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A couple of weeks???? That would have taken me a couple of months at least! Terrific piece of work there Bill, Dave.T

Hi Ray, Hows the preparations for Exeter coming along? Only a week to go now! I will be there on Sunday and should have time for a good look when I'm not manning the Exeter O-Gauge Group stand. Cheers, Dave.

Looking forward to seeing it at the Exeter Show again next weekend, along with Yard Shunter. I should have time for a "play" as well, when I'm not manning the Exeter O Gauge Group stand. Are you bringing Darren with you? Cheers, Dave. PS I'll be there on Sunday, got a family "Do" on Saturday.

Overkill possibly, but really not a problem George, FAR better that way round than a mini engine to drive a bus. Cheers, Dave.

Thanks very much Jack, theres more pictures on my layout threads, links below. All the best, Dave.

Thanks Don, I must admit I'm warming to the Frog-Juicer idea. There are more diamond crossings on the British narrow-gauge than you might think, especially on the industrial lines. Thankfully there were few really complicated installations like scissors-crossovers, although there was (is?) one on the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch, and one at Tooban Junction on the Londonderry & Lough Swilly. Having contemplated a junction station based on Tooban, I may yet have to build one. Cheers, Dave.

Sorry for being dense, at last I understand the Frog Juicers; they take the place of any actual switchgear to switch the frog polarity, and that polarity is switched when a loco reaches the frog, and before shorting out can occur. Its function is explained a lot more clearly on this website http://www.handlaidt...r-p/hfj003u.htm I now see the advantages of the Frog Juicer! However I dont know that it will work with my turnouts. They are what is sometimes described as "DCC Un-freindly" in that there is no electrical gap between the pointblade and the frog, so the whole pointblade is polarity switched. The flangeway gaps are wide enough to prevent the back of the wheels shorting against the blade, and so far I've not had any problems. All the best, Dave.

That's good to hear Mudders...

Some very effective weathering there Andrew, Thanks for sharing. Dave.

Just come across this thread, a great looking project. Dave.

Hi Rob, I agree, I've done something similar on Bridport Town, which owes a lot to Hemyock. It seems to be something of a modelling convention that we have to show the rail side of a platform, but I often find the rear view just as interesting, with scruffy outbuildings, backyards etc, plus the overgrown bank at the rear of the platform. Sorry to hear that Osney Town has had to be dismantled, and I regret I never saw it. Those are Arthur Paine Highworth buildings aren't they? All the best, Dave.

Thanks for the suggestion guys, I've been having a look at the Frog Juicer descriptions. I may not have got the full picture, but as I see it allows you to trail through a turnout that's incorrectly set without shorting out and stopping everything? In my case this would just lead to a derailment, as the point blades are held in place by the actuating mechanism, and I would rather have the enforced stop than the derailment. There must be more to it than that? Please enlighten me Gents! Thanks, Dave.

Superb modelling Rob, and presentation. You have certainly found yourself a winning style. Any more photos? Thanks very much, Dave.

Definitely the right move Ian, its got a very convincing Southern/West Country look to it. I await developments! All the best, Dave.

Really like this layout, even though I've never actually seen it; and looking forward to receiving my MRJ. Do you have any more exhibitions scheduled? Thanks, Dave.T

Very nice indeed, I'm following progress with interest. Cheers, Dave.T

That's a very nice looking layout Ian, any more photos to come? Many thanks, Dave.

A new career for Rebecca Brooks????

Definitely not. We had a serious case of "Exploding Custard" on our Field Trip some years ago, when the students on cooking duty tried to make custard in a Pyrex dish. Result - Custard everywhere, not recomended. Dave.

Hi Ozzy, That bottle of Carrs must be over twenty years old. I had some at the time and I agree with you, it was useless. As others have said, the current Carrs range is quite different, and its results are the same as with Birchwood Casey. The two look and behave similarly, and may well be a similar chemical solution. I'm no chemist, just a regular user, and I happily recommend either. Thanks for drawing attention to all the old and almost empty bottles of potions various that I have stuffed at the back of my cupboards! Cheers, Dave.

Having DCC chipped two of my locos, I connected my NCE Powercab up to Charmouth this evening, and Shock Horror, it worked! Both locos ran nicely, no short circuits or mysterious stoppages, so full steam ahead. My crossing polarity switching may need updating. It relies on phos-bronze wipers on the copperclad tiebars, and as its nearly thirty years old it can be forgiven for being a little cranky. I will probably replace them with microswitches as on Bridport. Cheers, Dave.

Interested to hear your thoughts on Ghost Moon Orchestra Tim, looking forward to hearing it. And glad you are still with us. Cheers, Dave.

Hi Stu, The Jury is still out on what effect DCC will have on running quality; I've always been perfectly happy with the DC performance. The main reason for changing over is to get away from the cab-control switching on Bridport. With two operators we spend too much time fiddling with the section switches instead of concentrating on the running. The other reason is that my old layout Charmouth is going to Warley this year, on one of its very occasional outings. Charmouth is wired with normal section switches for one controller; therefore one loco in motion. DCC will enable wider scope and more flexible operations. Hi Paul, I know I've been called a Technophobe, (very unfairly I think!) but I'm yet to be entirely convinced by steam sound, and even further from being convinced that its for me. (Diesel is a different matter) So for the time-being at least I'm concentrating on sorting out any running issues with DCC before I start going down the gadgets route. Besides DCC sound can get VERY expensive! I'll keep you posted, All the best, Dave.

Definitely going over to the "Dark Side", I've started fitting my locos with DCC chips! Some time ago I bought an NCE Powercab, and a couple of TCS M1 chips. My first thougt when I saw the chips was that they were "Nice and compact". However, fitting the first one in my Hunslet 262 Boadicea required quite a bit of surgery, the loco had been built around the Portescap RG4 motor, and there was no space left. More later, Dave.

Thanks for all the encouraging comments Gents, it keeps me keen to keep modelling and developing. Yeah, that pretty much sums it up! Charmouth will be at Warley this coming November, for one of its occasional jaunts into the outside world. Thanks Don, those etched grills are rather gorgeous, and some of the last remaining bits of the original kit. All the best, Dave.