Wiring 4-aspect Signals

The Jeoffry Spence Award is an occasional honour which is bestowed upon individuals or organisations that have, in the eyes of the members of the Brighton Circle, made a significant contribution to fostering the memory of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway. It was originated in honour of the railway historian and writer of that name and the first award was made to commemorate the late Lens of Sutton. Other recipients have included Sheina Foulkes at the Bluebell Railway.

If anyone had suggested, even 20 years ago, that one could buy a kit for any Stroudley loco in 4mm scale, you would have been met with hollow laughter. True, the Albion and Wills ranges included the D and E tanks, there was the Albion and GEM 'Gladstone' and a choice of 'Terrier' kits. However, the idea that you would be able to buy a 'Jumbo Goods' or a 'Belgravia' – far less the one-off single Sussex – would have seemed wildly optimistic, particularly as manufacturers continued to quarry the well worked seam of GWR prototypes.

Exclusively, Brighton Models has now made available kits for all the Stroudley loco classes, that have not previously been produced. This includes both types of C Class goods engine, theG Class singles, together with Grosvenor and Abergavenny, and the 0-4-2 tender engines of the 'Richmond' and the 'Lyons' classes. The most recent products have been the 'Belgravia' Class 2-4-0s, their first cousin, the single, Sussex, and, by a judicious piece of reverse engineering, the group of 'Craven' singles from which Sussex and the 'Belgravias' were derived. The 0-6-2 radial tank, West Brighton is due to follow shortly, at which point, thanks to EBM, Albion and Hornby, 4mm scale modellers will be able to obtain all Mr Stroudley's engines.

EBM's particular contribution has been to provide many of the less popular types and, by developing the cottage industry approach, steadily to make available a comprehensive selection for the Brighton modeller. For completeness, the product range also includes various signalling equipment, etched running gear and one of the missing Billinton 6-wheeled carriages (the tri-compo).

On this basis, Exclusively Brighton Models was awarded the Jeoffry Spence Award by unanimous vote of members of the Circle at their AGM.

Hornby's 2010 announcement was a great Christmas present to open as the day began, especially for those of us inclined towards the LNER or BR Eastern region. It is interesting to note your comment about the B17 that with two different tenders "the small tender could lead to a retooled B12". That is something more to look forward to - though I am not clear whether this is your surmise or was indicated by Hornby as their intention.

The L1 2-6-4T locomotive is welcome, and various folk on this site have expressed their delight . I am always impressed by the 1/12 scale model of the L1 at the National Railway Museum in York, which has a real chunkiness and presence about it. It suggests an interest by Hornby in large tank engines

I am intrigued, however, that the L1 was so far down last year's wish list. You published the top 30 from your poll and the top LNER locos were: a GCR 'Director' (164 votes), GNR J6 (160), B17 (130), NER B16 (120), NER Q6 (104), NER/LNER Class J27 0-6-0 (91), LNER P2 2-8-2 (77), LNER EM1 (75), GER/LNER Class J15 0-6-0 (74), GER/LNER Class J50 0-6-0T (63), LNER Class K1 2-6-0 (63), GNR Class CI Atlantic 4-4-2 (62), GER/LNER Class B12 4-6-0 (54), LNER Sentinel steam railcar (54) and LNER Class D49 4-4-0 (51). If the L1 is the next locomotive in the list - I think it may have been - it is well down.

It hardly seems logical for a manufacturer to use the wish list, but choose the sixteenth in it. But perhaps the L1 allows Hornby to model the Peppercorn K1 2-6-0 on the back of it. The wheel sizes are the same but I am not sure about the distances between the driving axles. Does anyone know if the L1 chassis can be used for a Peppercorn K1 chassis?

John Storey

-----

Now we have got over the excitement of the announcement, it is time to get down to some serious planning. I was initially rather disappointed as I was hoping for a revamped L1 or even a humble C class 0-6-0. I know that we Southern modellers had a bumper year in 2009 and I thought there was nothing for me in 2010 as even the 4-VEP was a South Western allocation; I have now realised that in later years some of these units migrated to the South Eastern division in Network South East days so I must start saving.

My main despair is still the lack of any R-T-R signals. We have a superb range of rolling stock, excellent Skaledale and Scenecraft lineside buildings but where are the signals, either semaphore or colour light types?

