Jack

Thanks, it's not a case of not being bothered, I just prefer plug in decoders as being a neater solution - plus if anything happens to the decoder it is easier to swap it out. Hard wired decoders are more of a phaff. Hornby must have been getting these 4 pin plugs and sockets from somewhere and I find it hard to believe they would have been bespoke to them. Why on earth they couldn't put 6 pin NEM sockets in is beyond me.

When I purchased my original peckett and sentinel I managed to get hold of some new Hornby style 4 pin plugs from DCC Supplies. I fitted these to Lenz Silver decoders and just plugged them into the locos. Does anyone know if these are still available from anywhere? DCC Supplies said they didn't have any last time I enquired. I could hardwire the next pecket, but feel that a plug in would be more elogant.

Another really enjoyable show in Canterbury. There were some extremely good layouts this year, and I think the show went really well. Thanks everyone! A couple of pics off the camera ... Portwen ... which confused me, because we also had the excellent Portway of this parish!! The Yard ... wow, so much gadgetry in such a small space!! RC lorries with working brake lights ... mad! Gordon and Maggie's Arun Quay ... I spent a lot of time in front of this one, totally captivating. Unfortunately as it got dark yesterday afternoon the light wasn't great in places, but this is my favourite corner of James St.

DJH do batch produce RTR examples, but they are not cheep, as one would expect from something which I guess is a hand built kit. Interesting comment about eh body work quality.

You pays yer money ... there is a big difference in price between DJH and Heljan!!

These should be in the 'Prototype For Everything' section - peco O gauge setrack eat yer heart out!!!

Looking forward to seeing you all ... if I can tear myself away from the layouts :) Looks like I'll need my winter undies for the carpark duty on Saturday morning, but atleast it should be dry!

A list of layouts and traders can be found here : http://www.ccmrs.co.uk/exhibition.html

Well, its not a re-issue, it's a different identity. I'm happy with that since I was going to change it to '583' anyway. The upward trend of rrp has been discussed in various places before and is a sad fact of our new global reality. However, when you look on Bachmann's website I think it is shocking that the lined green one is a full £100 more than a black one when, as others have said, Hornby and Hattons didn't charge such a variance. nNeither is there such a variance on *any* other model which is offered in lined and unlined liveries. Still, at the end of the day, it is a hobby, and if we paid a kit builder to do such things then it would cost more. Before the SECR became so popular with rtr manufacturers I know someone who kit built a D then paid a professional to paint it ... that really wasn't cheap by the time he'd brought the kit, the wheels, the gearbox, the motor, spent time building it, then paid the pro to finish it off.

Wow. I seem to recall it changed hands a few years ago fo several thousand pounds. Very tempting!!

On reflection I thin I might try a key type coupling rod first, before I start modding stock. Whilst I'm quite happy with Kadees in OO, there is something satisfying about having realistic coupling in O. I'd be interested to know about the "imprecise jacksons"? Ta

"Suggestions for Dating a GWR Pannier to 1955" I reckon wine and flowers are good for most eras ... sorry, hat, coat etc.

Fine if you're building Minories, bit limiting in a lot of other respects. Still, it's been an interesting learning experience ...

The crossovers have been replaced with Peco 6' streamline points. It reduces the size of the headshunt by a few inches, but everything still works in terms of operation. No buffer locking and everything is good to go for some scenery, once I've returned to a few rolling stock projects. I left the point covers on the two points which are effectively the 'mainline', but removed them from the two sidings, filling the holes with some black milliput. Having closed the track centres by over 0.6 inches there is a bit more room for the low-relief buildings at the back.

The crossovers are nearly removed and replaced with standard 6' streamline points. Putting them next to the set track points it became clear the reverse curve with the latter was causing the buffer locking on pretty much everything that wasn't a 4 wheel wagon or pecket. Piccies to follow once I have realigned the narrow gauge feeder and finished the wiring ...

Nope, no need for insulation as this is all done around the frog and the power is transfered to the correct rails using thin wire underneath. Just use metal fish plates all around. I have now removed 4 out of the 6 from Gough's Yard. Basically the 2 crossovers have had to go as I was getting buffer locking on anything other than a Peckett and 4-wheelers. The buffer locking seemes to be caused by the fact the diverging line continues on a curve through the frog, unlike on the streamline points where the diverging line straightens out before the frog. 2 pairs of bog standard 6' points just about fit ... should have used threm from the start!! The set track points are still fine for the sidings because they don't form a reverse curve.

Thanks again. On mine the pivot pin looks more like a plastic rivet, and i'm not sure it can be forced out without breaking.

Brilliant, thanks very much

Thanks. Its the same version as John has just posted above. I purchased them last week, but not sure if they are new or old stock? the piece of plastic on top representing the planking is quite thin, and appears to have some form of rivet underneath. The sleepers are also mostly hollow at this point. i don't have the points to hand I'm afraid.

Thanks all. next step is to replace some of the setrack points with medium ones, and have another thorough test ... will think more about the couplings then.

Does anyone know how to remove the dummy facing point lock covers to remove the spring? I can't see how to do it without breaking the cover as it appears to have been riveted on. Ta

So, if I have this right ... 1) It's o gauge 2) it's modern image (given where its being announced) 3) It's massive ... it's obvious ... they're going to make a RTP model of the new London Bridge Station in O Gauge ... hat & coat on

I did try the I templates, but the geometry didn't quite work. I've ordered some new 6 footers and we'll see how it goes ... just as well I like playing with bits of track and wire!

Well, having fixed the shorting, I still can't get the Terrier to push a wagon through the crossovers bunker first (due to the overhang) ... after much thought I'm not prepared to start phaffing around with bits of wire or larger buffers etc. on stock to try and solve this. The 4 points making up the crossovers are being replaced (the other two into the sidings are as they don't form a reverse curve). Lesson learnt.