davidprentice

Hi all Thanks for the thoughts on this. I'm primarily looking at a modern image layout - from mid-1990s to present. I like my Intercity Swallow liveries onwards and am primarily into my diesels, rather than electrics. I'd like it to broadly reflect my memory of the Intercity, Virgin, and similar HSTs roaring along through country and into a town scene/station - with some more modern DMUs (159,166,220/221s) plus of course some freight movements. I have previously spent quite a bit of time in the hobby and previously had a layout around 12 ft x 8ft. I learned - even with that experience - that getting even a couple loops up and running can take time if you aren't careful!! From a list perspective, I guess: 1990s to present Some nice runs for near-full-length HSTs to run through (I was always quite fond of a layout modelled on Doncaster that had decent long mainline runs) A decent sized TMD for some of the diesel locos to potter about At least one station - I'd quite like a mainline station along with a smaller branchline type station I quite like the idea of a heritage railway element, similar to that seen in New Junction on Youtube Sufficient space for a decent fiddle yard - either on the same level, or else, perhaps on a sub-level I could probably have most, if not all of the space for a layout. I want to walk before I run, however. Even the 12x8 layout I last had, took significant time. In my head, I rather like the idea of starting against just one wall of the garage and to have that as the first scenic area with the flexitrack, and to set up a quick-to-build/quick-to-dismantle semi-permanent run of setrack from either end around and down the middle of the garage (where a makeshift fiddle yard could perhaps sit), in order that I can swiftly get to a point of being able to enjoyably run trains. I am certainly keen to avoid the problem of not actually having a couple loops of track in place - I enjoy running the trains!! I think the words of caution around not biting off more than I can chew are certainly points well made. I'm therefore mostly seeking inspiration for what I might start with and what I might want to keep open as future possibilities. The suggestion of running diagonally across the garage is perhaps an alternative and more ambitious place to start. I certainly like the idea of having such a long run available, but am nervous about getting the track plan right! I think another fear of mine is taking the space and making it too busy! The temptation is there to fill every last inch with baseboard/scenery/track, when actually, less is almost certainly more. I'll be sure to check out some of the suggestions of layouts put forward! Thanks again for all the contributions!

Hi all I'm seeking some inspiration for track plans for a layout in OO in a double garage. The approximate dimensions are 5m x 5m or around 16'6 x 16'6! Please feel free to point me to other layouts that might be on here that you have come across that exist in a double garage, or a comparable space! Also happy to receive any track plans from AnyRail or similar that might only exist on a computer! Best wishes to all! Dave

Thanks re link to cameras - I will definitely get some of these, and yes, the lighting suggests would do the job too. I will likely plan to make it so that they can work on DC with direction of travel, and with DCC, look to have some sort of over-ride. Out of interest, does anyone know whether the lights would generally be on in the direction of travel, or whether they would film behind the train. Perhaps a stupid question, but wanted to check!

Thanks, hadn't thought of that - probably easier and less faff than painting. Perhaps electrical tape or similar might also be a neat solution. When I get around to fixing it, I will try to remember to update with a bit of a 'what I did'.

Hi Recently acquired a Dapol 4D-009-HAT03 Class 121 DMU in Railtrack Blue and Green Livery. A beautiful model, but I have just run it and noticed that there is an issue of light bleed, with the cab lights in particular showing through the (lighter green) plastic of the cab. Apologies for the blur - I only have DC at the moment! Anyone able to advise on how easy or not to fix? I'm wary of causing damage in trying to remedy this issue which would be all the more pronounced in an unlit room / scene. I'm assuming the answer would be to remove the body shell and give the inside of the cab ends a dose of black paint. Like I say, it is a beautiful model, and such a shame that for all the detail that went into it, nobody would appear to have clocked the light bleed issue... David P.S. Anyone got any pointers on adding the camera and lamps that feature(d) on the prototype?

Since Hornby seem unlikely to go there, I'd love for it to be a Class 91 with a rake of Mk4s... I'm telling myself that the catenary was specifically shopped out to keep us all guessing! It would be a nice addition to the Class 90!

Thanks gwrrob ... (not that I needed to order a Dapol Class 121 Railtrack bubble car... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Class-121-single-car-DMU-Bubblecar-960011-in-Railtrack-blue-and-green/233066284826 )

Couldn't agree more re a red DB 60 and some long overdue FGW Barbie and Fag Packet HST powercars! Another run of the NMT would be welcome too. For anything *new*, I'd like to see Mk4 and traction.

