LNERandBR

Hi @RBE Thank you for your comprehensive reply. I'll be honest that I'd completely firgot the environmental impact from disposal of the boxes. I agree that it's something that you need to take into account. I was also comparing the boxes to other manufacturers which have an end opening box. The only difference being they often incoperate a plastic window. I'd therefore assume they'd need thinker card in order to replace the lost structural integrity. Overall, despite all my discusson on it, I do think it's a minor thing. As you say, the boxes as they are supposed to protect the models to ensure they arrive safely. They do their intended function very well as I have yet to find anything ammiss on my 18 wagons. It was just the only thing that it feels others have done better and I felt it was more unfair to you if I did not mention it. Overall I think it's a very subjective thing.

My 18 from Trains4U have also arrived and overall I'm also very happy. Not had them all out yet but I am very pleased with how those I have had out look and feel. My only negative would have to be the boxes. When compared to other recent offerings from competitors they do feel somewhat cheap and flimsy. The cardboard used being thin along with the plastic inners also being thin and held together by sticky tape. However, I really feel wrong for saying that because pretty soon I'll have the boxes stored out the way with the wagons themselves stored safely within a stock box for easy deployment and packing away at shows. I therefore offer this as constructive feedback as the models themselves are excellent and I am very happy with them overall.

I think it's clear they are more susceptible to being incorrectly assembled then other models. However those with issues are also clearly just those which have slipped though QC. There are plenty of reports of people being happy. I think Bachmann should be commended for taking the plunge with these more complicated prototypes. I'm sure they will be gathering all the data they can on any issues for future models. Be that adjusting the designs or tighting QC further. Personally I keep looking at Charles now and thinking of taking the plunge with another. However I don't think my wallet could stand it!

Trains4u took my payment for my Railfreight red cradle packs. They mentioned that they are just waiting on one pack to come from the warehouse but it's on it's way. I still believe that Cavalex have been very brave in getting these remade. We all should be patient as I'm sure they will all be on our layouts in due course 😀

I would say the Hunslets are more delicate to assemble. The Baldwin's being inside frames and having no fly cranks. My pesonal experience has been for any running issues to dissapear with running in. Indeed I have a Linda which ran fine light but had a slight tight spot under load after running in. Running with a load saw this slowly dissapear and all my Hunslets, both quarry and mainline, are now completely fine. They are always going to need more wheel cleaning and pickup maintenance. They rely on just 4 wheels over a short wheelbase to collect power.

At least Accurascale have explained there is a delay via a long blog post outlining all the information as to why. They have explained what they were trying to do and have detailed the reasons why they weren't able to meet their original target. Personally I think that is far more than you get from the majority of companies no matter what their industry and they should be commended for keeping us as up to date as humanly possible.

I'd recommend either getting a rolling road or see if you can visit a local club where you can run them in. 30mins in each direction and do so before fitting the decoders.

Completely agree, it's clearly a topic that sparks a very informative and interesting debate that deserves its own thread. From what I can see the well meaning of that message was lost within the ambiguity and lack of tone that written communication sometimes lacks.

Hornby had a period where they tried to do their own thing with programming didn't they. Maybe that affected their controllers as well? I know early Hornby decoders cannot be read by other makes of controller. I've had no issues reading back the Zimo decoder my Linda is fitted with on my Lenz DCC system.

My main issue with the C4 coverage comes when you get to the races in the Americas. USA, Mexico, etc. They are forced to put it on at silly o clock in the morning due to how late the live coverage will be and the amount of time that they have to wait before they can show it. I believe it even has to come behind Sky's own highlights coverage. I do agree that what C4 produce seems to have gone down in quality year on year. I also agree that it appears to be contractual to push people to get the sky package. What's annoying is I think F1 renewed the current contract. I hoped they'd insist on better free coverage given that is what they've done in other markets.

As the two LED's seem to function separately under DCC Sound it would make sense if they were separate functions on a standard DCC decoder. If you are just getting orange then that's the glow as the flickering is done by the yellow LED it seems.

