Too Tall

So I cant actually get to see this on the Hornby site via my TT club membership ? odd 😁

I did wonder why I didn't get a in stock notification, its the era5 that is in stock, I have Era 4 and era 3 almost full sets (only ordered one brake third van for each) on pre order 😁 And being pedantic (possibly, or maybe just lacking in knowledge) isn't the 50' a parcel van ? The era 4 is all blood and custards, but the 50' whateveritis shows as just blood, no idea if that's how its coming or if it's getting a custard stripe 😝

Thank you 😊 I have Hornby points and some Hornby track in sidings, but mostly it is Tillig. Class 08 is fitted with a Zimo DCC decoder and a Hornby power bank.

One of the other 0-6-0s I assume would be suitable. Must be someone somewhere who heard them before withdrawal and could advise on which loco they sounded similar to. Well, I guess a Jinty sound file might be an option. It had 2 cylinders the same as the J50, was a an 0-6-0 tank loco and had the same duties. admittedly different designers but I think that would be a reasonable enough option.

Does anyone do the sound files for a J50 ? I imagine not,as there are non preserved. So what would be the most similar sounding loco file that is available ?

I like they only announced stuff coming this year, and the J50 is a perfect choice to go with the current LNER region locos. Having said that, an inkling as to what else is in the pipeline into 2025 could be useful (for me at least). Sitting on the fence between TT120 and 00 for a future second layout, it would have been handy to know if there are to be any era 3 and 4 freight and mixed locos, as well as Prairie or Ivatt 2MT tank penciled in yet 😆 But I think overall it was a positive announcement for TT120. (and yes I feel that name should stay, to differentiate it from the old Triang TT range to those less aware than us lot).

Thanks MikeMart and Dave, some signals now pre ordered too 😉

2xJ50 (LNER and early BR) and Pullman dining coach "Medusa" now pre-ordered 😁 I cant find the Signals on the website so no idea on planned release for those ?

Often, the harshest critic is yourself, so when you look at it and think "did I do that" you can rest assured you "done good" 😄

Hornby failed with the Eau tDe Chuff April fool e-mail ... it arrived in my inbox at 19.:03 🤪

I didn't even know they had mentioned them yet ! That would be a welcome addition but realistically I don't think this year given the other goodies that we know are in the pipeline. I would love to be proven wrong though 😁

Yep, they have obviously changed things with the pliers as I got some that looked identical to RM's and the crucial size was way different.

Like I say, as yet untested but bought with the intention of using on tender locos where its more a case of that milisecond interuption causing the BT decoder to reset. Given my initial fitment of the 2x220 tantalums has proven to be reliable, even though their is no noticeable run time in them. I saw this claiming to have 1-2 secs run time on an N gauge with lights, and in a tiny package, so ordered a couple to try. If it proves no good, no sweat, I will chalk it up to experience 🙂

A short video of a bit of todays running session, having just got round to setting up the BT dongle 😜 but I did use the Elite to control the Gronk as it was easier for me. Please excuse the camera work, videoing while operating is tricky, and even though I had downsized it on the PC, Vimeo still saw fit to "optimise" the video and make it more blurry without reducing file size 😄 20240331_130948.mp4

I got some TCS KA-N1 stay alives a while back, I have yet to fit one, but the small size and listed run time made me think they could be ideal for this, and possibly any small tank locos we may get in future, and here is a picture next to my index finger, actual dimension also on the attached image above the circled text :

As would my incline ☺️ 08's were about in the steam era, introduced in 1952 although similar looking LMS and LNER shunters were about jn low numbers a little before nationalization. But I can empathise with wanting to keep your railway all steam ☺️ But I digress, keep up the good work, your layout is looking fantastic. 😎

@Chris98 how many wagons can a Class 08 haul up the incline without struggling ? As I am looking into inclines right now, it would be a handy thing to know. (if you have one to test) 😁

Success (in planning at least) ! I managed to get a quite nicely sized 00 layout with a 2 track passenger upper layer, and a single track goods line that traverses upper and lower layers, with a gnat's leg below 2% gradient up and down, the upper layer being 100mm higher (I would only need to rise 65-70mm for TT). I am now working on being able to get both passenger lines to be able to get on and off the goods line, not that I think I would have need, but if I can, the option is always a bonus ! My brain has been struggling to plan in 3 dimensions so its been slow going 😄 I haven't yet decided if my second layout is going to be in TT or 00, but if I get an 00 plan down, designing a similar one for TT will be a lot easier than the other way round ! Likely it won't be started until next year as I want to finish Millbrook off first, and I have to sell all my slot cars, as its their track I am losing to make room. 😜 Still it's never too early to start planning 😊

Maybe a glitch ? .... if not I guess I will get a pre-order in stock notification e-mail by next friday 😋

You know, it gets more confusing 😆 Scissor jacks ... not really the point for me, I was after trains running themselves up (or down) an incline. I downloaded some SCARM plans of multilevel layouts to see what had been done by others, and they are crazy ! HO layouts with near 5% inclines ( I think mostly American), how the heck does that work 🤔 back to the drawing board (or SCARM screen in my case) ! I don't like being defeated, but I might have to accept defeat on this 🤣

Yep, I concur, once you get the scenery around it it will be right at home 😎

Yep, I think any helix needs minimum R3 and even then, as I noted originally, its pretty steep. If you have much heavier 00 steam locos struggling on a R4 helix as has been seen on YT, TT isn't going to be any better ! I think if I want a 2 tier layout, it may need to be separate upper and lower levels

TBH I think I am just as confused now as I was before on this subject ! I have been trawling YouTube and notice many American layouts (and some European) quite often have 3 or 4% gradients. I know some European locos have tyres, but do American loco's have them too ? Then I watched one of Chadwick's (not a fan TBH, but I was just looking for relevant stuff) 00 steam loco's on his (albeit 2.8 ish percent) spiral, were really struggling. The diesel locos were taking it in their stride. Thoughts of a second layout have been buzzing in my head, when I have finished up Millwood, and 2 levels appeals, but only if ALL locos could manage inclines with something approaching protoypical loads 🤔

But would mallard manage 6 mk1s on a 2% SJ? So it does look like 2% is max , I think 00 would have a bit more grunt in the motors as well as being heavier, so that could why they manage Yelrow's 2.5% ? TBH I hadn't considered that gronks and smaller tank engines wouldn't be as able ! but then they wouldn't be hauling as much prototypically anyways, but 6 wagons is quite a bit less than ideal 😃 To keep it at max 2% on the TT helix would mean the inner curve would need to be the equivalent of a Hornby R3 (radius 505mm) so pretty much a 1.1m square required for a twin track TT helix, That compares to using 3.0M of straight to rise to 60mm, food for thought indeed 🤔

Ok so I have been delving into gradients and have come across a query ... Given the generic given max "safe" gradient often is stated to be 2% for steel wheeled locos, it appears to me most helixes exceed this while also being a curve. Working on the assumption helix kits often use R3 and R4 for a double track helix: In TT I thought 40mm minimum clearance for a UK (non pantograph) loco + track height 5mm + underlay 2mm +baseboard thickness of 6mm+ a total height of 53mm using as thin baseboard material as you might want to use. With the inside of a double track being R3 that would make that a 2.5% gradient (according to SCARM), that the loco would have to negotiate while pulling a load round a curve. With a more comfortable 60mm clearance, that would make it 2.8%. Of course you could use flexi track and have larger radius curves, but generally I thought most modellers use set track for Helixes ? So is using TT R3 and R4 set track for a Helix going to be too much for our Hornby TT120 Locos to haul a train of 5 or 5 coaches up comfortably ?