SRman

Unfortunately, it seems fairly common with Next 18 decoders for them to come loose in transit; they don't lock in very positively, especially when compared to some of the other connection types. The Rails NER railcar had similar problems, with (in this case) the decoder blanking plug coming loose, so they wouldn't even respond on DC for testing before chipping. I'm glad it was that simple to fix, and Rails can't really be blamed for this hiccup.

Thanks for that. It is much more difficult for me here in Australia as I cannot just pop my head out of the window to observe these things. It was the class 92 tunnel requirements that had me confused. Nevertheless, I have now succeeded in separating the function so it is entirely optional for me. I just found the brightness of the top light on the model a little irritating. Next task (a much easier one!) is to dim it a little. 😎 None of what I have been doing is in any way a criticism of what Accurascale have done. Having the tail light cut-out on F20, for instance, brings the 37 into line with the Accurascale class 92, Dapol class 59, and Hatton's class 66, among others.

I thought it was more of a EuroTunnel thing, at least initially, and was not used all the time. Class 92 and 68 also have the top light fitted but it doesn't seem to be used much on those locomotives. Certainly it is only on in some of the photos of these classes while the head and marker lights are on. I did find a photo with the top light on in night time mode though, so will have to add the feature allowing that.

Hello again: I have been playing around with the DCC functions again on my 37 423. For anyone with a LokProgrammer this is easy to do, although it took me a while to work out the correct combinations of settings and outputs. It should be do-able in JMRI Decoder Pro, although reading always takes longer (at least with my system of NCE Power Pro attached through a serial cable). What I wanted this time was to change the top headlight so that F18 turns it on, but it is off by default. I left it out for the night running light settings on F22, assuming that it would be too dazzling for oncoming drivers, but now I have got a bead on it, it would be easy enough to program in. This screen shot of the function map in the ESU software shows the latest mods and also the previous changes such as for F11, F17, F20 and F21. Unfortunately I didn't think to do a screen shot of the original settings, but if anyone chooses to follow my lead, they will see their initial readings first for comparison anyway. I sincerely hope this may help those who are tinkerers like me. 🙄 As always, make sure you save the project when you first read it so you can resume where you left off if it goes wrong. As a last resort you can always do a decoder reset, of course.

Thanks. I suspected that was the case. The Bachmann body shell was a little more generic, and used separate end caps to model the different headcode arrangements. For its time it was a good model and still captures the look, but as I indicated before, your Accurascale ones go that much further and represent much better value than the Bachmann equivalents from the latest tooling. For anyone on a tighter budget, a second-hand Bachmann 37 from that era's tooling could be worth a second look, as long as they are prepared to compromise a little on detail. The nose and cab window shapes seem very good on both brands, although this was something like Bachmann's third attempt at getting it right. My 37 698 and the other variants I have, 37 038 (correction: 37 035) in Dutch and 37 693 (also with inaccurate body style, then) in RF red stripe liveries all have old LokSound v3.5 decoders so the sound reproduction is nowhere near as good as the Accurascale with Accurathrash speaker. I have fitted improved speakers to all three but there are only limited choices with 100 ohm speakers. My other Accurascale 37 which is still on order will be 37 609, and I have a Jamie Goodman sound decoder and another Accurathrash speaker awaiting fitting when it arrives. It'll be interesting to compare the sounds between the two - both will be excellent, of course. 🙂

If anyone is interested, I have been remapping a few of the lighting functions to bring them into line more closely with other models I have, including Accurascale's own class 92s. I swapped F17, F20 and F21 around using the LokProgrammer for ease in doing this. F17 is now the engine room lights (was tail lights off) F20 is now tail lights off (was cab lights) F21 is now cab lights (was engine room lighting). While the existing setup worked perfectly well, I find these settings easier to remember, especially the F20 and F21 settings. On a different note, I have had no further luck in tracing why the flange squeal on F11 doesn't work with the sensor to limit it to only on curves. I have left it set so that F11 is simply on or off. I will let everyone know if I do succeed in tracing this, if Accurascale don't come back first with something themselves. I have attached a Word file with the modified function list for anyone to download and print if they do the same modifications. Class 37 Sound Function List - Modified.docx