Geoff Ford

-----

Happy New Year to all!

I enjoyed waiting up on Christmas Eve to see Hornby's forthcoming range, and it was rewarding to see so many new items coming out in the middle of a recession. Hornby obviously have faith that we'll all still have plenty to spend in 2010.

As a diesel modeller of the BR blue period, there wasn't a lot for me this year, apart from the re-released ex-Lima Class 40. I will certainly be picking a couple up as the new mechanism is a much better alternative to the old Lima pancake.

I was hoping that Hornby would retool their 'Tope' wagon with higher sides and bring out the HTO/HTV coal hopper, but there was no luck this year. It would save my patience building Parksides kits - with varied results. I think it would be a big seller as they were built by BR in their thousands and used widely over the network. I still hold out hope that Hornby will turn their Class 110 DMU into a Class 104, a major gap waiting to be filled in the DMU model range.

I'm not too concerned about the lack of new goodies, as I'm still playing catch up with last year and the one before, so really Hornby are giving me a chance to fill in the missing items on my 'wanted' list. I'm looking forward to Bachmann's Class 105 DMU and the new 'Presflo' cement wagons, and hope to get a nice long rake of them running around my layout. This will be helped by the price of £9.10 r.r.p. which, considering the detail on the wagon, is excellent value.

I was hoping to assemble a rake of 'Grampus' wagons, after Dapol brought out a new model last year but, at £12 each, I thought that the price was too high for what is simply an open wagon. I understand that new models are brought out in limited numbers these days but if a lower price of £7 or £8 was used they would sell in much greater numbers. The Heljan 'Dogfish' wagon was about £12 or so, but was quite a complicated beast with all its angled hopper sides, brackets and hand wheels, so you can understand the price, but not so on the 'Grampus'.

Andy Thompson

A large number of 'Presflo' cement trains, in the '60s, originated from the Grays area on the London, Tilbury and Southend line. I well remember them shaking the foundations of Barking Station as they ran over the rail joints. Unfortunately, I don't know their destinations. What I do know is that every horizontal surface of the wagons was covered in cement dust. Haulage was usually a green '31'.

John Howard

I agree a restriction. So – City of Truro is BRILLIANT and Hornby’s program is GREAT.

It is time for me to proudly reveal a secret project that I have been working on for a number of years. May I present to the railway modelling world my Dynamic Aroma Delivery System or DADS for short.

I have felt that for some time one of the main omissions from the train set is smell. Sound is being provided by DCC and smoke units are also available but smell is one of the most evocative things left to attend to.

Evocative? An example (and true); I started school in January 1963, my teacher - long blonde hair etc. - wore a very distinctive perfume. Now very, very occasionally I may find myself in the vicinity of somebody wearing that perfume but its memory must be etched in my brain cell, because it immediately takes me back to that time (when Mum and I tunnelled our way to school through snow drifts of that winter - and they think this one is bad!). I'm sure most of us have experienced the power of smells in that way.

Anyway, back to DADS. The new product will be available soon and you will be able to obtain a variety of aroma modules; for example:

Salt and Iodine - for seaside layouts

Satanic smog - for factory layouts set in olden days

Cordite and dust - for quarries and wartime scenes

Fish and diesel - for the 1960s' station scene

Decaying dung - for all those rural scenes

Sugar beet waste - for anybody modelling a sugar beet factory - (the smell is quite literally vile!)

Pine and heather - for Highland layouts

and so on: and the range will development as demand grows.

DADS will be available only in a DCC version, where a DCC module will release and monitor levels of aroma at all times. However, while demand is assessed it will be a simple mechanical system that is available.

A small treadle device will operate a cam which will, by a contrivance of levers, springs and pulleys, operate a small pair of bellows and a valve that will emit a puff of the preferred aroma. This can, of course, be co-ordinated with the passing of trains, if appropriate, or other activities on the model layout. If the treadle is activated sufficiently vigorously the 'puff' becomes a 'puff puff' and one of the early trailists found this superior to DCC sound for his steam locos. Unfortunately, he is now in the Coronary Care Unit of his local hospital but I am assured there is no connection to his excess treadling. However, this is an angle which I shall investigate further although one early drawback identified is that the frequent 'puffing' does rather cause an overdose of aroma.

