tetsudofan

The original TurboTrain done by Rapido has a decoder in each end car which simplifies the wiring between each car. Hopefully Rapido will do the same for the APT-E and have it set up that one engine starts up and shuts down before the other. Sounds great that way. Keith

Having already got two of Rapido's TurboTrains I was sure that the APT-E would be the choice for the first UK model.....and am pleased to see the announcement. Order already placed for the dcc sound version . Would like to have been at Shildon today but the logistics of getting from Folkestone to Shildon and back beat me. Was much easier to get to the Rapido presentation at Crewe last year and see Jason oogling at another iconic unit. 2016? . ...and just had to get out one of my TurboTrains: Purchased this set maybe 4 or 5 years ago and note that price paid then was a penny under £300.00 for the 3-car dcc sound version. Additional coaches were £25.00 each. Keith

My feeling is that the Kato GEX will be a one-off as I'm sure that it's main target customers are the many Japanese tourists who visit Switzerland and take a ride on the GEX. However, having said that, if enough of those tourists are also/or become model railroaders they may get interested in modelling the RhB/MGB/MOB etc. so maybe we could see Kato producing the Bernina Express or Golden Panoramic Express. Keith

Saw my first Colas locos in the flesh today at Hoo Junction on my way by Cl.395 High speed to the Chatham Show - two Cl.70s on one side of the line and a Cl.66 and Cl.47 on the other side - just like the buses, nothing for ages and then you see four at once . Keith

Hi Michael, If you don't like the idea of soldering there is an alternative - use the pre-soldered Power Feed Joiners from Peco together with the DCC Power Bus Kit sold by Express Models. Have taken a quick picture of what it looks like under the baseboard: For ages I was putting off fitting and soldering the dropper wires but combining the Peco and Express Models products the job was a real doddle. I probably went overboard and installed droppers between each track length but, hey ho, it became enjoyable and not a feared task. Keith

Yep, just fits over the track, no cutting just run the loco onto the MPD

Yep, it sure is. Normally has a rake of tuscan red PRR coaches behind......but, sometimes it finds itself with a rake of maroon Mk.1s .... Keith

The DCC Concepts MPDs ordered from Hattons on Thursday evening arrived this morning just before 10.00am - can't complain at that ... Well, this is what you get for your money: - the MPD, injection moulded foam cradle, some foam blocks and a storage box. The storage box is a little ott in my opinion and, unfortunateley is marginally wider than the storage drawer I was hoping to use . Can't win them all, can we? Soon 4978 was seen approaching the MPD: .....and was soon parked up inside. As you can see there is plenty of the room for the Garratt: All that was then needed was the injection moulded foam cradle and 4978 was ready for storage: Compared with the Peco Loco Lift, the DCC Concepts version comes fully assembled (the Peco lifts can be a pain to assemble!!) and is somewhat stronger. The DCC Concepts version is expensive when compared with the Peco version but, bearing in mind that you get a choice of lengths with the DCC Concepts version, I think it is a worthwhile purpose especially if you will be frequently moving your Garratt on and off the layout and want something of quality to do this: Finally and somewhat off topic the MPD has solved my storage problems for the number of rather large American outline models that I have accumulated over the years: Think it's fair to say I'm a happy bunny Keith

Hello Ian, Based upon your suggestion I contacted Haootons and was advised (virtually by return!!) that although the Garratts would just fit in the smaller MPD 360 Hattons would recommend using the MPD 460 so that you would not have the buffers and couplings protruding from the end of the case. An order has been placed with Hattons which should arrive next week. I'll post a pic once everything has been set up. Thanks, Ian, for the information about the MPDs. I was not aware that DCC Concepts had produced these items. RMweb scores again!! Keith

......and how do you drive the loco into/onto it without picking it up?

Paul, like the 0-6-0 running on Rhatia.......wonder if I'll get a chance to run Pfiffi, Pfeffi or a 2-10-2 on Disentis Keith

OK, just to help you along I'll make sure there are two Cl.66s available on the running day Keith

I'm Keith, live in Folkestone but brought up in Mottingham, South East London attending Shooters Hill GS (anybody else on here go there?). Started work with one of the big clearing banks (the sign of the eagle one) but got bored one day and joined The Chartered Bank (since merged with a name appearing on football shirts) and on August 7, 1966 set sail for Hong Kong and worked in South East Asia for the next 33 years or so finally leaving Japan on December 30, 1998 to return to the UK. My interests are somewhat varied both gauge and countrywise. Have a G-scale layout in the garden (hopefully to be returned to life later this year), an OO/HO layout indoors, have just become a part-owner of an iconic HOm Swiss layout and am an operator (normally found in the fiddle yard) on Bill Bishop's Hochstadt O-gauge layout. Am not a model railway club member but am a member of the Benelux Railway Society, German Railway Society, Swiss Railway Society, National Tramway Museum and Tramway & Light Railway Society...... and am Membership Secretary of the Japanese Railway Society. Once I've got the G-Scale layout up and running again there's always to possibility of a Group running day............... Keith

