product/n/class800_gwr The text translates as below <Made in Japan> British high-speed train, Class 800 commercialised The actual vehicle is a state-of-the-art bi-mode (hybrid) vehicle for intercity transportation designed to replace HST (diesel high-speed train) by the IEP (intercity high-speed rail plan) promoted in the United Kingdom. The electrified section is powered from the pantograph as before, and in the non-electrified section, it supplies power to the motor from the engine and generator unit, so it can be operated directly in the electrified and non-electrified sections. Class 800 was manufactured at Hitachi's Kasado Office, and developed under the concept of the company's A-Train series, the technology cultivated in Japan was adapted to the British railway system. Commercialised five-car trains of GWR (Great Western Railway) and LNER (London North Eastern Railway), which are the main lines in the UK. Because it is equipped with a head connection mechanism, it is also possible to reproduce the 10-car train of 5 + 5 cars that can be seen in real cars. This product will be commercialised in the 1/148 scale of the British standard. ●Class 800 with "Buma no Paddington" wrapped. Class 800 is a bi-mode vehicle for intercity transportation developed by Hitachi, Ltd. in Japan and manufactured in factories in Japan and the United Kingdom. Class 800 belonging to GWR (Great Western Railway) has a car named after a person related to the railway line, and the 800 010 train has "Paddington Bear" and the author "Michael Bond" at both ends. It was named ", and the customer door was wrapped with "Padington Bear". The character "Paddington Bear" of the world-famous children's literature "Paddington Bear" beautifully reproduces the appearance with illustrations with various poses. It is also recommended to combine 5 + 5 that can be seen in actual cars in combination with conventional products. ●British Railways Class 800/0 GWR ・The prototype is GWR...800021 organisation, LNER...800209 organisation. The scale is commercialised in 1/148. ・Reproduce the car body with a style with a streamlined shape but narrowed down the end of the car considering the building limits ・Realistically reproduce the form on the roof equipped with mechanical equipment ・The GWR organisation beautifully reproduces the corporate colour moss green body. The orange pinstripes of the overhead line warning seen on the British railroad car window are also beautifully reproduced. ・The LNER organisation beautifully reproduces the front head reminiscent of Kabuki's Kumatori, the obi around the window with many thin stripes, and the logo of the nickname "AZUMA" ・The side display part is printed in black. Door switch, express the emergency door release device in each door by printing ・The GWR organisation reproduces the front "GWR" logo that was not present at the time of appearance. Reproduce the identification display around the upper sign light of the first car of the first class ・Head and tail light lighting (with off switch) and white LED are adopted. When the head is on, reproduce the state where the upper and lower sign lights are also on. ・Equipped with a head connecting mechanism. It is possible to reproduce the 10-car formation of 5 cars + 5 cars seen in the actual car. ・With a power unit with a flywheel, stable driving is possible. ・The middle connecting part adopts a diaphragm coupler. ・Wheels are made of discs that express disc brakes in each car. Non-traction tires for power vehicles, considering the combination of two trains ・The package is a 5-car bookcase of the same size as ICE4 ●British Railways Class 800/0 GWR "Paddington Bear" (specialised item) ・Around 2018, 800 010 trains with wrapping specifications with illustrations of "Paddington Bear" on the passenger doors of various parts of the car body were commercialised in 1/148 scale ・Reproduce the car body with a style with a streamlined shape but narrowed down the end of the car considering the building limits ・Realistically reproduce the form on the roof equipped with mechanical equipment ・The names of "Paddington Bear" and "Michael Bond" on the sides of both front vehicles and the illustrations of various parts of the body are beautifully reproduced. ・Beautiful reproduction of the corporate colour moss green car body. The orange pinstripes of the overhead line warning seen on the British railroad car window are also beautifully reproduced. ・Reproduce the difference between the presence or absence of white lines around the headlights of Car E, which is different from the 800 021 organisation of existing products, and the presence or absence of notations of B, D, and E cars. ・The side display part is expressed in black. Door switch, emergency door release device on the side of each door is expressed by printing ・With the adoption of a power unit with a flywheel, stable driving is possible. Non-equipped traction tires in consideration of two-編成 combined operation ・Wheels are wheels that express disc brakes for each car ・Adopts headlight/tail light (with off switch) and white LED. When the headlights are on, the upper and lower parts of the sign lights are also on. ・The middle connecting part adopts a diaphragm coupler. ・Attached parts ... Drawbar for leading connection (long and short), driver for off switch x 1 each, unitrack track for exhibition (straight line 248mm x 3, straight line 186mm x 1, car stop track C x 1) ・Equipped with a head connecting mechanism. It is possible to reproduce the 10-car formation of 5 cars + 5 cars seen in the actual car. ・In a 5-car book case. The sleeve is a special specification with a character design. ·Accessories ... Drawbar for leading connection (long and short), driver for off switch, exhibition track (straight track 248mm x 3, straight track 186mm x 1, car stop track C x 1)

