Moccasin

I’d suggest that the 86 is a more versatile choice as they lasted from the steam era right into privatisation and served on the WCML as well as on the Anglian main line out of Liverpool Street. One even ran with Hull Trains for a short while on the ECML I’m not too au fait with the WCML in the late 60s but presume that the 86s co-existed with the Coronation class and (before electrification was completed) with Class 50s. Plenty of livery choices available for them as they also worked freight services with the privatised UK freight companies. As has already been said, they have of course also been used overseas in Bulgaria and Hungary. PS Wikipedia tells me that one example was fitted with a streamlined nose to assist designs for the APT & HST

I have to say that the new (clearer) font, the separation of the three fora and the revised layout of each forum home page to show recent and trending posts are all improvements. Probably works a bit better on desktop/tablet than on mobile but only because the larger screens allow everything to be shown together. Needing fewer clicks to navigate is definitely a good thing though.

Toadstool look desired?

Scarm & AnyRail are both good model rail planning packages that do similar things on Windows computers. Thanks for sharing the signal box layouts too. They’re a fantastic resource.

I agree that it’s good software. I ended up buying the full fat version and the after service received from the developer was excellent. An Apple bug meant that it wouldn’t run on my old MacBook Air but, within 30 minutes of emailing them on a Sunday evening, I had a beta version that had already been in the works and fixed the issue. There are quite a few benefits I’ve found from the full version making it worth the cost. Or at least making it easy to justify it!

Thanks! There do seem to be a few options. Might just be worthwhile for the smallest decoders.

Now you’re just asking for the moon…

I agree, but it shows a lack of forethought really. Creating problems for themselves as I daresay someone will call them asking “why the coaches aren’t in stock when the magazine published the day before said they would be.” Edit: In fact the magazine says they WILL be available to order when the magazine is available. Why create that problem for yourself?

Those wanting the LMS coaches should check the website tomorrow. You can get the 15% discount if they show in stock! A shame that the Mk2s will miss the offer!

I thought the dates were unnecessarily exact given that there are so many variables and it’s the bank holiday weekend. Unless they released the magazine today knowing that they’ve arrived in the warehouse! Surely early/mid/late May would be sufficient?

Interesting table of stock arrival dates. Just briefly looked through but it seems worth the wait and slight delay.

These offers often pop up at bank holidays, though not always. Usually double points etc rather than a discount though. I imagine there won’t be another one at end of May but maybe August bank holiday? Will depend if any new stock has arrived in the prior couple of weeks Just idly wondered whether this is to stop everyone buying Star Wars Lego as it competes with their May the 4th offers!

Not for now, but I wonder whether the antenna in future could become part of the locomotive body?

As I said, the digital club could open out new possibilities. The annoying thing is the continued missing of their own deadlines and sporadic nature of the magazine and Train Terminal. Maybe they should stop making rods for their own back!

Doesn’t seem so. The last issue talked about including reviews of the HST. Also, on page 7 of the last issue ”Please note that the next issue of Hornby TT:120 Club magazine, Spring 2024, will be published slightly later, in April, to coincide with the 2024 range announcements of new Hornby TT:120 models.”

Even the OO version looks quite fragile. I think you’ll be ok with your rule for a few years yet!

I was lucky that I already had a Select controller. I did share your view but after trying to operate my 08 on the Select and the Pacifics on the app, found the £40 dongle cost worthwhile. I understand that the dongle also strengthens the mesh network.

ruling yourself out of a future TT120 Locomotion then?!.

Appreciate it’s a more expensive solution, but if you also want to get the J50 and use your existing 08 then a Hornby Select controller can be had for about £50 on eBay. The dongle is then £40 and various existing 6-pin decoders then become viable.

They could certainly use the opportunity to try something different for TT120. Does it need to be a PDF magazine or could they take more advantage of it being fully digital to do something new? Maybe it could be partly interactive.

To avoid hijacking another thread, I was just wondering if anyone has asked where the club magazine has got to? It was said to be due in April, with the reasonable excuse given with the winter edition that the next issue was being tied into the April announcement. That is now 4 weeks ago and still no sign. After the February Train Terminal arrived in March, I guess we can expect it sometime this month? Presumably the July issue will then be pushed back like it was last year. Hornby can’t really disband the club without sending bad signals (though it seems pretty pointless at the moment) but even now their content publishing leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe they’re waiting for the Class 50s or maybe, like the Feb Train Terminal did with the first HSTs, it will herald their arrival a few weeks after everyone has received them!

I pre-ordered Leviathan last year and have an HM7000 decoder waiting from when I got a 20% discount code after the exec HST with sound was cancelled.

would be nice to see the club magazine too! 😀

Those side gates are still interlocked with the signals I think but yes you’re right that these don’t seem to get modelled. They’re not always present but old photos of Lincoln city centre crossings might show them and Grosmont on the NYMR has them for platform access.

It’s probably good for my current bank balance that there’s nothing in stock that I need or want! If I could justify it I think the exec HST would be finding its way into my collection.