My DCC Sound fitted Linda (with tender) arrived today. The firebox flickers in time with the exhaust beats and I'm very impressed. Admittedly, if you open the firehole door all the way then you can see straight into the firebox and the LED's from many angles on the tender version. That being due to the open back of the cab. However, close the firehole door a bit to obscure a direct view and it works extremely well. It even flickers more when you activate the blower which I'm most impressed about. She has a slight click when running slowly but to my ears it's a pickup catching on a wheel. I've therefore released the keeper plate and adjusted them a little but didn't have time for another test. She won't get fully run in until I get her up the club on Thursday night as I've only got 3ft of correct gauge track and no rolling road.

Nesta arrived today and running wise she doesn't appear to have any sort of limp. Already looking forward to running her in fully at the club next Thursday.

Personally, I think I'll pass on the sound onboard version and stick to my DCC Ready one. I'll see what project options are available from other suppliers. Main issue of course will be sound recordings. Any project is going to be pretty generic given you can't go out and record an actual A5.

My Dorothea arrived earlier this week after being stuck in the post. Only having around 3ft of straight track to try her on there was a noticeable limp at low speeds when running forwards. However, running in is highly recommended as I took her to my local club last night and she spent most of the evening doing laps of the room on our test track. 30 mins in each direction before I hooked up a short rake of slate wagons. Very pleased to say that the running in has cured the slight tight spot and she's now very happy at low speeds. Looking forward to Nesta arriving as she's also somewhere in the postal system atm.

I agree that the cheapo controller could be a cause of the issues you are seeing. It's one of those situations where the power delivered might actually be what is pulsating which causes the erratic running.

Getting both excited and apprehensive. I have a 'tendered' Linda with sound along with Nesta and Dorothea on their way but it's looking like they will spend christmas in a Parcel Depot. Admittedly, the reports of people having issues have me on edge. 😕

Same, I presume it will be down to the postal strikes. In honesty, if they wait until after the weekend that would be no issue with me.

Maybe Squires? I seem to remember they had a selection of such materials on their stand at Warley.

Personally, I think you will never change some opinions of Thompson. The whole debate will just spin round and round in circles much like the whole DC vs DCC debate. In my opinion, he did what he felt was required. He was working under trying circumstances and rather than debate his more controversial decisions lets celebrate his achivements like the B1's.

I'm sure I've seen a layout based on the PQR Mainline but cannot remember it's name or who built it sadly. Think it was at one of the GCR Model Events before Covid. I can't remember exactly which one unfortunately. I've walked from Penrhyn Harbour to Bethesda on the Lon Las Ogwyn path, although that sort of jumps from the Narrow Gauge to the Standard Gauge branch to Bethesda. https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/lon-las-ogwen I admit, it was strange as I didn't realise it did that until I was walking under bridges and through a tunnel which clearly were Standard Gauge size.

Indeed, although Takamoto Katsuta will still be running at all events. He just won't score manufacturer points at those events Ogier is at. We don't yet know exactly which events Ogier will be at or indeed how the rounds will be shared between Craig Breen or Dani Sordo. Submissions for entering Monte Carlo closed on the 16th so we should hear about the 3rd M-Sport Car soon. Unless they have spent so much on Ott's contract they are just running 2 cars. There is still speculation that Seb Loeb will do some rounds again and any 3rd car is expected to be Gus Greensmith. In WRC2. Oliver Solberg has been confirmed as running for Toksport in a Skoda. It's expected that Emil Lindholm and Sami Pajari will also be in that team. Also, Adrian Formaux has been demoted to a WRC2 drive for M-Sport which will have 2 Fiesta's with Gregoire Munster in the second.

Ah yes, because I'm normally changing the direction when editing CV29. That's why I instantly said number 1 🥴 So that means you 'turn off' the number 3 on the lenz system and that will be 'Bit 2'. That being because 'Bit 0' is number 1 on the keypad just to make things more confusing. It's still easier than trying to work out the binary or hex to change the part you want. I was taught binary at university but even after 13 years in IT have never needed it. 😄

Or on the Lenz system you read cv29 then turn 'bit 1' off the same way as you would turn a function off when controlling the train. That's the most useful part of programming using a lenz controller I find 😄

I would love to see the faces on some of these collectors if you ripped off the wrapping and opened the box!