Out of interest, I dug out one of my Bachmann class 37s and posed it with the Accurascale one. The Bachmann model is not the latest retooling from 2022, but the one before that. 37 698 doesn't look too bad against Accurascale 37 423, although the extra bogie detail and cab interior detail really do stand out on the Accurascale offering. The Bachmann model is not exactly light in weight, but after handling the Accurascale model, it felt like a featherweight! 😅 The finish on this particular Bachmann offering was very good, but the other two I have from the same tooling era aren't quite as crisply finished (one in Railfreight red-stripe grey, the other in Dutch livery), but are still very good. If I was looking to compare them against the newest Bachmann offerings, I would say go for the Accurascale models as they are both less expensive and marginally better detailed. However, that in no way implies that the Bachmann models are bad in any way. The Accurascale models to have more sophisticated lighting options, but the older Bachmann model stacks up fairly well appearance-wise (I'm not sure that the 37/6 should have one of the side engine room windows though, possibly a compromise with that tooling). You won't get brand new Bachmann 37s from this tooling run, but second-hand ones are well worth considering.

Well, most of them, mainly because they were converted from earlier stocks, not the BR standards.

Agreeing with a few other posters here, I have both LokProgrammer and Zimo MXULFA because: 1. I do reblow sounds fairly regularly on both ESU and Zimo decoders 2. It is much easier to buy the decoders locally and buy the sounds from the UK suppliers. The sound files are emailed to me locked to the decoders' particular serial numbers. 3. The Zimo MXULFA is not especially useful apart from updating firmware and reblowing sounds. JMRI is much easier to use for simple reprogramming of CVs or remapping functions. 4. The LokProgrammer reads and writes the ESU decoders much faster than JMRI does (in my experience). Both devices are expensive, but for the above reasons were worthwhile investments for me here in Australia. As an added bonus, I have been able to reblow and reprogram decoders for others who live in my neck of the woods - no cost to them, I don't mind helping friends. 🍺

Great pics there. I hadn't realised the size difference between the D and D1 was so great - I haven't put mine side by side.

Another video from me, this time showing off the Dapol class 59/2 with sound from Roads and Rails, and my Accurascale class 37/4 with Accurascale's own sound and Accurathrash speaker added as after-market items. Typically, Murphy's Law struck: the Dapol JHA wagons have been running around without fault for ages, but the moment I pointed the camera at them, the last two wagons kept derailing at various places around the layout. On checking each of them, I found that one wheelset on each had gone slightly out of gauge (too narrow). Fixing that also fixed the running again. To try to minimise my camera shake as I tried to operate the controllers and the Dapol semaphore signals at the same time as filming, I hit upon the idea of stopping the locos at the signals then throttling them up to where I wanted them to be, then before they could actually move off, hitting the red Emergency Stop button on the NCE Power Pro controllers. The NCE cabs retain that last speed setting even though the loco has stopped, so when I was ready for them to move off, I only had to hit one of the speed buttons on the controller and the decoder would then try to resume that speed, paying attention to the normal acceleration curve. Not perfect, but easier than trying to run the speed up from zero while pointing the camera in the right direction.

