Hobby

An automatic ICE car is just as simple to drive as it's equivalent EV, other than the power source there's little difference, I can't see where you are coming from there, Ron. Regards range. We are due to change cars next year and I was seriously looking at an EV, in particular a Skoda Enyaq iV80 with a range* of 339 miles. However Skoda have, at least, been very honest about EV range and have a little calculator, which makes interesting reading/calculating. As my driving mileage is currently 50/50 between urban and motorway it would seem as that headline figure is a figment of imagination. Granted the same sort of "official" calculations and published figures for IC are also not to be trusted I've always been able to get pretty close to the combined figure in all my cars. Looking at that i suspect with an EV I wouldn't get anywhere close to the 339 miles which seems to be calculated using the best possible combination. https://rangecalculator.skoda-auto.com/210/en-gb?actioncode=GP03P03%2FGYONYON%2FGYPAYPA&drivingEnvironment=City&drivingStyle=Eco&mbv=5ACJP4&occupancy=DriverOnly&salesgroup=64655&season=Summer&temperature=21 Hence in my earlier post i said an affordable EV with 450 genuine range, that Skoda has a genuine range of nearer 200 miles, not the 339 it advertises. Yes, I know that range in an IC can vary a lot but my experiences using Fuelly would indicate it's nowhere near as much of a fluctuation as an EV. For me a plug in hybrid would be ideal, but the only one that would fit our needs has too high an advance payment (a Vauxhall Astra Estate). Much as I'd like to join the EV crowd at present it doesn't look feasible.

VAR itself wasn't the issue here, it got it right, the issue was the communication between the various parties involved. In theory once they've sorted that out it should make it better. Klopp's initial request (now withdrawn) to have the game replayed was a bit cheeky (stronger words possible!) though, s**t happens, they've benefited as well as suffered from bad calls over the years. I saw the Spurs fans wanted a replay of that CL final if he'd have succeeded!

That depends on battery technology, something that's still developing, longer range batteries will come, I'm sure. I take your point about range, but I still feel 250 is too low. Whilst we're not a big island a journey of 300+ miles is common enough and remember I said true range, many cars with supposed 250 range only do sub 200 in reality. People want the convenience they are used to, and that's not having to refuel on a long journey or on a shorter journey over a couple of days such as a 150 mile journey each way. Dedicated EVers will no doubt say it can all be done, and they are right, with plenty if forward planning, but what's needed is an affordable EV with the convenience of an IC car.

My understanding is that 20%vat is charged on basic cost of petrol, on top of that there is fuel duty and 20% vat is also charged on that. So ev users are gaining a considerable advantage already by only paying it once, not twice, and no fuel duty on electricity. Regards that 800 mile range, sometimes I feel that some EV supporters lose the plot! You know exactly what he was referring to, the ability to only have to spend 5 minutes every 800 miles to fill up, not have to worry about weather affecting the range too much and not have to worry about whether when you do have to stop for fuel having to queue ages for it. Yes the last one can be circumnavigated by planning where you stop, such as using a charging point off the motorway and not a services, but with ranges on affordable EVs currently being in the 150 to 300 range (on a good day) its not as flexible as a IC car. The current difference between most EVs and IC cars is that the former dictate to you when you have to stop for fuel and for the latter it's you that dictates when to stop. When affordable EVs get ranges around 450 mile's in all weathers then we'll see a major shift. Together with better infrastructure as Ron says, that will swing it. However until then many people will stick with what they are comfortable with.

Just read the transcript of what happened in the Liverpool/Spurs match, at the end of this article: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12975648/var-audio-released-from-liverpools-disallowed-goal-by-luis-diaz-in-defeat-at-spurs It's no wonder it went wrong! Absolutely no logic at all, no radio "etiquette", the whole thing's a shambles! Even the basic "here's the decision, repeat back to me what I have told you" wasn't there. The score will have to stay like it is (no replay, for instance), but someone needs to give the VAR guys some training on basic radio etiquette" (for want of a better way of saying "you need to ensure that what you say is clearly understood by the recipient!". I'm still in favour of VAR but I can't believe that it was being done as badly as that!

Hence they've changed it to 2035 (and counting!)...

Mine would have... If I hadn't removed the carpet! ;)

1300s were good gor that as well...

The van is approx 25.5(4?)mm and the brakevan approx 26.7/8mm. Those are the only two I have.

