TonyW

10 hours ago, NFWEM57 said:

I used 3mm cork on my test track instead of foam underlay for the BF turnouts.  For my planned layout I will be using 3mm polyurethane foam (available from B&Q) and following the excellent guidance about track laying from Norman Solomon at https://www.missendenrailwaymodellers.org.uk/  

 

Not quite sure how long  DCC Concepts or Woodland Scenic foam underlay lasts which is why 3mm polyurethane foam is suggested for use; and which is far far cheaper.

 

Patrick

Thanks, I may buy one and fix it down to cork as a test piece, I have a good stock of 3mm cork which was bought for the fiddle yard. 

Quote from DCC Concepts web site "Our DCCconcepts track-bed or track underlay is made using top quality very long life EVA closed cell foam". 

Its more expensive but curves easily, other options are available of course, however where I live at the moment its a case of who will actually deliver up here. 

B&Q is a 250 mile round trip and they won't deliver, looking forwards to moving back the England and civilisation!

Tony

Hi Wayne,  Thanks, I will need to look for some 3mm ply or MDF to bring the height up to the existing track with the foam underlay.  Will have a look on ebay as its a 250 mile round trip to the nearest B&Q, Wicks etc.

Has anyone used this track with foam underlay? 

My layout has Peco OO BH laid on DCC Concepts underlay.  I would really like to have a go at building a couple of these kits but suspect I would need to use cork underlay and glue them down well.  The layout is in a room above my garage with a temprature range of 5 deg C to 20 deg C.  I am planning to move back south to England so that top temperature will go up.

Thanks, Tony

As Wayne said for OO, a drop in replacement for Peco would be ideal.

Tony

Now three years since I started building my lifetime layout, so far I have got a double track around a 21ft x 13ft room, a couple of points for junctions and that's it!  I have been waiting for slips and crossings for around two years.  Fiddle yard is coming on as I am using up a previous layouts FB track.  Unfortunately it now looks like I will have to rip everything up as we may be forced to move back to England, I doubt I will get that sort of space again.

Lets hope 2022 brings better fortune, Happy and Safe New Year everyone.

Tony

Yes they are more delicate but only to be expected for finer scale items, can't have it both ways.  Rail joiners are difficult but with the use of a simple home made 'tool' from a 2" length of scrap BH rail are easy to attach.  I will post a couple of photos when I get time.  Very pleased with Peco's BH track and looking forwards to the slips and crossings.

Tony

Outside of their scope???? claim made too late, order was placed in Oct 2020 I made the claim in May 2021

Tried that, not accepted.

14 minutes ago, AMJ said:

Please see the UK distance selling regulations

https://www.gov.uk/online-and-distance-selling-for-businesses

 

If anyone you are attempting to buy from is in breach I suggest referring then to this regulation.

Will give it a try but he will probably just ignor it.  If I had paid with my credit card they would have taken the matter on but with paypal - useless.

I talked to him on the 14 May 2021 about my order placed 4 October 2020.  I was told there was a production delay and they would be three weeks, I pointed out they were still listed on the web site as available, just got some mumbled useless excuse.  Needless to say nothing has turned up.  Phoned again today, no answer so left a message I want a refund - not holding my breath.  The web site still lists the items as being available, what a way to run a business!

If there are health issues as someone has suggested then the web site should be suspended from taking orders.  There must be a law against advertising and taking payment for goods which you do not have or are unwilling or unable to supply.

43 minutes ago, black and decker boy said:

Credit card chargeback?

 

they don’t lose, you don’t lose. 
 

they have not supplied the goods so are not out of pocket. You recover your payment so are not out of pocket.  They have in fact had 6 months of credit & interest on your money.

 

I reclaimed when they didn’t supply me. 
life is too short to wait indefinitely and I am not a charity to subsidise a commercial business.

Your fortunate, I paid by Paypal 4th October 2020 and there is no comeback, last time I use modelmaster or paypal.

7 minutes ago, MarkSG said:

Going back on topic, I've just downloaded Model Train Catalogue to have a look at it. It does trigger the "unknown software" warning on Windows, but if you override that and install it anyway it's perfectly OK - there's nothing dodgy about it.

 

What it is, though, is just a custom front-end to a FoxPro database. FoxPro used to be a Microsoft product, it's now been discontinued by them but the source code has been made available as open source so that developers can continue to use it. I have a feeling, though, that anything built around FoxPro now is likely to be nearing end of life, as even the open source version is essentially frozen and there's a non-zero probability that it will stop working on future versions of Windows at some point.

