Tallpaul69

Good Evening everyone, We won the Cricket, shame about the first two tests, winning the remaining two seems a bit of an ask! Getting back to the modelling:- Tre Pol and Pen has arrived, but I am not unpacking and giving her a trial until I have a bit more free time in the middle of this week. Having an idea now from this week's discussions how many trains i will be able to hold on the combined layouts I have started a 1962ish train list. Luckily there needs to be several single car or coach trains so that helps increase the number of trains that can be stored! I have also been thinking about a name for the combined layouts as "Bradenham and Wycombe End" seems a bit of a mouthful? So far, only ideas are "Bradenham" or "Deepest Buckinghamshire", not really sold on either?? Any thoughts welcome! Cheers for now, Paul

Hope you agree with me John that today's result at Headingley was good for the game of cricket as well as (of course!) being good for the England team? I say this because there is nothing worse than a test series that is dead after 3 games of 5! Meanwhile, your current state of play on Mid Cornwall Lines is great. Soon you will have so much time on your hands you will just have to get on with the scenics! All the best, Paul

Afternoon All, I had a visit from the first of the layout builders yesterday. He seemed to think that what I wanted done made sense and has gone away to come up with some suggestions and costs. Hopefully the second guy will be able to get here during the next week or so. I have also bagged a weathered Bachmann class 37 Tre Pol and Pen 37671 with DCC sound, and two speakers, plus buffer detail fitted which will enable my non weathered and non DCC version to be sold. I had been contemplating Kernow's version of 37671 which is the latest Bachmann 37 version, but when this one came up at half the price, I decided to give it a go! Happy Modelling, Paul

Hi Neal, I think that, while in close up they are not quite there, at normal viewing distance in the photos beside the line they are fine, except the one at the left does look a bit too clean and also too cream. I say, move on to the next challenge otherwise you will never be near to having the layout finished. More obvious (to me) as needing work in the photos are two Holton's coal wagons No18, even if they are different colours! Cheers for now, Paul

Good evening one and all, I thought i ought to give you an update on what is happening in my railway room. On the surface, you might observe little seems to be happening but, all being well things should move forward next week on my plans to get some help in the development of Bradenham and Wycombe End. I will be getting visits from a couple of layout builders to discuss options and allow them to give me some cost estimates on the next stages. Meanwhile I have been having a bit of a spring clean in the railway room. I hope you are all managing to do some modelling, the current uk weather being the complete opposite to the chilly and wet beginning of June! Cheers All, Paul

I noticed you have been very diplomatic , only mentioned cricket once, and that prior to the last day! We won't hold the result against you , after all we were poor on the last session and lost it, allowing you to win, rather than you winning through a great performance all match, which is what we have come to expect from the Aussies. Lords should be interesting! Cheers, Paul

Good evening folks! While I am in the process of sorting out potential providers for the next stage of the layout, I have also been occupied with a few other tasks. Firstly, I have sketched up several ideas for the track layout on the board to replace Wycombe End fiddle yard and form the bridge to Bradenham boards. I have two settled on doing more work on two options. One will provide a link to both up and down Bradenham tracks so that trains can start in Wycombe End, progress to Bradenham, make a number of circuits there and then return to Wycombe end with the train reversed. The other will provide a number of storage loops in front of Wycombe End connected to the double junctions at each end of Bradenham. Both improve the operating potential of the layout, in different ways, my jury is out on which is best! Watch this space..... In other current activities, my future wallet has taken a pounding with pre orders for the Class 180 5 car DMU and the Dapol sound and smoke fitted class 59. So watch this space!! Cheers for now, Paul

Unfortunately Nick, Family commitments mean there is no way I can get to Silver Fox on the 19th August!! Your branch starts to look the part. Cheers Paul

Dave, I had the same problem 2 years ago when short crossings were needed for my Thame based layout. After, like you code 75s had been used, I came across two code 100 crossings, which I duly purchased . If I don't need them for an extension currently just under way planning, you are welcome to them. I will keep you posted! I like your progress and the results of your Thame field trip. Cheers Paul

Welcome back Nick, sounds like you had a great time down under! I had intended going to the MK show, but like you other things are somewhat getting in the way of the modelling at the moment! I would have enjoyed talking to you and Brian in the flesh. Never mind, there will, hopefully be another opportunity, maybe at the Great Electric Show in October? Cheers for now, Paul

Greetings one and All, After much button clicking and web site reading I have got to communicate with four potential services providers who may be able to give me what I need. I have had replies from two of them and we are in the process of exchanging questions and information and fixing up dates for them to come to see the layouts. These visits are unlikely to happen until early July, which is not a problem as I need to give the Railway Room a sort out and free up some access under the baseboards. Today has been a busy one in our area as it is the annual Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard Truck Convoy. This charity parade of trucks mainly modern, but with a sprinkling of older vehicles, starts at the Hertfordshire Show Ground just on the southern side of the M1 from Dunstable, runs up the A5 through the centre of Dunstable and on up the A5 to Hockliffe, where it turns left for the run into Leighton Buzzard. This road passes just a couple of hundred yards from our house, and with the trucks horns blaring continuously, the period from 11.00 to 12.00 is pretty noisy! My wife was going to a church flower show in Linslade today until she realised that the buses would be disrupted at the time she would want to come back, as the roads are closed for an hour or more while the trucks pass, so she decided to stay at home. It is great that we are getting some decent weather at last, hope everyone on the UK dodges the Thundery downpours we are promised today/tomorrow! Best regards Paul

