Hobby

Hi Folks, I'm just looking into the possibility of putting in solar panels and possibly batter storage but would like some advice as it'll be taking a fair chunk of our retirement savings if we go ahead. I suspect it also help if you know that we are with Octopus Energy currently on a fixed rate deal finishing in August 2023. Our roof is SSW facing and gets sun most of the day.

The quote was done via Solar Together (which I note seems to be the go-to for organising it and seem ok), the quote itself is from some firm called LMF Energy Services (based in Birkenhead), does anyone know of them?

The quote itself is for 14 panels costing just under £7k and a 2.3kWh battery at just under £3k, according to them it will pay back in 7 yrs (solar only) and 8 years (solar and battery), does anyone know if those figures are reasonably accurate?

I'm on the fence with battery storage, £3k seems a lot of money, and I'm not sure how it works and if it'll be worthwhile so any help would be appreciated! 

We have a one year old gas condensing boiler which provides central heating and hot water, gas cooker and an electric fire in the lounge which we've never yet used (it came with the bungalow and we've just kept it 'cause it looks ok rather than for any practical use!). I suppose most of the electric use during winter months is for the weekly washes of bedding and clothes and use of the tumble drier to take out the damp before hanging them out to air!

Currently we don't have an EV/PHEV, though if a suitable car comes onto the Motability scheme and is affordable I'd look to get one, but there aren't any at present.

One final question, our bungalow is mid 60s built with those (concrete?) Redland tiles which are quite heavy, would 14 panels add too much to the weight of the roof as I wouldn't want it to collapse!

I hope that's enough for some replies, any help/comments would be appreciated before deciding whether to go ahead.

Looks like it was set up to do that, for a TV programme perhaps?

1 hour ago, Les1952 said:

Looking at the various TT:120 forums on Facebook, the combined membership of which (at least the ones I know of) is over 5000 members, the vast majority of active members seem to be newcomers to the hobby.  Indeed the majority of pictures posted show layouts that are little beyond train set ovals with short trains running at unrealistic speeds.  

 

Technically the most common question after "better controllers" and HM7000 appears to be "will Peco track join to Hornby?", followed by "what make of track pins should I use?"    On at least one of these groups having come up with answers to a lot of these questions (repeatedly) I've been called a guru.  This might be flattering but is far from correct.

 

I think the majority of scratchbuilding and fine quality kit building will remain in the scales where it is now- 4mm and 3mm scales.   That would mean 1:120 scale will tend to mostly use r-t-r stock which may be weathered and renumbered.  The impetus for scratchbuilding and kitbuilding I believe will be on the scenic side- though an awful lot seem happy with ready to plant.

I'd agree with the FB comments, but it also has to be said that everyone has to start somewhere and judging by the types of layouts seen at local shows (as opposed to specialist and large ones such as Warley) the vast majority of railway modellers are happy just playing trains on ovals! In fact even some well known large layouts with super scenery actually follow the same principle!

I'd agree, that based on the types of questions being asked, a large percentage are newcomers, I've ended up with the same moniker! Unfortunately that highlights the major downside of FB compared to a properly organised forum, the question gets asked again and again simply because it's difficult to go back through the history to find out something. Hornby's forum has the same issue, I did suggest that they try breaking the TT section into sub sections but was told that it wasn't possible - more likely no-one wants to do it - and we have the same issues as FB, lots of duplicate questions.

I'm not so sure about the final paragraph, it rather depends on how things progress, strangely, over on the mainland of Europe TT is mainly an RTR scale for stock but a kit builders scale for buildings, but that also applies to N and H0, I've just not seen the same amount of "RTR" buildings as I have in the UK. I wonder if it's just a British thing?

1 hour ago, Michanglais said:

I'm not particularly looking to produce prototypical formations

I wondered that... Then i watched a video of the Preston area in the early to late 60s... I then realised that BR didn't particularly care either... Stanier coaches mixed up with Mk1s, a five coach train consisting of five Mk1s with the BSK in the middle(!), maroon and blue/grey with even the odd blood and custard... I think some people give the old BR too much credit... Perhaps on the Royal Scot there may have been some sort of order, but below the top expresses...

Back in Triang and TH days the catalogues often had coloured drawings of new stock!! If you are that worried then the answer is simple, wait until someone posts a picture online or you can get to a show where they can be seen! Talk about a mountain from a molehill.

17 hours ago, NCB said:

How about

 

Needs more height, less width, 93cm x 166cm. Depends on space constraints.

I keep forgetting this is a fiddle yard as it has a great resemblance to many of the layouts I've seen on FB! :)

Do they have to replace or can they just repair? (I don't know what the law says in this regard!)

Definitely looks like a new layout and looks better for it! I noticed on the old one when it was running the track was "undulating" with the stock moving in all directions as it went along which I'd put down to laying the track on top of ballast and not done very well, whereas that looks like it's been ballasted correctly. Did the OP notice if this one ran smoother?

Isn't that the same one as at the one at the top if the page?

16 hours ago, Stefen1988 said:

First renders of the Black Five from a Video Hornby posted 8h ago on Facebook:

 

 

 

Oh, goody! That's what I want! An 8f as well would be nice, but I'm not greedy, I can wait! ;)

Many already have added them and run them on their layouts if FB is anything to go by. I agree the same scale makes a difference, hence my comment, neither N or OO are able to do that.