Price now updated.

Gosh it's been a long time since I updated this thread. For the last year or so little or nothing had happened to the layout other than out being played with (mostly by me). Over the past couple of weeks however I have been poking more at the scenic side. Given that this is principally for children I am not so fussed about the greater depth details that I would love to see on my layout. I have added to the gardens on the small estate in the middle of the layout, there are now a lot more trees to be seen. Some hedges have appeared, as have some pavements. There are a few small details as well, can you spot them.

Yes you would need to purchase the sound decoder and the sound file. There may be other options around, this was just the first one that I found.

If there is space to fit a 6pin sound decoder in, and a speaker then yes. The Zimo speaker size can be found below. https://www.digitrains.co.uk/shop-by-product/locomotive-decoders/sound/6-pin-mini-sound-decoder.html

Certainly was interesting to see some of the exclusive items. Many need to earn a few more pennies and put an order in for an item or two. @The Stationmaster Sorry if I confused you asking if you had found your white pudding, I meant hogs pudding.

I suspect that you will need one dongle per device.

For the class 800 here is one solution to fitting sound. https://www.youchoos.co.uk/Index-Resource.php?L1=Guides&Item=NKatoIET800 From the look of it not a quick task. There are people who would do it for you. I can't recommend any as I have not used any myself. As for the DCC controller. If you are happy with second hand, you can pick up a Hornby Select for as little as £30 on Facebook (you do need to be quick at this price) but £50 is more realistic.

Be careful with the HM7000 and using DC, it sort of works with some controllers but not with others. If you do go down the HM7000 route I would suggest grabbing a cheap basic Hornby or Bachmann DCC controller to provide the power. What I do on my children's layout is have the controllers plugging into phono plugs before the wiring gets to the track. This allows me to swap a DCC controller for a DC one as I require. Converting to sound in N is becoming easier, many new locos come with speakers fitted. Older locos, are less likely to have a speaker fitted and fitting one can be a challenge. I currently have 3 DCC sound locos in N. I would consider covering more but as you say the cost of chips is steep. I have more sound in OO and I am likely to add a few more in the coming months. I would say that there is likely to be far more stock available in N Gauge for at least the next few years when compared to TT. Bachmann with their batch production have harmed N gauge over the last few years as there has been a bit of a famine. This year however it appears to be a feast. Finally the 91 - This is a very dated model, no question about it. I have one from back in the 90's, the only change between this and one of the slightly later ones is the colour of the wheels. I suspect that there will be a new version along at some point but who it will come from is anyones guess.

With N gauge you can use conventional DCC so unless you are absolutely wedded to the idea of HM7000 don't let that get in the way of your choice. If you particularly want to use a screen for control this is possible using a system such as the Z21. You will get far more in you space in N gauge and have far more availability of stock.

The BBC have place some archive footage of the bridge collapse on their website. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66822128

I've not heard anything recently. I did try nosing round some of the Japanese sites a couple of weeks ago but found nothing.

@big jim It might be worth asking your local council about making your street residential parking only, even if this is only for a few hours at specific times during each day. If you can get one put in place it is then possible to get the council to come out and enforce it. In the school I used to work in we would get regular justified complaints from the local residents about inconsiderate parking (never with the abuse you are getting however). I asked the council to come out and police the parking on a regular basis. They were more than happy to do this and as a school we were happy about the outcome. The message soon got round and the residents were happier. Unfortunately this would not be a quick process but might be worth it for the future.

The company that has done this has released quite a few very interesting old films.