Roger Sunderland

Looks magnificent, as do all your creations. When is it likely to be available?

You can add me to the growing list. Why can't all online retailers provide a fabulous service like they do and their prices are very competitive too.

The confusion arises I think because the small Bachmann Ivatt 2-6-0 tender loco has the socket in the tender. The large Ivatt or "flying pig" to give it its correct nickname, has the socket in the loco. I have two of these and don't recall any major problems, although I'll admit there is very little space. Fitting a standard size 8 pin decoder will be very tricky but there are smaller options on the market. Try the TCS range of decoders, not cheap by any means, but superb bits of kit. The M1 micro will easily fit and even smaller is a Z2, however IIRC I fitted the direct plug in - think it is a DP2XUK (note the UK) - which is flat, unlike some other direct plug offerings, and of course has none of those pesky wires to find a home for.

Hello all just an update. Following the faults we experienced at Peterborough (which didn't manifest themselves at Poole previously) we have had a bit of head scratching. Essentially the problems we had were under 3 categories, baseboard joins, track and electrical. Dave has spent a lot of time sorting out the joins and a better system of erecting and levelling the layout will be deployed at Wimborne. I took the plunge and replaced the double slip with a new one - time will tell if it's more reliable than its predecessor but tests so far are positive. On the electrics side I've completely reworked the Loconet cables which should mean more reliability and easier set up. Wimborne show will reveal if we have cracked it or not, as any amount of testing is not the same as exhibition conditions. We are fortunate to have the use of Paul's wonderful real steam locos for Wimborne and we have a very special guest on Saturday so we need to be at our best. See you there.

Ok. if your be changing the option switches DO NOT use the knobs. With your handset plugged into the DB150 and track power on - select the middle switch position OPT then select switch on the handset. It will show Sw001. All option switches should be set at "t" for factory default except SW4 which should be changed to "c". With SW001 showing press "t". The unit should beep. Now press 2. The screen will show SW002 press "t" again etc etc right through to SW47, the last option. BUT LEAVE OUT OPTIONS 36-39 (I think) - these are reset by a different method - see the manual. This will do a full factory reset and may iron out any problems. However if you have the power dot flashing this could be a simple issue of it not fully powering up the track. My advice before trying the above is. With switch set at run press "power" followed by "n" - the dot should dissapear. set switch to sleep Reset switch to run press power followed by "y"- the track power dot should be constant plus an orange light on front of DB150 if you don't get a constant dot keep pressing power and "y" till you do or repeat above. Many problems with Digitrax are caused by the buttons sticking or malfunctioning. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the kind words guys. Bournemouth West has two shows this year. Wimborne on March 16/17 and the Hornby Great Electric Train Show October 12/13.

Totally humbled to even be mentioned in the same breath as the late, and great, Allan Downes and equally the other names on the page. Stunned that Bournemouth West achieved silver in layout of the year, what a day! Thank you ever so much to all those who voted.

I'm a bit shell shocked, what can I say. The whole team is absolutely thrilled with this Andy. Huge thanks to everyone who voted for us, and to you for taking such brilliant photos.

Depends on what works best for you. I use a fibreglass pen for badly soiled wheels or to remove paint say after weathering. Once done and for not so dirty wheels IPA on a cotton bud.

Thank you so much Nigel. Works perfectly.

A quick bit of help guys if at all possible. I want a random flicker on an LED. In both directions. Operating on the white wire. On function button F0 Can get the effect forward by making CV125=8 - but not in both directions. I know the White wire normally controls fwd light but I thought you could make it bi-directional. CVs and values if possible?

No contest. The Zimo budget decoder is in a different league to all the others.

Sorry but it's probably unlikely, the travelling is a bit much for some of us old stagers. It's taken several days to get over Peterborough!

Yep agreed it will be changed.

