GMD

Keep ‘em coming Tim. Look great!

@Bulleidboy - Spot on - many thanks - however being a goof myself what I meant to ask was if anyone knew what exact stay alive it was? Sorry for my blunder wasting your time.

Excellent @moawkwrd Already like the sense of vertical scale. So often we forget just how tall real life is!

I noticed this too - and was intrigued. However do note that Sam appears to be using the decoder in DCC mode, not Bluetooth mode, so the longevity of the stay alive is likely improved by that. Nonetheless quite interesting to note. Does anyone know exactly which decoder he was using? I felt that was the best Sam's episode in a while actually. Enjoyed it.

Now you've gotten me thoroughly muddled @Baz657! You win comment of the week!

I’m increasingly loving the simplicity and yet effectiveness of this scenic solution. Avoids the sense of a tail-chaser without sacrificing the benefits of it.

@That Model Railway Guy Totally agree. That's the best way - a sense that absolutely folk can disagree - but no mean-spirited personal attacks. Even bad language etc is n issue, as we hopefully have a hobby that can and does appeal to younger folks, and we want them to be able to watch and interact without any unease or exposure to crude language.

That’s an excellent start Marc. No need at all to be apologetic of the running of that. My own modules are grand on their own but don’t line up well at all which is making me wish I’d kept it simple too! As for the electrification of points etc, it’s a skill you always add in when you’re ready. With what you have it’s easy enough to reach and switch manually. And well done too for making the conscious decision to keep the railway ‘real world’ rather than being lured into a touch screen interface. HM7k is great but it’s not for everyone. Keep at it!

We feel your pain @Chris98! If the order was made with a credit card payment you may be able to reverse it. Small companies are often struggling to keep up with demand and if so communication is commonly the first thing to fall by the wayside. Had a similar issue a few months back with Modelux. Their models are genuinely pretty good though, even if Comms left something to be desired.

I agree Colin. I found it one of the most interesting in a while, and worthwhile test. I also rather regret starting this thread! But as with so many things hindsight is 20/20! Sam has huge potential for good in the hobby, and often his stuff actually very valid, just somewhat frustrating when things get out of proportion, which often seems directed at Hornby! Mods, if you think this thread has run its course and would be better locked, that’s fine by me.

Amazing the difference even that small step makes to the overall impression. Thanks for the update

@happy tt Just as @96RAF says - no need to assume others have any more importance. I totally understand your intention to show respect to those who are longer-time users of the forum, but whilst that civility is appreciated, in this case it is not necessary.

Thanks RAF - I think I understand that, and if I follow your meaning correctly that is not what I am envisaging. I like the tactile feel of a physical controller - either a slider or a turn-knob. When you do that on any current DCC-compliant controller it creates a signal, which signal is then transmitted through two wires, then on to the track and through this to the decoder, and the addressed loco responds accordingly. What I would love to see is some adapter that tricks the DCC controller into thinking its the track, when in reality it is intercepting the signal, recoding it as an equivalent HM7k-compliant instruction, which is then sent over bluetooth to the HM7k decoder in the loco. That may be impossible to achieve - or (more likely!!) impossible to decipher my logic - but allow me to dream!

Thanks to all who have watched and commented - it's great to have your support. Thoughts and ideas for what's next (apart from the obvious interview @Postman On The Rails!!) are welcome.

Yes, but still keeping the benefit of bluetooth connectivity, which I feel offers a more reliable connection and data stream than rails with their inevitable weak points. It may be niche but a lad can dream!