No-one has seen a production version as yet, we're going on a photo in a magazine.

Too easily fiddled.

I think you'll find my comments regarding finescale modellers related to those discussing wheel standards, which have been an on/off discussion on this and several other TT120 threads, I don't see as I ever suggested you were a finescale modeller as I simply didn't know, though I did assume that the 10% extra modellers you referred to were of that variety which is what my reply was to! Anyhow, I agree with you regarding more manufacturers, Peco is a start, but it will be interesting to see if it's another UK manufacturer that takes up the challenge, or a Continental one such as Piko or Tillig. I'm sure if they see a market they'll go for it.

As many people have said before, you'd better make the most of it while the going's good, as as soon as the ic engined cars start to dwindle the Gov will be looking how to tax all the EVs, and with all the built in electronics it will be easy to see how they are going to do it... Road pricing, coming your way very, very, soon...

The profit comes from the 90% who will probably buy in larger numbers as well. Though you are also making the assumption that there are 10% finescale modellers active or possibly active in TT120, from the posts from finescale modellers posting on here I doubt that very much, and after that discussion on wheel profiles I doubt that even sorting out the wagon wheelbase would be enough to get them to take it up. As for "Railroad", I feel that the detail of the TT120 stock is in between the Railroad range and Hornby's full fat 00 standards and the prices currently reflect that. But hey, ho!, the only complaints of wagon wheelbase has come from a small number of modellers on here, no-one else seems to have noticed!

And massively overpriced. Someone's trying to get their restoration costs back and won't. The first Metro or last one might command that sort of money but in that spec that one won't.

Nice try, John, but you're never going to persuade Alastair and he'll come up with more and more strange reasons why everyone should be buying/using pre war cars the more we say! I love his quote about 40 being a "suitable" speed for todays roads, it's not only the top speed but how it gets there and what happens when it reaches a hill or has to slow and then speed up again after a bend or 20/30 limit, the goods vehicles have no problem doing that nearly as fast as a car, but a 1920 8/10hp simply can't. Here's another reason people don't want them, most people aren't interested in doing the upkeep and maintenance. People like Alastair are quite happy tinkering away, as he keep reminding us, but it's less and less popular amongst the rest of us. we want something that we can use from time to time but not have to check over every time we go out and come back from a drive! If Alastair and his cronies wish to go out in underpowered cars for a drive I don't have any objection to that, I'd rather see them used rather than stuck in a museum, but please keep your eyes on the rear view mirror and pull over if you've gathered a long tail behind you!

Ooo! Another Calico Cat... Trixie was 6 yesterday, obviously a good date for calicos!

To some people, yes, to the vast majority of railway modellers, they wouldn't notice the difference in this case... (Length of the wheelbase of a 4 wheel goods wagon)

Shouldn't that be "wouldn't "? It's not aimed at finescale modellers!

A "scale model"?! From a mass market manufacturer? I don't think so. As many of our fine scale RMWebers point out there are always compromises in RTR, to keep costs down, go round tight curves, stay on the track when used by younger users, the list is endless, hence compromises. I'm not a fine scale modeller and neither are most of the TT120 users, I think some of you need to step back and perhaps realise that. If I look at a train of goods wagons trundling round I don't actually notice that a wagon has a chassis that's 2.54mm short (or long!). If it looks OK, it is OK. At this point I expect someone to come up with the "but they've been plugging the correct scale/gauge thing", my answer is yes they have, and it does look better than 00 or N even with the compromises, but even better I can run overseas stuff and know that they are to the same scale!

I think so, or I wouldn't have said anything, but I didn't look closely as I'm not interested in them, sorry.

I asked Peco again about getting the chassis separately at Stafford last weekend and, again, they made a "note" of the request. Why am I not convinced!

Agree to differ time I think! Even in H0 vs 00 window and door size differences are plainly visible. (However I've a funny feeling I am reading your original post in a different way to the way you think you wrote it!)

Yes I meant widespread use, most cars back in the mid and late 80s used them, I'd agree about carbs, though there were some cars that held onto them longer than others, my '91 Concerto has them!

Sorry, but disagree with you, there! I've modelled in TTe and TTm (1:120 scale, 6.5mm and 9mm gauge track). They may be around the same size as N (at least the larger locos are), perhaps that's what you mean? However window and door sizes are very different.