Good afternoon everyone, I know it is over a month since I posted anything here. A number of reasons for this lapse, but rather than boring you with another catalogue of disasters, lets "accentuate the positive"! Looking at the details of what was necessary to complete the first task on the list that I posted on the 2nd of May which related to the building and installation of a small link board between Wycombe End and Bradenham I realised that there might be a better way to proceed, but that better way involves a larger new baseboard:- The fiddle yard board of Wycombe End was only ever intended as a basic low cost stop gap. The points on it are manually operated, its layout could be improved, and it is really just a bare fiddle yard. So it would be better to replace it by a longer board that fits between Wycombe End and Bradenham built to the same standards as those layouts, and with a better layout. So things are starting to move beyond my capabilities. I have therefore bitten the bullet and started to look for people who can built this new board and do a lot of the other tasks on my 2nd May list far better and quicker than I can, but of course at a greater cost. In addition, I can avoid a number of tasks that I don't find particularly interesting, and as Nick reminded me, "this is a hobby"! Fortunately I have some funds available as Bradenham cost much less than my original concept "Lower Thames Yard" would have done, even allowing for the cost of Wycombe End. Currently I am talking to one builder, and waiting for an initial response from another group of builders. It may well be that the best way forward will be for Bradenham to be dismantled and taken away to be worked on which would be an opportunity to cure some of the faults in my initial design. I would have Wycombe End with its current fiddle yard to use in the meanwhile and it would allow me to better organise the storage space under Bradenham. So, watch this space, and I will try to give you a weekly update on developments. Happy Modelling, Best regards Paul

I should have said two things in my initial post:- Firstly, that I would be quite happy for a number of people to get involved in this work, perhaps each bringing a particular skill or knowledge to the project? Secondly, the DCC systems are both NCE Powercabs, but whereas the End to End has points and signals controlled from the Powercab, the roundy round has DCC Concepts switch panels for the points, the signals as well as installing will need integrating into the controls, so at present the Powercab just controls the locos. Best regards Paul

Hi Folks, I am looking for help to complete my layout:- The story so far:- From experience knowing my limitations and being more interested in operation than layout building, I started out pre-Covid to have built in my finally acquired Railway Room, a layout to meet my needs. Cutting a long story short, Covid meant my layout builders could not do all I needed, and while I negotiated what they could do/waited for them to do it, I bought an off the peg , ready to go complete with scenics and DCC, a 12ft end to end layout to have something to use. Now I have this plus my builders bare board 8ft x 4ft roundy round, on which I am happy to deal with the scenics, but need help installing and getting working my specialist built signals, a link board to connect the two layouts together, and integration of the two similar (but slightly different) DCC electrical systems. Being 75, I am not as spritely as I once was when it comes to underboard working. I am in south Bedfordshire, happy to pay for work on an hourly rate plus travel expenses, and can wait my place in someone's stream of work. Happy to discuss further via messages. Any takers? Best regards Paul

Tell me about it! My County is sitting on a shelf looking at me sadly with its gear all over the place! I think I will leave it be for the moment and see how you get on sorting yours? Cheers, Paul.

Jason, The class 40 is a good start, but the the Mica is , IMHO, marginal. Others of the newer entrants have started in wagons with something that shares a chassis with many prototypes and gradually expanded to the other items on the same chassis. I don't think the Mica's chassis supports much else? The whole KR range, seems to me, a bit of a scattergun approach. And, as others have said, build quality and accuracy need to improve. I do think the GT3 is an excellent model, but unfortunately too limited in its appeal. So how about a 2023 approach to the early "modern" wagons such as the MEA,HEA etc.? Cheers Paul

Hi Everyone, Just to lighten things up a bit- this thread seems to be in danger of ignition! I have at the moment two GT3s. Neither were bought from KR and my intention only ever was to have one sound fitted version. The first one I bought turned out to be a non sound DCC version, but I got confused by KR's non standard terminology which the seller also used, and there being a sound function sheet with a non sound model! The non sound version is due to be sold, but I might wait until all this nonsense (in my view!) of fictitious liveries dies down. As a relative outsider, it seems to me if KR want to be taken seriously by the modelling fraternity, then they need to find some mainstream models to do, either of something that has not been done before (admittedly difficult!), or a serious update of something that Bachmann, Hornby et Al, have done some years back and are not inclined to update (Must be loads of these!)? Lets give KR a helping hand by making some suggestions? Happy Modelling!! Paul