.....just needs Peco to introduce a longer "loco lift" specifically for the Beyer Garratt (and, hopefully, for American Mallets etc,) My local modelshop advised that his Peco representative is aware of the need for a longer "loco lift" but at the moment the only solution offered was cobbling together (with difficulty) a longer lift using two of the current lifts..... Keith

I've fitted a Lenz 10231-01 Standard + decoder. Perfect fit inside the ashpan and loco runs smoothly especially down my 4% incline with 33 wagons and brakevan (length of my longest fiddle-yard siding!!) in tow. Keith

When the Beyer Garratt was first announced a preorder was placed for one LMS and two BR versions (I do like big toys!!) but at the end of last year I thought this was a bit ott so I cancelled the LMS and one of the BR versions. When the first LMS models were released with problem stories abounding I thought I had made the right decision in cancelling two of the locos. As better reports started to appear on the forum and bearing in mind the number of pre-war private owner coal wagons that had been accumulated over the years I decided to bite the bullet and re-ordered the lightly weathered LMS version on Saturday which was delivered by Yodel on time this afternoon. To be honest I was somewhat worried that I would end up with a Friday afternoon job but, upon opening the box, I was relieved to find that all was intact apart from one little black thingy whatnot loose in the box. The loco was placed on the analogue test track .....and off it went: What surprised me was how easy i was to get the loco and all wheels on the track - as long as the instructions that came with the loco were followed. Of all the larger locos I've bought this was the first one to show you photographically how to pick it up. After a few circuits of the test track it was time to fit a decoder - and that was a doddle. Turn the loco upside down (using the bubble wrap that came with the loco - my foam cradle was too short for this monster), unscrew the ashpan, locate the dcc plug, remove blanking plug, attach decoder, stick decoder on inside of ashpan, replace ashpan and screw down - all done and dusted in the time that it took to write this!! The loco was placed on the dcc track (after changing the loco address and setting the loco up on the Z21) ready to start light engine running: Looking up at the loco from ground level I think it's a fantastic looking piece of kit - it just oozes power: Really think that both Hattons and Heljan have done a fantastic job producing this model. Now looking forward to getting my BR version. In the meantime 4978 set of light engine to explore its new environment pausing to show itself off to the stock resting below before collecting its first coal train: Keith

The Hythe (Kent) to Sandgate Horse Tramway Stables at Hythe (opposite the Red Lion pub) are just about visible after a fire destroyed the building in front of the stables a few years ago. Sorry, but not sussed out how to google maps links.....maybe someone can help? Keith

Something strange here, have never had Annie answer the phone when I'ved called let alone meet her during my monthly visits to Faversham. There was a Mark in the shop but he retired a few years ago and his son, Harvey, now runs the shop on his own - answering the phone, dealing with shop customers, running the website, packing all the parcels etc. To be honest I don't know how he does it all by himself. Maybe there is an Annie lurking upstairs............ Keith

I've purchased four of the Dapol Westerns - dessert sand, green, maroon and blue versions. All have received SouthWest Digital decoders. All have run perfectly apart from the blue version which ran perfectly the first day of purchase. Second day the sound fired up, lights on, power applied, the motor responded building up speed, blowing it's horn, slowed down, brakes squealed.....only problem was that the loco did not move at all during this sequence. Loco was returned to the retailer who decided to send the loco to DCC Supplies who said they could find nothing wrong with the loco and returned it to the retailer. The retailer then fitted a new sound decoder and returned to loco to me having told me it was working. Upon receipt the loco was placed on the track and, just as before, it just sat there making all nice noises that a SouthWest Digital decoder does. Movement was non-existant. Before anybody says it must be my track, my digital equipment, my this, my that I do have three other Dapol Westerns fitted with same equipment that work on my track. Getting a little cheesed off by this time (especially having three other working Westerns fitted with the same decoders) contact was made with DCC Supplies to discuss my problems with the Triage Tepartment..... No, there is nothing wrong with the loco. Have you tested the loco on dcc? No. Why? Because a dcc sound decoder is add-on fitment. But the loco does not move when a dcc decoder is fitted.... oh really, that means the decoder must be faulty....... We then started going round and round in circles.... but getting nowhere. To cut a long story short I did manage to get a return-post label out of the Triage Department (and that was probably only because I also had a very recently purchased dead Cl.22 to return). The Cl.22 was returned to me and is now working perfectly even after the fitting of a sound decoder. The Western was returned to the retailer who then fitted another sound decoder......and again the loco would not move.... Since then the loco has resided with the retailer. I was offered my money back but I turned this down as I wanted a working Western with sound, not a refund. One idea was to wait until the second release of these locos arrived and swap my old loco for a new loco ..... but having read of the above failures that have been reported above think it is now time for me to pull the plug...... give up on the thought of a blue Western with sound and take up the refund offer. Shame, it's a beautiful looking model..... Keith

.......not quite sure I can explain this....... Keith

Very interesting pictures, many thanks for posting. It's amzing how the Talent 2 in silver livery looks quite different to the Talent 2 in standard DB-AG red livery. Wonder if Piko will produce a silver livery Talent 2 next year? Keith