HOHOHO
by Phil Cooper
The MODELLER of THE YEAR vote has certainly caught the imagination with yet more people looking at the blog and sending in their votes. Welcome, all of you. Can I also suggest that you look back into my 2 previous blogs before you vote; there are great photos, from other brilliant modellers, in there which deserve your attention and VOTES.
The winner of Modeller of the Year will win a fantastic Trackside Signs 24" self-adhesive British Railways Totem in the colour of their choice, or a Southern Railways Target Sign.
Here’s how you can vote for your favourites and there are some new photos today for you to judge.
Send an email to me (philipgcooper@hotmail.co.uk) with the word “Contest” in the subject line or contact me through Facebook Messenger.
My Facebook profile can be found at www.facebook.com/philipgcooper
Add me as a friend and message me with your choice. Please join in and have your say. The winning criteria is up to you. You each have 3 votes. You can vote for yourself so I already have 6 votes -thanks Mum!
Get your votes in by 19 December please
Let’s go straight into the poll with more contestants. I think you’ll find it difficult to choose!
CAN I ALSO SAY THAT NONE OF OUR CONTRIBUTOR PHOTOS CAN BE RE-USED WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE CONTRIBUTOR. IF YOU WANT TO USE ANY PLEASE CONTACT ME AND I WILL CONTACT THE CONTRIBUTOR.
So here we go with Lewis Davey
Coming up, Stephen Cunningham
MORE SPECTACULAR PHOTOS BELOW
THE CURRENT STANDINGS
David Styles 51
Neil Stanley 50
John Batley 49
Marcus Pick 39
Sean Selley-West 33
Les Bryant 28
AN Other (me) 9
Let’s pause here to look at another fantastic product from
DCC CONCEPTS
These boys and girls are very clever and if you’ve been reading my blogs you’ll know I am very stupid when it comes to electronics but I know great electronics when I stumble across it. In my family my elder brother,Rob, got the electronics brain while I got the good looks as you can see!
Me as a very calm bronzed God! Thighs bigger than Sir Chris Hoy
As I was saying, my brother Rob got the electronics brain. He took over our garden shed in his teens and filled it with valves, transistors, weird looking machines and heavy duty wiring. My dad half expected the shed to explode at any time. Electronics was Rob’s first love. In fact while most teenage boys hid copies of a naughty magazine of the 60s, called “Parade” in their bedroom Rob had sticky copies of “Practical Wireless” magazine. As I grew towards my teens I remember risking my respiratory system entering his bedroom to search his wardrobe for Parades, all I could find was Practical Wireless with pin-ups of transistors!
Searching for these:
I found these:
No wonder my growth was stunted!!!
And have I got to remind you about the DIMMER SWITCH?
Hmm, it looks like some of you haven’t been reading every word of my blogs.
I think, next year I may bring in some tests.
Anyway back to the DIMMER SWITCH. When NannyBarb and I moved into our clifftop eyrie on the White Cliffs I bought a simple dimmer switch to install in the living room. I unscrewed the cover plate from the wall and saw bits of metal and wires inside the hole. Being naturally nosey I used my screwdriver to poke them! There was a loud bang and I was thrown backwards. Being really stupid I tried again with my screwdriver. There was another bang and I shot backwards again. Only then did I consult the instructions which read “Turn off at the Mains before installing….”
So knowing this it may have been unwise to buy DCC Concepts starter pack of Alpha Mimic Plug &Play Controllable Building Lighting. Search for “DCD-MPLL” on their website dccconcepts.com
I spoke to Chris on their help line and he convinced me that it was easily installed. Despite me asking stupid questions he remained calm. Anyway Chris was right, it was easy-even for me! DCC Concepts put everything you need into their package with easy to follow instructions. Until now I’ve used the Just Plug system manufactured by Woodland Scenics in USA which I bought from Hattons. The system is good but it has regularly failed especially if I haven’t used the system for a week or 2.
Then there’s the cost. DCC Concepts’ kit costs just £74.95 That gets you an Alpha Mimic control board, 24 lights and cables and even a small pack of Heatshrink should you want to solder.
For a start 24 Just Plug lights will cost you about £80. On top of that you will need the control boxes referred to as “light hubs”. You’d probably need 2 at £16 each. The plug to power the system will cost almost £30. It doesn’t take an A Level in Maths to work out that Just Plug will cost you about £140 (almost twice the price of DCC Concepts’ kit- need I say any more). The various hub and plug failures have added another £120 to the cost of my Just Plug lights. And before I forget, it is a nightmare searching through the lights, cables, hubs and plug to identify the problem!
Something else I like about DCC Concepts’ kit is that you can use it to begin your own control panel -something I’ve wanted to do for ages. They include instructions for setting up your own control panel -I’ve always found them to be very “sexy”. DCC Concepts tell you how to do it. Have a look:
https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/alpha-mimic-panel-controller-blue-leds/
REMEMBER THIS
The Amazon box (I removed all the paper filler which took me a little over 4 hours)
Amazon really should try hard not to destroy so many trees. We need them.
MORE FROM DCC CONCEPTS
Our pals at DCC Concepts are releasing gift certificates just in time for Christmas
https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/dccconcepts-gift-voucher/
It’s an ideal gift for any railway modeller, a DCC Concepts Gift Voucher to the value of your choice in multiples of £10.00. Simply select the quantity to reflect the value of Gift Voucher you wish to purchase.
