Hornby TTS Sound Class 31

[John Tomlinson]

Interesting comments on the Waistrail.

 

From memory this was a kind of enamelled plate set into the bodyside - whatever it didn't stick out to any noticeable extent at all.

 

So I'd suggest that in 4mm scale a painted on option maybe more realistic than any moulded strip.

 

John.

[Hroth]

Its a pity that British Railways decided to smother the Pilot Scheme locos in the various shades of green they applied, trying to make them similar to green-painted steam locos.  The Diesel stud would have looked far more striking in the British Transport Commission livery of black and silver that the LMS diesels 10000 and 10001 initially wore.

 

A Brush 2/Class 31 would look interesting in black with a silver waist rail.....

[Sam Moss]

Its a pity that British Railways decided to smother the Pilot Scheme locos in the various shades of green they applied, trying to make them similar to green-painted steam locos.  The Diesel stud would have looked far more striking in the British Transport Commission livery of black and silver that the LMS diesels 10000 and 10001 initially wore.

 

A Brush 2/Class 31 would look interesting in black with a silver waist rail.....

 

I have to admit, I do have a bit of a soft spot for the golden ochre livery.

[RAF96]

I know its only a TTS decoder ... but does anyone else think it sounded a bit more 1st Generation DMU in places there than a proper loco???

I have upon good authority that the Hornby model was recorded from a refurbished Class 30 which was then TOPS designated Class 31.

 

The refurbishment replaced the original Miralees engine with the English Electric one which is what is in the TTS recording.

 

Rob

[Stentor]

I asked Hornby customer service themselves whether the sound file they are using is the Mirrlees or the EE.

 

This is their reply:

 

"I can confirm the R3592TTS Class 31 uses the original Mirrlees engine sounds".

 

Perhaps a member who has heard the real thing can confirm.

 

If it is a Mirrlees then game on.

[meatloaf]

Has anyone actually brought one yet and done a video

[Sam Moss]

I asked Hornby customer service themselves whether the sound file they are using is the Mirrlees or the EE.

 

This is their reply:

 

"I can confirm the R3592TTS Class 31 uses the original Mirrlees engine sounds".

 

Perhaps a member who has heard the real thing can confirm.

 

If it is a Mirrlees then game on.

 

I doubt it's a Mirlees. Nothing in preservation is fitted with the correct power unit to replicate the Mirlees sound. I know one of the other DCC sound suppliers, from memory I think it was Howes, provided a "as close as possible" sound set by slowing down and remixing a class 60 power unit sound but I haven't heard one myself.

[SDJR7F88]

Purchased one of these on impulse, at £69 it's was hard to say no! It's my first DCC Sound fitted locomotive, and I must say I'm certainly not disappointed!  Since I'm still on good old DC, I bought a Gauge Master DCC75 Analogue/DCC Sound Controller (for use on my micro exhibition layout) and it runs (and sounds) a dream!

Showed a few family members the model in action, to which I got the replied "So how much did that cost then?... " They were certainly surprised when I said it was under £70! 

Just editing up a little video now, which will hopefully be up by the morning, as I found with filming my friends DCC Sound Locos, the Mic on my camera does not do it justice. 

Very pleased indeed! (Though I might just have been bite by the DCC Bug...)

[SRman]

I doubt it's a Mirlees. Nothing in preservation is fitted with the correct power unit to replicate the Mirlees sound. I know one of the other DCC sound suppliers, from memory I think it was Howes, provided a "as close as possible" sound set by slowing down and remixing a class 60 power unit sound but I haven't heard one myself.

 

I posted a video done way back in 2008/9 so it's not up to current standards. If you scroll down a bit in this linked post, you'll find my Howes class 30 with Mirrlees sounds - quite different to the EE Co sounds we are more used to. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/78924-dcc-sound-videos/?p=13043.

[Izzy]

 

I posted a video done way back in 2008/9 so it's not up to current standards. If you scroll down a bit in this linked post, you'll find my Howes class 30 with Mirrlees sounds - quite different to the EE Co sounds we are more used to. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/78924-dcc-sound-videos/?p=13043.

 

 Unfortunately it seems to be hosted on photobucket..........or is there another way of seeing it?

 

Izzy

[SDJR7F88]

Here's my short video of new TTS 31 in action (as mentioned before the mic does not do it justice). Still can't believe it was under £70! Must say it's really got me thinking about DCC... 

 

(Note; still can't seem to get the video to show in posts on here)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHP5cwDvADM

Edited August 1, 2017 by SDJR7F88

[217 RIVER FLESK]

Having looked at / listened to 88's video, I'd say that the engine sounds are very much English Electric, hardly surprising really, as I believe that there is only 1 operational  former class 30 Mirrlees power unit left in existence & if I remember correctly, that's powering a car crushing plant in France???

[SRman]

 Unfortunately it seems to be hosted on photobucket..........or is there another way of seeing it?

 

Izzy

 

I'll post a new edit of it to YouTube - I'll update this post once it's done. I am gradually shifting away from PhotoBucket but still have lots of old stuff on there. With apologies to Rails for hijacking the thread a bit, but it does make an interesting contrast for the sounds.

 

Note that this was originally recorded on my old layout with my old camera, so the quality is not brilliant by current standards, but I think the sound comes across quite well.

