SRman

If you have JMRI Decoder Pro anda computer attached to your command station, you can save all the existing settings before doing a reset. You could then selectively rewrite the (for example) speed table settings back onto the decoder.

With the annual Model Bus Association of Australia's modelling competition looming in December, I decided I had better divert a little of my railway modelling energy to finishing some of the bus kits I started some years ago. I also finished off the London Country RLH uniform store started last week; you know how it is, with some modelling projects overtaking others. A quick scout of the Internet found a rear shot of 581 J (ex-RLH 44), revealing the rear number plate is wrong in the photo, and should have been a straight 1-line version rather than a 2-line one. I have replaced it now. P_20181112_152929_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr P_20181112_153004_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr The two Southdown buses have been sitting on the workbench for a lot longer, but I have now got around to tidying up the paintwork (still a little bit to do) before adding glazing as the next step. P_20181112_153052_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

I achieved very similar results to the above using T-cut.

That's because Model Rail have announced they are to produce one : http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/134707-model-rail-announce-gwr-class-1600-0-6-0pt/.

Hi. That's not quite what I indicated: the Hornby class 73 is the same as the Lima one body-wise, but in some cases they have simplified the paint schemes. The actual detailing is exactly the same. However, I think the body grille detail, even though it doesn't include etched stuff, is better than the etched grilles on the much newer Dapol examples. Anyway, in my opinion, the good ones from Lima and Hornby RailRoad include the aforementioned class 73 (early Lima ones had tiny round buffers, Hornby still get it wrong n some), and classes 31, 40, 59, 101, and 121. All of these are in the Hornby RailRoad range, but some have simplified liveries. The less good ones, with compromises in their body or bogie detailing or scaling, or simply needing flush-glazing to bring them up, include classes 09, 20 (dimensional errors but good mechanism, looks reasonably good anyway), 37 (well covered in another topic), 47, 50 (HO bogies), 52 (compromised front overhang and skirts), 55 (too short and on HO bogies, but doesn't look too bad), 67 (good mechanisms), 87 (the front end never looked right to me), 117 (no DMS and no flush glazing) and GWR railcars (need flush glazing). Probably the worst for accuracy include classes 26, 27, 33, 42, and 156 (the latter looks good but is let down by the almost complete lack of underfloor detail). As you have proved, the 33 can brush up OK, in spite of the dimensional inaccuracies of the cab ends in particular. I did several of these myself many years ago, including converting one to a 33/1, but parted company with them when the Heljan models came along. Mine all had the decent plated wheels, which helped considerably with the running and electrical pickup. I may have forgotten some models in there, and others may disagree with some of my opinions.

Crosses fingers behind back There is nothing to fear here! Honest!

Putting both on the track sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. If it does, then all is well and good. If it doesn't, then do what I suggested earlier, putting the trailer decoder in the power car (or any other suitable item with a motor) temporarily.

Coming in a little late here, I agree that for double-motoring anything, you need two matched motors. I did this with an early Triang Hymek, with two pre-ringfield motor bogies wired together (and on DCC with one decoder) and it runs beautifully. For my Hornby class 92, I did something a lot more drastic: I used a Hornby class 60 chassis (central can motor with flywheels and all-wheel drive) with a few of the top edges milled down to clear the lower roofline of the 92 - this one will pull the side of the house down, and what's more, it will do it silently! Unless you can score a cheap class 60, possibly with a damaged body, this may be a rather expensive solution, though. I have a few reservations about disconnecting the motor bogie gears: the motor bogies often don't run as freely as trailing bogies, and so add extra drag, and also it means you are back to only one motor bogie providing the power - to be fair, the Lima motor bogies tended to pull better than the Hornby ones, but neither type is usually as smooth as modern mechanisms. The doublemotor solution is a good compromise for getting more power and smoothness from an existing model like the 92, but (for what it's worth!) I would be inclined to find a similar motor bogie to one of those already in it, and fit that in place of the odd one. If you can get an extra Lima one, discard the Hornby one; if you can get a Hornby one, discard the Lima one.

Yes, wot 'e sed! You won't break anything if it is plugged in the wrong way, the lights just won't work. If ti is a trailer, then that's all the decoder is being asked to work anyway. To get an address into the decoder, you may have to plug it into the motorised car first, set it, then plug it into the trailer.

If it is a steel screw, run a strong magnet over the carpet. I have an old meter magnet just for this purpose and for remagnetising my screwdrivers.

Sorry for the delay, I only just found it. The picture is of a derailed peak D81 in Ramsgate Shed yard on July 1st 1967. The loco had worked a Loughborough - Ramsgate train. It is in a book with much the same title as this topic, Diesels on the Southern, by Michael Welch. On the previous page but one, there is a shot of D110 in green syp on a train from Ramsgate to Nottingham on July 15th 1967, with an LMR maroon BSK (M34012) as the first vehicle behind the loco. This was, according to the caption, a regular Saturdays only Summer working.

Both of the models in those photos above (sorry about the fuzzy one) are Lima bodies on Hornby chassis - not that you can see the Hornby chassis in the roof shot!