Confession time for silly mistakes: I feel a right dill now! A short time ago I decided to upgrade a 2H unit in Network South East livery to sound. I noted that the headcode lights were not working in the motor coach, but went ahead with fitting the sound decoder and a speaker anyway. That all worked fine, but the leading headcode panel remained resolutely unlit. I checked the soldered joints on the daughter board with the LEDs, to no avail: all seemed in perfect order, except it didn't work at all! I ordered a replacement pcb from Bachmann spares, which arrived yesterday. Started dismantling the DMBS car with the motor bogie then noticed two little switches underneath. I flicked the one closer to the driving end then tested it on the track and the lights all worked again. Cue internal swearing in my head! 🙄🤬

Not much to report. It is a bit time-consuming trying different combinations because those dip switches are under the decoder. At one stage I lost it all because the write didn't work properly - fortunately I had saved the project in modified form so was able to reload it and resume tests. Still nothing conclusive to report, though. I changed the setting on F11 to use 'Wheel sensor' and also changed the input to use the wheel sensor rather than Aux10. What that did was restore F11 to working the flange squeal all the time when on. Not quite the aim. I was also switching different dip switches in turn, but haven't tried 4, 5, or 6, yet - I was reversing 1 and 3 to off though at different times. On a different note, I also played with the brake settings, adding 'Brake 1' to F2, and tweaking the Brake 1 setting to 200%, then changing CV4 momentum to 105. That gives me a reasonable active braking effect while throttling back to zero leaves the locomotive coasting effectively. adding to the "driving" experience. Those changes may not suit everyone, but they do give me more enjoyment. Between that and using F5 (sometimes) to give the "heavy train" setting, the class 37 driving becomes quite interesting. Tests will continue but I cannot stand for too long at present, so tweaking sessions have to be fairly short.

in my case, I have made sure the dip switches match the instructions for the ESU decoder, but it seems fairly obvious that the sensor input is not being detected. At present I have fiddled some more with the settings, turning all of the possible sensor inputs on in the decoder settings, but the flange squeal is only present if I turn all of them off on F11 (using the LokProgrammer, that was Sensors 1 to 4 and the Wheel sensor, all from the drop down list). So, at present, the flange squeal is set to on when F11 is on, regardless of whether the loco is going around a bend or not. It's not a big deal for me, but I would like to suss it out (I like a challenge!). I suspect that flipping one of the "off" dip switches might enable the sensor again. I will give it a try later.

I have noted a few posts regarding those who have fitted sound as an "aftermarket" item 9even with the Accurascale programmed decoder) where F11 is not producing the required flange squeal. My 37 423 has proved to be the same: no squeal. I read the decoder details into my LokProgrammer software and looked at the function mapping for F11, and it showed that it was "On" and using input from "Sensor 2". I took out the Sensor 2 bit as a temporary solution, and the flange squeal does now work, although I haven't ascertained whether it goes all the time or only on the bends (which would be an unexpected result if that is the case). The other slight anomaly is that it squeals when F11 is off, but not when it is on, which is totally unexpected! I need to experiment more before I can give any definitive results that may assist others more reliably, but I can say I am on the right track to sorting it out. Incidentally, I used an Accurathrash speaker in this one, but used a couple of blobs of black-tack to secure it. I have fixed many other speakers in my other sound conversions like this (or with Blu-tack) with no problems at all. This one is no exception. they are also very good at sealing the sound chambers in older style speaker setups where the speaker and its chamber are separate items. Gratuitous photo of 37 423 here. I will eventually do a video of her at work as well.

I'm already overweight just from the fluids I have been drinking (mostly water or weak tea). Maybe the dried frog pills will help ... (Pratchett reference). 😅

I haven't done a lot in the last week as I have been recovering from a biopsy done on my prostate - that on its own isn't stopping me, it's painful sitting at certain angles and the medication is making my hands a little shaky. Results not in yet. Anyway, I have done a little on the class 74 trying to refine the paintwork (the blue is still a bit rough in places) and trial fitting the Hornby class 71 windows, which had to have their surrounds cut off to allow them to sit flush in the 74's apertures (due to the resin shell being so much thicker than the plastic on the 71). The small bodyside windows will have to have individually cut glazing as they don't match any from the 71. This is still a work in progress but is much, much nearer completion now. And, all this time the chassis has been able to run with or without the body fitted. The other bit of fiddling I did today was to test run then fit a DCC sound decoder (LokSound) to my newly arrived Accurascale DRS class 37/4 from TMC. I also fitted an Accurathrash speaker by the simple expedient of sticking it in place with some black-tack! I have removed the tension lock coupling and glued the details on the leading end, including the individual snowploughs and all the electrical connections, brake and air hoses, and the name plates. For the other end I have left the coupling in place, and used the one-piece snowplough assembly, but no hoses or pipework. The model arrived missing one horn, which was nowhere to be found, but I have asked Accurascale if they can supply a replacement. They will do in due course.