I digress.

Prices are yet to be set but readers of MREmag will be the first to be told, so they can be the very first to experience the full benefit of DADS aromas.

Remember, DADS aromas will give a unique evocation of the past to all model railway rooms!

Thank you for your indulgence.

Richard Slipper (Moore?) - President, DAD Systems d.e. 11.01.2010

I read David West's letter, last week, with interest. It would be lovely to have a late condition A3 and he is quite right to say that the commonest last condition A3 had a 107 (A4 type) boiler, German deflectors and a GNR coal rail tender (why did these last longer than the later ones - can an LNER expert tell me?). They also had the lowered lamp iron (the 'split handrail' modification). The nearest Hornby have produced to this - and it was very welcome - was R2720, 60049 Galtee More, with the deflectors and GNR tender, but single handrail. Also, it was an early, 1962, withdrawal. My feeling was that this sold out fairly quickly, so hopefully Hornby will see that there is a market for another late one. It would be good to have 60052 Prince Palatine, the last survivor (which I saw once, near Darlington, presumably on the way to works) or 60112 St. Simon, a famous wanderer - or some others.

This brings up a general point.

I model the period around 1963-5, perhaps a year or two either side occasionally, simply because I went to grammar school in 1963 and it had a very active railway society, so suddenly I started going everywhere. What surveys I've seen, suggest that this period - late steam / diesel transition - is one of the most popular among modellers. Yet it seems curiously badly treated by both Hornby and Bachmann. Hornby have not yet produced one A3 which is correct for that period. Lots of early models but nothing at all for 1963-6.

With their excellent Black 5, it gets worse. It's a lovely model, but they seem to think that, about 1962, they were all unlined. Untrue. Most of them were lined out, but mucky. This mistake got comical when they produced the two Black 5s that hauled the 'fifteen guinea special'. Both were modelled unlined, but I can remember well enough that one of them, even by that date, was lined out. When they produced a 'namer' it was a perverse choice, Glasgow Highlander, a very early withdrawal. Then, bless them, they did 45156 Ayrshire Yeomanry, a famous 'cop'. But now they've done it again. Another late crest lined Black 5 and they choose 45458, another early withdrawal and not in my October 1963 spotter's book. There were hundreds which survived until, say, 1965. Why choose one of the few that didn't?

They're equally perverse when it comes to other classes. A lovely 'Rebuilt Patty' and they do two of the last survivors, 45512 Bunsen and 45531 Sir Frederick Harrison, and both nicely weathered, as they all looked then. But both with early crests and detailing (e.g. no speedometers). It's the same with Bulleid Pacifics. They did 34092 City of Wells, a railtour favourite towards the end which I remember turning out to see in about 1964 - it went everywhere so you could run in it the Midlands or the North - but again, an early crest. It's just endlessly frustrating.

Of course, the 2010 programme follows the same policy. There are very nice things on it, like the Hawksworths, but the new ex-LNER model is an L1. Useless engines, I was always told, and they all went by 1962, being survived even by the slightly smaller and earlier Gresley V3s. So not much use to a late steam modeller. Here we are again.

Bachmann seem to do exactly the same. The WD is a lovely model but they haven't produced one yet in what was the final condition for nearly all of them, with the new firebox, which was very noticeable because of the stepped piping and handrails. The A1 is a lovely model - that body shell is better than the DJH kit, for example - but we still haven't had one with the Thompson boiler, which a lot of them carried at the end, and it looks noticeably different. Indeed, they modelled one which should have had a Thompson boiler without it, 60130 Kestrel - a rare error. Now we are promised what will surely be a lovely A2 but, of four models, only one will be late condition, 60532 Blue Peter, and that will be a special at a higher price. I would have loved single chimney 60530 Sayajirao. But it won't be there.

Can I ask Hornby and Bachmann what we late steam modellers have done to deserve this? It puzzles and annoys me, that manufacturers produce these excellent models but seem to have a 'down' on just the period I remember, and model.

Andy Foster

I must admit I was a little mystified by Tom Burns references to 'unpanelled' green diesels (MREmag, Monday)

If he means locos that lack four character headcode panels, then it's only fair to point out that Heljan are correct in the cases of classes 26 and 33 - neither of which ever had four character panels.