Thanks all. The speed restriction sign should apply to the double slip not the carriage washer. As far as I'm aware, there wasn't a speed restriction post sign before the CW but the relevant notices were on the CW itself. We have modelled these correctly by reducing down these notices. They can actually be read with a magnifying glass and- yes- the speed limit was 3mph. To achieve this speed in model form would probably send people to sleep so w use a bit of modellers licence. Operators do get chastised though if they go too fast.

Many many thanks for posting this. Very good filming and really gives a picture of the whole layout. Much appreciated.

Well our first big show at Peterborough has come and gone. Phwew! What a weekend, finally got home after 10 on the Sunday. It's fair to say we had some running issues over the 2 days and we will be trying to sort all these out over the next couple of months, but, on the positive side, the reaction of the public was overwhelming. Onlookers were 3 deep for the whole of Saturday and again on Sunday. Even the last hour on Sunday there were 20-25 people watching. Sadly 2 of our crew of 7 were struck down by an evil bug which meant they probably didn't enjoy the weekend as much as they should have done but the show went on. In terms of the presentation it's clear everybody loved the layout and the overall atmosphere it created. Also the automatic uncoupling, scenery and buildings and Trackwork all received very positive comments. The Bullieds in "steam", however, created a steady stream of "wows" and incredulity as well as a stream of questions and stole the show - in a good way. Big thanks to Paul and Julie for all their work behind the scenes on that. Now if we can just iron out those running bugs."..................................

Thanks for all the comments on our Bournemouth West layout, both positive and negative. This was our first big show so we were really looking forward to it. Unfortunately 2 of our operating team were struck down by some evil bug that laid them (very) low. However it is fair to say we did have some running issues that weren't apparent at our shakedown outing to Poole show some 4 weeks previous. We will do our best to get these sorted by our next outing. As far as the train formations go, those who visit our thread on here will be aware we are still working on these to ensure accuracy but we have some way to go. All in all we were thrilled by the public reaction and the crowds that we drew. We had some very pleasing feedback and the "steam" was well received so onwards and upwards!

And because the Bachmann model is pants?

Wonderful stuff and thanks to everybody for your contributions. A number of thoughts come to mind. We are seeking to run a representative set of S&D workings on the layout, so my main aim is not to hear things like " that formation never ran over the S&D........... Etc etc" when we are showing the layout. It's clear from the contributions on this subject that, although it's not a case of anything goes, there was , clearly, a wide variation in the make up of trains due to things like - day of the week, time of year, special notices, failed vehicles - almost ad infinitum. From our group's point of view, it would be nice to incorporate as much variety as possible in the coaching stock, without being unprototypical. You should have seen the gleam in the eyes of our GWR enthusiasts (zealots?) when Brian mentioned that Hawksworth and Collett stock made regular appearances on the BW/Bristol trains, as well as LMR stock - for me. Finally, as previously mentioned, due to time constraints, at present, the stock we use, within reason, has to be RTR. Bearing this in mind how sad is it that Bachmann produce a reasonable model of Bullied coaches in N gauge - but not in 00! Once again. Thank you all for your help.

Many thanks for this Dube - we are building a brilliant list of info. I'm confident we will now have the correct coach formations for S&D trains going forward.

Many thanks for this Phil - you did though provide us with your fathers spotting logs previously, and very useful they were too.

Jerry Thank you so much for your kind comments on the layout. I have followed your Queens Square thread so this is praise indeed from someone who has created such magnificence - and in 2mm scale at that! You never know, we may get opposite ends, so to speak, at the same exhibition one day.

Not sure a change of wheels to the Bachmann product is at all possible, clearances would be an issue. Besides there is a great deal of satisfaction to be had from building a kit. Why not ask the expert - Tony Wright, on his "Wright rites" thread on this forum. If he hasn't built them both himself he will know someone who has and will know each kits pluses and minuses.

We've just completed our sound fitted B4. It can be seen running on our Bournemouth West exhibition layout at Peterborough on December 8/9. We've also managed to fit a Kadee auto uncoupler in as well. Runs superbly but the track obviously needs to be spotless.