There's another reason which links in to what Les and Mark said, the shops that seem to be selling it already sell TT so it's not a new scale to them, just a British outline version of it.

23 minutes ago, Les1952 said:

 

With the camera in non-co-operation mode and juggling a head torch with the camera to get some light onto the subject here goes...

 

 

This is the back of the BTTB coupling.  This hook goes into the horizontal slot in the bufferbeam.  It then engages with the spring.  Typical that I didn't get the thing the same way up in both pics.

 

 

Looking into the end of the loco from underneath you can see the end of the spring- looks like a pin.  You can see the end of the coupling with the point of the hook carrying out of sight to the right and the pin is engaged in the coupling.  Pushing this to the side (upwards in this picture) allows you to pull the coupling out from the loco.  The first one was tricky, the second worse as the coupling had broken off at the buffer beam, but the third and fourth one took hardly any time at all.

 

Looking at the loco, I might have found why it runs better one way than the other- the axle appears a little bent.  Next job is to change the wheelset with one from the V36 I bought for spares..  I'm pretty sure that enormous screw and its twin give access to the wheels and pickups.  I'll dismantle the other one first.........

Thanks, Les, I replaced some of those couplings with 009 ones when I modeled in 00n3 so have grasped what you are talking about. From what I remember you are right about the screw and it's use, though it's been a while since I messed around with a V36! I used one to make a rough copy of the Welshpool loco Chatenden. It and it's cousin the 0-8-0T chassis are very versatile chassis, and can be converted into 0-6-0s and I even saw one as an 0-4-0! You can also vary the wheel spacings. They are pretty bomb proof as well, so drop out that axle and move the others around!

I'm not sure he can stop us, we can buy from anyone we want, assuming they are willing to post to us!

16 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

With all my stuff now in the spare bedroom I’ll be using, it’s time to restart modelling.  

Now all you have to do is decide on a scale and then gauge! 😉🤣

11 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

Now close the lid, put my address on it and send it to me!

An old one of mine with Snowy and an Amazon delivery! 

10 hours ago, big jim said:

I can’t believe how he doesn’t even look up or acknowledge the train is there at all, thing is had he spotted it or looked up very last minute and hesitated slightly that split second of hesitation could have been his last! 

Probably got earphones in his ears, they seem to block out all noise very effectively, especially requests to see tickets and ones that tell them we've come to the end of their journey and it's time to get off! That is why I hate seeing cyclists and e-scooter riders or even pedestrians wearing them, they blank out a person's awareness of their surroundings...

On 27/02/2023 at 23:06, Les1952 said:

The leading wagon is running as a converter at the moment until some replacement couplings come from Modellbahnshop Lippe in the next week or so.  Then the real fun will begin- fitting them....

Let us know how you get on, Les, I will have to do the same!

10 hours ago, Les1952 said:

That makes yours about a foot longer than I've got for Bregstadt. Curves R2 or R3?  I've gone with a mix on the ends so I can throw a right on entering the fiddle yard followed by a left at each end- this has the advantage that the straight route is the second from the back and the first two roads are the same length.   I also used a radius 6 curve where the end turn gets to the front so that when the line appears from the tunnel/bridge I'm using to hide the exit it doesn't seem to be turning so sharply

Great Minds think alike! R3 on the front section and the rest are R2! I've also used the R6 curve as you have done, though I only have one so the other end will be flexi or an R3 cut to fit.

23 minutes ago, Stefen1988 said:

The next German Shop is in.

 

Gresley Pacifics and Coaches are ready for pre-order via Modellbahnshop Lippe.

Irish Mail mentioned it on the previous page 12 hours ago! Keep up Stefan!! 🤣

The ears are still in streamlined mode, though! ;)

4 hours ago, Stefen1988 said:

There is a rumor in german Forums that Hornby got in touch with all bigger Retailer in Germany which sell their Arnold TT-Range to offer them to put the Hornby TT:120 Range into their portfolio.

That would certainly be logical. 

12 minutes ago, irishmail said:

Is this genuine?, 

Looking up their website they certainly stock the stuff. You'll have to go and ask them if they'll export outside Germany, though I can't see any reason why not. Have you checked and asked them? I wouldn't have thought that Hornby would bother too much about telling anyone as they are still in their "direct sales" mode at the moment. Though as I said earlier it would seem that if you can still get the Club Discount and free post it'll still be cheaper going to Hornby direct.

That's interesting, they seem to be showing the same prices as the Hornby website (€164/£145 before discount), unlike that wholesaler in Australia who seems to be loading his prices... Even with their 5% discount it might still be cheaper for EU modellers to buy direct from Hornby if they can get the free post and Club discount.

I doubt the facts will ever come out as it seems very difficult to catch them. But based on what we can see, running a red light/level crossing barrier in a totally reckless way, no helmet for the pillion passenger so total disregard for the safety of his (or her!) passenger our guesses are probably close to the bone, if not correct! Though as you say we can add "stupidity" to that list as well! 😉

and stolen! ;)