One of the instant visual identifying features between the Class 26s and broadly-similar-looking 27s was that 26s had disc headcodes and 27s four character panels. Heljan has, of course, produced both classes in green, although, if my memory serves me correctly, I think the green 26 has been done only with small yellow warning panels.

Meanwhile, Class 33s only ever had Southern Region two-character headcode panels. Heljan is due (at last!) to produce an all-green 33, in the near future (although it has already been produced in a limited edition for Kernow Model Rail Centre). Certainly, it will be far superior in detail to the ex-Lima Class 33 that Hornby is reintroducing.

Tom is right in saying that 'thankfully' the Class 15s will have disc headcodes, because these locos never carried anything else. But if the 'Baby Deltic' is a success in its four character headcode-fitted incarnation, I'm sure the disc-fitted version will follow in due course.

Patience is a virtue, as those who waited over three years for the stunning Bachmann 4-CEP discovered...

Robin Johnson

A question for the 'Sound Guys', has anyone had a complaint from the neighbours (or wife) yet about the 'Noise'? Up until now this has been a quiet hobby, a few extra watts on your music system is vastly different than 4+ hours of a Class 60 plus an 08 or Black Five grinding away in the narrow band of frequencies that your sound loco produces.

Ted Baybutt

While reading Monday's articles regarding brevity and the ongoing DCC/DC debate I was reminded of Polonius's speech from Hamlet.

This business is well ended.
What majesty should be, what duty is;
Why day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day and time,
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief: your noble son is mad:
Mad I call it; for, to define true madness,
What is't but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go.

Now, what did Pat say about sticking to model railway matters? Sorry. 31 of my words and 75 of Shakespear's.

Allan Hornsby

-----

In response to MREMAG Fri 8/1/2010, Clive Greedus.

I can only say that Clive's posting deviated from the subject matter with the introduction of so much irrelevant, incorrect and insulting commentary that it is clear that he cannot discuss the matter on a sensible gentlemanly level.

Clive appears to have no practical experience of DCC, having admitted to only observing its use on a couple of layouts, yet he is somehow an expert on the subject! Making a fool of one's self by making false statements which suggest that
one doesn't know what one is talking about really doesn't enhance one's
standing!

It really doesn't matter what I or anyone else may say about DC vs DCC. The fact of the matter is that market forces will determine which way it goes and manufacturers respond to this demand accordingly. DCC popularity is rapidly increasing to such a level that John Emmerson noted in the BRM editorial that it had outsripped DC for the first time.Some of us choose to familiarise ourselves with what is happening around us rather than denying it.

I for one am enjoying DCC. It lets me do so many things that I couldn't do reallistically with DC in addition to the significantly better performance and control that I get from my locos. I think the next few years are likely to be exiting times for those who choose to embrace them!

In response to MREmag Mon 11/1/2010.

Ken Darville comment on my statement about my 'sorting out the accoustices' on my DCC sound locos. The intention wasn't that a single word should be taken literally, however, the word 'improved' would have been a better choice of words. Certainly, the results of making the changes I suggested do make a noticeable improvment.

Mike Romans commented on DCC sound locos where the sound was not synchronised with the exhausts. I agree that this is worse than no sound at all. As I indicated in my earlier post to MREmag, there is a lot more to fitting DCC sound than just throwing a decoder and speaker into a loco and synchronisation is yet another one of the factors which need to be considered. There are people who are satisfied if a loco makes a 'chuff'. They don't care whether there is synchronisation and they don't care whether the sound is actually generic sound and not appropriate for their loco either (and there are sound suppliers who service this market who use sounds which are completely wrong). However, some of us like to apply higher standards and we do like wheel rotation to be synchronised with chuffs. It can be done on UK outline models just the same as US models. The fact that it isn't done means that the sound decoder has not been configured correctly for the loco and
nothing more.

While I am an advocate of DCC sound, I myself am not convinced that it works as well for steam as it does diesels, but then again, this is technology which is improving all the time.

