tetsudofan

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

Interesting point.Another issue concerning me is that it does not take kindly to being "on and off" the track.Chris Leigh in his Model Rail review reckons that it's really best to keep it permanently on the rails as over handling exposes its fragility. A wrestle here between desire and common sense,I think !

.....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

Oh shoot! Looks like I'm gonna be a few bob shorter. Well @ least Bachmann have a nice new LMS brake van to go with it - perhaps Hattons will throw it in for free!

BTW, what chips is anyone using?

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

That's the joy of the Z21 - no proper manual, you just use your intuition to work out how it works.......or ask your friends.

You'll find it frustrating at first (especially when Roco don't bother to answer your questions and Gaugemaster had never heard of the problem I encountered) but playing around with it you find it can do interesting things. 

With help from friends I've found out how to program locos with 4-digit addresses (it seems as though most of my friends use other equipment to set loco addresses) and by messing about myself found out how to load the locos on my android phone and take and import photos of the locos onto the control panel.

Most bizarre thing was showing one of my (non model railway) friends how the system worked and after pressing a couple of buttons we heard a Cl.52 Western rumbling into life - we were downstairs......and the loco was in the trainroom upstairs........

Best of luck.....

Keith

Yes, two, the certificate for the second was 177 the first one was 63. Hope this will help you to find out if you're likely to be in this lot of lucky receipiants.

 

Mine will be regauged to EM and back dated to 1922 livery. Names and numbers to be decided, but will be on Laira's allocation for the mid '20's.

 

SS

Pleased to advise that mine ordered end of February arrived today with certificate number 0143.

Steam are sending them as per the date of order (as SS ordered his as they were announced and mine was ordered about six weeks later) but obviously the certicate numbers do not reflect the date in which the locos were ordered.....

Keith

Could 66721 be the next release from the LTM,my guess is it probably will be..

Somehow I would not put the release of 66721 in the "significant" category..... Having seen the real thing in the flesh did not think much of it - don't think I would buy one.

However some Bachmann-motored EFE underground stock, some proper coaches for Sarah Siddons or even a Metropolitan steamie I would classify as "significant" in my books  .

Keith

As I understand it from the very nice lady from the LT Museum who phoned me this morning the models will not be appearing in the Museum Shop until later this month.

 

I was hoping to pop into the museum on Wednesday (on my way to Crewe!!) to collect my models but was told that's a no go so my models will be waiting for me at the Museum Shop for my next visit to  London on November 30.

 

Now to order a couple of Cl.20 sound decoders......

 

Keith

Popped into the LT Museum this morning, told them that they had a couple of locos for me under the counter and bingo, there they were all labled up and ready for collection. Just as promised. The saving on postage more-or-less covered my £10.65 Web Super OffPeak return ticket from Folkestone  .

Had a word with the shop manager about future releases and, with a smile on his face, he said expect a "significant" announcement........

On the way up to London saw the white LT Map Cl.66 parked in one of the middle roads at Tonbridge Station - it looked well and truly grotty, well weather-stained.

Keith

I've received my Steam Lode Star so they are on the way to people who ordered in January.

Ordered and paid for mine on February 21 so maybe not too long to wait now..........

Keith

Andy,

The link works. Thanks,

Keith

...not working yet.....

Keith

They need a bit more than a kick up the backside!

I paid for my LY tank on Thursday by card and am still awaiting the item despite paying their exorbitant P & P charges for 1st class delivery. Makes you appreciate Hattons et al.

 

Think you've got to wait for your turn in the queue - I paid for mine on October 17 and have not got mine yet....and I'm not jumping up and down about it....it will arrive when it arrives.....and bear in mind that the delivery charges are somewhat less than popping on a train and going to collect it in person.

Keith

Thinking on a slightly lateral thought, how about a 4DD? LNER Y10 (both of them)? 009 Farlie? N gauge P2? The Great Bear? 009 Ruston? (didn't I already mention that one Dave )

 Yes please, a 4DD............memories of going upto London to work......

As I understand it from the very nice lady from the LT Museum who phoned me this morning the models will not be appearing in the Museum Shop until later this month.

I was hoping to pop into the museum on Wednesday (on my way to Crewe!!) to collect my models but was told that's a no go so my models will be waiting for me at the Museum Shop for my next visit to  London on November 30.

Now to order a couple of Cl.20 sound decoders......

Keith

Latest update - Yodel just delivered the package from Hattons - delivered within 21 hours after being picked at the Hattons warehouse yesterday (Sunday) - although it did take Hattons nearly 3 days to pick the order made on Thursday evening.

What arrived was something different:

High Speed trains are one of my weaknesses.....and may even get to see one of these when visiting China on the Bachmann Collectors trip to China next year - although we won't get a chance to ride one.

Keith

Just tracked my package - received at Shaw Hub at 19.28 this evening - expected to be delivered tomorrow.

Keith

Has Hattons dropped Yodel, I ordered the other day and have the confirmation that the parcel is in the post and will be delivered tomorrow ( Thursday ), Normally its come with Yodel or Royal Mail in the past but the link for tracking is to City Link, so are city link and Yodel Connected or has Hattons decided to take there business elsewhere ?

SGJ

Despite what Hattons say on the website they use Yodel for items that are picked and packed on Sunday so that they arrive on Monday - when I first queried an item for which I had asked for Royal.Mail but they sent Yodel they told me that Yodel collect on a Sunday afternoon for delivery to be made on Monday - quicker than any other of the options that they offer. 

Yodel, from what I've heard, are not well thought of by some people although I've never had any problems with the delivery people down here. Hattons did say that if you do not want Yodel used or only use the specified carrier mention this specifically in the "comments" box on the internet order.  

On Thursday evening I ordered something from Hattons which was picked today and has been sent Yodel (although I clicked on another option) so should receive the parcel by tomorrow lunch time.

Keith

They've been running down their stock for some time now. Always used to pop in everytime I went up to London but recently it's not been worth it. Ports of call are now London Transport Museum and Ian Allan at Waterloo.

Keith

Thanks also for the update Dave. Will try to establish contact tomorrow. If the message I got was courtesy of BT then think they need to attend charm school and provide some customer-friendly recorded messages.

Keith

Understand that Dave but nobody yet mentioned the rather abrupt message I got this morning - it can't be doing Lord & Butler any good.

Keith

Just tried to contact Lord and Butler by phone to inquire about a "dead" Cl.52 returned to them on June 3rd but got a rather abrupt recoded message that the number is not taking any calls at the moment - please try later.

Maybe somebody local could advise Lord and Butler what is going on. Thanks,

Keith