Using ‘stay alives’
The capacitor is a useful electronic component and the latest generation of sound decoders allow these to be connected to maintain uninterrupted sound. MIKE WILD explains how they work and which brands support their use.
Giving Bulldog its bark
Locomotives with 21-pin decoders sometimes require a different approach to connecting a speaker. MIKE WILD explains all with Kernow Model Rail Centre’s ‘OO’ gauge model of the D600 ‘Warship’ diesel-hydraulic.
STANIER SOUNDS
It isn’t just the latest locomotives which can benefit from digital sound. MIKE WILD delves into his stores to find one of the early modern day Hornby ‘Black Fives’ which predates the ease of tender-mounted decoder sockets.
Factory sound
If installing a sound decoder is not for you, there is another option – factory fitted digital sound, as MARK CHIVERS explains.
Digital semaphores
Using readily available equipment Mike Wild shows how semaphore signals can be brought fully into the digital era in just six simple steps.
The Tri-ang Connection
While Hornby’s rich heritage owes much of its existence to Frank Hornby’s vision from the 1920s, the route to today’s highly detailed ‘OO’ models is not so straightforward, as MARK CHIVERS discovers.
Hornby's best locomotive of all time!
The votes have been counted and we can now reveal the locomotive that you chose as Hornby’s Best Locomotive of All Time in our public vote at KeyModelWorld.com. MIKE WILD has the results.
RULE ‘BRITANNA’
The ‘Britannia’ 4-6-2s were the largest fleet of ‘Pacifics’ in the BR Standard series. MIKE WILD installs a Doehler & Haass 8-pin decoder loaded with Locoman Sounds’ new ‘Britannia’ sound file in the Hornby ‘OO’ gauge model with the addition of extra lighting functions.
Before BR blue
The change to BR’s new corporate blue colour scheme didn’t happen overnight, and there were many variations. TIM SHACKLETON wanders into the minefield of blue liveries in the pre-TOPS era.
Creating a wagon depot
For a slightly different take on a railway depot scene, MARK CHIVERS builds Railway Laser Lines’ recently introduced 4mm scale laser-cut Wagon Repair Depot.