My first 00 trains were Trix Twin, that would be in the 50s and for the times they were damn good sophisticated mechanisms and what I really liked were the working semaphore signals which were scale, the base was hardly 1" by 1/4" and yet contained a wee solenoid. The spectacle glasses were illuminated by a wee bulb and the signal could be operated by both a remote lever and the points which were motorized.

All these years I have retained fond memories of my Trix stuff and been disappointed by the lack of same for Triang Hornby. S hunting was always my preferred action and when my layout got big enough it was hard to see what was going on in some distant yard.

Its highly unlikely that I will ever have another 00 layout but if I do it will be a pre grouping point to point shelf layout with proper yard signalling and semi automated control using DC not DCC which seems more trouble than its worth.

Thats why the sudden spate of train stuff.