Rails of Sheffield have updated their list of bargains, calling it a January sale as the final 'advent calendar' day. I've had a look, nothing really leapt out for me, but posting in case there might be items of interest/value to others: https://railsofsheffield.com/search/bargains PLUS SPEND OVER £250 POUNDS AND RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF THE 9TH EDITION RAMSAYS GUIDE (VOLUME 1 & 2) (RRP £34.99) -- sorry for the duplication! great minds posting at once!

They could have at least had today's advent calendar (a link to the engine shed blog) at least link to some new content... perhaps even a teaser of some kind for the 2019 announcements, or a look at the year in review, or something! Meant as constructive feedback rather than a moan!

Yes, 10% off some coaches.

A few Dapol special offers: https://www.Dapol.co.uk/index.php?route=product/special

Still gives a 404 error. Am I alone in finding it very hard to read the 'black' door numbers on top of the background photo?

Hi After the excellent Dapol Class 68 in OO, anyone else hoping we might see Dapol do the Class 88 in OO? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_88 It would seem like a logical step...!

Would Bachmann 166 cabs work? Almost identical to 466? Or not?

A fair point, but I don't actually think it's enough... I don't know what the market research would say, but my hypothesis is that the price of 'new' models today is such that it's basically adults who are the market. And, frankly, if I had children, as much as I love model trains, I would certainly not buy a £400 Class 800 for my son or daughter to 'play' with. I'd opt for a Railroad spec and price. And, my other hypothesis is that adults into model railways (who do want detail and have the £££s to spend for a quality product) are generally slightly nostalgic for the past. This means that, the HST or IC225 is likely the equivalent today in 2018, of the Flying Scotsman or Mallard 20-30-40+ years ago. I guess what I'm trying to say is that while Hornby choosing to do the Class 800 might ensure Bachmann or one of their other competitors can't do it, they aren't actually adding as much volume (and margin) as they would if they had made a strategic decision to invest in HST/Mk3 or IC225/Mk4 at almost any point in the last decade. In an ideal scenario, of course, they would have nailed the HST/Mk3, IC225/Mk4 over the last decade and put out the Class 800 as they have done. Instead they seem only to have managed the Class 800. It will stop competitors from doing a Class 800, but the HST/Mk3 and IC225/Mk4 both feel like products that another competitor could go to town on... Just imagine if Oxford had really nailed the Mk3... and perhaps Dapol had knocked out an even better OO gauge HST with a wider range of liveries... and Bachmann got into the IC225/Mk4 game...

For what it's worth, I have found this thread really interesting, and if I may throw my own thoughts into the mix: I'm a modern image modeller, that buys the occasional 'steam' for a 'heritage line/railtour' purpose (and/or for the sake of having the modern equivalent of the steam engines I may have played with as a kid). I grew up in the 1990s with a small train set (Hornby HST, Hornby Class 110 DMU, Hornby Class 08, and an old Hornby Ivatt 2MT). I then left the hobby from c.14 until I returned to it in my mid-20s for a year or two (when the super detailed Class 08, Class 60, and new HST blew my mind - and when I also was amazed to find 'Bachmann', 'Heljan' etc.), and then again a decade on I have returned to find yet more models and manufacturers (Bachmann 70, Dapol 68, Hattons 66, etc.). What I do find incredible is how little Hornby appear to have done in terms of keeping up with modern image. I think a critical error on their part was not, sooner, getting clearer on having a 'budget' (Railroad) series (basically some or all the old moulds), and then a 'premium' series (all the new toolings). They should have been aiming to put out 1-2 of their existing (dated) series each year - and amongst these new toolings they should absolutely have produced the definitive Mk3 and Mk4 coaches. It would mean that, returning to the hobby, I would have bought much more Hornby than I have. It might also have helped them make more of their HST tooling - and given them good reason to sort out their 225 tooling. I can count 40 boxes (locomotives and rolling stock) on the shelf. These are the purchases I have made in the last 6 months. Only 4 of the boxes are Hornby (a couple Mk3 DVTs, a Class 60, and an HST). The remainder are about evenly split between Bachmann and Dapol, with a small but growing selection of Oxford Rail Mk3as too. I wish Hornby well, but unless something changes, I really don't see them getting much more than 10% of my model rail wallet... where once they had 90%...

Collett's doing the Bachmann Class 70 Freightliner 31-590 for £119.99 (3 in stock at present time): https://www.collettsmodelshop.co.uk/product/Bachmann-branchline-31-590-class-70-70015-freightliner-air-intake-modifications/ Compares favourably to Hattons 'Sale of the Century' price of £133.00!