Graham Plowman

-----

Having read Monday 11th Jan's edition, I have to agree that this topic has probably past its 'best before date' a few days ago. It is not a debate - there is no possibility of consensus being reached. Those who are happy to continue operatng their railway under DC will continue to do so, unless or until developments tempt them to do otherwise. Similarly those who are pleased with DCC are most unlikely to change back. Neither group is wrong - they are both happily content with the way they have chosen to wire up and operate their model railway. It's the same in many other aspects of life, so why should it be an 'issue' in our hobby? For example, some writers produce their first drafts in longhand, with a pen or pencil; others stay faithful to their old typewriters; yet others use a computer as a word-processor. None is a better way of writing, none is worse - writers produce their work in the way that suits them.

I'm going to continue to develop my present N gauge layout using DC - analogue control, as most of my collected locos are relatively old, and chip fitting would be difficult and relatively expensive (over 20 locos). But I am starting to buy DCC-ready and even DCC-sound fitted locos for my next (OO gauge) project.

We're consenting, reasonably intelligent adults - we can make up our own minds. There is no single right way of operating a model railway, nor is there a single type of railway modeller. The common link is that we have chosen to get our enjoyment from this great hobby in our own way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

Thanks, Pat, for providing a great information service, and thanks to all who offer helpful suggestions!

Richard Hompstead

The annual CMRA exhibition takes place at the Alban Arena on Saturday/Sunday 16th/17th January. The times are 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday. Full details of the show and the free vintage bus service linking the show with St Albans City and Abbey railway stations can be found on the CMRA website at:

As usual with Model Rail, the current magazine is strong on model reviews. In addition there are 9 pages of news, mostly about newly announced models and progress reports on those previously announced.

Turning first to the reviews, which are given 21 pages, the number one place goes to the National Railway Museum's 4mm scale model of City of Truro, made for them by Bachmann. Other reviews include the Bachmann 3MT 2-6-2T, 4-CEP and Presflo, Graham Farish Class 24, cattle van, Fastline hopper and new Class 47, the N Gauge Society (Dapol made) 'Stove R', Dapol 00 Megaboxes, Flangeway 'Mermaid', Heljan 'Hymek' and 'Clayton' and Hornby Royal T9, crimson & cream Maunsells and Southern Suburban train pack.

The news pages include Hornby's plans for 2010 and models seen at Warley in December. Others mentioned include the Farish Class 14, the magazine's planned Sentinel shunter, Bachmann Class 70, the ModelZone TPO and recent wagon announcements by Dapol.

Instructional articles include changing gauge, improving gangway connections, baseboard alignment and night photography. The Masterclass this month is on freight-only Class 47 diesels and the Masterplan is 'Hayling Island'.

A nostalgia article looks back at the Irish Class 201 diesel model made by Lima.

Railway modeller and veteran train collector Alan Cliff has just let loose again his station cat, Jack. This is the tenth children's book about Jack the Station Cat (two previous ones having been in Welsh). If you are a follower of this feline adventurer, you will enjoy this latest tale.

A mysterious stranger arrives at Tail's End Station in North Wales. He wants Jack to introduce him to Sir Dodinas the Savage, Superintendent of Britain's station snails. Unfortunately, Dodinas lives in Devon, Can Jack and his friends help? Sadly they have to travel from the Bala Lake Railway to the Lynton and Barnstaple by road, you can put away your Bradshaws.

Due to the bad weather conditions, the auction of the 00 scale models of locomotives preserved on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway did not go ahead last Saturday. The sale has been put back to Saturday 20th February 2010.

All seven models, expertly customised by TMC, will be sold in a single lot. As originally planned, the auction will take place at Cundalls Railwayana Auction at The Milton Rooms in the centre of Malton, North Yorkshire, (on the York-Scarborough line) and the proceeds of the sale will go to the NYMR's Bridge & Wheels Appeal and restoring bridge 30 on the NYMR.

As a regular commuter on the 4-CEPs through Chatham at the end of their lives, the lighting sounds pretty prototypical to me.

Great to hear that the L1 will be joining the Robinson 2-8-0 on the roster. It's good news for us Great Central fans.

Richard Simmons

One of your readers was after a drop in axle for a mainline Warship. I have a complete locomotive should he be interested in purchasing it for spares.

-----

In response to Andrew Whirledge's request, I replaced a power bogie in my Mainline 'Warship' some years ago using a Black Beetle motor bogie. It requires a bit of work but worth it. I then brought the new Bachmann 'Warship', which puts the old Mainline one in the shade.

