SamThomas

Both Mrs T & myself are looking forward to seeing HLJ & wish HLJ every success on tour & after. Some great publicity is deserved. PW is a high profile "personality" & will get bucketloads of publicity whatever he does. We do think that HLJ deserves a programme or two to be made, noy only from the concept idea, but through to the design, buikd & the not inconsiderable logistics required to relocate it at regular intervals. I certainly, would like to see some more of the "behind the scences". Maybe, HLJ should have it's own dedicated thread ?

Thanks for that positive post Neil - looks like you have also answered my second question too.

I would agree, but not in a hostile environment. The "outdoor" ones I've seen Openreach Engineers use are filled with some form of sealant.

TBH Iain I've already spent a lot of time faffing around & feel I've done enough fault finding I'm "old school" & expect things to work without having to find "fixes" that people on way higher payscales than myself should sort. In the meantime, Mrs T has just reminded me that I had far more issues with the newer App. At the end of the day I want to play trains, not computers/I.T./device's.

If I feel "forced" to use the newer App then I will simply look for another system. I'm beginning to regret selling my Fleischmann Twin Centres now.................... Still like to hear from someone who had made the transistion from Android to IOS.

Thanks for the prompt reply Iain. I have tried the newer App (the one with the colour icon) & don't really like it so went back to the original. Although Roco are not developing the old App further it does what I need from it.

Another Question regarding the Z21 App (the older version). I understand that the maximum amount of locomotives that can be listed is 100. However, can I list more than 100 locomotives as long as I keep the number of "active" locomotives less than 100 ? Thanks in advance.

I have a Z21 Black & currently running the earlier version app (which I prefer to the later one) using a fairly basic Android Acer Tablet which is not used for anything else. It occasionally (but far too often) stops working "unfortunatly Z21 has stopped". Recently, the tablet froze & despite efforts to restart it had to have a factory reset & because I had lost my google account details I have had to start reloading my locomotive details. Reading through (nearly) everything on RMW on the Z21 I'm getting the impresion that iPads are a better bet than Android device's, bearing that in mind I'm thinking of buying a replacement tablet my question to anyone who has actually moved from Android to IOS is this ; Will this be a good move - especially as I do not have a single IOS device anywher ? Thanks in advance.

I usually ask them "which one ? - I'm accident prone" (if I'm in a good mood).

In true RMW pendacity may I point out that there is no such species as a "seagull" - what we saw on Hornby's roof were predominantly "Herring Gulls" which can be prevented from nesting by specialist companies (out of the nesting season - it's a criminal offence to disturb them at those times). The O Gauge layout was impressive & the detailing superb, both myself & Mrs T are looking forward to seeing it in the flesh. As for PW's effort, that gets the thumbs down from us - big - yes, lots of trains - yes, a definate public crowd puller - yes. But really, all that length & small radious crossovers, panto's down, daylight visible through tunnel months & no close couplings ! Some of the Horby layouts are very trainset but could have been built to a higher standard (gaps between baseboards & the next level, bad railjoints). As for the programme itself we are enjoying it, certainly some is staged but most programmes of this type will contain a certain amount. The "rivets" were, we think a little TIC from SK. (It often makes me chuckle that someone will complain that a minor detail is missing/incorrect but perfectly happy that the wheels are too close together !). The Steampunk aspect was also very good & we have both seen the layout & met the builder. Personally, we like the way the programme shows other aspects which are not Hornby. Looking forward to the next episode.

Alastair. The MOD is a worlds difference away from day to day logistics. The MOD can do things "by the book" & do not have to make a profit. They do have to work withing budgets but if it cannot be done within budget then it is simply not done. This is my opinion based on working as a contractor on MOD sites (& knowing many people who actually work for the MOD) anyway. There are (unfortunatly) very few companies in the logistics industry that work to the standard you (& myself for that matter) would like are in the minority. For the majority the terminology will be on the lines of Class I & II - talk to many people about "C" & "C+E" & they won't know what you are on about. I can drive & reverse/couple up/uncouple a Class I/C + E but am not qualified to do so. On the subject of reversing Ihave seen many a Class I/C + E driver make a total hash of reversing a Class II/C onto a loading dock. We beg to differ on many points, but we do both agree that there should be more "by the book" logistics. Currently, I'm working part time in the food distribution sector & my line manager wished my first name was Dave - so he could call me "Defect Dave". There are something like 10 drivers who operate from my depot & I make out more defect reports than the rest of them combined. They know I will simply not take out a vehicle with a defect (even something like the interior cab lights not working). To up the standards then costs would rise, the costs being reflected on shelf prices. I too am appaled by some of the things I see, to the point that I will only double man with a few drivers. I get a fair amount of stick from other drivers (especially about the slower speeds I drive & the defects) but I don't care, I have a clear consious that if anything happens the finger will not point towards me. TBH, I'm surprised that I have not been shown the door by now, although at the end of the day I may take an hour or so longer on a given route but the wombles will not catch me unloading with my Tachometer set on "break". Unfortunatly, you are quite correct about "As long as they don't 'complain'..." - those, like myself are few & far between in the "cowboy sector". BTW, I have seen drivers reverse turntable (I call them A Frame) trailers in a sort of S with little space in one without the need for even a small shunt - these are, IMHO the best of the best.

