Herbie

Not sure what radius the wheels in that photo would be able to cope with. Doesn't look like much movement is possible. Smaller power bank sounds good, even if it doesn't last as long.

As they are not symmetrical, does a Class 50 have an official front and rear? I would say Hornby always show the loco pointing left, but the website and the catalogue have it differently.

The Mk2F are era 7, the Mk2E are era 8 ? I have no idea if this is correct in real life, did the F come out before the E?

Mid 1980's is the look I'm aiming at, so era's 7 and 8 with some era 6 stuff hanging around. Also including a heritage line so I can run the older locos, but will only get ones that look significantly different. I don't want a fleet of green A1/A3's or MK1 coaches. Finally, the loco must accept a Bluetooth sound speaker!

I think the article title should be changed.

They leave a different size gap, but I don't have any platform pieces to see how they compare or look in real life.

Widescreen to fit it in.

Thanks for heads up. Four era 7's ordered. Might get one or two more later, want whole train to be able to stop at a straight station which will be about 125cm (coincidence!) long.

Would have liked the three way point from original catalogue to have been mentioned. I'm keeping a space for it.

Junction signal description says they are 17cm high... Think they've mucked up with the prices too, home are cheaper than distant.

Looks like I'll have the fastest fuel tankers in the west until the coaches arrive.

PECO station parts can be cut to make narrower platforms. In The Greenwood make laser cut platforms that are 47mm wide.

Seems to be a Tillig Modell piece that plugs the gap: 83105 (G3) - 43mm. Maybe one day they'll duplicate the whole range of track pieces.

I've just had an email saying my pre-order of double length track has arrived at their warehouse, so worth keeping an eye on.

Under Community / Competitions then Competition Winners, although it still has a date of February on the image. Competition Winners :: Hornby Hobbies

My third free Hornby catalogue, three half straights, and a sound fitted Mallard to get free postage and double points.

A bit more digging, if you can view the source for the web page (CTRL-U on Edge and Chrome), you can search for data-stock-level to find out how many of the item are available. Eg currently: 18 - Mallards with sound. 378 - Pieces of straight track. Interestingly the sound HSTs and double straights have negative numbers, presume pre-orders? BR -50, GWR -21, Double straights -338. (Also spotted Double Straights have an availability_date field of 2023-10-16 so hopefully on the way... but wont hold my breath.)

Just playing around with ordering, and it let me add 46 Blue shunters to an order, then says out of stock if you try to add another.

I'm aware of something called Bullfrog Snot, but I've not used and don't intend to put anything on my loco's wheels. Don't forget anything you put on will lessen pickup, and it will need to be replaced periodically.

I have Tillig 85501 which are code 83 and darkened to match rails rather than silver. Got them from DCCconcepts, still in stock but cost a bit more than the shiny ones. They aren't listed as TT on their site, but they are on the Tilig site. Fit perfectly on Hornby track, not tried Peco. Tillig 85501 Rail Joiners (Blackened Metal) HO/HOe/HOm (dccconcepts.com) 85501 - Tillig Modellbahnen (Don't mind sharing, got all I need)

Provided you are happy with Blink Bonny instead of Flying Scotsman.

There is a contact page on their site, which incidentally has an email address that ends .co not .com.

Maybe put some cork under it to support at same height as track.