Eric Nicholass

Who else is glad to be disappointed by the Hornby 2010 plans.

There is nothing there for me, but I'm pleased by that. 2009 was very expensive for me, and my wallet is looking forward to a rest. However, have Hornby thought about the impact of its plans on model railway retailers? I know that my local retailer in Lancashire is planning on a quiet year, as there is not much to interest his regulars.

Andy Parr

-----

I just want to add my thoughts to those already voiced regarding the Hornby 2010 programme.

I think it's the most exciting in years. First off, the prospect of loco drive B17s and 28xx (plus the common sense addition of the 38xx variant) is to be commended. Let's hope that the 4F, 2P and Dean Goods soon follow. If they do, then good 0-6-0 and 4-4-0 mechs will hopefully allow kit builders and kit bashers to power their creations. Maybe Hornby will eventually offer a B2, if not, at least their chassis and Bachmann B1 body will hopefully make this class a viable prospect.

Although I'm not a GW/WR modeller the 28xx looked stunning. But most exciting (at least to me) is the Thompson L1. I've voted consistently for this handsome loco. It at last gives Hornby a mid sized general purpose LNER loco and fits in with their Fowler and Stanier 2-6-4Ts (I wonder if they will produce the side window cab Fowler and 3 cylinder Tilbury Stanier eventually?) Let's hope that they also will produce something that both their range and all these 2-6-4Ts need - non corridor stock! The reintroduction of the Lima 40 and 33 is also good news.

Speaking of Class 33s, Heljan are a puzzle to me. They seem to have an aversion to un-panelled green diesels. I would have willingly bought a 26 and couple of 33s had they produced such models. At least I'll be able get the Hornby 33. While It would appear that Heljan are, thankfully, going to produce a un-panelled 15, I was aghast to hear that they only intend to produce their forthcoming 'Baby Deltic' in non disc condition. If that is so, it is, I believe, a serious error of judgement on their part. I am willing to wager there are a great many more modellers of the southern end of the GN in the 1959-62 period than, say, 1964-70.

Tom Burns (hopefully soon to have the largest stud of Thompson L1s in New Jersey)

-----

Yeah, yeah, we know why competition laws exist but in the context of the relatively smaller business of catering for railway modelling isn't the law an ass?

Before Christmas I wanted and needed two coaling towers for my layout. I had resigned myself to researching and scratch building these structures which, I may add, I actually like doing. However, in the grand scheme of things and with time an issue, they may not have been completed for a long while, so the prospect of a quality ready made model was a real tempter. Then, wonderfully, you wait for ages and the promise of two come along together! Alas, I now have to go back to the drawing board and resurrect plans to build my own. Why? Well, two certainly maybe coming along at once but I require ER coaling towers not LMR types. So, thanks "competition rules" - and, if Pat's information is gospel, neither Hornby nor Bachmann will take any of my pocket money with these new models, whereas before, at least one of them would have benefited.

Unlike rolling stock, where there is a good chance that 'out of region' items can find a place on my railway (City of Truro being one example), architecture is not so flexible. Sometimes you could be forgiven for believing that, in the ready made world, the eastern half of Britain had fast trains with large engines running on a very long plank with a bare lineside. I suppose the B17 and L1 will have to keep me happy for a while! And now, having seen this year's catalogue, I see we are to have a series of GNR station buildings in the Skaledale range. Now where's my credit card.

Graham Hobbs

I'm afraid NRM have made a really silly decision over the pricing of City of Truro. They have seen the prices that Deltic fetched on Ebay etc. and thought, "we'll have some of that".

What they have omitted from their thinking is the question of how many sold at a very high price. The answer is probably 100 or so, not millions of them.

This is O-level economics. When you have a monopoly you can charge what you like. But that is not always in your own best interests. You could say £1000 each. You might sell 5. You could say £50.00. You might sell 10,000, but if they cost you £50 each you'll make nothing. A monopolist should, to maximise profits, opt for the price where the number sold, times the profit per unit, is maximised. There is a basic graph for this schoolboy economics, with quantity on horizontal x-axis, and the price
on the vertical y-axis. The graph starts high on the left and dips lower before levelling out to the right. (It's exactly the same shape as the learning curve you hear so much about). You then draw a line indicating the cost per unit, (roughly horizontal but sloping down slightly to the right), and the maximum profit is obtained by fitting the largest rectangle you can between these two lines.