Thanks Nick, I do find though that if I don't have a framework to work to, things drift! And while John is right the aim is to finish the layout, ticking things off a to do list can be a good motivator especially when you complete the jobs you don't find interesting or are not skilled at. Also, it helps navigate round the inevitable hold ups:- already I have lost 3-5 days around the spring bank holiday as our younger son has announced they are coming to see us then - which I am pleased about, it will be great from a family point of view! Cheers Paul

Hi everyone, It may be May but the weather is still chilly! My modelling to do list is worryingly long, even when I list the main areas of work rather than individual tasks. So, here we go:- 1) Make , install track and electrics, and fix in place Link board between Bradenham and Wycombe End. (May) 2) Install and wire Bradenham shed trackwork. (June) 3) Install and wire signals. (July) 4) Install uncouplers. (for Kadees) (August, a short modelling month) 5) Paint rail sides. (September) 6) Ballast track. (September) 7) Paint particular areas of ballast. (September) Tasks 5) - 7) will only be done in the scenic areas of the layout (approx. 60% of the track) and only need doing on Bradenham and the link (1) above), although a few areas of Wycombe End will need task 7). I might also do 5) - 7) on half the layout, and then do them on the other half later. Especially if I get behind with tasks 1) - 4)! I think it unlikely that I will complete all 7 tasks above during the summer season! So all buildings and scenic work is going to be prepared indoors over the winter and installed next spring. Wish me luck, and feel free to remind me about any tasks I may have missed. Needless to say that all the above will be interspersed with running sessions. Cheers for now, Paul

Good Day All, Well April has turned out to be a non month! Things have regularly conspired to keep me from progress on the modelling front so news to report here has been thin! However, having cleared away a number of situations on the domestic front, the family front, and local to us, that affected my time for modelling, let's hope May is a better scene. I plan over the weekend to post a review of where I am and where I am going in modelling. This will act as a recap for you the reader, and a to do list for me in the coming months. Cheers for now, Paul

Hi Clive, just found this thread, I didn't realise you were a native of Bedford. I agree with your comments, although my observations as a native of Luton, were more early /mid 60s. Cheers Paul

Evening All, I blinked twice, and here we are at the 2nd of April! One thing and another has meant little modelling effort over the last two weeks. Still haven't tested the A5 properly, but between distractions I have been looking into the Hornby 7000 chips. Sadly, it seems that the day of the sub £50 sound set up with TTS are no more, as an email from one of my suppliers where I had a wants item for TTS chips reminded me. I don't think the 7000 is for me at the moment:- Firstly, the range is of little interest to me, no GWR/BR(W) locos covered bar 37s and 50s. Only need more 37s fitted, my 50s are all done. Secondly, no app for the iPhone, and being in the middle of an exclusively iPhone family, there is no way I can change my phone, and a second phone is an economic non starter! Lastly, the Legacy Dongle is not compatible with the NCE kit, and there is no way I am changing my control set up. So, as i see it, I get a 50ish% price lift for little benefit, I will just have to look at my priorities and only fit sound to a select few of my existing locos at 100%plus price lift, using the usual supplier suspects! If Hornby find their GWR/BR(WR) next year, it might be different, but I am not holding my breath! Cheers for now, Paul

Thanks for the pointer! Cheers Paul

Apologies interrupting the high flying conversation and for going back over old ground, but I posted a thread as below, and was told to look at this thread, by a reply, then AY closed my thread down! I don't have a spare year to flog through 38 pages, I looked at pages 1, 2 and 38, and just got confused! So here are my questions:- Hi All, Am I being unduly sensitive, or do others agree with me, in thinking that Hornby with a stroke of the pen have consigned to oblivion all the faithful users of their TTS Chips? As there seems to be little guidance from the company on making the transition, can I ask more DCC savvy fellow RMers for some guidance in words of one syllable on the 7000 chips and sound files, as outlined below? So, I understand that I now have to buy a chip and a download of a sound file? I have a number of class 37s and 47s that I would have fitted TTS to over a period of time were they available. Is the only difference between the chips a matter of which socket they fit in? What format do the sound files come in and how do I get them from the computer into the chip? Can I control these chips/sound files from my existing NCE Power Cab? How do I fit the 7040 Legacy dongle to my NCE Power Cab? I think the above will do for starters! Many thanks Paul Apologies, hope someone takes pity on me! A confused 75 year old who has just about got it with standard DCC, Thanks, Paul

Hi All, Am I being unduly sensitive, or do others agree with me, in thinking that Hornby with a stroke of the pen have consigned to oblivion all the faithful users of their TTS Chips? As there seems to be little guidance from the company on making the transition, can I ask more DCC savvy fellow RMers for some guidance in words of one syllable on the 7000 chips and sound files, as outlined below? So, I understand that I now have to buy a chip and a download of a sound file? I have a number of class 37s and 47s tyhat I would have fitted TTS to over a period of time were they available. Is the only difference between the chips a matter of which socket they fit in? What format do the sound files come in and how do I get them from the computer into the chip? Can I control these chips/sound files from my existing NCE Power Cab? How do I fit the 7040 Legacy dongle to my NCE Power Cab? I think the above will do for starters! Many thanks Paul