ngtrains.com

This has gone on far enough with Mr Jordan dragging my name into his dispute with Blackham Transfers. I had hoped he’d just let it drop but as he seems to be going at it like a dog with a bone it needs addressing. Firstly, my relationship with Blackham Transfers is simply that of customer albeit a trade/wholesale customer. I buy certain of his transfers in bulk, divide them up into smaller pack sizes and retail them. Unfortunately, some people seem to have interpreted my stocking these transfers as me having some magic `in’ route for contacting him and try to treat me as his complaints or contacts department. I have no magic means of contact or `special’ relationship with him. About the only additional contact I may have that others don’t is that as a driver on the Ffestiniog Railway and with Mr Blackham living close to the station in Blaenau I sometimes see him when I drive trains Approximately a year ago dissatisfied with his own dealings with Blackham Transfers Mr Jordan e-mailed everyone he could find who had dealt with Blackham to suggest they had no further dealings with Blackham. Ironically the source of his e-mail addresses was the satisfied customer list from the Blackham Transfers Website. Foolishly, instead of just ignoring his e-mail I investigated Mr Jordon’s claims. Actually that’s a bit strong, I asked Peter Blackham what was going on when I saw him in Blaenau Station a couple of weeks later. I reported back what Mr Blackham had told me as `his side of the story’ which if correct showed that there was a clear discrepancy between what the two sides were saying. I did not `throw’ anything at him as Mr Jordan’s latest post suggests. This, apparently, is me siding with Mr Blackham. I also made it clear that there was nothing more I could do and that I wasn’t prepared to enter into a debate on the subject. Mr Jordan wouldn’t accept this and tried to continue an e-mail and internet argument which he does to this day. In the end I got fed up with his inability to leave me out of it so I blocked his e-mail address. This, apparently, is me denying him justice. Mr Jordan demands an apology from me. The only one he is going to get is that I am truly sorry I ever replied to his e-mail and I am also truly sorry that I got involved to try to see if there were any grounds for mediation. I have learnt my lesson and I won’t make the same mistake again. Finally, I wish to make three things clear: I will not enter into any further debate on the subject, I am just a customer of Blackham Transfers and I make no comment on the Blackham Transfers business

They are right. Two reasons: - If you try to cut styrene as in, say, Plastikard. It melts rather than cuts The fumes it give off whilst you are trying this are poisonous If you want a `plastic' its Rowmark or for thinner you can get 0.5mm Perspex that cuts nicely {i used to drive the lasers at York Modellmaking}

I wouldn't rush to the the DLR looking for Reeves Corner as its on Croydon Tramlink

Thank you John, I was just going to say I had them The web address is www.ngtrains.com Paul Martin EDM Models

You could try to get the name of the couplers right instead of making up your own spelling

In a word - yes. I have done one with softer coil springs trouble is I can't remember where I got them. I suspect they were Kadee but they'd spent long enough in the bits box to become anonymous. I am doing another very slowly at the moment which will have wire leaf springs and a new motor and gearbox.

