Railpassion

Trains arriving from Liskeard (top) would need siding B free in order to be accepted would they not? 

After seeing the Hornby models for the first time, I was shocked at how small they were in comparison to my conception of them formed by YouTube videos etc. 

I think the are not sufficiently larger than British N. It's a personal opinion and one I've heard from others earlier in this thread. I did not agree with them at the time, but now I see they have a point. 

There's much in its favour with standardisation and correct gauge etc.

It's providing an exciting buzz and I wish it success but, sadly, I will not be buying it. 

If I had serious money (inspired by lego and a brilliant O gauge Bodmin layout) I would explore sound-fitted, low-voltage motored, battery powered, radio-controlled, dead rail locos. 

Using the track for power seems a big weakness in model railways.

But that's another topic.

Here's a 1/100 model of Friedrichstasse in the Cold War from the Palace of Tears Museum in Berlin 

Thanks for this topic, there's some superb modelling and much more.

I do think the weakness of the hobby is the live rail, it creates so many points of failure. I run in a garage and I'm always cleaning the track. 

I think battery operation with dead rail has real potential. Low voltage motors seem a good idea, who wants 150 mph on a small loco? 

Would sound operation significantly reduce battery time? 

Could locos have wireless charging using a patch between the rails disguised as footboards?

After being enthusiastic about TT120 as a concept, and having had a TT continental layout for a time, yesterday I finally saw the Hornby range at Monk Bar Models in York. 

My first impression was that it's too small. It was quite a shock to see the scale close up, Flying Scotsman, the 08, and HST.  I was strangely disconcerted and underwhelmed, it simply did not work artistically. I never expected to say it, but I think that 3mm 100 is a much more satisfying size and scale. 

I saw the 3mm 100 diesels at the York Show and felt the were immediately attractive in shape and size. 

There is something psychological about scale, and it's no coincidence that 1:100 is architect's scale. 

I think Hornby is presenting itself like the 1970s but the market is far demanding and sophisticated with determined competition. 

Why did I return to model railways? Because I bought Bachmann diesel locos that work and don't have to be pushed like the old Hornby ones.

All around Hornby circle competitors who are motivated by Hornby's inability to produce what the hobby wants. They are successful because they are good and Hornby remain tone deaf to the customer. 

TT120 was a bold new start but even here, with a blank sheet and no competition, they manage to repeat their old mistakes, releasing inconsistent items rather than a coherent range of engines and carriages/wagons that work together. 

On top of that, mentioned by previous posters, they fail to exploit the variations possible in a model run to maximise their return on the initial outlay.

Sound is the game changer for me. Shunting and running round is now such a pleasure with sound. From realistic acceleration to locos idling whilst the driver has his tea break, the sheer presence and heft which sound gives has transformed my experience.

The ability to switch off the sound is also an essential feature when needing to concentrate on wiring or trackwork etc.

I'd agree with the OP that buying sound fitted locos (new or second hand) rather than just DCC is sensible in order to save money. 

3 hours ago, ruggedpeak said:

Agree, but a court will want to know what they are doing running non-compliant stock in the consist if there is an accident etc. There appears to be no legitimate business reason for running unusable empty coaches, that will cost to operate and increase fuel costs etc. A longer train may make an incident involving speed and mass related physics like momentum potentially worse than it needed to be. Tricky one to explain and an accusation of playing games with the ORR could be hard to defend. Courts will look into exactly what people were up to rather than what they said they were up to, and make judgements such as "you tried to flex the rules by putting non-passenger compliant coaches interspersed with compliant ones for reasons X, Y and Z, but based upon the detail of the regulations and the evidence of your actions and motives as provided it appears that in fact those non-compliant coaches were arguably in passenger use under the regs despite being locked out.." It is a dangerous game to play, Judges aren't stupid and can and do extrapolate when required.

 

Also what is the rationale for inserting several of them in between coaches that are used by the public on a train in public service? Why not all together at one end, if the Mk1's are locked out of use and passengers can't get from one Mk2 to another? Again from a broader safety perspective this does not seem sensible? Not exactly climate friendly hauling several deliberately empty coaches back and forth using coal power either!

