Neils WRX

Not much for my Belgian and Danish layouts, but another good year for Czech Models. Will add a couple of 742’s to the loco roster in due course. Thanks, Neil

Now Roco: Looks like I’d better get saving…. Neil

Had a few 742’s on trailers as well, including a couple on load 1… Hopefully the next livery Roco produce will be CSD colours but with CD logos, or the blue and white/grey livery ones. Thanks, Neil

New Models Thread Might as well start a new models thread: Piko https://www.piko-shop.de/de/download.html Few bits and pieces of interest…

Something very like this then !!! Looking through my own pictures last night I have found trains of between 1 and 4 trailers, but no pictures of Bix and Btax together. I have found them being dragged by 820’s so maybe this is what I remembered…. Thanks, Neil

Thanks for that, a maximum of 2 trailers is fine. Out of interest can 810’s work in multiple through a train as there is multiple working cable on the ends. i think I remember 842’s dragging Bix trailers as well. I also think I remember Bix and Btax trailers together being towed by 751’s. Thanks, Neil

That’s a good idea, I’ll have a think about that, as you say it will save on decoders!! I did think about changing the pickups to be just fine wire ones. Currently I run round the trailer/trailers on the layout after a train has terminated. Another option I guess is buy another 810 to save the run rounds….. I do recall all sorts of “lash-ups” over the years. I have a feeling I have seen a Btax with Bix trailers together with a loco on the front. But that was a long time ago. I know rule 1 applies but I like to get it correct if I can. Thanks, Neil

Now for something completely different…. Been tempted by one of these for a little while, in the end seeing one at a sale price was enough to tempt me. Always fancied a steam engine as had a number of excellent runs off them over the years in the Czech Republic. This one although being based in Bratislava has worked to Prague so that’s a good enough excuse for me…. Thanks, Neil

Hi Keith, I’m guessing it is… I’m a bit of a sucker for 62’s…. Cheers, Neil

Quick New Year Update Santa came up trumps with a Piko 720 in Red and Yellow livery. As I had a parcel coming from Menzels (see my Belgian thread) I asked them to include some of the models I ordered earlier in the year. One key one was a Roco 810 and a few 010 trailers in red and cream livery. The Roco 810 comes with a single trailer. I added another two trailers the only issue is the Roco 810 cannot pull the skin off a rice pudding…. The problem is the trailers are fitted with pick-ups and these are very stiff so restrict the wheels turning freely. However they are fine when being towed with a loco (as obviously the loco is more powerful). Roco suggest fitting a 10895 DCC chip for control of the lights so that’s another job to get round to. One question in the real world how many trailers can an 810 tow? I must be honest I only used to take interest if the trailers had a 751 on the front… Need to buy more trailers!!! Thanks, Neil

Happy New Year!!! Happy New Year everyone. Luckily I have a loco numbered 2024 so that gave an obvious excuse for the new year message…. Just before Christmas I added a chance purchase of a Van Biervliet class 25/0. I saw a post on FB on a random Model Railway group of the window of the Menzels shop and they had the locomotive at a sale price so emailed the shop and it was on its way to the U.K. shortly after. As expected I had to pay VAT to have it delivered. On putting the locomotive on the track it moved for about 50cm and stopped. It transpired the plastic balls (which connect to the Cardenshaft) at the top of the bogie gear towers had become loose. Following a bit of research it seems this is a very common fault. Menzels were happy to refund the locomotive purchase price but obviously I’d have to try and get the VAT back. They didn’t have another locomotive to exchange it with. The internet suggested supergluing the balls back on which at least gave me a working locomotive again. The long term solution is to replace the bit with a Roco part which I will probably do in due course. One final arrival for 2023 was yet another 62 this time in Locon orange livery. The loco is on the shed for repairs from its Dutch owners. 9802 was formally ACTS 6702, before that it was SNCB 6325. The locomotive will be fitted with LED lights in due course. Thanks, Neil

Merry Christmas And a hint of the next project!!! Thanks, Neil

Happy Christmas!!! Here is the video from the Virtual Exhibition yesterday. Something a bit different, hope you enjoy it. Thanks, Neil

My Mum who still stays near Keynsham saved me a pull out bit that was in the local free paper and has a few bits about the Fry’s Railway including a picture of a class 22 and another of an 03 crossing the crossing.