Hi all Returning to the hobby as I am after almost a decade away, I'm also starting to spend money on buying locomotives and wagons and coaches and so on. I've been surprised to see how just how much more expensive items are than a decade ago. I seem to recall paying £6 for a Bachmann HEA wagon, that today you'd be lucky to pick up for £15 or perhaps even £20. I've also been struck by how some items seem to be much more heavily discounted than others. Recent examples might include the Bachmann Class 350 4-Car EMUs that I have been able to pick up for sub-£100. It hasn't been clear to me why these have been so heavily discounted, while a comparable Class 450 4-Car EMU ended up costing me north of £200, and generally seems today to be retailing at around £280/£300. Now, for these sub-£100 units (London Midland and an unbranded example) is it that the retailers are trying to get rid of them? Are the retailers even making money on them? And why is demand so low? Presumably either they are simply not very popular due to livery/or similar, or given the extent of the discount perhaps there is something 'known to be wrong' with them, but that isn't publicised? Are the retailers selling them for £89.95 even making any money? Are they doing the discounting, or is Bachmann doing the discount? Another example might be the Hornby FGW Class 08 that can be picked up for around £80 but retails for as much as £140. Given the less extreme discounting for this, compared to the Class 350 units, I'm assuming this might just be a case of demand being over-estimated by Hornby? I guess, I'm just keen to understand a bit more about the dynamics that see such heavy discounting - and to also just understand a bit more about how it works for retailers. Do retailers pay a certain percentage of RRP to secure stock for their store, but only pay any outstanding balance up to the wholesale cost on successful sale, or do retailers have to pay a spefiic wholesale cost to secure stock, but the manufacturers 'refund' them where they discount below the wholesale cost, as seemingly would be the case for the Class 350s? I'm keen to understand a bit more about the market dynamics as I do genuinely want to be able to best support the market. I will generally look for the best price when buying my items - as I have no local shop to visit in any event - so 99% of my purchases are online/mail order. But, I also do temper it, by sharing my annual spend around 4 or 5 retailers, of varying sizes, in the hope of helping keep the market going. Anyway, any observations on how the retail market currently works for retailers in this space would be most welcome and interesting. Sorry if that was a bit of a jumbled/ramble; but the market feels a little different (and more expensive) than a decade ago! D

Good price on the Colas Rail Class 70 £118.95 31-591 - out of stock most places, and where in stock usually c £145. https://www.modelrailwaysdirect.co.uk/locomotive-diesel-electric/Bachmann-31-591-class-70-70805-colas-air-intake-modifications/

Looking at the close-up, to my eye it's hard to imagine these coaches being able to navigate a turn safely... though I would be happy to be proved wrong!

Peters Spares doing a good price on the Colas Bachmann 37: Bachmann 32-389 Class 37/4 37421 Colas Rail Freight for £110.46 (4 in stock now) https://www.petersspares.com/Bachmann-32389-class-374-37421-colas-oo-gauge.ir

I honestly feel compelled to leave a little note regarding Collett's Models. I had never heard of them and stumbled across their website and found them doing a good price on the Bachmann SWT 4 Car EMU. I placed an order for this and some other items, and was very pleased with the service. It has genuinely left me wondering why I go via the 'usual mail order suspects' when Leigh is doing such a good shop with this smaller outfit. Most definitely worth a look - and Leigh even phones to answer any queries raised during the order stage. I will also add that my memory of small model shops as a child was of overbearing and intimidating adults sneering at buyers. It is a large part of why I ended up switching to the more anonymous mail order companies. Leigh's operation has perhaps converted me once again. Wishing you all the best with the business Leigh. P.S. For the avoidance of doubt, other than being a very pleasantly surprised customer, I have no affiliation or link with the business or Leigh personally; however I do think it important to recognise good service when it manifests itself.

Hi Ken, Thanks for the suggestion I will take a look to see if I can find something specific for the 166! I should also add that I have found this old thread too: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65745-fitting-dcc-directional-lighting-to-Bachmann-class-166-fgw/ When I get around to deciding on my way forward, I will endeavour to document it for the benefit of others! Best, David

Hi I'm looking to have a fairly chunky layout, 16ft x 9ft in OO over as many as three levels. I'm minded to opt for one of the following: z21 Z21 Digikeijs DR5000 Is it safe to say that any of these are totally suitable and fit for purpose? Or are there any subtleties that I should be aware of? I would like to be able to hook it up to a computer eventually and make use of block detection etc. for signalling and other automation, and am also keen to be able to use the z21 mobile app on a tablet or smart phone to help with the control of locos and points. Reading various blogs and forums, I'm minded to believe that these are the 2-3 'best' DCC options for people wishing to do something fairly sophisticated - but would appreciate the opinions of others. Thanks in advance for any advice or comments, Best, David