 

All rhetorical questions...maybe there is a sensible reason for all of this, it just eludes some of us mortals..........🤪

The Mk1 inbetweeners power the MK2 kit from their dynamos. 

Thanks @Kaput I shall get onto the shop.

In Switzerland, on the same stock, the doors often begin to close as the train moves off, finally locking as the train hits around 15kmh

It seems those travelling on the Jacobite will be enjoying a heat free experience. Will WCRC provide blankets and complementary hot drinks?

I bought an Imperium decoder from digitrains at the York show. An 8 function 21 pin for a Dapol 22 in 00. 

I took it back as the cab lights flashed and it wouldn't address from 3. 

They helpfully readdressed it and told me to reset the CVs for lighting. 

Having done this the loco now runs erratically, stopping every six inches then suddenly racing off on full power.

The cab lights still flash on when addressed. 

My recommendation is not to touch any Dapol Imperium decoders.

Thank you. So, basically forget steam and run diesels. Lol

It's a lovely model but maybe it has to go?

58 minutes ago, Horsehay Railway Modeller said:

Very busy away at work but here are some recent arrivals.

 

 

I've been wanting an accurascale class 37 since they were announced however for a variatey of reasons I ended up cancelling my first preorder. Having changed my mind a few months later I made a new pre order for the second batch but I've been keeping my eye out for any of the split headcode versions on ebay. I came across this limited edition "1st east anglian" for retail price and snapped it up. I was then able to cancel my pre order. 

 

(6v headcode to haul my mixed freight set) 

 

I've now dcc sound fitted it with a legoman biffo loksound v5 and accurathrash speaker, Fitted the name plates and changed the headcodes. 

 

I understand it only ever ran with the plates covered up from April 1963 to September 1963 as the Regiment it was supposed to represent never actually existed. However due to familial connections to east anglia I've decided to use rule one and run it with plates on and say it was on a rare secondment to the western region. 

 

The detail is superb and I particularly like the lighting effects. 

 

 

I have some crew on order and I will be fitting the detail pack, kadee couplings and weathering the Loco when I'm next visiting my parents 

 

.... 

Looking good. The cab windows look just right. 

Have you any advice for Kadees on a layout with radius 2 curves behind the backscenes? 

Do the Bachmann Mk1s need adjustment for Kadees due to coupling height?

Thanks, I'll try it tomorrow. I'm on a dynamis system bought new for Xmas. 

Thanks, 

The chip is a recent-ish 36-557 bought in January. It's an ESU lokpilot.

The 3F is a newish model with tender pick ups. On DC it runs faultlessly with a blanking chip.

I've just installed a 21 pin Bachmann chip in my 3F. On DC the running is superb but on DCC it's hopeless. Very uneven and sets off too quickly at 1/28.

Is there a solution? I'm using a Dynamis system.

The new Moorsline is a lesson in how not to do it. 

By all means have a new title with a brochure style, but to wipe out the entire existing format was stupidity. 

Has the Arts Council grant paid for the new Moorsline? 

I liked the 3mm at York. The blue diesels looked the part. Chunky and not too small. The class 76s were very neat.

2 minutes ago, Chris M said:

If Accurascale brought out a TT:120 loco Hornby would not be happy at all. It wouldn't surprise me if Accurascale were quietly working on some TT:120 items; there is more space for new models there than anywhere else.

Pannier and B set would, perhaps, be most likely. 

1 hour ago, Gilbert said:

Having chatted to Mr S at York I am confident he knows his stuff....in detail....

Yes, I spoke to him at York and he told me the sheer number of different types made everything more time consuming. 

He's a stickler for detail, I agree and I'm delighted with my class 24. 

Very tempted to order a 25 in blue. 

I think there's a large number of variations in the 25s, unlike the few types of 24 first issued.  I thunk that's the problem when sending and checking each order.

Talking of Whitby 

If you want sound at a future point, I think it's pointless buying a loco without it. The sheer cost of fitting sound to a DCC model is off putting. 

With sound there is an entirely new dimension to  operating. 

It's also possible to switch off the sound and run the traditional way.

I should say I'm an enthusiast for TT and support Hornby. Alas, the launch strategy seems to have lost direction. 

How many Pannier tanks could they sell in the first year? 

At £120 each, could they sell 5000? 20,000 over 3 years?