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Hello James, Always good to hear from you. There are probably as many different ways to wire a layout as there are gauges of track! As you probably noted I do take the view that it is probably better to have a lot of feeds to the track than just relying upon one or two. Always easier to take away later than add! A bit like points. You may not think that you want to motorise them but better to cut a slot for the activation pin before you fasten the point down then try to cut it later once everything is glued in place and you decide you want motors. Guess how I know! Woody

@woodysmodellingdiary Yes, that's true. It is better to be prepared. Dylan didn't want point motors on his 009-layout but is considering adding them to the factory side of the layout. We'll have to see what he decides to do. He's been looking at surface mounted point motors and the possibilities of hiding them under the scenery, so I guess it's a case of wait and see what he decides to do...cheers James 🙂👍

Hi, I hope you find the controller useful. The more I have used mine the better I find it. I would be interested to know how you get on with it. Woody

Hello John, Thank you for your comment and I appreciate the points you raise. Firstly I have to say that I don't have any connection to Eddie other than being a very satisfied customer when I have bought items from him at shows and pleased to support his charitable work. Secondly I know nothing of the inclusion of my video in the NMRA magazine and I therefore don't know the context around how the video is presented in that publication. Nobody contacted me regarding inclusion and certainly have not had any correspondance about advertising. Thirdly my video was highlighting what was available generally from 3D makers that the mainstream manufacturers don't seem to produce. I did say both at the start and end that there are a number of 3D print makers about and to check out the web and shows for their products. I just happened to have Eddie's products as an example to show the type of things available. I believe that Eddie does his charity work in his spare time and therefore it may take some time for him to respond. I have not been to any shows in the last few months so I do not know if his personal circumstances may also have changed during that period since I made the video. Like yourself I don't have the knowledge of 3D printing or indeed a printer so I rely upon suppliers of the products. Although never having used either of them the Shapeways website www.shapeways.com/shops/david-s-railway-bits (although I could not get on there at the time of writing this reply to check) I believe has the Pacer and the Yeggi website at www.yeggi.com/q/009+scale/ has most of the items that were in the video including the Pacer and engine shed. I understand with Yeggi that you buy the 3D file and then upload it to Craftcloud3D where you can choose a manufacturer to print the item(s) and then send them to you. I hope that the above is of use. Regards, Woody

Eddie has had some days off. Apart from doing his 3d printing for charity, he also volunteers for the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance. He does so much for others, yet asks for nothing, so please give him a break, the world needs more people like Eddie

Hi Tony, You bring back some memories with a Montego! That was when cars were cars even if the door handle and other things fell off! Hope the tip is of use to you. Woody

@@woodysmodellingdiary I reckon it was a Friday car, within 3 months it had thirty-something different faults from the handle, speedo and then fuel gauge stopped working to dumping the contents of the sump all over my garage floor. The dealer agreed to take it back it was so bad lol! But cars were better then in that I could fix almost everything myself and no built in obsolesenece.

Hi James, Always great to hear from you and it is wonderful to see Dylan becoming such a good modeller at such a young age - must be your influence! I did like the tip about putting the modelling knife in a toothbrush holder - certainly would have saved me a few plasters! Woody

@woodysmodellingdiary Hi Woody, Dylan has just been invited to take his layout to a 009 guage society exhibition at the end of October. It's to show a work in progress layout by a younger modeller. He's rather excited about it. I'm pleased you're enjoying following his progress... Cheers James

Thank you and hopefully no more frustration with glued up points! Woody

Hi, Thank you for your comment - much appreciated and hope the tip is of use to you. Woody

Hi Patrick, Many thanks for your comment and a great question. From my understanding a DCC decoder will usually get very hot if it is failing in some way and that is usually a sign of a wiring issue or that the motor is pulling more amps than the decoder is designed for. I have had it happen to me when trying to put a Hornby TTS decoder into one of the old Hornby HSTs. The TTS decoder was, from my understanding following later research, designed to run at 0.5amp with a peak of 1amp whereas the old Ringfield motor was drawing 1amp or over. Whilst the decoder showed that it was unhappy by running slightly hot it never got to the stage of being that hot that it melted the body shell and I came up with another solution fairly quickly of which there is a video on my channel about. The Britannia has a Lias decoder fitted that is rated for 1amp continuous and a 2amp peak which means it is happy running with the Ringfield motor and whilst it gets warm it does not get hot or to the point of melting plastic. Whilst it may seem that one DCC chip is like another there are things to look out for in matching a chip to a particular motor in a loco. From my experience most locos will run happily with a chip rated at 1amp and 2amp peak. There is always going to be an exception to that and no doubt there is a video on TH-cam disproving my experience! Woody

