Gilloverland

Does anyone know if the return crank can be moved into its correct position or are they fixed solid?

I think TT120 is a great move, less space than 00, more detail than N and options for sound etc. I think (and hope) Hornby are on to something here and rather than reduce sales in other scales this might hopefully attract new people to the hobby, not just children at Christmas etc but look at the increasing numbers of adults who build Lego...

Hopefully we'll get more announcements at the likes of Warley?

5 minutes ago, Gilbert said:

From Heljan's FB page...

Heljan TT:120 Update

There’s been a lot of focus on TT 1:120 scale this week, and we’ve obviously been paying close attention to developments. We were gratified to see that our initial trio of locomotive choices for TT was so ‘on the money’ that all three also appeared in the Hornby range. C’est la vie, or Sådan er livet as we say in Danish.

Such duplication in a new and, so far, unknown market produces no winners, only losers. We were genuinely excited about the possibilities of this new scale but, in the circumstances, and with a heavy heart, we are ceasing development of our TT 1:120 model range. Instead we’ll focus all our energies on developing more exciting new OO and O gauge products (more on those soon!) and on supporting the crucial network of UK model railway retailers, who continue to be the backbone of the hobby and an essential resource for the modelling community.

We wish Hornby every success with their new venture and look forward to seeing how it develops.

TT:FN

Team Heljan

I hope this is a move Heljan come to regret; they would have been better focusing on something Hornby is not - TT120 Garrett anybody?

Just picked one up today to replace a hand built point which was destroyed when I tried to lift it to alter the track plan. They are pretty good but I think its a case of two steps forward and 3 back when it comes to this uni-frog. There are two locations where a short is possible, even with modern wheel profiles.

I'll add that It hasn't shorted yet but having had a play with a few wheel-sets its looks more than possible so I'm not taking the chance!

I'll add the pictures later but I have started to modify them to how I feel they should have been made - IE live frog. Fortunately the stock rails and the switch rails already have a small electrical bond in place. Its now just a case of a bit of careful slitting with a disc, two existing bonds at the frog to cut and a couple more to make. The pictures will explain it better...

Put me down for a J72 or two and I think those Thomson are stunning!

I agree that the videos I've seen of the mogul make it sound very similar to the 8Fs and Black 5s.

I believe the main factors in a locomotive's sound (chuff) are the boiler pressure, super heating and cylinder number and size (all 3 are super heated and have a boiler pressure of 225lb, the 8F and Black 5s have 2 cylinders 18.5" x 28" and the mogul 2x 18" x 28").. When you think that in 00 the models are 76 x smaller than the real thing, it ought really to be close enough, especially if the project can be 'built' with the correct whistle. 

I'm currently using a BR std 4 sound for my mogul, its not perfect but will do for the moment...

The one I'm struggling to find a sound for is the Horwich Crab... 

Just a quick update to my tales of woe with the LMS models, I got a replacement BR early crest model and it runs a dream, no clicking and no wobble, yes there might be small issues around the valve gear but I know that if I attempted to build a kit it would A cost more and B not look as good as the Bachmann model. With that in mind I'm now happy.

T-Cut on cotton buds, the clear stuff mind - not the coloured!

It would help if you ran it around your track in both directions rather than sit it on a rolling road.That might allow the gears and motion to properly bed in.

OK, I can give that ago.

Just to clarify, the issue is the combination lever lifting up the radius rod slightly rather than swinging back and forth

After letting the 2nd model run in a little, it does seem to have improved and is much better than the first (which had a loud clicking) although I'm still not 100% happy with it.

I've taken a couple of videos of each side running at the same speed (ss17/128).

https://youtu.be/1axCI13zACQ

https://youtu.be/-5ykCaVnkdQ

Please feel free to comment or compare to others, I need to know if I'm being picky or if there is indeed an issue with joint of the radius rod / combination lever.

Nathan

Well I'm disappointed to say the least! Picked mine up this afternoon and rushed home, fitted a chip and proceeded to 'run it in' and that's where the problems began. Straight away it was evident there was a clicking noise as it running, closer inspection showed it do be coming from the radius rod and combination link which was moving up and down rather than swing to and fro... so remove the chip, race back to the shop and exchanged it for another, back home fit chip... no click this time but definitely play / movement from the same place.

