Viagra for Locos

by Phil Cooper 

Good morning everybody. And welcome to our new readers. Judging by my in-tray we’re seeing a big increase in the readership and thank you for the supportive messages. Newcomers should download one of my earlier blogs (Greatest Hits) to catch up with the very best modellers’ photos and some of my amusing mishaps.

You can find it here:  https://tracksidesigns.co.uk/blog/greatest-hits-by-phil-cooper

What they’re saying about the blog

From Nate “Love this blog, look out for it every second Monday”

From Jim “Hilarious blog, always makes me chortle”

From Iain “Can you loan me £10 please”

From Alan “Great advice, great information, great photos”

From Terry “I’m Australian and I like motor bikes but reading this blog has definitely got me interested in a model railway layout”

From Fiona “My cool uncle writes a great blog”

Right, now you’ve all caught up let’s get started with this edition and we’re going to start with our chums in France with this:

France’s new high-speed train will whizz from Paris to the Riviera in under five hours

France has one of the world’s finest high-speed rail networks. The country’s network of TGVs (or ‘Trains à Grande Vitesse’, as any train aficionado will already know) covers pretty much all of France and is an exceptionally fast and convenient way to get around.

But are they resting on their laurels? Mais, non. France’s TGVs are about to get even snazzier, with new ‘TGV M’ trains set to launch in 2024. And according to the French national rail operator SNCF, they’ll be substantially faster, greener, and more spacious than the current models. 

TGV Ms will be able to reach a mind-melting top speed of 220 miles per hour – which is about ten percent faster than current models, and even faster than Japan’s current generation of bullet trains. For passengers, that means much shorter journey times. Paris to Saint Raphaël on the French Riviera, for instance, would currently typically take about five hours. The new trains will cut that down to four-and-a-half. 

And TGV Ms aren’t just faster than current TGVs: they’re also more energy efficient, promising a 32 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. Plus, there’s 20 percent more onboard space, with capacity increasing from 634 passengers to 740.

The new trains will also be quite a bit more luxurious. Manufacturer Alstom says they’ll have superfast onboard Wi-Fi and real-time journey updates, as well as bigger windows – all the better to take in the rolling countryside and France’s prettiest villages as they whizz by. Here are a few pics of the new TGV Ms.

SNCF has apparently ordered 115 of these beauties, with 100 designated for domestic use and 15 for international routes to neighbouring Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands. The new trains have cost SNCF €2.7 billion (£2.34 billion, $2.7 billion).

As we say, these new trains will launch in 2024, so you’ve got plenty of time to get planning a French train extravaganza at even higher speed than before. Avanti!

Some years ago I used the TGV service to travel down to Perpignan with. members of my local rugby club, to watch Perpignan play my team, Wasps, in the European Cup - we lost! But the journey was brilliant. The return journey on Sunday was definitely slower (because it was a Sunday?) which was good because we were all nursing massive hangovers after the night before partying with the home supporters. I must say something here about rugby. It’s a hard game. When I was coaching juniors, I had to practically ban mums from supporting because the noise they made when their wee boy went down! The players always got straight back up. Club coaches who look after the juniors from age 7 up to 18 will ensure their players are looked after and will play them only when they have correct technique. But the big thing about rugby is respect. Respect for opponents, each other and for referees. The apres-rugby fun is also very cordial as players enjoy a drink with their opponents.

Back to TGV.  We took our cars to the station at Lille Europe where we parked up. On the way to the station we popped into a hypermarket to buy a few vats of wine, baguettes and several kilos of smelly cheese. At Lille we caught the TGV to Perpignan. It was wonderful speeding through the country making complete pigs of ourselves. The TGV service is excellent but beware some TGV station (gares) are not in the city centre. Because the service is so new they’ve had to build some TGV stations on the outskirts of the cities. The journey was really smooth and not a drop of wine was lost which was lucky!

