Businessmen Use Scalextric In Manchester Airport Lounge

High-flying businessmen and women are passing the time in Manchester Airport's new passenger lounge racing each other on a Scalextric track.

For a fee, well-heeled passengers flying in and out of Terminal 1 can avoid the busy terminal hall by retiring to the £1.7m Escape Lounge, which opened on 1 July 2010.

Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/manchester/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8783000/8783254.stm

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Purchasing A Scalextric Set

When purchasing your first Scalextric set we advise to purchase the largest set for your budget. As this will provide you with the most track for your money. As you can never have enough track
There are two different types of Scalextric available:

1. Scalextric sport the basic standard Scalextric set. The Analogue sets are based on the same principals as the first sets that where made 50 years ago when it all first started
2. Scalextric Digital This type of sets offer up to 6 cars to race on the track at any one time

Scalextric Sport

This type of track is the most simple and is suitable for all ages especially suited for ages 6-9, Prices start from £30 - £150

In 2004 Scalextric brought out there new set layouts to make their layouts simple and easy to expand.

• X-1 this is a small figure of 8 with a 90 degree crossover
• X-2 is an extended figure of 8 with elevated crossover and 2 90 degree racing curves
• X-3 Track is a large figure of 8 with both sides of the loops extended, with elevated crossover and 90 degree curves as per the X-2 track just is slightly larger

All of these tracks can easily be extended by the track extension packs 1,2,3 and the Ultimate Extension, these packs represent good value for money if you are looking to expand your circuit.

If you have the older type track that was made prior to 2002 you will require the Scalextric Sport converter track(C34). These items come in packs of two and are used to connect old sections of track to the new sports track. You simply put one of the half straight converters at either end of the old track then continue with the new type track.

Scalextric Digital

Is the newest way to race, you can race up to 6 cars on the two lane track, This track has selectable lane changes all operated from your digital hand throttle. We would recommend for ages 9-90. Its great fun for all the family. Starter sets are available from £120 - £300. The top of the range set is the Scalextric pro GT C1242, which is well worth a look at as it is great value for money.

Digital racing is simple to set up, all you need to do is plug in the hand throttle and place the car on the track then hold the button on the powerbase for a few seconds to register that car to the hand throttle. Then repeat this for every car you wish to race on the track.

In 2009 Scalextric are re-releasing their 6 car power base (in the 2nd quarter of the year), early models had some technical issues so they was withdrawn, so be careful if you are purchasing one of the older models.

Scalextric have a basic conversion set that contains all you need except the cars so you can decide what Scalextric cars you want. or even convert your own cars, you have you may only need the digital Plug to convert your existing car to digital and these only retail for around £9 or choose from our large range of digital cars that are available. The conversion of a standard car to digital is easy if it is digital plug ready and only a screwdriver is required. However most cars can be converted dating back to 1957 by using the conversion chips these come it two types one for saloon cars and one for F1 cars. A soldering iron will be required to fit this correctly.

If you are converting to digital make sure you have enough of the correct lane change track pieces so they do not direct the cars to one lane and leave the cars on that one lane of track, so are unable to move to the other lane. The most simple was to resolve this is to use the straight lane change as this is the only piece of track that you can change lane from either side.

Scalextric racer and collector

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Items Available To Get The Most Form Your Scalextric Digital Sets

Digital Lap Counter (C7039)

This lap counter is powered by the track so batteries are not required. It is suitable for both 4-car and 6-car digital powerbases. The advantages of using this when racing include the race leader being displayed throughout the race and the number of laps remaining. There is a built-in start sequence and it also displays the race finishing order so as it's set up to 999 laps there is plenty of time for a really great race.

If you are seriously thinking of purchasing a Digital Lap Counter , please keep in mind it is not also a lap timer. The only way to obtain lap times is to purchase the 6 car powerbase which will be available in October 2009. Full details of this item are listed below. The 6 car powerbase will make the lap counter obsolete due to the fact that the powerbase will also count laps, so think carefully about your requirements before ordering either of these products.

The Digital Lap Counter is included in the top of the range Scalextric Digital Pro GT C1242 Set.

Digital Pit Lane Game (C7041)

The Digital Pit Lane Game is powered by the track so batteries are not required. It can add fun to any Digital layout as you can select up to three pit stops per race. Pits open randomly for ten seconds only and as you enter one pit stop light is extinguished. If you enter the closed pits you will receive an additional one pit penalty. The game is for up to six players and the winner is the first to extinguish all pit lights. This Pit Lane Game adds not only excitement to the race, it also requires you to improve your competitive skills to give you that extra edge in the game.

The Digital Pit Lane Game is included in the Scalextric Triple Cup Set.

If you combine the Pit Lane Game with the Lap Counter it offers the very best racing fun. You can set in place rules so only the race leader with the highest number of laps can extinguish their last remaining light on the pit lane game. Only then can the winner be found.

To improve your Scalextric Digital Sets , a Lane Change section of track is a very good buy.

Lane Change and Sensor Track (in to out left hand) C7009
Lane Change and Sensor Track (out to in left hand) C7007
Lane Change and Sensor Track (out to in right hand) C7008
Lane Change and Sensor Track (in to out right hand) C7010

We would recommend spacing all lane change sections of track at about 1 second of racing time around the track to ensure there is always something to think about and to create constant excitement during the race

How To Convert Your Original Track To Digital
 
For this you will need a Digital Conversion Kit (C7040 or the new C7056 which is the same item with just a new code)

The Digital Conversion Kit contains:-
1 x Powerbase
2 x Hand Controllers
1 x Straight Lane Change Track
1 x Straight Track
1 x ½ Straight Track
1 x Transformer

This will give you all you need to convert your track to digital. All you will have to do is convert your cars and you can start racing.