Good point on not being compatible with future a Windows update, Many years ago I used a software called 'Track Those Trains' that stopped working when Windows 8 came out!

Thanks for the replies, on reflection Excel may be the safest route, I wil need to hone my skills a bit better, there is a lot of stock to catalogue and I don't want to be doing it again in a few years.

Tony 

Has anyone used this software? www.modeltraincatalogue.com

It looks as if I will be forced to pack up all of my railway and move back to England in the near future so I looking for a way to record all of my stock with photos and and values for the insurance.

I did download a demo about three years ago and with the limited functions available on the demo it looked interesting and easy to use but its on my old PC which has died.

Have tried to download the new demo but Windows keeps blocking it.  I could use Excel but I find it a pain in the axxx, any info would be most welcome.

Tony

On 30/04/2021 at 15:14, Bulleidboy100 said:

While I appreciate MJ-E have some problems, but the website needs an update as to delivery times. It currently says "eight to twenty days", and goes on to explain the problems and the eye surgery.  I have been waiting for fifteen weeks!  May be something will drop through my letter-box very soon?

I will not hold my breath, 25 weeks and counting, my order has just fell off the radar.  Will not use again, just too much agro.

1 hour ago, Mallard60022 said:

May I suggest you have a word with Andy York before flying off the handle and doing what you suggest. There is a good reason for this request.

Phil

Who is flying off the handle?  We have all suffered problems over this pandemic but it is no excuss for bad manners and poor service. 

Phone calls are just unanswered, an answerphone message would at least be something.

The item that I paid for last October is still shown as available on his website - no way to run a business.

On 16/03/2021 at 17:37, Darius43 said:

I gave up on Modelmaster having ordered two sets of decals, receiving only one and having my requests for the second set that I had paid for ignored.

 

Two other providers of decals offer professional websites and fast and competent service as far as I am concerned.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

Likewise, I ordered three sets of 4mm scale decals on 4th October, only two sets arrived and one of those was 7mm scale!  Never returns calls or emails, the only time I have ever managed to speak to him he was extremely abrupt and I still did not get an answer.  Paid with useless PayPal and the order is not covered by their buyer protection so looks like a call to trading standards.  There are other suppliers who are competant, polite and helpful, they will get all my future business.

We have the same situation on the Isle of Skye, trains of campervans are heading up here and no doubt they will bring the plague with them.  There are only two Coop stores on the island and many items have been out of stock for two weeks.

Tony

I have installed Cobalts on three so far, they stay switched OK without the springs.

I removed the springs after the points had been fixed, the spring can be removed from above with length of bent wire or paper clip.  However, you will loose the spring, it will fly over your shoulder and disappear in to the far reaches of the railway room.

For the next set I install, I will leave the spring in initially and see if the motor has enough oomph to switch it over.

Tony

Hi Phil,

Thanks, a good clear explanation, I have not ballasted yet so easy to lift the 5 turnouts I have laid so far.  I may buy a cheap used DCC controller for testing before I go any further.  Track laying currently held up waiting for slips and crossings.

Tony

Concerned about the shorting issue as I am currently laying bullhead turnouts but testing on DC as I have yet to decide on a DCC system.

How did you do the modification? apologies if I have missed it somewhere else.

Tony

I was hoping they would be out by Christmas, this now looks like a serious delay to putting down any more track.

Warwickshire too, I know a Mardy Martyn.

To get back on topic i.e. Crosti 9F, mine arrived from Hattons last week, better than I expected and runs really well.  It may not be super detail like the Brit but at least come winter I can look forwards to enjoying a couple of evenings detailing it myself.

There are 3 Crosti 9F's undelined in my Ian Allen Combine 020, 021 and 028, unfortunately I cannot remember where each was seen, you don't think of making notes to use 50+ years later!  I do remember that the first Crosti (rebuilt) I saw was going through Leamington Spa, the others may have been at Rugby but cannot recall if it was WCML or the GC across the Birdcage bridge or Market Harborough.  I only visited MH a couple of times as it was a fair way to cycle.

My Class 31 was returned to Hornby a few years ago, they replaced the corroded chassis and refunded my postage, very good service considering it was over 5 years old.  Unfortunately it does not run well at all, stutters along with the lights flashing white/red alternate, No sign of mechanical problems, guess its been wired wrong, now confined to the display cabinet.

Love the huge weathered Kadee coupling on the first photo of X4014.