The Lima 73 is a very good body moulding, acknowledged frequently as one of their best British offerings. The chassis mouldings are simplified somewhat. The motor and electrical pickups are the usual Lima arrangements that I cannot be bothered with any more, personally. However, I have kept all of my Lima bodies and have been slowly buying up the Hornby versions when they are on special or in the bargain bins, using the Hornby chassis with the Lima bodies with liveries I like, and keeping the Hornby bodies as spares. The bodies just clip on and off so are easy to swap if I want to run different liveries (with the note above about possibly having to clip the spigots on the glazing shells of the Lima examples). The 73s can still benefit from added detailing, like separate handrails and better jumper cables, but the moulded grilles are probably amongst the best on any models available, and benefit from a small amount of thinned black paint run into them. The moulded sandpipes all had to go on my examples - they fouled the third rails. There is the Dapol model, but I have very mixed opinions on that; better mechanism, much better underframe and bogie detail, but riddled with annoying and niggly livery and electrical gremlins, at between two and three times the price of the Hornby models (at least, the ones I have bought). Class 73 E6012 Detail - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr Class 73 142 Broadlands with Shawplan Etched Plates - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

It could be either. What were the lights like on analogue DC? If they showed red and white at both ends on DC, then it is a wiring fault. If the lights work correctly on DC, then it suggests the decoder needs tweaking of a couple of CVs (or use JMRI Decoder Pro, which makes this easy).

Both correct: the 24s were initially allocated to cover for late-delivered class 33s, then borrowed again (continuing on from the initial loans in many cases) to provide steam heat because there weren't sufficient electrically heated coaches in service. On the initial loans, a few actually lost their steam heating boilers and tanks because they were found to be too heavy for the Southern Civil Engineer to approve of their use. In the later loan period, the 24s were frequently to be found between the class 33 and the train, double-headed but really only there for the heating. Quite a few of the 24s were on the Southern for around 3 years, so it wasn't exactly a short-term loan. Others came and went, with some only spending a month or so on the SR - D5016 was an example of the latter, which is why I renumbered my SLW example to D5017, which was a long-term resident on the SR.

That really looks and sounds great, Noel. Great video that comprehensively demonstrates the features of this project.

If it is of any help, the Lima body will clip straight onto the Hornby RailRoad chassis, and vice versa. The Hornby mechanism is a lot more controllable than the Lima one, and has better electrical pickup arrangements. It may benefit from some extra weight added to the chassis. Lima did some nice liveries on the 37, but it always suffered from the lack of 'tuck-under' of the lower body sides. The windscreens could do with updating too; there used to be etched brass overlays for the windscreen panels, but I don't know if these are still available.

The earlier non-DCC-ready ones are easy enough to convert but require a fairly small decoder to fit in. Mine use an early Digitrax DZ123, a later DZ125, and the SR one has a CT Elektronik decoder - the last is what I would have preferred if I had been able to get them when I did the two earlier BR examples, as I am not a huge fan of Digitrax decoders. TCS also have a nice powerful small decoder in the M1 and M4 types. The trick with hard-wiring the N is to remove the PCB that sits up beside the vertically mounted motor, then wire the decoder straight in, tacked into the space the PCB used to occupy.

Chances are, if it is the Hornby 101 there will be plenty of room inside. From memory, the decoder socket is mounted on top of the motor mounting bracket in the guard's compartment. Can anyone confirm this, please?

I have three: two BR black and one SR lined olive. All were pre-DCC-ready, but it really isn't all that difficult to convert them to DCC if that's what is required, otherwise, for straight DC, they are fine no matter what age (watch for a few early ones with mazak 'rot', though). All are lovely runners. There are quite a few second-hand ones (sorry: pre-owned!) on Hatton's site, but for some reason Hatton's list them as not DCC compatible, split chassis. I have emailed them to correct this, as they were the first of Bachmann's blue riband range, with non-split chassis.

On previous Pecketts, I have removed the printed number plates and lettering from the saddle tanks with T-cut. Even that will take a little paint as well, so persistent but light strokes are the way to go.

It is nice to see - and hear - something a little different. Thanks to all who have posted their videos so far. Keep 'em coming. There's always something new to show us.

I'll look forward to that, Noel. Incidentally. I started a topic just for anyone to post DCC sound videos. The idea was to allow others to judge whether given sound projects suited their needs, considering the expense of buying sounds and the possibility that they may not like them after all. One of these days, when I have time (after I retire, maybe), I'll try to create an index of what videos and sounds are in the topic. I would welcome your videos in there too. That does not have to replace your own topics with them in as well - there is room for both ways. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/78924-dcc-sound-videos/page-22 I have been nurturing a bit of interest in the Irish diesels and practice, and I do like what you have done with your 121.

For what it's worth, I agree 100% with Mike Storey, above. I am very aware of all the faults in my own work, and the photographic close-ups show them to me quite cruelly. Then I look at some commercial models and note a few ragged paint edges, bits of thin painting, slight kinks in lines ... and I realise that maybe my own work is not too bad after all ... not perfect, but not too bad. For what it's worth, I agree 100% with Mike Storey, above. I am very aware of all the faults in my own work, and the photographic close-ups show them to me quite cruelly. Then I look at some commercial models and note a few ragged paint edges, bits of thin painting, slight kinks in lines ... and I realise that maybe my own work is not too bad after all ... not perfect, but not too bad.

The sound seems good, and the video is excellent but could I make one suggestion, Noel? A video to demonstrate the loco sounds really could do without the music. I hope you will accept this as intended constructively and in no way denigrating what you have achieved.