Look out for the 6 Car Powerbase (C7042) expected arrival October 2009.

The new powerbase runs on the current power transformer C7024 that is standard issue with all digital sets that have been sold over the past 3-4 years. If you have not already got a digital layout the transformers can be purchase individually.

Features of the 6 car powerbase are as follows:-

• The unit has a clear user interface with two levels of features to suit both the novice and experienced user
• The Skill Level option allows you to adjust the maximum power levels to individual cars so that 'novice versus expert' races can be run more fairly.

Hand throttles can be calibrated to equalise controller performance for all drivers. Multiple gaming modes including solo rally, timed endurance and total lap format racing. Setting the car ID is easy via a simple, one-button action.

This Powerbase is upgraded to 15v for better car performance.

This item is Scalextric's flagship item for 2009. It is set to be a best seller for a long time because of the high demand for digital sets over the past couple of years as people have found the new type of racing so captivating.

This new Powerbase can be used in Analogue or Digital power modes. This great feature allows the Powerbase to be used with standard 2-lane Scalextric circuits (for 2 cars only) or with Scalextric Digital layouts. The race modes can be used in either power configuration. Scalextric digital cars can be used as analogue cars but non digital cars cannot race on a digital track.

Now the best of both worlds is offered , an all-in-one race control system for Analogue and Digital racing.

Source: Looking for a slot car set for any small child then there are two very popular makes that will offer you something slightly different, it is more a matter of choice and price. Smaller scale slot car sets are suitable for ages 3-7. We are sure that they will get plenty of use from any car fanatic child and are ideal entertainment for a wet day.

New for 2010! Scalextrics Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 GT

The 722 GT is a tuned version of the SLR 722 which is developed for a one-make racing series. The cars are built by Ray Mallock Ltd. with approval from Mercedes-Benz.

The car features new wider bodywork to accommodate 19” OZ racing wheels. The front grill vents are removed and larger, free flowing air extractors sit on the hood and flank the side of the car. The rear now has a racing wing and diffuser. Under the body, the car has shed 398 kg (880 lb) and reduced its dry weight to 1,300 kg (2,900 lb). The engine produces 670 bhp.

Inside, the car is stripped out with only the essential functions being controlled from a carbon fibre binnacle. New carbon fibre door panels and full roll cage complete the transformation.

The 722 GT is a brand new model, not to be confused with our previous model - the popular SLR McLaren. Flared wheel arches, bigger vents, re-profiled front grill area and massive rear wing enhance what is already a very powerful looking car.

This Digital Plug Ready (DPR) car can be converted for use with the Scalextric Digital range in under sixty seconds using the C8515 Digital Plug. The car features Magnatraction™, lights at the front and rear plus easy change pick-ups.

What Does Scalextric Digital Sets Offer?

From 2004 Scalextric digital sets changed the way slot car racing is perceived. With the Toy of the Year awarded to Scalextric for their innovation, it brought slot car racing in to the modern era.

Over the years not much had changed in the world of slot car racing with constraints being the amount of track required if you wished to race more than two cars. This created a massive cost to whoever wished to do so and that’s not accounting for the space, four or more lanes require a huge area to fit all the track down.

So what is Scalextric digital you may ask? Now Scalextric cars are fitted with digital plugs that are registered to the powerbase. This allows you to race up to six cars on two lanes creating fast action packed racing for all the family. There are clever lane changing sections of track and with a simple press of a button on the hand controller your car can swap lane at the sections of track that allow you to do so. The lane changing track is easiest to describe as like train points and the metal section moves to direct your car to the next lane. The lane changing sections of track are more expensive than the standard track but if you wanted racing for more than two people at once then the overall cost will be far lower than having to have two lots of track. Scalextric state that lane change sections should be placed at about 1 seconds of driving time around your layout. This makes racing a constant excitement for the users of the track. Digital layouts work best as fast free flowing designs allowing overtaking excitement for the duration of the race.

There are many items that can be added to your Scalextric digital sets such as a lap counter which is electronic and is far more reliable than the old mechanical lap counter that you may have had when you were a kid. There is also a pit lane game that offers something a little different than the first person to complete a set amount of laps. The pit lane game gives you 3 seconds to enter the lit lane and when you stop on the pit box it will extinguish a light and the first person to remove all lights from their board is the winner. If you miss your call to the pits you will have an additional light added to your total. Late in 2009 they released the new Scalextric 6 lane powerbase c7042 with a huge amount of features such as running ghost cars, adjusting speeds of certain cars to even the racing, plus Lap times and counter. The 6 car powerbase will operate with the current 4 car transformer so no additional power unit will need to be purchased. The RRP of the item is £100 but we feel this is well spent as it will complete any digital track and give the user no end of features to play with.

Digital is the new way to go for slot car racing. If you are looking to purchase a Scalextric set for any reason we would suggest that you seriously look in to making the digital choice. As with any Hornby or Scalextric set Always try to spend as much as you can on the set as you will get far more for your money than buying a small set only to find that you will want to add to it soon after playing with the track. We have some customers whose children are as young as 4 who race on digital tracks. This may seem a little young children but over 6 years of age will have no problem enjoying the benefits of Scalextric digital cars.

About the Author:

Author: Lee Catherine

After having a Scalextric set when I was a kid, I guess I never grew up. After starting trading online it was an easy choice to set up a website to sell a full range of Scalextric and slot car products.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - What does scalextric digital sets offer?