Bulleidboy

Very,very soon!

I stand to be corrected, but I don't recall reading that the dongle would operate point motors - may be in time?. I have been using HM7K for sometime, and combined with my Hornby Elite and iPhone 8 have not found any serious problems at all. It took a little time initially to get my head around it, but I now have about a dozen loco's operating via my phone and three via the dongle - very easy to set up, took just a few minutes. I can use my Elite for point operation (Cobalt Digital iP's), but tend to use toggle switches (layout wired for both). I appreciate some have had problems when using Android equipment, but using an iPhone I have found the system first class. I am still contemplating getting an iPad🤔

I had two free tickets from Key Publishing having renewed my Hornby Magazine subscription for a year, but unfortunately was unable to attend. I could have got a train from my local station directly to the NEC, but it would have cost about £60 - more relaxing than a two and a half hour drive.

I have a Hornby Merchant Navy Class 35014 Nederland Line that has been fitted with the Hornby TXS sound decoder, but I replaced the speaker with a Zimo 28mm round speaker - the bass sound was a little deeper - and the speaker went into the tender under the weight, as designed for a TTS speaker. The downside to fitting the speaker in the tender is that it is fairly obvious that the sound is coming from the rear of the loco (tender) rather than the front.

I don't recall ever reading that the Elite/Select are ever likely to be replaced? My Elite dates from January 2009 and has had a relatively easy life - being an early model it has twin ports so can take two dongles - it has been upgraded when necessary and is currently at v.1.45. I have never had a problem with it.

Many of you will have R2169 Merchant Navy Class 35028 Clan Line - one of Hornby's best selling loco's ever. Built in 1948, 35028 Clan Line is an iconic steam locomotive. After operating out of London for nearly 20 years, she was retired from British Rail service and bought by MNLPS (the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society) to be restored to glory. The engine made her public return to the mainline on 27 April 1974. So after a two-year refit she is back in service - fifty years to the day that she first entered preservation and running on the main line. Had a great video taken this morning, but cannot attach it🤔 IMG_1699.mov

I thought he said he had and used a Hornby TXS 8-pin sound decoder.

Hornby "dross and fodder" - definitely one of Sam's better video's🤫

I fitted a DCC Concepts/AE Models Stay Alive to a TXS decoder (has the same plug), and it works without any problems - so far😐. It does not appear to have the same duration as the Hornby version.

It was mentioned above that you no longer get the Club 10% discount, which is true, but there are certainly advantages to pre-ordering as soon as a model is announced, as Hornby have always honoured the price when ordered - for example the Black 5 with steam was £224.99 on announcement, it you pre-order today it is £292.99. I appreciate that has nothing to do with being a Club member - but as they saying goes "The early bird catches the worm"

I always find it interesting/amusing to read the basic same heading on different forums. All of the above posts appear fairly positive in their views, if you read RMWeb (I appreciate most of the members are ex-company accountants/analysts) it's all doom and gloom - pretty much the norm?

My layout is a 1950's/1960's steam layout, but just occasionally up to three Class 66's with sound can be seen operating. The Class 66 Evening Star with Hornby HM7000 sound is absolutely superb. Sorry we are getting off track - Sam tends to blow hot and cold, I don't subscribe to his channel, but will look in now and again, the same with Charlie Bishop.

I think, within reason, a steam loco is a steam loco, the same for diesels. There are now enough sound profiles available, to satisfy most needs. I have run steam loco's with the wrong profile, and the only thing that can really stand out is the whistle - the A4 and Britannia profiles have a superb chime whistle which sounds very realistic, but probably would not sound correct on a Bulleid Pacific - that's if your that concerned😕. I would not put off buying a loco because there was not the correct sound profile yet available.

What can one say? Superb🙂

Also bear in mind, should you purchase a Bachmann coach in BR SR Green, it is not, unfortunately, the same as the Hornby BR SR Green.

I agree - a lovely layout. What size is the layout - sorry, can't be bothered to scroll back🤫

I have a very simple set-up using DCC Concepts ABC modules at each end of my branch line. Some experimenting with CV's 125,126 and 127 now has the train running back and forth, and stopping, as it should, nice and slowly in the given distance between the gapped section of track and the buffers. To me this was a great part of the Hornby TXS system - you can leave a train moving, while concentrating on something else.

Thanks Brew Man - this is the R2987X 1934 DCC Fitted unit. I suppose the new TXS 4-VEP sound decoder would go well in this unit?

Brighton Belle in action - reduced to four carriages - five to long for my platforms. 51154871982_caf14f0dca_vm.mp4

I would add that there are specific coaches for the Brighton Belle Motor/Trailer units. Normal Pullman coaches will not fit, and are actually a different shape. All Brighton Belle coaches have electrical couplings.

I think you could probably fit coaches R4512, R4513 and R4514 (these coaches did not come as a pack) - these are the coaches that went with R2987X (DCC fitted). I don't think R3184 was DCC Fitted - no "X" after the number. Whatever you do, do not consider coach pack R4871, these coaches went with R3606 and have different coupling/connections, and will only attach to R3606. For some reason I do not have the R3606 Driving/Trailer cars, but I do have all of the others.

Under a Hornby headed banner it says "The iconic West End show is now back and celebrating 40 years since its original production in London! To mark the special occasion, we are proud to present a one-off replica of the Hornby 'Starlight Express' in the exact colours as the original and have added 2024 to the sleek silver and blue livery". I would interpret that as saying it was going to be for sale - who will buy it is another question. If it was fitted with a TXS sound decoder I assume it would play "Starlight Express". From the side-on pictures it has wires plugged into the tender!! I saw the show in London back in the eighties.

Once you get used to the new format it really is a piece of cake.

@Rallymatt - The hill is made from sheets of B&Q insulating sheets covered in plaster bandage - everything else is Woodland Scenics. Rock face created using WS rubber molds and then applying heavily diluted washes - I watched the WS tutorial on the subject many times before the wash and brushes came out. I also placed 1.5" nails head first into the plaster before it set, this enable the rockface to be "plugged" into the hill - and could easily be moved about until happy with final position.

I agree about using a smaller gauge that can sometimes put things into perspective. I used a Lyddle End cottage (N gauge) at the back of my layout. It gives the impression of being far away/in the distance.