I’ve also got another on order as well !!

I know have 11 so far all different… it was one of the things that attracted me to the Czech Republic in the first place!! First bit of updating only took 30 seconds, road resurfaced.. Thanks, Neil

Better reawaken this thread as I’ve accepted an exhibition invite. The layout will have its first outing since Newmarket in 2004, when it goes to Paisley in December 2024. So I now have a list of jobs to do and improvements to make. Here’s a picture of an arrival I don’t think I’ve featured before yes, yet another 751!! Thanks, Neil

I actually fitted a wired handset to get round this loco control was fine it was the point control and route setting I now need to fix. Will have a think before it’s next outing, which is in June 24 at Elderslie. Thanks, Neil

Nope I’d do it all again!! Do want to get to the bottom of the WiFi issue as that was a bit annoying. Have a few bits to do before it’s next outing (wherever that might be). Thanks, Neil

Exhibition Report - Paisley 2023 Had a great weekend at the Paisley Show, I think I learnt some more lessons and have a few things to take away. Friday was set up and we managed this in about 80 minutes from car arrival to departure. Back on Saturday morning for a full days operating. I decided to operate different time periods on each day. Saturday was 1990’s. All went well for the first hour or so then a point motor stopped responding. I thought I had a repeat of last year and made an attempt to remove it. But the location was difficult to get at quickly so I left it. Tried to switch another point and that didn’t work either. I had lost all point and signal control. I was using a wired Multimaus controller as well as the Wifimaus but the route setting was on the iPhone over WiFi. I tried the old IT Crowd trick of turning it on and off again, sure enough that worked. I had to flick the switch at least 5-6 times in the next hour, and a couple of times in the afternoon. I guess my WiFi signal was getting corrupted some how. Apart from that the only tool I used was the superglue to make the odd repair. Had lots of good chat several people had come to specially see the layout, I was honoured. Some photos: On Sunday I was operating 2010 onwards, again the same WiFi problem happened a couple of times, but a reset sorted it out. Again a number of people had come to the show to see the layout and a couple of work colleagues stopped by for a chat. I think comment of the day was from a young boy who his Dad had to pickup pointed at the Lineas 66 and shouted “funny coloured shed”!!! The show closed at 1600 and I was back home by 1715. Sunday pictures Last loco off the shed! I still took stock I didn’t use, but the control box with the Z21 worked well as did the signals I added since the last show A great weekend, thanks to the Renfrewshire Model Railway Club for the invite. Thanks, Neil

Have been billed retrospectively by FedEx…. You might be ok you might not.

A quick update, less than a week to go until the layouts first exhibition of 2023. If you’re at a loose end this weekend come along to Paisley and say hello. One of my jobs following the previous exhibition was to make a display board at the shed end. I’ve also included a QR code with a link to the Layouts Facebook Page. Before painting After I’ve selected the rolling stock and cleaned the wheels and track and vacuumed it. Need to iron the valance and flag, so I think I’m nearly all set. Another thing I learnt from last time is have a layout fact sheet for any perspective exhibition managers so I’ve written one. Just a shot of 3 AFB’s and a 51. The layout is also going to appear in Modelspoor Magazine next year and is pencilled in for the April issue. Thanks, Neil

Wow, they have changed their tune!! I got bits about a year ago for a coach interior.

Fame at Last!!! After years or reading Continental Modeller one of my layouts has appeared in it!!! And the “Sticker” I really wanted!! Will post a proper update in a few days. Thanks, Neil