St Enodoc

The balance weights on the 2021 class are quite distinctive and I haven't got an etched set, so I used the whitemetal ones from the kit, which are a bit chunky. Nevertheless, after thinning them down as far as I dared with a file they fitted quite well, so I attached them with epoxy. A quick test with a battery confirmed that they are clear of the coupling rods so they just need priming and painting now.

I've now printed this at A4 and, taking into account that the tunnel face isn't quite square on to the photographer, I've measured the radius of the portal and the height of the vertical walls. I get a radius of 21mm and a wall height of 19mm above rail level (arl) so a total height of 40mm arl. Now, the width of the model portal comes from the 45mm track centres and the Blue Book minimum clearance from the centre lines to the wall of 29mm, so a total of 103mm diameter or 51.5mm radius. Scaling, the model radius is 2.45 x the photo radius. Applying this ratio to the total height gives a model total height arl of 98mm and hence a wall height arl of 98 - 51.5 = 46.5mm. The actual values on the model at the moment are total height arl 93.5mm and wall height arl 42mm. Given the inherent inaccuracies of these calculations, and that the exercise was to reduce rather than increase the wall height, I think I'll stick with what I have now. A useful exercise, nevertheless, and thanks for all the input and suggestions.

Any film with Barbara Murray is worth watching.

That's what mine needed a couple of years ago after similar symptoms. Regarding the "new" design PCB, I believe I now have one but that might have been a pre-release version. If Digitrains can't help, it might be worth asking Coastal DCC or DCC Supplies. At worst, they might have a spare "old" design PCB that could be fitted. I suspect that the reset won't work but it's easy enough to try. Usual disclaimer regarding NCE and all the other firms named.

I'm sure it was but as far as I can tell from available images that wasn't the case at Treverrin. Interesting. All those on the Cornwall main line that are on the CRS site still exist (obviously!). Box Tunnel is certainly more extreme. I may well shave a bit more off but probably not as much as 15mm as that might introduce a conflict between the tunnel arch and the coach roofs (hence my Centenary stock comment above). The best reference is the image of the IET class 47 and train at Treverrin, which I'll try to measure more closely. It's all still a work in progress.

Thanks Mike. Yes, that's one of the ideas I'm going to try, having seen it at yours - probably combined with a Hatfield Moor-style lid over the track.

Thanks. There will be a fake tunnel lining for about a foot behind the portal. I've got some ideas of what to do beyond that - watch this space (but don't hold your breath)!

Yes, many of those on the original Cornwall Railway main line were like that. Several pictures on the Cornwall Railway Society website (link above).

Ah, I'd forgotten you'd already replaced the battery. In that case it is probably something else, possibly an internal PC card fault. I think you'll need to wait for NCE's response.

A fairly low bar...

Now that our room renovations are 99.5% complete, it's time to get back to modelling. Tremewan Tunnel portal separates the hidden Paddington loops area from the scenic section across Nancegwithey Viaduct towards Porthmellyn Road. Many tunnel portals on the Cornwall Railway were (are) of similar design, with vertical walls and a semicircular roof. A good example is Treverrin Tunnel between Lostwithiel and Par. There are two photos of it on the Cornwall Railway Society's website, here: http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/latest-input--news--old-pictures-etc/tail-end-roger. I made a card mock-up for Tremewan Tunnel some time ago but even given the very high clearance above the trains seen in one of the CRS images, I was a bit concerned that the height of the tunnel was still on the large side. This week, then, I went back to basics and, by adopting the minimum clearances shown in the 1950 "Blue Book" and reducing the height of the vertical walls to coach cantrail height, I've reduced the height of the portal opening by about 6mm and the overall height to the top of the face wall by about 12mm. This is the previous version and... ...this is the new version. It's a little hard to see, being white-on-white, so as I made the new version from grey mounting board I turned it round: There's still scope to shorten the vertical walls a little, and I might try that with some Centenary coaches just to see how far I can go. In the meantime, I'd welcome any thoughts from the team or, even better, some actual dimensions of the real thing.

A new battery would be my starting point. If that fixes it, you'll save the hassle of recreating any route-setting macros, etc. that would be lost in a reset.

Not sure whether the UK is the same but there is at least one accredited NCE repairer in Australia which saves having to send stuff to and fro across the Pacific. He lives about 20 minutes drive for me, too, which has been very handy on occasions!

Did you change the year deliberately? Your Dad and/or Mum's year of birth? If I'd been modelling that, I might have changed it to 2024, just for fun!

Of course. I was expanding the principle beyond just kits.