Hi Peter, Many thanks for your comment - very much appreciated. It is always that critical small part that disappears as well! Woody

Thank you and very much appreciated! Woody

Hi Paul, Many thanks for your comment and hope the tip is of use. It took me a long time and many lost parts before I came up with this. There is also a comment from @simonleib1992 and he suggests using BluTac instead of masking tape which is a great idea. Woody

Hi Simon, Many thanks for your comment and your tip on using BluTac which sounds a great idea and I will give it a go. There must be literally thousands upon thousands of lost kit parts in carpets all around the World. Woody

@@woodysmodellingdiary I found the blu tac works in two ways. To stop small bits flying on to the carpet and vanishing. Also for easy cutting of fragile parts and preventing them getting damaged.

Many thanks for your comment - very much appreciated. That carpet monster must have a quite a few kits worth of parts! Woody

Hello James, Great to hear from you and probably the best five pounds you can spend on a railway related matter but I am bias! Woody

@woodysmodellingdiary well, the best bit about it is that it will go to help keep things going for future generations 🙂👍

Hi, Many thanks for your comment. Unfortunately the guy who prints these does not have a website. He only attends events around the East Midlands selling from his stall with the profits going to the Lins and Notts Air Ambulance.. There are other similar prints available from other suppliers and a search on the internet should bring up similar prints. Woody.

Hi and thank you for your great comment - very much appreciated! Woody

Hello James, if I can make it work it should work for everyone else and probably a lot better than my results! Regards Woody

@woodysmodellingdiary well, I'm sure we/ he'll have a go at it 😁👍

Hello James, Many thanks for your comment and I hope the video was of interest. Your grandson seems to be really getting his teeth into modelling. Das clay takes a model to the next level. I always admired the work of the late, great and much missed Allan Downes who must have used toms of the stuff over his career in producing magnificent buildings. Hello used all manner of things that you would not associate with model buildings such as Coloron Wood dye to paint Slaters stone card with and it worked wonderfully! Anyway enough reminiscing! Regards Woody

@woodysmodellingdiary Yes, he's really enjoying the modelling at the moment. I'm sure some of his recent work will appear in episode 4 of his 009 layout build. He enjoyed filming part 3, as it featured a loco running for the first time 😁👍

Hello Paul, Many thanks for your comment. It is an interesting controller that seems to be one of a kind but and I am sure for some could offer all they need in one system. Regards, Woody

Thank you for your comment and I hope that the video helps you in finding the right controller for you. There are quite a few to choose from but finding that 'right' one is always a difficult task. Woody

That's an interesting Controller, at a reasonable price, and something I haven't seen... Cheers James 🙂👍

Hi, Unfortunately Eddie doesn't operate a website. Whether that will change in the future I don't know but I can fully appreciate the practicalities of visiting the UK to buy some 3D prints is somewhat doubtful. Not sure if you are all ready familiar with Shapeways, but a number of other suppliers offering 3D prints do operate from that platform and they do appear to ship all over the World. Have a look at www.shapeways.com/marketplace/miniatures/trains?q=model+trains and with the search engine you should be able to find items of interest. Hope that is of use and if you ever have the opportunity to visit the UK take some time to have a look at some of the many preserved and heritage railways that are operating. Woody

Hello Andy, Thanks for your comment. At the time I started using the Kato chassis it had been upgraded. From what I understand, the earlier chassis were 3v motors with an external resistor. The upgraded chassis does not have that external resistor which means either the resistor is inside the motor or the motor Kato now use is a 12v one. Trying to find the answer has so far proved elusive and if you search on line there are differing views. The bottom line is that the motor runs (whether it is a 3v motor with a resistor or a pure 12v motor) on 12v and will run on DCC. As a chassis they are good value but putting a chip in does mean having to alter CV values to get slow running. I certainly would not wish to put anyone off using them. Hope that is of use . Woody

​@@woodysmodellingdiary Thanks for the reply. I did order four of the 109 chassis, along with some 009 body kits. I already owned a Kato Eurostar, which runs brilliantly, so expected similar performance. Tried 5 different DC controllers (4 Hornby plus my usual PWM jobbie) and the 109's ran horribly with all of them. However, they managed to run flawlessly with the Bachmann '5' box (as included with their sets) good linearity, from crawl to max. They also seems to like the expensive Gaugemaster offerings, at our local club :)