This one runs smoother and quieter but it doesn't look right in motion and I think for £135 it ought to be so tomorrow it will be back to the shop again, this time for a refund!

The first thirty had a Midland-type “bell” whistle, but a Stanier Caledonian-type hooter was fitted to the final ten.

Do tell....

Not much to it, I didn't see it with the body off but was told it has a small zimo chip hard wired on the side of the motor (where the standard Hornby 4pin plug and socket would be) and the smallest sugar cube at the front where the Hornby chip goes - there's a bit extra room as it was designed to have a fly wheel.

Also Jeremy at digitrains had added some extra pickups to aid current collection as there isn't much room for stay alive, although when I do mine I reckon if I ditch the NEM couplings I might get a capacitor between the frames at the back maybe...

I shall be keen to hear how the sound fitting progresses - I fear a speaker maybe difficult to hide...?large completely unprototypical tool box in the cab half obscured by some crew?

Chris

Nope, all completely hidden within the body and nothing on show

I've just been to digitrains in Lincoln who have plenty in stock - and even a sound fitted one trundling around their layout!

Two places that I know have them...

The KWVR shop at Haworth and Going Loco, Outwood, Wakefield.

I bought a length of Peco's new 00 track this afternoon.

 

My first impression is that Peco have really got a winner on their hands. Visually it looks very good, the chair and key mounding is excellent. The grain I'm not sure about, although once painted and weathered I'm sure it will look better.

 

Whilst in the shop, I asked about the new points being designed to go with the plain track. The proprietor said that Peco had told him March for the points to hit the shops, although he felt that was a little optimistic.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

I'll second that as I too picked up a length today and I must say the chair detail seem to me to be better than smp and c&l  (think its the keys being visible in the chairs) - I now need to see if I can replace it's rail with either the HI-NI or SS versions available.

Not much room for sound!

Not much room for sound!

Hopefully after the popularity of this model we will see a few more 'industrials' too, I quite fancy one of the Manchester ship canal 0-6-0t engines....

And the desire to shrink S&T teams to 2 people on a regular basis, oh and make everyone 'multiskilled' (someone comment about S&T being told to fix trains in depots not being a complete flight of fancy in light of what has been suggested).

 

Yes it can seem inflexible to some having separate disciplines - but those who work in them soon appreciate the reason. Trackwork / signalling or electrification are complex things to look after and maintain. The saying "Jack of all trades and master of none" comes to mind.

 

Note:- based on the sorts of pay rises we have received over the past 5 years (compared to say NHS staff that received multiple years of below inflation pay rises in the name of Austerity) you cannot ignore that railway workers have actually faired rather well over the same period. I would also point out the McNulty report said the the days of above inflation pay rises HAD to come to an end (The hidden message being we are overpaid compared to 'other' industries).

We may have kept pace in previous years but it should not a be a race to the bottom, if other industries aren't happy with our pay deals then they should organise and fight for their own, not attack us because of what we have got. 

Keep your ears open on Tuesday for the changes

 

http://www.itv.com/news/2016-12-03/network-rail-to-be-stripped-of-monopoly-over-britains-railway-tracks/

 

One things certain though, the Unions won't be happy. As for us staff - well it all depends on the proposals because although the Railtrack experience as a whole wasn't good, some IMCs were considerably better than others in relation to how they treated their staff / organised themselves.

 

On a separate note the Unions are consulting on a new 4 year pay deal due to be concluded this year. While a good headline figure has been tabled it does come with numerous strings attached which fundamentally change the way we work (by cutting back on numbers) to save money - not all of which are safe, practical or actually going to be effective. I foresee further Union action taking place to the detriment of passengers.

 

Now what was it someone said on another thread about not kicking a hornets nest......

Good headline figure - who are you trying to kid 1.5% doesn't even come close to covering what we would lose by having annual leave in hours rather than days!

Lets hope for a rtr S160!

Green diesels... sounds like you need a slw's 24, rtr in EM lol

NER G5

Well although its an excellent model, Hornby's service department is frankly, rubbish.

I emailed them over a week ago asking for replacement detail parts which weren't glued properly to the boiler, (they look like some sort of wash-out plug / mudhole cover and I've lost two of them). The reply I got was: