MikeB

I've found Tim at CW Railways very helpful, communicative and reasonably-priced (usual disclaimer) , https://www.cwrailways.com/

I agree with Jeremy, with one caveat. If it is a series of identical street lights, for example, one resistor is OK. If colour light signals, the different colour LEDs have different properties and having individual resistors may help each colour to be of similar intensity. I'm sure somebody more knowledgeable can explain this in terms of the typical current /resistance of different colour LEDs.

There are also several photo books on the railways of Lowestoft - I assume you have these? I suppose a major change was the closure of the joint line to Yarmouth Southtown in 1970 (I was on the last train) and the various simplifications over the years, including the removal of the track on platform 1 and the lines to the docks.

There are some signal box diagrams from various times at https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/albums/72157627782450647/https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/albums/72157627782450647/

The official SEC parking is very expensive and there is often a jam when leaving. Other and better parking options are available (one is mentioned in this thread) and the train is convenient, even if only parking elsewhere and taking the train for the final part of the journey.

Are Microscale still in existence? Their last website update was three years ago, and I've read reports that e-mails to them receive no reply.

If you're OK with German, there is slightly more information on the German Wikipedia page https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenbahnsignale_in_der_Schweiz and a good guide at https://gleis3a.de/threads/signalsystemschweiz. The whole official set of rules is online, search for Schweizerische Fahrdienstvorschriften FDV (R 300.1–.15), but that's overkill. I looked at various brands of working signals for my HOm layout and decided on Mafen, who also do N signals. Unlike some other makes, Mafen signals are robust (apart from the fine wires) and do not have lots of unprototypical exposed wires, al least in 1:87. They are working signals and can be controlled using DCC, eg ECoS Signal Pilots or Switch Pilots. Although the costs mount up, using group signals can reduce the number needed.

I've found this account of a small branch line fascinating. Having acquired a few second-hand Bemo Om items I've been reluctant to build a layout because of the lack of a range of RTR trackwork. Searching through the internet I've found that the former FerroFlex track from Ferro-Suisse is now produced by a Swiss company, ABG-Technology. It’s not cheap (it’s Swiss and Om) but he ships worldwide with payment by bank transfer. www.schmalspur-treff.de/t1159f20374-Ferro-Suisse-Ferroflex-Geleise-von-ABG-Technology-uebernommen.html www.abg-technology.ch/das-ferroflex-system-gleis

Following from what Bernard said, search for "carnet" in the "Buying and Selling Models from Europe" in the German sub-forum. The main issue is having proof that you will re-import all you export. It is possible, as shown by the layouts from mainland Europe at the Warley show last year, but, like much else, a lot more paperwork is needed post-Brexit.

I've just seen the announcement by TfL that the Overground lines are to have individual names and map colours rather than the generic orange. While identifying individual routes seems a good idea, am I alone in thinking that the names are not very helpful and will not age well? https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/london-overground/overground-line-naming https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/feb/15/london-overground-new-names-and-colours-for-six-lines-revealed

I'd imagine that 22.2 mm gauge Om is sufficiently niche that Peco would want to prioritise their own ranges, where there have been supply shortages. Does Peco even have the capacity to make track for other companies? Bemo must have a problem as lack of basic pointwork must be harming their sales of items in their Om range.

I agree with what you say. Lippe still use DPD in the EU but changed to Fedex for UK and Switzerland, so presumably they also identifed that they needed to provide a better service to non-EEA customers. I don't see why in the T&C's a company could not ask for consent to forward an e-mail address to assist shipping, but perhaps DHL just don't do that.

Sadly, in my view, the trend is for online journey planers, such as those offerred by SBB or DB. All traditional Swiss timetables are still available in pdf format at https://www.xn--v-info-vxa.ch/de and then going to the second tab Fahrplan akteull, selecting the first option Fahrplanfelder abfragen and then entering a station name, checking you are on 2024 for current timetables, and this gives links to all the timetables for that location. The site also operates in French (https://www.tp-info.ch/fr) and Italian or you can use English if your web browser provides translation. It's also possible to select buses, trains only. RhB timetables are 910, 915, 920, 930, 940, 941, 950, 960. NB the printed timetables are not kept up to date so do not show all service changes, such as the recently announced cuts in some services

International sales depend on the seller. I buy most of my new Swiss-outline items from Modellbahnshop Lippe, who deduct German VAT, have a standard €12.90 flat rate for shipping to the UK and use Fedex. Fedex submit an invoice for UK VAT and their charge to me by e-mail once they have the item in their system and by paying onine there is no delay due to customs clearance etc. Order to delivery in less than a week. Compare this to some other sellers who keep the German VAT on and use DeutschePost / DHL which becomes Parcelforce or Royal Mail in the UK. Then items can sit waiting customs clearance for a week or more and the charges letter takes another week to arrive by post.

I wonder if part of Hatton's demise was caused by all the IT investment? The product database, the marketplace, trunk, wishlist, proforma for purchasing second hand items, dealing with overseas sales and the complex website were all good for customers but must have been a heavy overhead to build and maintain. Was it too much without lots of sales from the two major UK outline suppliers?