I had similar problems but on track where no other trains or vehicles were having problems. My solution had to be with the brake vans only. As mentioned in my layout topic, I removed the metal bearings from the centre axles on each of my brake vans (one single and one double veranda type). This mostly sorted the running, except the double veranda van was still derailing at one single location on a plain curve. Checking the back to backs on both vehicles showed all but one axle (which was on the double veranda van) were at just on 14.5mm, with the exception being slightly over that. A bit of a squeeze with my fingers on the offending axle's wheels fixed the problem once and for all, and both vans have now been trundling around at some speed on the tail of my (somewhat weird!) test train.

My memories of the Hastings units was of them flying through Petts Wood station, on the low embankment at the end of my grandparents' back garden. They were usually either just throttling up or down at that point, depending on the direction they were going. The 3H units on the other hand were more local to where I lived in Pound Hill (West Sussex): they ran from nearby Three Bridges to East Grinstead, and at one time I had to cross over the line on a road bridge to get to the school campus I attended.

Good suggestions. 😎 Other methods I have used include a Dropbox share (I only use the free version of Dropbox so there are file size limits there too, but still much larger than allowed in emails). The other method I use is to upload to YouTube, and if necessary, set it to a private video so only those who have the link can see it.

Damn furriners!! 😅

Some great photos there, Nick. My wife and I spent our honeymoon there in 1985, with a fly/drive package. We had a second honeymoon for our 30th anniversary in 2015, but followed a Lord of the Rings theme for that one, and used mostly connecting bus and coach services. I had put down the only absolute must-see for me was Hobbiton, which the travel agent duly arranged then added all the other connected stuff. We have promised ourselves a rail trip next time. Auckland and Christchurch are both a shade under 4 hours flight from Melbourne for us. I did get a few rail-related photos or videos in though. One of exBR mark 2 coaches in Wellington. We also did the circular tram trip around Christchurch - a little ironic seeing as we can hop on any number of trams in normal service here in Melbourne! There was also a proper London Transport Routemaster bus in Christchurch, not just any old double decker painted red. I did take some videos as well, but strung them all together (not just the rail and tram ones) into a very long movie. I'll have to locate the individual clips again. And one of Hobbiton, just for show.

Do you have a VPN? If not, there are free ones out there - I use Surfshark free version (no connection except as a satisfied customer) - which then let you change your location so the external sites think you are in their country. I get to view some of the blocked BBC content that way. An added bonus of the VPN is that it makes your browsing more secure.

This video taken this morning (Wednesday 28th June) demonstrates the smooth and quiet running of the D1, as well as the now reliable running of the two brake vans. There is a slight surge where I was slowing the train down at the end; this was due to me turning the speed up a little to carry it forward, but it does show the lack of finesse in the control of the LAIS decoder, where the likes of ESU and Zimo would tend to be a little smoother. I will replace the decoder eventually, but at present the LAIS ones are the only Next 18 decoders I have in my supplies.

Our late friend Brian used to do that as well, particularly with the Dapol milk tank wagons. My solution is to drill the centre axle boxes to allow more float for the centre axles. In the case of the two SECR brake vans, simply removing the metal bearings on the centre axle boxes worked, allowing enough free movement to get around and over most normal obstacles. The same applied to the N class tender as well. In every case, it means the centre axle is not load-bearing at all, and is simply there for appearance, along for the ride, as it were.