250BOB

Hi Peter, I seem to have strirred up some enthusiasm within our group for the exhibition, such that a group of 8 of us are now coming along, combining it with an ELR trip too.. I'm looking forward to it....I shall come and introduce myself and say hello. Bob.

Hi Steve, this is what my pal is currently doing, but I do believe it can be somewhat simplified from the way he is doing it, and I wondered if someone on here can help us out. Bob.

Hi Guys, Trying to help my pal who has one of these three way points. He has it installed in his depot layout, and operates the point manually. But he also has a bank of switches, ( two way switches with centre off). Every time he changes the point, he has to switch 3 or 4 switches one way or another, including some at the centre off position....it looks awfully complex. Is there a simpler polarity switching method he can use. Bob

Peter, I am interested to learn more about the Touchcab......and only found out yesterday that it was being demonstrated at Rawtenstall at the end of the month. I have already contacted my fellow dcc pals locally, and about 4 of us are now making plans to visit the show on the Saturday. I am a Lenz user which makes it all the more interesting.......and this all coincides with my mobile phone contract being up for renewal....I have always previously used "normal" mobile phones, and am currently looking at android and iphones....I need to understand these better first. I think if I understand it, I need an iphone and not an android if I plan to use touchcab.? I shall look you up at the exbn. Bob.

Has anyone on here taken this further, and actually using it.? Bob

I think I have tried most decoders over the past few years, starting originally with Lenz, and for whatever reason, I keep coming back to the old faithful Lenz Standard. I do understand that cost for lots of people is paramount......and many people manage to achieve complete satisfaction from most Hornby and Bachmann decoders. BUT......its what you want from a decoder that is important....and if you only use Hornby and Bachmann decoders, and you are happy with their performance, then thats fine. Lenz decoders, for me, give that extra bit of control, fine tuning etc more so than I have ever been able to achieve using the Bachmann or Hornby types. But it can be a personal thing too, depending on how you want to run your locos,....fast or slow speed, or fast or slow acceleration and deceleration, we are all different. As yet......I have found nothing to beat Lenz decoders....I buy Lenz Standards from my model shop at £17.90.......and worth every penny. Bob

Hi Again....its 2003 version.. Following the instructions....I can get as far as a box entitled "Server Type", giving me 5 choices. The second one of which is POP3......which is the same as I have been previously using. So I highlighted that and went to the next screen. This is the screen I am struggling with "Internet email settings". What to put in some of the boxes is a mystery to me. Bob

How to change it on Outlook. Bob

Hi Guys, I currently use two email addresses, both are with Orange. One I access by Microsoft Outlook....which is the default one. The other, I have to access via orange email, which is now becoming the main one. How can I change the Outlook one to the shorter Orange address as below.? The outlook address is xxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.orangehome.co.uk the Orange one is xxxxxx@orange.net Thanks...............Bob.

Andy, Just stumbled accross this thread. It is simply STUNNING. Good effort............!!!!!!!! Regards.................Bob

Hi Guys....I called Orange......and a very nice lady in Tibuktoo talked me through setting my livebox up again. It now works a treat. Thanks for your responses guys. bob.

Hi Guys.......I have managed to sort the problem. Bob.

Hi Guys, I am having trouble connecting to my broadband via the wireless method. My laptop connects at work with an 8 digit WEP first time...no problem. But here at home I can't seem to connect to my orange live box. The WEP on the box is like follows.......26 digits plus spaces?????????. xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xx i.e. 6 blocks of 4 digits, and one block of two digits. Do I have to put all these digits in.?? Are the spaces necessary too.?? If the letters are capitals, do I enter them as such.?? Thanks............Bob.

Thanks for your reply, and the others too, very helpful indeed. I retired early, aged 53, about 9yrs ago, after 33yrs with Johnson Matthey. The options went a long time ago, and I cant really go back to my company for advice after this length of time. I do watch the companies shares almost daily, I started getting the shares back in the 70's when they were about £1.50 a share...........they are now over £20 a share. Johnson Matthey is a precious metals company, and you only have to see the gold price to see how well JM are doing. I was able to retire early after taking home the odd gold bar or two. Thanks all for your advice. Bob

Hi Guys, Having never bought or sold a share in my life....I have accumulated an amount during my working life as part of a company share scheme. Has anyone any advice as to where and how to go and do some dealing......NOT the Stock Exchange please.!! Bob

Yes, I remember the bridge well, used to pass it when travelling into Stafford for a shopping trip in the seventies. When did it disappear........I didnt travel that way very much after the 70's. BOB.

We must meet up at the Moss some time and see if we can do some forensics and find the loco.

Absolutely right Brian, the line spurred off at Egginton Jnc, thro Mickleover and into Derby Friargate Station, then onto Nottigham Victoria. And yes it was the test track for the technical centre at Derby, I seem to remember some buildings at the Mickleover end of the line that could have been part of the technical centres. Bob.

This line runs along side Chartley Moss,near Stowe by Chartley, a site of particular biological interest, being a sphagnum peat moss. No one is allowed in unless with a guide, partly because they want to preserve the site undamaged, and because they reckon it is seriously dangerous, i.e. you might disappear in a bog. I did hear some years ago, possibly an old wives tale, that a loco de railed in this section, fell into the bog and was never seen again. It is a strange area, a few years ago a mail plane, crashed into the site, and it took quite a while to extracate everything....that was about 15/20yrs ago. I have walked the line in this section, quite interesting, the dog nearly vanished though. Bob.

Guys, Is there any truth that 70012 is now at Seaforth Docks , Liverpool. Or do I go back to my source and tell him to take me off his circulation list. Bob

I have taken the clip below from an email on the topic of 70012, I beleive from someone close to the ground. Now to 70012. This loco is now a GE asset, and not Freightliner’s. It will be returned to the Erie plant and used for testing, research and development purposes. A move was afoot at one stage..........the Alleylys low loader that the loco now resides on is NOT that onto which it was unloaded from “Beluga Endurance†back in January. The latter was unroadworthy, which is why Alleylys were not too concerned about it being out of circulation for some time. 70012 has since been transferred to another Alleylys low loader, and actually faces the other way round now, with the ‘banana’ end toward where the tractor unit will attach. However, it ain’t going anywhere! Both Alleylys and Newport Docks are owed money, the latter for demurrage, and monies have not been paid because of the financial investigation and restructuring of Beluga Shipping.

I also heard that one of the next batch will be one assembled in Turkey .???? A so called demonstrator. Any truth in that.? Bob

I have been told that 70012 will be moved from Newport to Liverpool by road this week, in preparation for return to America....and a new 70012 is on its way by sea to Liverpool, along with team mates 70013 to 70016. Anyone confirm this information. Bob Edit.........since posting the above info.....it would appear to be complete B.....x !!!

I wondered when this one might turn up............you know I'm so envious of you guys and the computer control level you have taken the hobby to, very commendable. The control panel subject totally fascinates me.........and to have it all on a computer screen is the absolute b.....x for me.. Thanks for your input Dave. Bob

Hi Dave......pleased you like the idea of the thread, some of the panels are complete works of art, I'm so envious. Yours sounds exciting too. Off to Silverstone for the weekend on Thursday this week....MotoGP and Mr Rossi are in town. Thanks for your comments..............Bob.