There is now a clear gap in the market that somebody will fill. Some of the big players already do second hand (eg TMC and Rails), others don't (eg Kernow and Gaugemaster). The magazines contain ads from several smaller companies that want to buy stuff. Perhaps there will be some fragmentation as Hattons purchased everything from common OO UK items to rarer non-UK outline in various scales. For example, how many of the second hand dealers know what to offer for a N gauge Austrian electric loco based on original price and current demand? Would there be a derisory offer to a seller and a bargain for a buyer, or vice-versa? Sellers will choose depend on what prices shops will offer although selling to a dealer is more about convenience as putting individual items on eBay generally results in more work but more money.

A tree fell on the cab of 43129 in storm Gerrit today. The damage looks bad, but the driver is OK. This will add to calls after the Stonehaven derailment to withdraw the HSTs as they do not meet current safety standards. The reporting in the National may not be the best, but the pictures tell a story. https://www.thenational.scot/news/24013988.storm-gerrit-tree-falls-scotrail-drivers-cab-en-route-glasgow/

Thanks for the clarification. Do you know why he was changed to eh in 1974? Also, the OP mentions the latter classifications as Ghe / Geh. Since, as you say, G only applies to locomotives, did the SBB somehow decide these were locos and not baggage power cars?

I don't know all the answers, but F was used until 1961 to indicate a vehicle with a luggage compartment, and this was then changed to D. G indicates a narrow-gauge vehicle. Perhaps the SBB thought the narrow gauge (G) was more important to them than the baggage compartment (D) as the MGB refers to its baggage railcars as Deh. One nuance of the Swiss system is that eh means an electric-powered vehicle operating on both rack and adhesion; he means a pure rack vehicle with electric traction. This suggests eh is the correct designation, until the rack equipment was removed on some of the railcars, when they became De (or Ge).

In his book on Swiss habbits, "Swiss Watching", Diccon Bewes mentions the Swiss hatred of draughts in any shape or form: "as for opening a train window on anything less than the hottest day of the century, forget it."

I went to the show on Saturday and had a good time. It’s a major achievement for such a large event to be run by a club rather than by a commercial organisation. What did I not like? The queue at 0920 on Saturday morning was unexpected (in previous years there has been next to no queue at that time) and disorganised – it seemed to evaporate on the way up the stairs and then reform - and it was unclear if it was for everybody or only for those who did or did not have pre-paid tickets. As mentioned elsewhere, the plans in the hall had only stand numbers, not names, so no use if looking for a particular trader or layout. Where were Kytes Lights? There was a lack of seating around the catering area at the back of the hall. I never enjoy the delays on the trip down the M1 /M42 on a Friday afternoon in winter, but that cannot be blamed on the organisers, any more than tickets for Model Rail Soctland not being sold on their stand. What did I like? I thought there was a good selection of layouts. Some of my favourites were Long Melford, the L&B modular layout and the two that jumped the post-Brexit hurdles to attend from mainland Europe. I obtained most of what I wanted from the various traders, including the new book on Swiss electrics from the SRS and took advantage of the £10 off any book offer from Pen & Sword. The left-shopping area near the loco was a great way to avoid carrying purchases around all day, but perhaps that could be better publicised, and why not charge a pound to use it? Two very pleasant surprises were finding some “not available for a long time” Preiser O gauge figures (on Squire’s stand!) and James Hilton’s new book “The Art of Railway Modelling” on sale. It must be difficult for small traders to swallow all the expenses of coming, but hopefully as well as selling things they had a chance to see some of the show, do some market research and put their wares in front of people who have not found them on the internet. I find shows useful for finding things I don’t know existed, assessing potentiual purchases and for asking questions. So, overall, enjoyable, tiring and nor cheap, but well done to all involved.

Being electrified on DC and originally independent, the Bernina line had its own motive power. The mainstay were the ABe 4/4 railcars, the original series from opening in 1908, the second series from 1964 and the third series from 1988. The ABe 4/4 Is have a complex history with rebuilds and renumbering and were originally yellow, then green , green/cream and red, the later series were always various shades of red. The 2 red Gem 4/4s 801/2 were introduced in 1968 and took over through trains from Chur at Pontresina. Other Bernina locos were the brown Ge 2/2 shunters 161/2, the De 2/2 baggage unit 151 and the Ge 4/4 locos 181 and 182. Now, all regular BB servcies are operated by Allegras.

Some train formations are described in this website: https://gerberro.ch/eisenbahn/zugbildungen

A detailed history of the Garve and Ullapool Railway is given in Andrew Drummond's book "A Quite Impossible Proposal". An account of its construction is in the same author's novel "An Abridged History of the Construction of the Railway line betwen Garve, Ullapool and Lochinver".

I had the same issue with my order for D6703. I had an e-mail from Accurascale in mid-Sept saying I would be charged the balance within 72 hours, but nothing happened. Seeing the recent messages here on RM Web I contacted Accurascale this morning and was told I had to make the payment myself. So 1/10 for an incorrect message in September and 10/10 for quickly sorting out the situation this (Sunday) morning.