ModelerXYZ

Downlees Farmstead.

Not impossible. If your carpentry skills are up to it. XYZ

When I wired mine, I had 5 dc controllers, and I had inadvertadly wired some controllers backwards to others. When I re-engineered the line for DCC it shorted. Rookie error on my part, but DC was more forgiving. The dificulties come if you have reverse loops. (or in my case, a triangle). Don't make the same mistake as me, check all DC fittings are wired the same way. You could design it to be switched between the two, either with a double pole Double throw switch or by physically connecting/disconnecting the controller. XYZ.

Because too much water can (and would) damage the cardboard. Or maybe its just I always apply too much water with my watercolours. XYZ

Hi Jon, Welcome to the forum. I don't know, I would have suggested Hattons, but they closed down a month or two ago. According to my recent model railway magazine (I occasionally buy one) Rails of Sheffield may do that. XYZ

Metcalfe kits are cardboard. This means that most paints can be used on them. I would advise against the use of watercolours. I would use Scola artmix (which you can get in the newsagents) and mix my own colour from the paints I have. XYZ

I use and keep the stickers, but I found that they peel off the buildings after a while. So most of my buildings don't have them on anymore.😢 Fortunately most of my buildings aren't Hornby ones so it doesn't affect too much important except the station and water tower. XYZ

In DC you would need at minimum a controller per oval. You could put them all together, but DCC may be the answer. I have used both. My current layout is DCC. My old layout was 2 end to ends on different levels, 1 DC and one DCC. For a DC controller, I would reccomend a HM2000 or for DCC the Elite. The advantage of DCC is less wiring needed for the track, and the ability to control different trains on the same track. On DC you play 1 train 1 track. On DCC I can run a train around half of an oval while having another one sat on the other half if I want to. XYZ

As for controllers, and wether to go DCC or not, 0-4-0s are usually not DCC chipped, and so they would require chipping if you choose DCC. I would say that simple/small layouts are probably easier on anolouge, but bigger more complex ones on DCC. Mine, being large is DCC as I like being able to control everything from one place. On DC it had 5 controllers, 2 for main lines, 1 shuniting the sidings, 1 branch line and 1 independantly run station. Now i control all with a single DCC controller. But for a single oval with sidings I would say go DC. XYZ

It is true that the ranking system ranks you on quantity of posts and we have a choice of how much we post. Wether it gives us an advantage or not remains to be seen. If a useful post was given by a member at rank 10, (proficient) and a not so useful one given by a member at rank 14,(grand master) rather than listening to all the advice, people may go That person has a higher rank, so therefore their advice is better. It is not always the case and we are all really equals who share a common interest in our hobby. I was hoping that it could be read to break rule 6 because then it would have to be removed and I don't like the ranking system because of its elitist tendencies. XYZ

Red and black are the pick up wires, Orange and grey are the corresponding motor wires. With a little bit of soldering it should be possible. XYZ

My reading of the rules generates a question. Does the current system of ranking members by number of posts and the reputation score discriminate against certain members? If this is the case, then the rankings must be removed as they are in contravention of Rule 6. XYZ

A superquick shop kit. It is being modified and lights obviously fitted. XYZ

How do we give brownie points? XYZ

Why is JJ more important than me? I have been a member longer, but haven't acheived his rank.😢 I do however have all the badges he has.😛 XYZ

8x4... a double track oval using 2nd and 3rd radius curves with a pair of crossovers on a station in the middle with a goods yard behind a platform on the inside line. Maybe a station at the back too. Though 4th radius would fit, that will give you no width for your station. XYZ.

When I first came on there was always a hive of activity. Posters like Chrissaf and Graskie were always about and ready to help. Alas, now neither can post any more due to being dead. In the 13 years I have been on the Hornby forum, posts have definately slowed down a little. XYZ

Bee, You got why I made the point in one. A system of ranking compares people in a way that we don't need to be compared. We both have things we can contribute to the forum, and that is the way it should be. We don't need to be ranked in accordance with number of posts. I know that my contributions have been useful as have yours. The idea of a forum is so that we can ask/answer questions, or provide interesting information, not that we can be ranked according to how much we respond to posts. I only respond or make posts that are relevant to my experience in the hobby. XYZ

You outrank me Bee. Does that mean that your posts are worth more than mine because you have a higher rank?

I turned this on, and the user unfriendliness of it took me by surprise. Can we get the logical format of the old Forums back please? XYZ

Inner track is a reverse loop. Thats why you are having problems. Solution, isolate and put it on a reverse loop module. Unlike nt, I think the insulating joiners should go on the top of the point at the baloon ( the one going into the loop) and the right hand end of the crossover going onto the other end of it. That way, you have the reverse loop but don't affect the running of the run around loop. XYZ

I converted my 0-4-0s with standard 8 pin decoders. Smokey Joe hasn't been converted yet, but thats what is in my Blue caledonian railway tank, which is similar. Train work has been halted at the moment as I am focussing on Permanent way and S&T, so converting locos isn't high on the priority list. XYZ

Hi Daniel, This post would have been better in the general discussion section. Maybe an ordinance survey map of the area will help with the track layout, I know Bee uses them all the time for his research about the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. XYZ

Thanks guys. Yes, deceiving railmaster that it is a Hornby R8247 made it work. The adress I am using for the point is 21. As I don't want to use the numbers 1-4 so that they are availible to test new decoders, 5-8 are the far station area, 9-12 are the windowsill siding and lower end of the triangle, 13-20 are the points on the lines near that side of the station, 21 was the next address. as its a NCE Snap It decoder, which is single port 22-24 will have to be blanks. If I get round to motorising my points control panel side their numbers will start from 25. Thanks for your help, XYZ

Hi everyone. I hope this belongs in this forum not the DCC one. I have motorised my points. On one particular set I have used an NCE Snap it decoder. The Snap it decoder and point works if I put its number into the Elite to change the point. However, If I click the button on Railmaster, for said point on the diagram it doesn't. I have the number set up correctly, I checked it last time I was on there. The diagram changes, but the physical position of the point doesn't. Any ideas? XYZ