Remiss of me I know but I have only just caught up with this thread! My enthusiasm for things L&B have recently had a bit of a boost which they really needed as they were at an all time low. First thing that did it was taking Blanche to Woody Bay (Me, Annie and the other woman) and as well as looking after Blanche having a go with the natives I was there from unloading Blanche on the Thursday through to the Tuesday and became hooked on the place (and the paperwork for becoming an L&B Driver is currently sat on my desk) The second thing that got me was that only two weeks later I was in North Wales and a comment made to the roster clerk back in July came home to roost. I spent four days with this as my engine Previously I had only driven it as an oil burner (its was crap) and as a newly converted coal burner (it was still crap) and then only for one day at a time and once in a blue moon. The thing in July that came home to roost was a comment that pretty much theorised that in driving it once in a blue moon you never got in to a routine and an offer by me and my regular fireman to have it for the week. Sadly, it was broken and we had to `make do' have Linda for the week but the offer was remembered. It didn't start well as on the first day Mr Adhesion took a holiday and we had one hell of a slippery trip and actually stuck on Tylers curve when the over long wheelbase grinding into the curve was the final straw. I think now its fair to say Lyd and I have reached an understanding, its still an out of place misfit but I enjoyed my four days on it. Whilst at Woody Bay Annie took this video from the footplate of Blanche. It was her first go using a tablet for video but you might enjoy it. Footplate Video (this may not work for all as its a FaceBook video) The route is easy learn, its flat out of Killington Lane but as you clear the points its very up as far as the trees from where its only slightly less up until easing for the crossover in to Woody Bay platform which is flat (ish) I have a couple of things to chip in for now...... Firstly, you are aware that the current contents of Woody Bay signal cabin has more levers than it originally had? I think its 9 now but was 7. They added some shunt signals that wouldn't have been there originally. I may have the numbers wrong but I do know it was a bu@@er to do as I was told the tale of doing it in the beer tent. Secondly, the EDM Models Manning Wardle kits may not be as long as you think before they're released. The first test chassis is running albeit with some printed parts that will be castings in the finished job. My enthusiasm for getting these done has been rekindled but the issue now is fitting them in around all the other committed work.

You should have specified the battered box used look!

Left here today. Should be with you tomorrow

That's been in question for years! Currently 62 booked in for sound fitting with orders still landing as I pack for Guildex so......... A FINAL REMINDER The early bird offer of £390 remains in place until 4pm on Sunday http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Minerva/M1.html BTW Matt, have you seen the most recent video on the EDM Models Facebook page?

I did say I didn't know how to add it as video. There may well be some regional issue as the link is to a video on my FaceBook page. If you want to see it and other videos of sound fitted loco's search for EDM Models on FaceBook. The link works perfectly well on the three computers and a tablet I can try it on

One turned up here and I couldn't resist fitting sound http://tinyurl.com/pkvcsn6 Haven't figured out how to include a video so the link should open it

I am sure Chris will be along with the definitive answer shortly but I think there is still some way to go before there are enough expressions of interest to make a brass re-run likely. I hope they do get to do another run though as I reckon they would sell. That said, just at this moment I have seen too much of them I have now fitted sound to more that 10% of the production with one more to do for a customer after this one and then, hopefully, my own. The loco's are fitted with a ZIMO MZ645 decoder with a sound file done for me by Paul Chetter. The leading axle has one of my EDM Models synch disks on it to time the exhaust. There is a sugar cube speaker on the centre frame stretched. The two pin plug on top of the motor goes to the keep alive unit mounted in the saddle tank. Experience with doing the first of the ten has evolved into a routine applied to all of them now. They come apart and the gearbox is stripped of grease cleaned, reassembled and lube with nano grease (a US product that is the mutt nuts), The Chinese seem to go for quantity rather than quality with the grease and it comes packed with something more like Vaseline. They do seem to be congregating though with 4% of the saleable production on my bench at the moment. The black one (back left) is done just waiting final DCC tuning, the back blue one is un-started but next in line whilst the blue one (front left) is in the process of being done. The chassis with the blue cylinders is my own which has turned into a bit of a shed queen and has been cannibalised to sort problems with customers engines so if and when I get it going it will be quite different to a standard model as it now lacks a motor, one gear and two plunger pickups. I have a fancy to rebuild it with sprung suspension*, lighter pickups and a more efficient motor gearbox but we'll have to see how that turns out - being my engine it bottom of the `to do' list. * [you might say "but its got sprung suspension" but this is one of my bones of contention with these many far eastern produced models, my repost would be "i think you'll find its got rigid suspension that happens to contain a spring" because the spring is so strong and its preloaded to such and extent that the axleboxes are pressed hard against the keeps and you have to press down on the model with a hell of a lot of force to get any more compression]