I suspect that NRM have shot themselves in the foot here. I'm not sure if Bachmann have produced 5-10,000 of these already, or whether they can be ordered in batches, but I predict not many will sell at £150, and NRM/Bachmann will either be stuck with a lot of stock; its happened to limited edition retailers before. One shop, at least that I know of, failed to take all the stock that had been made for them. If only a few have been produced so far, the vast majority will have to go without, which would be a disgrace, as they have monopolised the model. It would be too embarrassing for NRM to suddenly drop the price to £100, though they should do that and refund everybody. They would make more in the end.

It would serve them right if somebody else made one.

Dapol/Kernow are doing similarly expensive things but have very small quantities of each version so, according to monopolist theory, it will work.

Ron Ollerenshaw

-----

If people don't wish to buy it because they consider the price to be too much, perhaps they should do what I did 45 years ago. Buy the Airfix kit version and build one themselves. They are still available from Dapol at the chalk and cheese price of £8.50.

I love the magazine, it's a great lunchtime read - keep it up.

Martin Streets

-----

Regarding the price of the NRM's City of Truro; there are reports elsewhere that they are fast selling out which suggests plenty more folk than me are willing and able to pay £145 for one. The simple fact is that the NRM needs income and this is a good, and apparently successful, way of getting some. Is the price exorbitant - well maybe? But it's interesting to note that the first Hornby 'Castle' was in the marketplace just before Christmas at c.£95 while the Swindon 'Steam' Museum's limited edition is £129.99 - a substantial difference for what is basically exactly the same loco as some of the 'unlimited' versions. I'm happy, on this occasion, to support the endeavours of both museums and fortunately I can afford to do so ('Truro' was a Christmas present from my wife) notwithstanding also investing in some GWR timetables at the remarkable 'Trains Galore' auction just before Christmas.

Happy New Year,

Mike Romans

I'm a regular reader of MRE, and usually enjoy the various threads and the way they deviate around the houses.

To put my cards on the table - I am a user of DCC, but don't want or need the "advanced features" and automation that DCC gives. I think I'm a typical DCC user. Along with most of my modelling friends, I use DCC control, but as a means to get more prototypical control over the trains. It gives us the option to control lights and sounds that DC doesn't, but we've not used DCC to do more than that. The "hardcore" DCC users with fancy automated layouts leave me cold. The fun is running trains.

Normally, I'm pretty easy going, but the slanging match that is taking place in the DCC zone, between Clive Greedus and the Plowmans is getting very tedious.

Both sides are guilty of being blinkered and entrenched, and we don't have a debate here - just a rant - and its personal. Gentlemen (or Pat) - take it outside and stop clogging up this site with your own personal vendettas.

-----

I really don?t have the time or the inclination to enter into a button counting argument with Clive Greedus between DC and DCC?

Quote Clive: ?I thought it might have been connected to the campaign you attempted to launch in MREmag a few months ago to get manufacturers to put decoders into every new loco.? No Clive your memory is failing you. Kindly read my posting of 23 November 2009 in which I advocated the exact opposite view and gave my reasons. I do however believe that manufacturers will serve up chips with everything within five years.

Clive: ?Or maybe to increase sales of some software, ?.? That is just downright insulting! In response to a previous insult by Clive Greedus I stated in my posting of 23 November 2009 to MREmag that I have no business interests whatsoever and Graham?s were openly declared. So why does Clive need to throw the same insult a second time? Pat we take offence at this. Please put a stop to it.

Clive: ?But it was Australians who invented sledging?. Pat, why are you allowing Clive Greedus to use this forum to insult the Commonwealth of Australia on an issue that has no relevance to model railways? On 7 December you said ?I apologise in advance if anything said in any of the emails causes offence - I will deal with
the culprits later!?

If anyone is undecided between DC and DCC on the issue of automation then the Lenz BM-3 appears to be a DCC version of Superbloc. Lenz supply a whole series of DCC goodies including a track circuit device which not only indentifies the presence of a decoder but tells you what its digital address is. A PC computer can output the same digital instructions to the track as any of the current throttles. The degree of automation possible with DCC is only limited by the ingenuity of the software developer. Doubtless some of this software will eventually come to market.

