Bilbo

Bought the first issue today in a local newsagent. The full cost for the series is about £1027 which as some have commented is not too bad spread over the 130 weeks.However I assume this doesn't include the cost of motor etc if you want to motorise it. The impression I got from the blurb in the magazine is that the motor will be an extra item, no indication of how much that will be as it they just refer to some information that will be in issue 5. Does the price quoted for the DJH kit include motorising ?

I had dealings with him a number of years ago and had the same problem. I used snail mail in the end.Pleased with his products.

Called in today on my very first visit to Chester.All I can say is "I wish I lived in Chester" its a fantastic shop - not fully complete yet but lots of Hornby stuff already out. Great 2nd hand section but most of all a warm welcome from a very friendly proprietor. Loads of space and I am sure it will be brilliant when finished.

Yes 3 nil to the Jacks !!!

Thats a myth and I think it was Hattons who perpetuated it in their advert. I did try and put them right but they didn't quite get the message and don't stock the decoders that fit.

Running my Blue version on the rolling road as I type. Using an old Hornby 3 position controller which is not brilliant. Ran well at full speed and soon quietened down , was great at the middle setting and very quiet, then I set it on the lowest setting and thought it had stopped. On closer inspection it was turning over very slowly and exceedingly quietly and only the slight rocking gave it away. That is quite impressive . Haven't opened it up yet to fit a decoder(X9659) so can't be 100% sure if its self coloured plastic. If it is then that in itself is impressive. Windows, they look better in real life than on the photos possibly because of reflected light. The plastic on the side panels is very thin, thinnest I have seen on a model so that is well done.Have to say so far an amazing little loco especially for the £45 I paid. Hornby can certainly shut up some of their critics if other models come out to this standard.

Had an email from Liverpool. Any day now.

No news from Hattons yet, that's interesting.

Me too

Signal Box are indeed owned by the same company that owns ModelZone but thats where it ends.Apparently they don't get their stock from the same source(had that from the horses mouth).The whole relationship is mystifying to me.They are often to be seen at shows with some significant discounts.

As a Swansea fan I just have to say Arsenal 0 Swansea 2.

Glad to see that this news updates the recent discussion on this. Feel optimistic we will see it in 2013.

Well my replacement arrived from Liverpool. Found that it is quite easy to just pull out(very gently) the bottom of the handrail from the body and leave the top of the handrail still in its hole in the top half of the body.They then swivel to one side. When I took the top off the obligatory loose red wire was there ( why wasn't it sorted at manufacture).I tried the Bachmann decoder again and I had the same problem as before. The internal lights work but the headlights did not. When on the layout as I turned up the power these headlighrts came on - is that because the typical Heljan current draw is high and there wasn't enough power to run these lights ?.Anyway I ordered a TCS 6 function decoder from Bromsgrove Models(brilliant service) and inserted it . Internal lights worked fine on one function and the headlights worked fine and independently on another function.So that solves that problem and in all honesty my first model was probably ok but I hadn't though of a different decoder then.Hope this helps someone.

That was my suspicion because the lights worked ok on DC and on both of the ones I have had there was a loose red wire . Am awaiting a TCS decoder to see if my replacement is any better than the first.

Sent mine back to Liverpool after an email from the lovely Alexandra. I am still mystified by the fact that under DC operation the lights work with that wire loose. Will await replacement and then face the task of opening it up again to fit the decoder. Those handrails really are a nightmare and I don't understand why the body is made that way(split in 2) if it was one piece like most DMU bodies then the handrail issue wouldn't be a problem. On the other hand a plug and play socket underneath the chassis would solve all our problems.

I tried fitting a Bachmann 21pin decoder last night and had the same problem a lot of you have had with the handrails. Yes there was as others have found a loose unconnected red wire when I opened it up. Programmed the decoder but only internal lights work but ran fine with SPROG. Tried a 21pin to 8pin adaptor with a TCS decoder and same problem. Put it on the layout with my Lenz LH90 and it runs fine but the head lights only come on when I turn the controller up to speed(as per DC) . Any views - is it the functions on the decoder. On DC it works as expected with lights. Am mystified now so it looks as if it will be heading back to Liverpool which is a shame because it seems to be s good runner.

Swansea 1 - Man City 0 need I say more !! Joy.

Had mine this morning. Ran it on Rolling Road for a while and then on some track. It was very smooth on the track. Is a fantastic weight . All I need to do now is chip it with a 21 pin decoder(that was a surprise).

So what you're saying is that they ran on the Centra Wales line !!!

Tony thats made me feel all warm & good.

The Jacks are up!!!

There is also a story doing the rounds that Bachmann have measured it up at the NRM so we shall have to wait and see.