I have noticed a few disadvantages with radio control recently. It can be quite expensive to set up, especially when you add sound. All the required clobber can be quite difficult to fit into small locos. The batteries are also reasonably expensive and you have to look after them, regularly running them down and recharging them for NiCad's, and keeping them regularly charged for LiPo's . I think I might just go back to my old LGB MTS DCC system !
Thanks chaps for the compliments regarding the track appearance . After various calculations and a bit of trial and error the rails were trimmed to length and the ends drilled for the fishplate bolts, using a jig. The curves were then made by carefully bending the rails by hand until they matched a template, they were then assembled onto the sleepers and further tweaked to match the template. I then had 6 foot long panels like "set track" to assemble into my circle. Using the bolted fishplates, whilst a real fiddle at ground level outside in amongst the plants, resulted in nice smooth joints.
Going back to the ballast it has been noticeable how much less washing out and settlement there has been on the earlier bits of the line, where there has been ballast down for a couple of seasons .