Hi Andy, Thanks for letting me know how you got on and your experiences are very interesting. It is strange how different motors characteristics can change with different controllers and it is not always the expensive controllers that can provide the solution as you found with the Bachmann 5. I had to get a controller for a friends sons layout and was recommended the Bachmann one by a model shop as the best controller for overall performance at a reasonable price. From what I understand it is still being used several years later. My DCC chipped Kato chassis run well with the Bachmann EZ Command controller as well. I do have a liking for Gaugemaster DC controllers though and the Combi, for the price has been a great controller for my DC locos. Woody

Hi Andy, Many thanks for your comment and interesting to hear you are working with 3D bodies as well. The Kato chassis doesn't have any DCC instructions but it is fairly easy to chip the 109 chassis once you figure out how to get the top plate off. If you look at either end of the chassis there are two triangular looking prongs which are part of the two halves of the metal chassis and in effect hook over the plastic top plate. There is no easy way to do it that I have found but basically if you lever the plastic chassis to one side and can release one of the prongs the others will follow. Once the plate is off the motor is exposed along with two brass strip pick ups that fit either side of the two piece chassis and have wires straight to the motor. I unsoldered the pickups and threaded the wires from a DCC chip that I had cut the plug off through the plastic top plate and then soldered them to the pick ups. The wires from the motor went to the grey and orange chip wires. You need to be careful threading the wires through the plastic plate when you clip it back together but there is room. Putting a chip into the chassis does mean that you have to play around with CVs - 2, 3 5 and 6 and it probably still is not as slow running as on DC but I am now considering experimenting with a resistor despite my initial hesitancy. My first video on a 3D print and Kato chassis has a bit more on the running matters and is available at th-cam.com/video/ZjZFbeWFzMo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5yFBx-iNwnjmm4OL and there are some more details on my blog at woodysmodelingdiary.blogspot.com/2023/11/sunday-chip.html which has some photos of the process. Hope that is of use. Woody

@@woodysmodellingdiary Thanks for that, I’ll have a dig into it

Hi, Eddie doesn't have a website. Whether that will change in the future I don't know. He does however, attend most of the shows around Lincolnshire and the East Midlands where his stall carries all the current products. If you wanted to contact him, his email is ed3dprintingforcharity@yahoo.com . I hope that is of use. Woody

Hi Tim, Thank you for your comment and sounds as though you have really embraced 3D printing. From some of the comments I have seen, it seems that Australian modellers are more into 3D printing than in the UK - possibly availability and prices of main stream products? I believe it certainly opens up the ability to create models at prices that as you say are affordable and of things that the main stream suppliers don't see as commercially viable. Woody.

Hi, Thanks for your comment and as you say 3D printing for model railways is at that early stage but I can see a big potential which by the sounds of what you say about Railroads & Railways is coming fairly quick! I will keep an eye on announcements. Regards, Woody

Hi, Many thanks for your comment. I just need to find the time to finish them off. Like all the pleasurable parts of life there is never enough model making time! Regards, Woody

Hi, 3D Printing for Charity don't have a website unfortunately and I am not certain they do shipping either. As a charity raiser they tend to do their business at shows. I do have an email address which is ed3dprintingforcharity@yahoo.com if you would like to contact them. Hope that is of use? Regards, Woody

@@woodysmodellingdiary Thanks, I'll contact them.

Hello David, Many thanks for your comment. As you say 3D printing is offering alternatives at, in most cases, affordable prices and in many cases of items that the main manufacturers will never offer for commercial reasons. 3D printing is, I think, in its early evolution but I can foresee the time when most households will have a printer that will print some internet orders for that instant delivery! I was somewhat taken aback a few weeks ago by what can be 3D printed when some promotional pictures were being taken at the Museum I volunteer at of a bike with a 3D printed titanium frame! woodysmodelingdiary.blogspot.com/2024/05/3d-printed-titanium-bike-frame.html I did have a look at Piping Shrike Models and I really shouldn't have! There are some fantastic things which I would be sorely tempted by if I didn't already have too many projects! Enjoy your model making! Regards, Woody

And if you do you will probably have it built and running before me given my glacial progress! They do look good though and I love the cheekiness of downsizing a Pacer!

@woodysmodellingdiary I doubt it, some of my projects sit untouched for years, then I have a burst of inspiration and do 8 in a week, the joys of adhd.....