DCC Concepts

This pack of magic will increase your pulling power

Back to the model world and let me tell you about a great company that produce fantastic equipment for modellers to bring their layouts to life. I’ve just had a go with their Power Base equipment. Before trying it, I was sceptical of the claims about this product enhancing the performance of working trains. The starter pack I used cost just £29.95. Oh boy, it is well worth the money.

Regular readers will be aware that I’ve had some problems with eBay purchases in that I’ve experienced many problems with locomotives that “run well” according to sellers. But I’ve found that many work immediately after I unpack them and get them on the track. A few weeks later, however, it appears that the bad fairies have been at work and the loco’s performance is much poorer! It feels like a conspiracy against me.

But these Powerbase plates from DCC Concepts seem to have restoring powers. The system works wonderfully well. It’s quite magical and in my little head it feels like the locos are thanking me for bringing them back to life. I see it as Viagra for model locomotives! Not that I must use the little blue pill (Ed Comment: How do you know they are blue, then? Stroke after-effects?). OUCH!

The system is basically a line of magnets strong enough to “pull” the loco pickups closer to the tracks. Amazingly simple. And the great thing is you don’t need a degree in Physics to fit them. You just lift your track and fit them underneath. You won’t be surprised that I have connection problems of the various track pieces of my layout. You see I am NOT a modeller as I continually admit. And I fear electrickery-it’s always given me a problem.

Time for a brief anecdote – When NannyBarb and I moved into our clifftop eyrie on top of the White Cliffs of Dover I decided to buy a dimming switch for our living room lights. So, being impatient I ripped the small package apart and unscrewed the original face-plate from the wall. I saw some wires and bits of metal inside – you know what’s coming, don’t you – so I used my screwdriver to tap at the metal bits. I don’t know why but I’ve always been nosey.

Anyway, there was a large BANG and I shot backwards for a couple of yards – you know what’s coming again, don’t you and yes I am THAT stupid – I returned to the small square hole in the wall and, again, used my screwdriver to touch the metal bits! Not surprisingly there was a huge BANG and I shot backwards.

At that time, I was a very fit 6’4” second row forward for my rugby club and never went backwards in any match! So after this second bit of foolishness, I eventually read the instructions – “Before fitting disconnect power at the mains!” I must have learnt my lesson because in the last few years I fitted Phillips Hue lighting which is brilliant and only requires an A-Level in information technology. I pair it with Amazon’s Alexa so I can turn the lights on and change their colours just by speaking. With that I didn’t have to disconnect the power at the mains!

So DCC Concepts’ PowerBase is a fantastic product which will make a big difference to your locomotives’ performances for just under £30. I reckon the average price of a “used” locomotive in eBay is about £70. £30 to make these locomotives run correctly and powerfully almost as good as new is a bargain. The system is designed to sit directly underneath your track. It is made from magnetic stainless steel. DCC Concepts also supply a small hand drill, and they provide the screws to fix the magnets into their pouches.

If you want, you can even paint the pouches. Each pack contains approximately 5 metres of PowerBase centipede plates, 12 magnets and 12+ housings, plus 30+ blackened pan head screws to assist magnet mounting. So it’s got everything you need.

If you’re like me - totally useless with electrickery you will be able to fit Power Base I assure you so don’t be frightened of it. I have to admit electrickery frightens me- a couple of years ago I bought 3 sets pf points motors and an automatic level crossing but they’re still in my drawers awaiting some Cooper courage.

To help you a little bit more DCC Concepts have a video on Youtube for you:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxiip-QdEE0

To see the difference they make have a look here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgOyf_ITzmg

As a Matter of fact you can see many videos from DCC Concepts on Youtube – they have their own channel. It’s worth your time to watch them to give you an idea of what they can do for you. Honestly, you’ll love the possibilities and they will stretch your imagination. Things you thought were impossible are made to look easy and do-able!

I also recommend navigating the DCC Concepts website.  DCCConcepts.com

It offers loads of advice for you real modellers, The company encourages modellers to use their helpful advice. I’m very impressed with DCC Concepts. They are user-friendly and helpful.