Sadly, some people do not know what a quality motor actually is.

Alastair. Most people are already aware of that. The simple facts are that industry wide (in the world outside of the MOD who are of course sticklers for the correct, sometimes chamging terminology), there are Class I & Class II drivers & that will never change as will the transition from "HGV" to "LGV". Ian. There is now a shortage of PCV (bus) drivers as many are jumping ship to be HGV/LGV drivers. However, with bus driving your "cargo" is self-loading/unloading most of the time. Not all HGV/LGV work is away from home - multidrop pallet work is usually days, but the pallets can be very heavy when being pulled around on a pump truck (maybe there is a more correct name for those ?). Supermarket work can be easier - simply wheeling cages off the truck onto a dock or onto a tail lift & with few exceptions no issues with maintenence, all done by a fitter, even bulb changes. Bin lorry driving involves lifting no more than a cup of beverage &/or a sandwich - there are other jobs where heavy lifting will not cause issues with a weak back. HGV/LGV drivers are a robust lot but rarely take the you know what out of anyone with a disability & generally will always help each other out. I get enough stick from other drivers because I "play trains" & that's from guys who collect stamps & drown worms on the end of very expensive string ! There are good & bad agencies, just the same as there are good & bad logistics companies, also of course people who will be awkward to anyone even if you have done your job correctly - when I come accross these people I usually offer them 60p "to phone someone that cares because I dont". It can be a great job but very much it is what you make it. Currently, companies are more willing than they used to to take on people with no experience - some even prefer it because they will train you how to do it their way. The bigger outfits will alway give you at least a driving assessment . Why not see if you can spend a day with a driver to get a "taste" of what it can be like ? AFAIK yoyu can go straight to a Class I early next year. Whichever way you go good luck.

Roco did in fact produce a set of 3 European outline coaches - you could select which door would be the guards & this one would close after all the others & the whistle blown.

Very interesting vonmarshall - thanks.

Unfortunatly, water, does not "scale".

Could that be because the actual "chuff" sound usually comes from the wrong end of the locomotive ? Once your ears get attuned to that it will never sound right (which is why I do not have a single steam outline locomotive with sound).

Further to that can anybody tell me why sprung buffers are considered so desirable ? They never appear to use their abilities, especially with the abscence of close coupling mechanisms on so many locomotives.

Indeed - however, drivers with a bit of savvy know a much better way of avoiding the M6/Brum or M6/Toll between the M1 & Stoke.

A 44 tonne HGV would use something like 215 ltrs of diesel from Dover to Fishguard - something like £325.00 Even if the rail infrastructure existed the cost of the "ticket" would have to be no more than the cost of the fuel to attract hauliers to use it. Even with traffic conditions when you take into account waiting/loading/unloading times at the terminal I doubt if there would be much, if any time saving. Trucks have the flexibility that the railways never will have - a truck can be re-routed/diverted by a simple phone call. Please feel free to pick holes.....................

I'm pretty certain the OP meant the word "go" as in "proceed", but in true RMW style "picked up" on it. An illuminated green traffic light controlling your direction of traffic flow means that you may "proceed if safe to do so but be prepared to stop". I eagerly await being "picked up".

I was not aware that head shrinks could get into my head remotely - I tend to re-read what I've written several times before hitting (no, better say pressing) the "submit reply" button (oh, sorry, it's not a real button.

IIRC the original (well, I think it's the original - someone will be along in a minute with the red pen) Dungeness Lighthouse was replaced by a newer one becuase it was further away from the sea. (Again, awaiting the red pend for some other reason).

I am on (& have been on) many forums over the years & this one is the worst for people taking things far too lierally & picking holes in so much. I used the term "claiming benefits" as a generalisation - did I have to actually explain that ? Also, I never said that "I wanted the sea levels to return" eithrer - just looking at things from a different angle. Still, I was warned.............

Meanwhile, five years ago ; Not quite as much water vapour as the Hornby prototype though. I did think the Hornby prototype was impressive though, hopefuily, they will develope it properly so that it will be a credit to them.