No, but the answer is no. You are missing the point with these decoders. Whilst they are not "loco" specific" which is why you might want to re-blow them to a particular loco they have massive memory so have lots of sounds on board. The idea is that you pick the sounds to assemble the loco sound you want. Taking diesels for an example: You pick one of the prime movers (engine in English) Then you pick a bell (7 to choose) an air horn (16 to choose) an air compressor (2 to choose) Start up and notch sound Coupler sound (3 to choose) Dynamic brake sound Radiator Fans Poppet valve Emergency brake application Brake Squeel/release Full technical details and sound samples are on the Soundtraxx website here http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/econami/index.php They are now on my NGTrains website here http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Soundtraxx/Econami/econami.html The key thing as well is that they are small whilst rated for a stall current of 1A and they are ready to connect to keep alive units 27mm x 10.5mm x 5mm 0ne last thing to mention - These new decoders are Budget Range decoders. Whilst they feature many new features and ways of doing things that may end up in future premium loco specific decoders they do not have all the features of the current premium range. If they did no one would by the posh ones would they?

No, and why "imagine" anything when actual real information is available?. These are more like TCS WOW sound with multiple sounds on one decoder with high quality sound output. I am just installing my first in an On30 Mogul. One issue for easy programming for me maybe that DecoderPro doesn't have definitions for the yet. The fist release is for three small wired decoders covering steam, diesel and electric in a package smaller the their current smallest Tsunami. These will shortly be followed by some plug and play ones designed to plug straight in to HO US diesels. These will be followed by a higher current unit for larger scale models. As this is a US product there should be no surprise that the source sounds are American Paul Martin EDM Models

Supposed to be very good but as they have only just been released its a bit early to report experience. My stock only arrived last week and I haven't got them on my website yet (job for this afternoon) and won't be installing one until later in the week Paul Martin EDM Models www.ngtrains.com

Kadee made one too

I should perhaps remind folk at this point that EDM Models is the exclusive supplier of the Minerva Peckett E class with DCC & DCC with sound already installed. We now have the sounds recorded and are awaiting one of the EP's after Guildex to finalise the installation. The sound will be on a ZIMO MX645 decoder and will feature a significant keep alive installation and some features not previously available on ZIMO decoders. Like Minerva I am doing an early bird discount on orders placed before the end of Guildex Ordering on-line here http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Minerva/M1.html

Or contact the original caster and get them to do them - it clearly worked for them on their machine

In light of Mr TTG's comment I'll take this opportunity to point out that EDM Models (me) are the exclusive providers or DCC and DCC sound equipped version of the Minerva Models Pecket E class. We are working with Paul Chetter to produce a sound decoder specially for this model and already have the sound recordings in the can. Like Minerva I am offering a early bird discount on orders for DCC and/or Sound Fitted loco's. I tried to be clever and include an image of the ordering page with a link to it but failed so the link below should take you to the right page http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Minerva/M1.html The details of the sound install on the loco are still being worked on but it will include sounds for both the loco in industrial use and with the additional trappings of vacuum brake for a preserved engine. There will, of course, be a selectable bell for those adding that detail part. As with our Fowler sound install this will have a substantial keep alive installed.

A frustrating statement to those posting information. Probably won't read this either but here goes........ If you want an out of the box DC one order it from Minerva Model Railways here http://www.minervamodelrailways.co.uk/ If you want a DCC or DCC & Sound one order it from EDM Models here http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Minerva/M1.html If you want a Red one with DCC & Sound them PM me and I'll quote for a custom paint job along with the sound and DCC install

Because its a fair bet that which ever engine we go and record will be earning its keep on a preserved railway and hauling passenger trains so will have an ejector for the brakes. If its there - record it. Not everyone buying a Peckett is going to model Swansea Docks!

Always a dangerous plan. Dibnah renamed his traction engine after his mother on the grounds that was never going to change

Full Details and ordering is now available on-line http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Minerva/M1.html

Jazz Can you tell me a bit more about the Rocket kit please? Google wasn't helpful. A friend of mine was the operational replica until recently and I would like to tell him about the model Paul