Modellers Gallery

Time for some photos from our Facebook contributors. To start we’ve got more from Neil Stanley.

It’s no secret that I’m not a lover of “weathering” but even I can appreciate the art of weathering and Neil’s work is magnificent.

Now, we’ve got a debutant. Ladies & gentlemen, I give you Stephen Cunningham who appears to have at number of different layouts AND quite a few Class 68s and I bet they’ve got sound cards too. Yes, I’m jealous. Stand by for some great stuff from Stephen. Let’s start with Brickhill.

Magnificent! But wait, there’s more. This is Bearwood West Yard.

OMG these are bloody good. Don’t go away Stephen has even more for us. This one is Cheadle Ridge Lane TMD

Phew, that was a bit of a job fitting them all in but it’s worth it. They are brilliant. For me, a winning combination of 37s, 47s and what about all those 68s and I bet they’ve got sound cards. Thank you, Stephen, (from Harrison aka Supergrass too). He’s available as a grandsprog if you want!

One more gallery for you. A couple of blogs ago I highlighted John Batley’s superb trackwork. Here’s a couple more for you.

Great, intricate work John. You’re a patient man.

Some brilliant, inspiring photos today from our Facebook contributors. More in a fortnight. Can you wait!

Hornby

Time for some news and here’s an article I picked out from The Guardian. It’s about Hornby. Regular readers will know I love Hornby. They are a traditional British company that sells high quality models and accessories. But this article is worrying. Have a read.

Hornby has suffered a torrid period in the last few years due to falling sales, problems with suppliers in China, and disruption from upgrading its computer and stock management systems. The Kent-based company warned on Wednesday that its problems had worsened significantly since the start of the year.10 Feb 2016

The former Top Gear presenter James May has led the calls to rescue Hornby after the maker of model trains, planes and cars, warned that it faces a battle for survival.

The company’s origins can be traced back to 1901, when Frank Hornby, the founder, applied for a patent for an invention he described as “improvements in toy or educational devices for children and young people”. He then went on to create Meccano and Hornby’s famous collection of model trains. The company now also owns Airfix, Scalextric and Corgi.

Hornby has suffered a torrid period in the last few years due to falling sales, problems with suppliers in China, and disruption from upgrading its computer and stock management systems. The Kent-based company warned on Wednesday that its problems had worsened significantly since the start of the year. Sales of Hornby products fell in January in the UK and the company has also discovered that it needs to write £1m from the value of its stock.

These factors mean that Hornby is now expecting to record an underlying pre-tax loss of between £5.5m and £6m for its financial year, far larger than expected, and there is a risk that the company will breach banking covenants in March. If it does so, there is a risk that Barclays, its bank, could call in the debt, threatening the company with collapse. Hornby has roughly £9m of net debt, all with Barclays.

Richard Ames, chief executive of Hornby, said the company had a “long and supportive relationship” with Barclays and is in talks about the potential breach. “This has been a real year of change at Hornby,” he added. “Undoubtedly this is a disappointing result, but we have a strong portfolio of brands that we are determined to see flourish.”

In response to the statement, May tweeted: “We must save Hornby. Buy a train set today. Every home should have one. Forthenation.”

Shares in Hornby collapsed nonetheless, closing down 62% at 31.75p. The drop represents the worst day for Hornby’s shares since it floated in 1986. The company is now valued at just £17.4m.

Analysts said that Hornby was struggling to be relevant in the modern toy industry, but that it could still have a future. Robert Haigh at Brand Finance, which monitors the health of leading consumer brands, said: “The toy industry has experienced profound change over the last three decades, with digital media and video games being the most transformative force. Interestingly, we had seen sales of ‘traditional’ and construction toys strengthen recently, and Hornby enjoyed fairly good sales in the runup to Christmas.

