StuartMc

The photo at the top of the page is one of those cases where the sheet looked so lifelike at first glance I didn't immediately realise it was picture of a model. I bet it's stunning in real life if it's that good in a photo!

I've just noticed (and ordered) "Modelling BR - Parcels and Mail Trains" which is on sale on the publisher site for £5. (Not sure about postage if you buy just this one item - I bought 3 bookazines for £15 and there was no postage). https://shop.keypublishing.com/collections/sale?filter.p.tag=Rail&filter.p.tag=Rail+Models&filter.v.availability=1 This is a subject close to my heart as I missed the traditional freight era, but I used to watch the parcels shunting at Aylesbury when I was at school (or should have been!).

PC game Train Simulator *classic* from 88p. You need the (free) Steam game platform installed to redeem this offer. Other options give you more DLC (down load content). https://www.humblebundle.com/games/train-simulator-all-aboard-bundle https://store.steampowered.com/

I bought from them from the UK a month or two ago. It was a fairly big order (so quite efficient and free postage) but their sale price was still a good deal after paying import and currency changes (UK/GBP credit card). The final cost worked out at slightly more than one pound per euro (1.04 or something), so if you add 10% to the EU price plus postage and count it as pounds, and it still looks cheap, you should be okay. Note that the Senitnels are 51 EU (rather than 61) for export.

I think this is the exact model now available on the Hattons website in the second hand section - it's only a slight discount on new price but there's not too much wrong with it if you're willing to stick the detail back on, it's otherwise brand new.

Just found these pictures on my camera from a couple of months ago, one of the beautiful Dapol 0-4-2s arrived damaged. Although Hattons were absolutely fantastic about accepting a return without any messing about, it's still a real shame to see such a lovely loco damaged like this. I just hope someone sorted it out and it's not enjoying a second life! It was OOS at that shop, but I did luckily manage to find a replacement - I think one of the very few "Great Western" lettered (yes, I visited Pendon at a young and impressionable age) autotanks left in the UK I think.

Reminds me literally about 40 years ago at school my friend came up with a better mnemonic for the resistor colour codes 0-9 I don't know if I've ever actually used it to identify a resistor (a digital voltmeter is just so much quicker), but it certainly worked as far as remembering the sequence goes!

I'm still at the "probably just one more will do me fine" stage 😄

I have finally taken the DCC plunge and I noticed that a lot of the posts here about the "O gauge" Dapol 08 recommend the Paul Chetter sounds from Digitrains, but on the older ZIMO MX series of decoders, which have been superseded by the MS series, so I thought it's worth a new post for 2022 with a complete shopping list for anyone else doing the same. Anyway I had a very helpful and prompt reply to my email enquiries with Jeremy at Digitrains and so I ordered the following: MS440C ZIMO MAXI 21 PIN SOUND DECODER SKU: MS440C £115.00 ALZ40X20X10D TWIN SPEAKER 4OHMS SKU: ALZ40X20X10D £13.95 ZS08P Late SOUNDFILE FOR Dapol 2 LIGHT 08 SKU: ZS08Plate £15.00* 870009 STAY ALIVE UNIT 6-20 SECONDS 27x10x9mm SKU: 870009 £12.00 Delivery £2.69 Grand Total £159.18 This is everything that's needed - other than the DCC-less Dapol model, of course I told Jeremy I was new to DCC so he soldered it all together and tested it and it arrived as a neat little assembly all ready to plug in (it was even labelled "top" to avoid the obvious disaster). The fitting was a breeze - the most difficult part was removing the top of the body as per the Dapol instructions as it required a bit off oomf and I didn't want to break it! Once this difficult step was over I could carefully lift out the old decoder, push the new one home and pop the speaker behind the grill. I tested it - it worked first time and sounded great (in fact too great - I had to drop the volume!). A piece of double sided tape secured the speaker in place (with the noisy end facing outwards, of course) then it was just a matter of popping the lid back on. * The "late" version of the soundfile is for the 08s without the extra, top, headlight. Mine is the blue era 08 717; if yours has the top headlight use the other version of this soundfile.

