Bulleidboy

I bought a couple of the new Dapol working signals last week, both Southern, a short one on a lattice post and a taller rail built example. (Not cheap, but look very good) They are 'dead ringers' for the two signals at either end of my local station when I was a lad. Now need to modify my layout plan to fit them in!! Are they working OK? I'm tempted, but reviews on some other sites have not been as good as I would like. BB

Just ordered (from Hornby) two of the Re-built Maunsell carriages in BR Crimson - should go with the Adams Radial very nicely.

Hornby Magazine (August 2016) have done a review of the Adams, and they say that it was worth the wait, despite being some £20 more expensive - they felt the Hornby version was "more refined with an air of delicacy". However they do say both models are fantastic - they reveiwed the Oxford version a month or two ago and said it was a first class model. Remember Hornby Magazine is not a Hornby publication so they are not biased. They end up by saying the choice is yours and that both models are superb.

Hi Jimbopuff - No real reason at all. They have both had very good reviews. I was on the Hornby site late last night and just bought it. I think the Oxford one is slightly cheaper even with the Hornby Club discount, but cost wasn't a factor in the decision to buy.

Ordered from Hornby last night R3333 Adams Radial - should be with me sometime this week. Still considering whether a Class 71 should join the collection.

My workbench consists of a couple of sections of my layout that does not have any scenery or track. I am currently constructing the "new" Metcalfe Main Line Station and incorporating lights. I have also, very successfully, converted some Ratio SR Concrete Lamp Posts to full operating lights with very small LED's - total cost per lamp £1.50 - they look fantastic.

The Op. originally asked - "please help i am totally confused,the set i am after is r1073 with loco united states line does it have a socket for dcc.many thanks.ps it is the box set with red drawers". He received answers that it could - as almost any loco can. I think the confusion arose, and I might not have helped in that R1073 did not come with the loco United States Lines, it had M/N Clan Line, which was, at that time DCC Fitted it eventually became DCC Ready and the set had an analogue controller. As I explained earlier R1038 which had M/N United States Lines, and not according to Hornby a DCC Ready loco, and this loco was only available from the R1038 "red box" set. I must assume that during the latter part of 2006 (the last year of R1038) and the introduction of R1073 in 2007, loco's got packed into sets without any reference to DCC. If the Op. has/wants R1073 he should open the loco and check the internals.

It is very confusing, and I don't disagree at all with what has been said. Obviously Hornby were starting to produce locomotives that were DCC Ready before any announcements were made. According to the Hornby Catalogues R1038 - produced in 2004-6, with no mention of DCC whatsoever. It was in the 2006 that DCC/Elite and Select were first mentioned in the catalogue, so there must have been a period of transition in 2006/2007 as R1038 became R1073 in 2007 with the set containing M/N Clan Line - which at that time was DCC Fitted. So one must assume that during the latter part of 2006 this particular set (R1038) had a change of loco (well internally), that was DCC Fitted/Ready. So we have to assume that the Op. having/getting R1073 with M/N United States Lines is a set produced during this period of transition - according to the catalogue R1073 came with M/N Clan Line - DCC Fitted. To repeat what has been said - open it up and see what you have got. Even more confusing if you have an early R1038 (not DCC) and then sometime later you get a service sheet that says it is DCC!

I think the simple answer to your question is that the set R1038 with United States Lines was not DCC Ready or Fitted. As has already been mentioned above almost any loco can be fitted with a DCC Decoder, but in this set it would have to be hard wired - there is no socket in which to plug in a decoder. See the Bromsgrove Models Site, which has full instructions with photographs on how to fit a decoder into a Hornby Merchant Navy Class loco. You might, when opening your loco find it has a socket with a blanking plate, in which case you can fit a decoder of your choice. As again, mentioned above, there is a degree of confusion with some Hornby loco's. This set, now numbered R1172 was dropped from the Hornby range in 2014, by which time it had reverted to an "analogue" set, but with the loco "Clan Line" that was DCC Ready - the set came with the normal Hornby controller found in most sets.

I'm sorry if my posting was confusing, but with some Hornby models there are variations which are not always explainable. As has been suggested open the model up and have a look. If you look at the Bromsgrove Models site, they have a very good list of locos and how to install a decoder - the Merchant Navy being one of them. http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/decoderinstallation4mm.htm

As far as I can ascertain M/N United States Lines was only ever produced in Premier Boxed Set R1038 - The Venice Simplon-Orient Express British Pullman - during 2004,2005 and 2006 and came with a HM2000 Power Controller it was not DCC Ready . In 2007 the same set, renumbered R1073 came with M/N Clan Line with a Digital Select Controller - DCC was first shown in the 2006 Hornby Catalogue. However it was not unusual for sets to be prepared specially for supermarkets at Christmas time - so it is possible (?) that both R1038 and R1073 were made available with United States Line in DCC Ready format - but it did not appear in the Hornby Catalogue. Just to add to the confusion, I have just checked my personal collection of M/N Class loco's , and I have two M/N United States Lines locos, one analogue and one DCC Ready - both came from the R1038 sets!!

As a side issue, Clan Line 35028 came as analogue, DCC Ready and DCC Fitted. I only say this as there are a number on the "market" and it can become confusing - the body internals are also different, so fitting DCC to an early model, while it can be done, it will not be as easy as in the later models. Without checking I think United States Lines 35012 always came as either DCC Ready and DCC Fitted - and I think only came in boxed sets - I may be wrong on that point - need to check the back catalogues.

As I'm in Florida and visiting the local model shop, it would have been wrong not to have spent some money - so I bought three TCS Decoders. Probably about the same price as UK - but as I was there! Thye had some fabulous loco's - I'm not familiar with US Steam but they had a loco that looked like a "Big Boy", but it was $699.00 - and it would not have looked right on a "southern branch line".

I've added Whitechapel to my collection too.

Hornby Collectors Club membership renewed today - almost immediately used the voucher against the Terrier -Whitechapel. Tremendous value. BB

A Bachmann Scenecraft Shillingford Station - a lovely model.

Just been notified by Hornby that Manston is on its way.

I bought a Thomas the Tank Engine set for my grandson!

I've just added the new Ex-southern PMV (Parcels & Miscellaneous Van) BR Green to my collection.

R3329 Hornby BR 4-6-0 Maunsell S15 Class – BR Late Crest

Blue Box - Class E4 0-6-2 – 579 LBSC in Umber livery

Any chance of a picture Sorry fazy it's still in the box. There are a number of pictures on RMweb if you look under the Kernows heading. I'm still ballasting at the moment - and could be for sometime!

Class O2 0-4-4 Steam Locomotive number 30182 in BR Black livery - DCC Ready. It arrived this morning.

I assume that will be the Supercharged version Vespa?

I have just checked, and I bought mine on the 26th February 2005 at 11.18am - cost £99.99 from Model Zone. Sad isn't it - it said Please retain receipt - so I did.