My reference to trains being paraded around a layout applies equally to DC and DCC. Consider a typical high density suburban railway with trains travelling at 60mph on a 3 minute headway. That places the trains three miles apart. Does anyone have a layout, which scales that big? Even the Vale Scene at Pendon only scales one mile. Typically very few model railways are fit for more than 20mph when Network Rail rules are applied (mine is only good for 15 mph with five foot radius curves!). On that basis trains would still be a mile apart.

If we take the other approach and decide on the signal spacing first then we need maximum train length plus the overlap, say 50yds in a low speed arrangement. So for a layout operating six coach trains we are looking at about 8 ft between signals. Let us apply some modellers? license and assume trains can stop from line speed in their own length. Then for trains not to be speed checked by three aspect colour light signaling they need two clear sections ahead. In other words the trains need to run at a minimum interval of 24ft if they are not to see a yellow signal. Realistic automation is impracticable for all but few who have a very large space at their disposal. I admit to only seeing Superbloc in operation on one occasion. The layout was heavily populated with trains and they were coming to a dead stand at every signal while the preceding train moved on. Everyone to his own but I don?t think it is very realistic.

When you are wondering what to buy the kids for Christmas or their birthday why not upgrade their iphone or ipod? That way you get a free DCC throttle in return. Even better if your employer provides you with one. I am not going to make a prediction on this one but I do wonder whether we might see the day when iphones are banned from being taken into exhibitions in case someone sabotages the operation of layouts. If that day comes it won?t be a good idea to paint the DCC codes on the roofs of trams! Before anyone asks the question, neither Graham nor I have any involvement with this website or the software to enable iphones and ipods to operate as throttles.

Clive: ?That?s a bit like saying most of you are too thick?. I did not intend to offend anyone but we need to be realistic about this issue. Unfortunately western society has a growing problem, which was reflected in the demographic information provided by readers to the MREmag 2009 Wish List poll. The following text is from an article entitled ?DIY defeats today?s men?, which appeared in the International Express on 29 December 2009:

? Modern men can?t carry out simple DIY tasks such as rewiring plugs or bleeding radiators, it was revealed last week.

More intent on pursuing a career than becoming a dab hand at DIY means that younger British men are more likely to employ professionals to do simple jobs around the home. This is in contrast to 30 years ago, where dads were expected to do everything in the home themselves.

The study of 3,000 men shows that 51 per cent of those in their 20s are incapable of rewiring a plug, compared with just 15 per cent of men aged 50 or over.

Changing a light bulb also leaves 13 per cent of young men stumped, compared with only three per cent of older men. And when it comes to bleeding a radiator, half of all men in their 20?s would call in professional help, compared with 17 per cent of older men, the poll by tools supplier Screwfix found.

Unsurprisingly, the one task modern men can do better than their fathers is building flat-pack furniture ? with only 11 per cent unsure what to do.? (This text is complete and unchanged as published). Except for the radiators (we don?t have them) this article is probable true of all western societies.

If we want to attract younger people to our hobby we need a ?plug and play system? and I suggest that DCC fits the bill. Complex wiring and switches do not. It may not be complex for MREmag readers but it is for many.

Finally in response to Clive and other DC advocates may I just say that I am enjoying myself having an absolute ball with DCC.

Paul Plowman - Australia (sweltering in 28 deg outside at 11pm. 37 deg forecast for tomorrow (Sunday).)

A short comment in reference to Graham Plowman's comment from Friday: "To get good quality sound, you need to have at least two speakers of the largest type which will fit, one a bass speaker (for the low bass sounds) and the other a standard speaker (23mm, 20x40mm etc for higher pitchsounds). This will ensure a greater range of frequencies are rendered. Both speakers need to be properly mounted where their sound can escape from the front, yet their backs must be sealed in a suitable baffle box (the larger, the betters, but sound from the back must not meet sound from the front ofthe speaker) and they must be wired 'in phase'. The area surrounding speakers must also be solid otherwise vibrations in plastic bodies will
distort the sound. Once this and a few other simple measure is done, you will get *much* better quality sound."

While this maybe true for large steam/ diesels, have you tried this on Panniers, Terriers & other small locos? I have one sound decoder Loksound fitted into a Terrier yes, it works but good sound - that is debatable.!