Follow up: yes I am UK, and yes the price dropped when they calculated 0% VAT for export. I did get a VAT bill for this, even so the DMU was is a great deal. The Class 122 "O gauge" DDC sound is about £400 UK and was 267 Euros working out £276 after paying VAT and fees, which is quite a saving. The parcels vans and coaches weren't such a bargain but still a bit of a saving; e.g. GUV was £143 rather than £164. Stuart

Also saw this. I'm not sure how postage and customs works out, but 320 EU for a DCC sound O gauge DMU looks like a good deal: https://www.modellbahnunion.com/Spur-0/Dieseltriebwagen-Class-122-bubble-car-No-55002-BR-Digital-Sound.htm?a=article&ProdNr=7D-015-001S&p=837 Updated: I just bought it for 267 EU, not sure why the price is fluctuating. You can set the language to English, there are more offers here https://www.modellbahnunion.com/specialoffers.htm?shop=modellbahn-union-en&a=offer&filter=k3264g3430p3432

If I saw this on a model I'd think it was way over the top :) Happy to support your cycling challenge - looking at the pics above, I'm thinking at least Beeching did one thing for us, some lovely (and hill-free) rides and walks! Stuart

I see WHSmith have it even cheaper, £29.99, provided you add something costing at least 1p to get free postage (e.g. 60p pencil case, 150p pack of pencils etc). https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/playtrains-flash-the-local-express-battery-powered-train-set/5055286693106.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_9C3q8WH9wIViu3tCh3nfQm6EAQYAiABEgI0UfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Might be useful if you don't like soldering. Join wires between 0.75 and 2.5mm with push-in one-use connectors 100x for £6 (collection). https://www.screwfix.com/p/ideal-32a-2-way-push-wire-connector-100-pack/50427

As a kid, I remember rolling my bike down the slope from the top of a large one of those structures on a disused airfield. It managed to go a surprising distance bumping over the uneven grass and correcting itself in an impressive and apparently implausible way - until the front wheel suddenly turned 90 degrees and it half somersaulted to a halt.

Be aware there may be stock listing issues due to staff off because of covid; I had one item refunded and for another they emailed me an option to substitute a weathered version - but with very friendly and helpful communication throughout, and it's a great deal overall. It may be worth specifying up front alternatives if you want a low-stock item (e.g. you want a 5 plank PO mineral wagon but don't mind too much which one). Stuart

Great find! Aberystwyth station had changed somewhat by the time I went to university there in the 80s! I did follow that track on foot and with my (racing) bike for a bit from Aberystwyth, including throwing my rucksack over a stream but then then having second thoughts about jumping over myself (but I had already committed by throwing the bag, and it wasn't actually too difficult).

They also had the "N gauge" BR black pannier with 2 B Set coaches (albeit in GWR livery) for £70! http://herefordmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=364&products_id=8180&zenid=440fd9b0ffd7c6abbf17bf55e58273d2 (The same set with GWR-livery locos to match the coaches are £90): http://herefordmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=10954 http://herefordmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=10955

Nope, the order was correct and I'm very happy with it!

These seem to be very hard to come by, and are pretty vital if you're modelling the blue diesel era; I've just got mine today and there are several more in stock! https://www.clfinescale.co.uk/online-store/Ready-to-Run-Models-c32279093 Be aware that C&L have had some issues so orders are currently delayed (mine took 1 month 2 days, but very worth the wait) - and also you can't pay online (best phone so they can verify stock). See this thread

Thanks, I got a delivery this morning and might have you to thank! Luckily I knew there were delays (and I wasn't in a hurry) so although it was almost exactly a month, I took an "expect it when I see it" attitude so just glad to see it and to hear things are better than they were. It's difficult not to chat on the phone though, as he's such a lovely guy! Stuart

Thank goodness for "bid up to shop price" ebay users - had it been a bargain, I'd have bought a Heljan 43xx that's too big for me to run anywhere!

DCC supplies have a "G.W.R." 'O' gauge Dapol/Lionheart 74xx for £250 - that's at least £100 cheaper than usual. https://www.dccsupplies.com/search/results/?search=113404 Note that this is not the Dapol 57xx which is a much cheaper model.

I don't mind waiting. (Although I do like to know roughly how long the wait will be for - even if it's bad news).

WHEW! I am glad to hear that there's not some very serious medical issue or similar - he's a lovely guy to talk to on the phone when I ordered and I'd hate to hear something bad had happened. From the website: I hope everything gets back to normal soon (just as soon as we work out what is normal anyway). I am not sure whether to submit the order I want to place - or to hold off for a bit if he's already snowed under! In either case, don't forget (like many in the business) he's in it for the love of the hobby and so we should show patience and understanding. Like C&L, there are many small suppliers who, if they got fed up of the hassle and got a normal job, would leave a huge hole in the hobby.... it's actually scary in fact!!!