SRman

As far as getting to the bogie pickups goes, all you need to do is pull the side frames off - they simply pull horizontally away from the bogie chassis. You can then reach the pickup strips very easily to tweak them or clean them.

Well, I'm safe ... they post to UK addresses only!! 😅

DCC Concepts used to have such a thing, but I don't think they offer them any more.

Because it brings it into line with the sound functions, especially if you want to run a sound and non-sound locomotive in a consist. As an example, I now have three of Accurascale's class 92s with sound, and one more with a non-sound LokPilot. Having the tail light off switch on F20, and the brake on F5 on all of the decoders makes the consisting much easier and more consistent.

Just a little more work done on the scenic hill section, with some more static grass added, a new bit of grass mat, and some filler blending in the levels. The road surface needs more work and some texture, but it is all coming together, gradually.

Very nice. When my set arrives (soon, it is on its way!), I'll be able to run that combination as well. I have two of the Hornby M7s in variations of the LSWR greens, one as per yours in the photos, the other here.

My suggestion is to realign the functions that you need to operate on the same keys - not plug and play, unfortunately. I use JMRI Decoder Pro on a computer attached to my command station (an NCE Power Pro), which does make things easier than working out the necessary CVs. Run the two as a consist, but for ease of use, activate the common function in the consist settings on each decoder as well. I recently had to try to match functions between a Heljan London Transport Bo-Bo electric (Sarah Siddons) and a Bachmann London Transport class 20 (Sir John Betjeman) to top and tail a train. To complicate things further, the electric has an ESU LokSound decoder while the class 20 has a Zimo sound decoder. The first function I had to swap around was the brake, originally on F2 on the class 20 but F5 on the electric - I made the class 20 use F5 for its brake function, so F2 became the horns, which matched the electric loco. Then I made sure that both functions worked in a consist, so using the consist address and selecting F5 applied the brakes on both locos. Likewise I made certain of the light functions match so that selecting them worked correctly for both locos (headlight on Sarah Siddons and tail lights on class 20, for example) Now all of this is not for the faint-hearted or novice, so while that is the ideal solution, it is complex and takes a bit of working out as to what is needed. One thing you won't have to worry about with a class 37 and Caroline is speed-matching them. In my case, I had to do that as well seeing as both items are powered. This might well be beyond your (Pete's) capabilities at present, but as you learn with DCC you might revisit the settings and functions. It will give you a new challenge! I hope this might help a few other people who are further round the learning curve with DCC. And apologies to Pete because that sounds a little like I am putting him down, although I swear that's not my intention. We all have to learn as we go. I am still blundering through some of this myself. 😅

After painting the other rails and ballasting is easier, but you may have to scoop a little of the ballast away where the ramps are (as alluded to by Nick, above). For purely practical purposes, I have laid all of the third and fourth rail (so far) countersunk slightly so it is lower than the running rails. I know this is the opposite of what occurs on the real thing, but having them higher than the running rails can cause a multitude of problems regarding clearances and for track cleaning purposes.

I have done more work on the scene, including replacing the card base for the garage and Nissen hut with a sturdier foam board base. It is on the floor again for now while I work on it. I used some printed road textures from Scalescenes on that base. Work continues with the grass and grass mats, with another layer of static grass to follow shortly. I am toying with the idea of adding lights in the garage to negate the need to remove the roof to actually see inside it. I'm also thinking of drilling a couple of discrete holes in the road to allow wires to pass through to illuminate a Rapido Daimler Fleetline (one I have de-branded so it is no longer from the West Midlands), and a motorcycle with working headlight. I swapped the original Hornby Nissen hut for a Bachmann one, then decided the Hornby one looks better in this location. I was experimenting with some Bachmann barbed wire fencing, but the "interface" between the road and the rough field really needs some hedges. Anyway, here are a few photos of the continuing progress. Sorry about the background clutter, but I need the various glues and paints for the work.

I have 37 026 on the way, but I entered the Hornby Magazine competition. If I was lucky enough (unlikely!!) to win that, can anyone suggest alternative numbers to match the particular combination on that model? Just a mental exercise on my part, really. 🙃

I see (thanks). Are there wires feeding the head and tail lights, or are they mounted on the PCB? If there are wires, it might be possible to reroute them to work from a separate output. Or has that been covered already?

I don't have my Carolines yet (one blue/grey and one NSE), but I have the Lais decoders ready and waiting. I am wondering whether using the programming logic for function mapping, could it be possible to put the condition in that with both F0 and F2 activated, for forwards, F0(f) is off, and similarly with F0 and F2 in reverse, F0(r) is off. I'll be trying a few things to see if I can get it to happen, although I don't doubt the expertise of those who have already tried.

Yes ... it wouldn't have been that much of a drain on them! Sorry, I'll get my hat and coat ...

