Steven B

Hi, I've got a couple of problems with the Exec' livery HST I bought at the weekend. Firstly, when I put the dummy car on DCC powered track there's a beeping noise. This happens regardless of if there's a decoder fitted or not (i.e. no decoder and no blanking plug - I'm not daft enough to put it on the DCC track with the DC blanking plug in). Secondly, operating on DC the power car sometimes slows right down and occasionally stops with my Gaugemaster controller showing a short. Any ideas what might be causing this? I know the easy answer is to take them back to the shop but I bought the last exec livery ones they had. I think I'd like fix them myself if it's easy enough rather than risking the shop/Dapol returns process and hoping I get my favourite livery back again. The shops forty miles away so it's not a ten minute job to return it. Happy modelling. Steven B.

I've been after a decent Intercity Executive HST ever since I started in N gauge about 12 years ago so I'm rather pleased Dapol have produced it in this livery. The book set does come with Swallow livery Mk3s which I sent a grumbly email to Dapol about. However, as has been mentioned, the Mk3s were refurbished in the late 1980s. According to my Ian Allan combined volume from 1989 the two Mk3s that are in the box set were in Swallow livery. The power cars modelled were still in Execuive livery. Also, by that date the power cars had been named (43 056 Bradford University & 43057 Bounds Green). The TF and TS are listed as being allocated to different trainsets but I can live with that - I can't read the numbers when it's travelling past at 125mph! Have Dapol produced the TF with black roof yet? I've got a couple of matching TS on order but haven't been able to find the extra TF I need. Happy modelling. Steven B.

Isn't Kernow/Dapol's Well Tank the first retailer commissioned steam engine? I'm looking forward to the BR(M) layouts with Garrett's haulling long strings of mineral wagons. But, I can hear the grumbles already : I'm an eastern region modeller and it's not the LNER one so I won't be buying one. It's too long - I can't get it out of the box The wish list gets ever shorter. I wonder what will be next? Happy modelling. Steven B.

As the 88DS has solid wheels and no coupling rods I'd be tempted to see if there's a Black Beetle, Tenshodo or Bullant motor bogie you could use instead. Happy modelling. Steven B.

Or take one tin of silver paint.... Or else the likes of Electra Graphics will produce vinyls or transfers to give the silver doors. Happy modelling. Steven B.

The MR Sentinal isn't small, it's huge (at least by N and Z gauge standards). If DCC sound is possible in a 2FS 08 and in Z gauge steam locos then fitting it to this wee beasty should be a peice of cake! You Tube video of DCC sound in Z Gauge: Happy modelling. Steven B.

By the 1990s they were rarely used on trains. Typically you'd find them when propelling moves were required (i.e. when reversing a train into a siding or onto a branch line), or where extra train crew were used for operating crossing barriers. Either could be a reason for using them on your docks branch. They were also used on trains carrying dangerous cargos (such as nuclear flask wagons and some chemical trains), so that in the event of an incident the loco crew didn't have to walk past the wagons to protect the train from the rear. Happy modelling. Steven B.

When's the Intercity Executive version due in the shops (ND-122C)? I've been waiting for this livery to be released since I started modelling in N ten years ago so another few weeks won't hurt. (But it would be nice to know!) Happy modelling, Steven B.

Looking good (as ever!) Don't forget to trim off the flash that surounds the door hinges on the Rudd. Happy modelling. Steven B

C=Rail do the MOD side door container in N so might be persuaded to do it in OO too. Weren't KFAs also used for carrying rolls of paper? The other traffic KFAs were used for was (and still is) Binliner traffic. Happy modelling. Steven B.

It might look better if the corner at the open end (ie. closest to the camera in the picture above) was curved rather than square. Are you going for open top or covered? Happy modelling. Steven B.

Were you running on DCC when you calculated your scale speed of 75mph? Some systems allow you to adjust the Voltage applied to the track so that the larger the scale, the more Volts are applied. Using the N Gauge/Scale setting on my Digitrax system reduces the top speed of trains compared to using the OO setting or the Bachmann trainset DCC controller. Happy modelling. Steven B.

Looking very very good. If only Arran would move his N Gauge modelling interests to West Yorkshire there might be more of a chance of a 1:148 one. Happy modelling. Steven B.

It might be worth having another look at the fiddle yard design. It looks like that to shunt trains in and out of the fiddle yard on the inner circuit that they might appear "on scene", especially the three and four car long units & freight trains. Happy modelling. Steven B.

My understanding of the project is that the NRM have either bought or been given one of the engines from the production HSTs now that they've all (or most of them) have been re-engined. This will be refurbished and used to replace the original one which, as mentioned above, has been sectioned. I've heard from a friend who works at the NRM that one of the plans is to use it to run a shuttle service between the NRM sites at York and Shildon, possibly top'n'tailed with Flying Scotsman. No idea how true the rumour is but it could make for a fun day out! Happy modelling. Steven B.

I'm sure CJM would sell you a class 59: http://www.cjmmodels.co.uk/V2-Products/CJM_Class_59.htm Don't know how you'd go about making it run on 2FS track though. Stone wagons from Farish, NGS & TPM. Job done. Happy modelling. Steven B.

I've got a Sprog2 and when combined with DecoderPro on my Netbook PC it's a perfect set-up for programming decoders. There's no need to remember what CV does what - the user interface of DecoderPro does all the hard work for you. Together with the JMRI software it can also be used as a DCC controller. What it won't do is program sounds into sound decoders (you'll need the manufacturer specific programmer for that), but you'll still be able to change the standard settings on sound decoders. Recommended. Happy modelling. Steven B.

Dave, will there be "Intercity 125" branded coaches to go with the Executive livery HST? If so what are the catalogue numbers for them? I can't find anything on the Dapol website or any online shops. It's a bit tricky to pre-order them without the numbers! When are they due out? Hopefully not too long given the review in Model Rail last month. Happy modelling, Steven B.

As if excelent 2FS wasn't enough, Julia's shaming us with 2mm narrow gauge. What next? Working value gear in T gauge? The chassis of the Nm3 wagon looks OK. The actual hopper would look better in etched brass or nickel silver though. Happy modelling, Steven B.

TPM do etched headcode disks if you want to ditch the Farish plastic ones.

Some excelent work on show here. One question if I may though; Why go to the effort of all the CAD work and then build the structures from plastistrut? Why not laser cut plastic/card/wood or etched brass? Happy modelling. Steven B.

I might have missed this in an earlier posting, but which brand of plasticard are you using for your brick work? The pub would look quite good with stained or etched glass windows. Happy modelling. Steven B.

Agreed. They should come in very handy and mean I can do something more usefull with the class 90 bodies I have rather than just use them as pantograph donors. Not forgetting the class 26, 56, 121 and 142 that have already been promised... Happy modelling, Steven B.

I'm really enjoying reading about the progress on this layout - you can almost smell the stale urine and vomit from the underpass! Any plans to exhibit the layout when it's finished? Happy modelling. Steven B.

Stunning work - just goes to show what can be achieved in N. Hopefully it will inspire a few more larger scale modellers to look again at something a bit smaller (or at least take a look at exhibitions - all to often I hear & see folk walking past a N gauge layout because "it's too small"). I'd be tempted to increase the value of the resistor you use for the LED signal lamps - they're a bit on the bright-side in my opinion... Happy modelling, Steven B.