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Thanks Chris, I'll take a look through mine and be back to you if I need the track. Maurice

What I don't say in the proposed article (it would clearly be viewed by some of more knocking Hornby) is that the instruction book errors were compounded by never having been corrected. Hornby seemingly never realised the errors and, today, original sets still have the same incorrect instructions. Where clarifications were issued they were still wrong. I now sympathise with how these errors were allowed to perpetuate because I, WE, HAVE NOW DONE EXACTLY THE SAME. I have managed to find an archive of our old website, reported elsewhere on this forum and as someone who has built his business life using Management By Objectives I have singularly failed to help translate our declared aims into web content. We have an aim to:- To Help Members Running Live Steam by providing information on:How to start in Live Steam Where to buy it from First time start and run running inbut this is what we showed under "Controlling The Loco" https://web.archive.org/web/20160914124002/http://oolivesteam.com/Maintenance/_files/Hornby%20Live%20Steam,%20Controlling%20The%20Loco.pdf So we are guilty of the same mistake. We didn't realise we were giving out the wrong information. I cant believe that even though I made the full DVD have demonstrated control (along with all of you) at Roadshows I have never recorded and published it with clarity. I made some errata stickers that get given out with the DVD but not made these or their content available via the website. I have failed to make perhaps our most important and easiest to achieve objective happen; to give clear operating instructions to replace the Hornby ones. I really am shocked about this and will quickly upload to the forum for approval the replacement wording used on the labels.

I have to admit and say, like Nick, I have never read the manual from cover to cover. The reason, when I bought my first live steam loco I resisted using it until I had visited the club at York. There Adrian showed me how to drive a live steam loco. So, I agree with Nick, you will only need the addendum if you've never driven one before. I was talking with Eric over the weekend, he made a good suggestion, a how to do video on driving a live steam loco. Maurice

Not as easy at it sounds I’m afraid! Seals are ok but other hardware is only in limited supply. Every repair need different parts that’s why it is all individually set out and priced. Made up packs would be impactive on general stock and my time which is getting limited. Also a pack would contain items that may not be used hence a wasteful endeavour me thinks. The tools are sold as a set and individually so it would be down to the individual need as to what is ordered at any one time. To service piston seals you need two tools of the four available so it is beneficial to order a boxed set. It would be best to pehaps have a parts list for A3 and A4 locos available so members can acertain what they need from a guide list.

Sorry Eric. I thought I had said. I have withdrawn the Steam Valve Explanation sheet until I have produced the accompanying video which I will do as soon as my new train room/photographic studio is finished in literally a couple of days. The explanation was also wrong in that when I suggested that the valve be cycled as soon as it's powered up (to get a feel for what happens) I now realise that when you let go it almost always ends up in the whistle zone which is confusing as the steam whistle starts to sound as it heats up. My fault for not testing first what I was saying. Also, the brief I set myself was for it to fit on an A5 page so it could be 'stuck' into the A5 Instruction Manual. It looked OK on a big computer screen but reduced to A5 does look daunting. But as I said from the outset it is designed to be read whilst actually operating the loco on a rolling road and watching the accompanying video.

Great Chris. Is there a timescale for delivery yet? Norman

Yes. Great stuff. Go for it.

I vote yes!

The shirts have all now arrived and I will bring the majority Ally Pally, Eric's to Doncaster and I will post Normans to his parents address. As previously shirts will only be delivered if they have been paid for. Please pay the indicated amount into the club bank account Sort Code 40-19-31 Account Number 02195380 Adrian 2 x LS Shirt & 1 Fleece - XXL - £49.97 Eric 1 x Fleece - L - £19.99 Maurice 2 x LS Shirt & 1 Fleece - M - £49.97 Nick 3 x Shirt - XL - £29.97 Norman 2 x Shirt & 1 x LS Shirt - XL - £34.97 (Edited to correct Eric's order from XL to L)

Members almost by definition have got through the manual errors but we know that thousands of owners got put off and the errors and misleading advice in those manuals are a big reason. Our aim is to get dormant locos back into use and providing correct instructions is key to that. An A4 stick label plus printing costs under 10p. I think we should offer them widely as FOC with any order and encourage owners to update their manuals (they will get moved on to a new owner some day). We should offer them at Roadshows too to owners we discover. But it would be a waste to automatically send with every order as some people will get multiple copies. The background to all this is whether we accept or not that the Instruction Manual was a key reason that owners became disappointed. If so this is such an easy way to repair an unfounded poor reputation and genuinely help new owners and those resurrecting a dormant model.

Bearing in mind that unlike you I don't really believe many people actually use the manual I can still see that distribution with the DVD and locos may help some people. Selling via the shop will really depend on Nick's capacity for a bit more work but one FOC with every order feels like a waste. What do others think? Once we have had a few days for discussion I will call an approval vote.

What is there to push?? The ‘old clobber’ if that’s what you mean doesn’t count as it’s been updated with the new spec clothing. Ebay is your friend. Onwards and upwards!!