@woodysmodellingdiary also, there's a guy online that does more of these kits, ill ask Eddie if he can print them, the 009 101 dmu and class 66 look awesome

Hello James, The Kato chassis is a good runner and if you are not going down the DCC route it is simply take it out of the packaging and put it on the track. The resin bodies I have used have all fitted the chassis easily. Most are designed around the 11-109 chassis but there are some bodies designed to fit other Kato chassis so always worth asking the question. One body just needed a little plastic sanding off. In general you don't need to fasten them in but if necessary a small blob of bluetac or similar will do the job. Two other point, just make sure the body has couplers. On 009 locos these are usually just the pin sticking up which allows the 009 hook on wagons to hook onto. The second thing to look at is just to make sure you are happy that the body does not need too much cleaning up with the print lines. Other than that these bodies with the Kato chassis are about the easiest way to get a cheap 009 loco. Hope that helps? Woody

@woodysmodellingdiary Hi Woody,thank you for the information. I'm sure we'll be having a go at one at some point. It certainly sounds easy enough 🙂👍

Hello George, Many thanks. I am not the World's quickest builder of layouts but I do enjoy building them! Regards, Woody

Hi Tony, Many thanks for your comment and for becoming a subscriber - both very much appreciated. The King Tiger is a Tamiya kit I built about 15 years ago and like most Tamiya kits was a joy to build! Interesting about uncoupling ramps. I did try the Peco ones and making the clear plastic type that you describe but I have a couple of Bachmann 03's which have a protruding gear cover on the underside which would not go over the uncouplers. Without going into detail I have tried rare earth magnets mounted in the track with steel tails on the couplings which has worked. I just need to spend a bit of time fettling it when I do get the time! Regards, Woody

Hello Charlie, I believe that Mat board and mounting board are the same thing. I get 2mm thick mounting board as a large sheet from The Range which is a UK store similar to Target and they have a comprehensive art and craft section which can be a useful source of glues and paints as well at very reasonable prices. No doubt you have other similar stores as well. Regards, Woody

Hello Charlie, Glad my video is of use and best of luck with the continued bridge building. You can never have too many of them and I have a few more to build as well. Regards, Woody

Hi Charlie, It is an interesting feature to include and I hope it works for you. Regards, Woody

Hi, I have the greatest respect for anyone doing shunting work and no doubt your husband has some interesting stories about what went on. Shunting poles and preserved railways? A very interesting question and I can understand that in certain situations you would not want a shunters pole sticking out over a main line with passing trains. I cannot answer for all railways but in the case of Rocks By Rail the operating practices are approved by an external examiner. As the shunting is done when all trains are stationary, in two dead end sidings with no other passing track or trains and with no overhead power lines present any risk is very minimal - you just need to have the skill to use it which is something your husband has and I am still trying to get! Regards, Woody

@@woodysmodellingdiary hy I'm jack Jo's other half ,the ex shunter BSC Corby just a couple of tips for you 1 never try pinning down the brakes with the hooked end all was use the other end 2 never try lifting the coupling from a hanging position all get a good swing of the coupling going, 3 if you need to go between the wagons to couple up ALLWAYS make sure the loco driver sees you signal for going between the wagons your shunt signals when sending a train away do circular signals the driver can see buffer up signal arm's above your head and to and throw touch your clenched fists, that's how my instructor bob Eliot trained me if don't feel sure in what your doing, let your driver know, it's always best to be conscious if your doing shunting be safe and ALLWAYS think twice before you do the shunt, work out what your going to do and tell your driver, do that and you will be safe I hope this helps you. Jack BEST of luck 🤞,

@@woodysmodellingdiary sorry about spelling jack is now 73 years old and his memory goes now and again, the two sentinel locomotive are they from wroxton pit?

@@woodysmodellingdiary just one story for you as you know Corby mines department locos were sheded at gretton brook road ( pension green shed ) they had Rolls-Royce sentinel locos ex Swindon 9500 teddy bears a Yorkshire loco 8 wheel couple and brand new Rolls-Royce steel an for some reason the steel man didn't have coupled wheels one of these locos was tacking empty wagon from the steel works to Corby North sidings for Glendon pit near Kettering she came to a sharp right hand bend and the front axle derailed the crane was sent for put it back on the track, moved it forwards fell of again same spot so put back on track again then p way found a peace of the flange about a foot long, the loco was dragged back 5 miles by two teddy bear back to shed with her wheels locked so they wouldn't turn what happened to the loco after that I don't know,

Hello Jack, Many thanks for your tips and all taken on board. Guys like you are legends and it is great to hear from you. If you have the opportunity do come to the Museum on one of its operational days. I am sure it will be something that you would enjoy. Regards , Woody

Hi, Thank you for your comment and really pleased you found it of interest. Woody