I was looking at that windscreen too - it's hard to tell from the angle, but the surround looks to be the correct shape (or much nearer than it was), but is the actual windscreen also reshaped to match? We need to see a front-on view, I think. I'm still not ordering one until I can see that the front "face" looks right.

Maybe, once I get to grips with it.

As others have already pointed out, these files are not perfect, but are freebies, so we can't complain too much. I have downloaded all of the British ones so far 9as of two weeks ago, so maybe more to get now), and have been dabbling with a couple of them. As for steam, the Merchant Navy and West Country/Battle of Britain files are not too bad, although some of the separate function sounds are a bit questionable (like a modern Waterloo station announcement). The turbine generator sound and air pumps would only suit preserved examples, I think (or at least, the turbine sound is too loud and too prominent as the sound come), but all of these are editable or tweakable. For my Bachmann SECR C class 0-6-0, I tried the two cylinder Britannia sound file first, but that was really dreadful, with electronically generated steam chuffs. I then tried the three cylinder MN sound file, and retuned it to act as a two cylinder (four beats per wheel revolution), then tried to find a suitable whistle to match the preserved C on the Bluebell Railway - I used the German E94 whistle from the very limited number of whistles available on the ESU site, but hopefully they will increase the number of auxiliary sounds available as well as the number of complete British steam projects. At least it has given me a bit of a challenge and something to occupy my curiosity as to what can or cannot be done with the ESU LokProgrammer software.

Maybe simply crank up the starting volts in the decoder (CV2). Keep adding to the value in CV2 until the locomotive just starts to move on speed step 1.

Use the recalls in the Power Cab to keep the first loco active while operating the second. Depending on the version of your Power Cab, you have two recall "slots" available for v 1.28 or earlier, but up to six in v. 1.65 (the current one). Assuming you have v. 1.65 (which has been around for quite a few years now), you can change the number of recalls by going into the "Cab Parameters" settings (press Prog/Esc button then the number 6). Then press 'Enter" twice (I think) and enter any number up to 6 to set the number of recalls you will find most useful. To use the recalls: 1. select your first loco (say 3101 as an example), turn on the sound and lights and any other functions you want working, then; 2. press "Recall", then; 3. select the second loco (say 4701), and turn on its sound, lights and other functions. 4. assuming you have only set two recalls (or left it as the default of two anyway), press "Recall" and you should see 3101 again, and all of the previously turned on functions should still be working. You can keep on toggling between the two locomotives. If you set more than two recalls, you will have to scroll through each recall slot in turn with each press of the "Recall" button.

When saving new contacts, some Android versions gave the opportunity to save either to the phone's storage or to the SIM card. If the data was saved to the SIM, then it will move with the SIM to the new phone. Otherwise, most phones are able to transfer the data from one to the other. My last switch even allowed me to keep all messages and photos as well as the contact details.

I have tidied the hill side up a bit, although it isn't any where near finished yet, I needed to get it off the floor to make room for visitors tomorrow. The glues aren't entirely dry yet, either. The garage and Nissen hut have been packed up a bit at the back, but they are still not level yet. Anyway, this shows it in situ now, and I can see how it is all going to fit, and I can plan the for retaining walls at the back. There is a double track line right behind it.

I have resumed work on the sloping road and hill behind the engine shed lines. I have had it sitting there with bits of grass matting perched on it while I decided exactly what I wanted for it. An inspiration came when I decided to resurrect the old Albion Garage I scratch built using an Alphagraphix card kit as the basis but using Wills sheets and some plain plastic sheet as well. Among other things, I increased the depth to allow a normal model car to sit withing the shorter workshop bay, something the original design could not permit. I removed the whole section of hill from the layout to permit easier access to it, so it is currently sitting on the floor (on newspaper) with some wet paint and wet glue, and freshly laid static grass. Earlier today, I mixed a batch of plaster to fill gaps and smooth things over a bit. I added some black and brown poster paints to the mix so no white chips will show if there is any damage later on. The photos show some of the progress with restoring the garage, which I intend to appear a little dodgy (note the oil pools on the floor ... cars rebirthed, anyone?), and also with applying the textures and scenery to the hill itself. The bases for the garage and Nissen hut are not yet level, but everything is posed to give a rough idea of how I envisage it. There is another section of the hill leading to (eventually) a bridge over the railway and then off-scene. That hasn't been touched yet. The first pic shows the garage as it was on my old Middlehurst and High Cross layout. It has been in storage since around 2009.

Did you mean class 15 and 16's? Class 16 was even a product of North British, like 10800. Even so, class 14 "Teddy Bears" had Paxman engines as well.

Ooh! I wouldn't mind one of those. 🙂

Thanks for that. I only recently "discovered" your thread, and I look forward to seeing the further developments as you go. Good luck with the future additions. 🙂👍

This is a lovely layout, very nicely done. However, when I saw the name "Girtby Sea", I immediately thought it should be an Australian layout (look up our national anthem! 😅 ).