“Its long-term prospects are by no means bleak, and there is enduring demand for the types of toys*** it creates. However, in order to create sustainable brand value growth and increase revenues, it will have to focus attention both on marketing investment and a broadening of its range.”

Hornby has now warned on profits three times in the last five months. It has been beset by problems as Ames has tried to modernise the business by upgrading computer and stock management systems. The overhaul caused UK sales to fall sharply over the summer and affected Hornby’s European business.

The drop in sales in January is thought to have been caused by cautious retailers choosing not to restock their shelves with Hornby products after the Christmas period.

Ames said: “The feedback from customers at the recent international toy fairs was encouraging, and we are facing the future where, with the right platform, we can build value for our shareholders and drive the group’s recovery.”

The Hornby boss said the board will press ahead with plans to modernise the company, but will analyse the “causes and consequences” of the fall in sales this year. Ames said the company would update shareholders on the board’s revised expectations for Hornby’s outlook in due course.

*** I do wish people would not devalue Hornby by referring to “toys”. They are NOT “toys. They ARE precision pieces of engineering.

James May

Trains to Berlin are about to get much quicker

Planning a trip to Berlin soonish? Well, one of the best ways to get to the German capital is about to get substantially quicker. A new rail service is set to launch next year which will cut the journey from Amsterdam to Berlin down to less than six hours – around 30 minutes faster than current routes.

The new service is called Intercity and it’s set to start rolling in December 2023. The Dutch national rail provider NS initially announced the plans back in 2020. Berlin-bound trains currently run every two hours from Amsterdam Centraal station.

It’s managed to reduce the journey time with a few substantial changes. For one, new bits of track have been installed along the route, as well as more places for high-speed trains to pass slower regional lines. It says the new service will also aim to use new locomotives that can work on both the German and Dutch networks. Currently, services have to change locomotives at the border due to a difference in voltage.

If you’re in the UK, this means that a journey by train from London to Berlin with just one change will become substantially shorter too. Since 2018, Eurostar trains have run from the UK to Amsterdam in around four hours. So, a morning Eurostar will get you to Amsterdam in time for a quick street food lunch. Your onward train leaves at 3pm and arrives in Berlin at 9.23pm – just in time to dump your stuff, grab a currywurst and hit the bars.

It looks as though that Europe’s intercity train network is stepping up another gear – and we’re totally here for it. 

Spain’s new high-speed train will link Barcelona and Madrid for just €18

Fans of European rail travel are having an absolute bonanza this week. And now there’s news from Spain too: a new high-speed train service that will link the country’s two greatest cities – Barcelona and Madrid – for the unbelievably low price of €18 (£16, €18).

The new service comes courtesy of new Spanish train operator Iryo, which is part-owned by Italy’s Trenitalia. From November 25, each day will see 16 trains running each way between Madrid and Barcelona, with a service at least every hour. The trains will also stop in Zaragoza.

Two other operators already run trains on the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail route: the state-owned network Renfe (operating as Avlo) and recent newcomer Ouigo. All that competition means that tickets are almost unbelievably affordable. Tickets with Renfe and Ouigo can cost as little as €7 and €9 respectively, while the cheapest fares on Iryo will start at €18.

While Iryo may not be the cheapest on the market, that’s still incredibly good value for the 314-mile journey. It’s also worth knowing that Iryo is running all-new trains, which it claims are the fastest and quietest in Europe – and the most sustainable, powered by renewable energy and made almost entirely from recyclable materials. The company is aiming its services at business travellers, and each train will have a fancy restaurant car, good wi-fi and a dedicated workspace in the third carriage.

Iryo also plans to launch trains between Madrid and Valencia in December 2022, from Madrid to Seville and Málaga in March 2023, and from Madrid to Alicante next June. (Avlo and Ouigo already run trains from Madrid to Seville, Valencia and Alicante).

Tickets for all these routes go on sale via the Iryo website on Sunday September 18, with promo prices even lower than that €18 benchmark.

That’s all folks. Have fun!

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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.