Talltim

Interesting choice of button programming. Don't the speed step up and down buttons duplicate the wheel?

With a Duette, there's nothing to say moving the knob to left will move the loco to the left, it might go right. It all depends on the polarity of the track and the angle you are viewing it from. In fact a knob in DCC is more consistant, you could make it so left is always loco backwards and right is always forward. (assuming your train has an obvious backwards and forward) Actually, there's other far more important reasons why any physical controls with end stops are hard to work into a DCC system. If you set a loco going and switch to another, the controls need to reset, either to 0 or to the previously set positions. I wonder how the ProtoThrottle manages this?

Not sure I follow your logic. A loco still moves in two directions, whether DC or DCC. If you operate a DC roundy -roundy from the front, half the time a train will be going left to right, and the other half right to left on the same controller setting.

It has been touched on, but there still seems to be a lack of user interface design in controllers, especially handheld and DCC. The Duette design, with its centre off knob, is simple and intuitive, easy to use. The only issue might be the fact that the front is vertical, but it can be placed on an angled surface. With DCC, to my mind, the ideal controller would have analog-esque controls for speed and direction, rotary knob or slider and rocker switches. Possibly a few physical buttons for the common functions. This could all be operated comfortably one-handed by touch alone. The rest of the fuctionality would be on a touch screen, with a well thought out menu structure. The ESU CabControl looks closest to my thoughts, however I've not seen one in real life so I'm I'm unsure of how well its shape works (or how well the menu setup works)

Its a good job they didn't damage the box taking the items out to photograph https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176175004660

That map implies that Aus has about 30 roads and no railways

For those of us for whom the Ice Locomotive is new https://blog.railwaymuseum.org.uk/the-ice-locomotive-curiosities-from-the-engineering-drawing-collections/ I'm a bit puzzled why the driving wheels seem to be smooth, youd have though some chunky grips would have been in order. Also why would you build something for use on ice, which tends to happen in cold places and provide no cab?

My understanding of the timeline was that MB Klein was one of the most popular web based sellers, competing on price and ease of use, and then they changed their site and the search functionality went to pot. This caused most of the negativity. Then a few months later Hattons bought them, closed their existing warehouse and moved to either one owned by Heartland Hobby Wholesale or in the same area of Fremont, Nebraska. Now, of coursem comes the news of Hattons closing.

MB Klein/ModelTrainStuff have stopped accepting orders 'pending a company reorganization.' https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/customer-notice/ A side note, what is this train about? Must be some fat passengers to need 8 wheeled trucks!

You get them started with second hand stuff. There's plenty about.

Although mine was set to Edge and still opens hyperlinks in Chrome (my Default Browser)

Interesting as they bought the US retailer MB Klein only at the end of last year. Wonder what will happen to that?

I'm going to be contrary and say that the green line needs to be greener. In all the pictures I have seen of it, it really pops out against the dusty greys and browns of the building/debris

Repeating for emphasis

25 years ago the average wage was just under £18K

Thats station with 'on the corner of a small layout' curves. I like it https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15.7&lat=53.02588&lon=-2.18315&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potteries_Loop_Line

The TOCs could help themselves by saying publicly that the DfT/Treasury controls all their staff numbers, but for some reason they seem scared to do so

There's the issue 😁

How many people put new registration cars on their layouts in March and September? Or replace derelict buildings with building sites then fancy new ones?

The rapid changeover of TOCs is a boon for the manufacturers. Even for unit that are unique to one route, there's normally multiple liveries to do. In fact, looking at the list in the OP, I'm surprised that they haven't capitalised more on their existing tooling, especially with the current Northern livery. Gut feeling is that less than half the 158 paint schemes have been done.

You don't update your 1953 layout to 1954 when it gets to 2024, so why should you update your 2023 layout to 2024?

Possibly literally https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/28/fitness-tracking-app-gives-away-location-of-secret-us-army-bases

Anyone fancy this? https://www.lego.com/en-gb/product/the-orient-express-train-21344

Just do half the 158 and pair it with half a 156...

Can you remember where you saw the photo?