The Gift Voucher can be delivered either to yourself or direct to the recipient – all you need to do is enter their name and address in “Delivery Address”. They will send the voucher in a presentation envelope complete with a beautiful print of a painting by John Harrison from the last days of steam on the Settle & Carlisle railway.
ADM TURNTABLES
ADM Turntables has added a new ‘OO’ gauge traverser transfer table to its portfolio of model railway products.
Traversers move from side to side and offer an easy way of changing tracks, often taking up less space and offering simpler track layout than a turntable.
Utilising similar software to its existing turntable and drive systems, ADM’s new ‘OO’ gauge traverser will measure 670mm x 380mm x 80mm, feature fully indexing programmable positioning and can accommodate up to ten tracks at Peco Streamline spacing or seven tracks at Setrack spacing. As with its indexing turntable, the traverser has been designed to be removable from below the baseboard without disturbing tracks. Models will be offered in basic and bespoke forms.
The basic version will be supplied in etch primer as standard and include the basic traverser with 12V power supply and keypad. It will feature constant DC or DCC power to the bridge.
Bespoke versions (illustrated above) will also be available which additionally include functioning two-aspect signals, audible movement warning, control cabins, decking, railings and control cabin lighting. The bespoke version is based on a prototype at Felixstowe Docks.
Prices start at £649 for the basic version and £849 for bespoke versions. The latter option can also be made to specific size, shape and gauge. It is hoped that production will start in mid-2023, subject to component supply issues being resolved.
Visit ADM Turntables for more information - www.admturntables.com
A DEBUT FROM MARK FOSTER
You can vote for him in the MoY poll
I think you can see that this layout is going to be spectacular as Mark develops it
As I expected, Spectacular
SOME CHRISTMAS BARGAINS
I hope you took my advice to look into Bure Valley Models. They had some great Black Friday bargains. Can I repeat my advice to look into their website
burevalleymodels.com
RRP £154.99
BVR £80
RRP £193.49
BVR £99.00
RRP £160.99
BVR £95
Hattons
Yes, it’s still available! Class 71 in blue
Class 71 in blue
RRP £206.99
Hattons £89 (A saving of £126.99) Maybe I should buy it!
Thompson Class A2/3 4-6-2 “Edward Thompson” in LNER Apple Green
RRP £229.99
Hattons £150
APT-E prototype gas turbine 4-car unit in BR blue and grey - Digital sound fitted
RRP £479.95
Hattons £395
And, of course this one’s still available Class 71 in green
RRP £206.99
Hattons £89
HORNBY TT:120
I mentioned this new initiative from Hornby a couple of blogs ago but I’ve got more information for you now. Simon Kohler aka God has said that TT:120 Has been developed for many years and it provides solutions for those who want to create a model railway but don’t have the space at home for OO scale. The first components to arrive are track and buildings and the first trainsets are due to arrive before Christmas. Hornby will be selling this new range on their website and have set up a Hornby TT:120 club with membership benefits including 15% discounts on all purchases from the new range. Hornby TT:120 products are also being advertised for sale on the excellent westhillwagonworks.co.uk website
The first sets to be produced will be the “Easterner” containing a 4-6-2 loco “William Whitelaw”. It will be joined by the “Scotsman” set which contains a Gresley “A3” 4-6-2 “Blink Bonny”. Both sets will come with carriages and track. Prices are set at £194.49 and £215.99 respectvely.A4s “Mallard”, “Silver King”, “Falcon” plus A3, “Flying Scotsman”,”Night Hawk” and “Trigo” will follow. Prices for these are set at £145.99 each. Rolling Stock will follow. “Scaledale” buildings are also available.Oxford Diecast is entering the new scale with various vehicles.
Visit Hornby.com/hornbytt120 for more information.
PETE WATERMAN
Pete Waterman continues to spread the gospel according to Simon Kohler and is developing “Making Tracks III”. It will be a brand new 64 ft long OO Gauge model railway which will go on display at Chester Cathedral and will be attending the 2023 Great Electric Train Show in Milton Keynes on 14/15 October 2023
HORNBY REWARDS
Hornby Rewards is the new loyalty program that rewards you for the hobbies you love. Join today to start collecting points, and enjoy all this and more:
- Earn points for shopping on all Hornby Hobbies websites – earn 10% back for every £1 spent
- Early access to selected new product launches
- Exclusive rewards and benefits negotiated with our partners
- Members-only offers and competitions
BACK NOW TO THE MODELLER OF THE YEAR
Next up is Derek Scott
Here we go now with Rupert Carrs
Nigel Locke
Last but not the least Alister Ritchie
That’s all the photos now. I’m sorry if your photos haven’t been included There were simply too many photos to choose from so, in the end, I selected contributors at random and I know it’s going to be very difficult for people to select a winner but please remember this is just for fun. They’re all brilliant and I must thank you all because you’ve been great adverts for this little piece of whimsy.I began this blog in the hope that it would inspire other modellers and I think you real modellers have done just that When I do the next blog I will put all the photos in one blog as I think it will be a fairer way to do it. So all thar remains is to wish you all a merry Christmas
Nollaig Shon
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The views and opinions expressed within the content are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of Trackside Signs or its affiliates.