 

Edited August 1, 2017 by SRman

[meatloaf]

Whats the wieght like? Are there any traction tyres? As both the new class 20 and the 47 TTS locos with the tyres all shorted out on my Peco Code 100 points

[Izzy]

Whats the wieght like? Are there any traction tyres? As both the new class 20 and the 47 TTS locos with the tyres all shorted out on my Peco Code 100 points

 

Just received mine from the BVR shop. First impressions are that the loco is fairly light, the chassis is a plastic moulding with a central weight, fitted with traction tyres, is a pretty basic one piece body moulding with just glazing and separate plastic cab handrails for the cab, and no bits to add like headcode discs etc, what you might expect from a Railroad badged model, but runs quite nicely and sounds good on my limited length of OO gauge track.

 

How it might stack up against others from whatever source and standard (with regard to the sound) only others will be able to judge, but I am pleased I got it, and for a first sound fitted loco it certainly does encourage you to think, this is nice. The slow speed motor control is decent and the body looks to be a good basis for a bit of detailing as well.

 

Izzy

[John Tomlinson]

Here's my short video of new TTS 31 in action (as mentioned before the mic does not do it justice). Still can't believe it was under £70! Must say it's really got me thinking about DCC... 

 

(Note; still can't seem to get the video to show in posts on here)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHP5cwDvADM

 

Thanks for the video. It does seem unlikely that anyone's memory for sounds will have lasted the 40 plus years to say with confidence what a Mirrlees Brush 2 was like.

 

I'd no idea there was the Gaugemaster sound for DC controller you've mentioned. Having checked it out on their website, this looks a very interesting prospect indeed - so thanks for this as well!.

 

John.

Edited August 1, 2017 by John Tomlinson

[217 RIVER FLESK]

Have a look at this:

 

You can just catch the odd hint at what a 30 sounded like - shame there's such a nice voice over

 

Cheers, Mike C

[John Tomlinson]

Have a look at this:

 

You can just catch the odd hint at what a 30 sounded like - shame there's such a nice voice over

 

Cheers, Mike C

 

Thanks Mike, what a wonderful film! So much in it, not least the brush painted finish and hand polishing!

 

I presume the Richard Baker here is the one who was the BBC's newsreader, he does sound similar.

 

As you say, the Mirlees sound isn't that clear, it doesn't sound a lot different to the English Electric noise to my untutored ear.

 

John.

[GordonC]

my!!!! thats quite a throaty roar from the Mirlees when it pulls away

[Izzy]

Just a few pics to illustrate the basics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From my brief time with this model I believe the body is nicely moulded, the waist level strip being a point in question, and will repay any time spent adding the kind of details most models have these days. The cab handrails and glazing being prime candidates for replacement along with adding the buffer beam cowlings and discs. Putting cabs inside will involve moving the speaker away from the end it's at. I think it should fit in the middle over the weights, but not sure if this would alter the way the loco sounds, knowing zilch about such matters. No doubt I shall find out.

 

As this thread was started by Oliver from Rails - and my grateful thanks to him for starting it and bringing the loco to everybodys attention, as I intend to carry out the mods outlined above, as well as conversion to P4, I will start a thread in the Modifying RTR section with any other info/pics and will not clutter up this thread any further.

 

cheers,

 

Izzy

[RAF96]

I asked Hornby customer service themselves whether the sound file they are using is the Mirrlees or the EE.

This is their reply:

"I can confirm the R3592TTS Class 31 uses the original Mirrlees engine sounds".

Perhaps a member who has heard the real thing can confirm.

If it is a Mirrlees then game on.

If you would like to refer back to your question on the product page you will find Hornby has since amended their answer to say that the recording is of the EE motor.

Rob

[Classsix T]

Just a few pics to illustrate the basics.

 

RMweb HRRTTS 31 01.jpg

 

RMweb HRRTTS 31 02.jpg

 

RMweb HRRTTS 31 03.jpg

 

RMweb HRRTTS 31 04.jpg

 

RMweb HRRTTS 31 05.jpg

 

From my brief time with this model I believe the body is nicely moulded, the waist level strip being a point in question, and will repay any time spent adding the kind of details most models have these days. The cab handrails and glazing being prime candidates for replacement along with adding the buffer beam cowlings and discs. Putting cabs inside will involve moving the speaker away from the end it's at. I think it should fit in the middle over the weights, but not sure if this would alter the way the loco sounds, knowing zilch about such matters. No doubt I shall find out.

 

As this thread was started by Oliver from Rails - and my grateful thanks to him for starting it and bringing the loco to everybodys attention, as I intend to carry out the mods outlined above, as well as conversion to P4, I will start a thread in the Modifying RTR section with any other info/pics and will not clutter up this thread any further.

 

cheers,

 

Izzy

The last picture in particular shows (to me) a distinct shadow/highlight on the waistband. My trouble with the first full fat models, was the thinking by Hornby, that this could be replicated by multiple paint passes.

On the real locomotives the band is barely 2mm proud of the body, unperceptible in 1:76. But the Lima/Airfix mouldings "looked right", whereas 31270 in blue never did.

 

I have to admit, this model doesn't look half bad on the waistband front. Shame the bufferbeam cowling is missing, but it being a Skinhead I'll stick with full fat D5511. I won't mix n match two models so far apart in dissimilar tooling.

I'd snap up a no yellow end, 'box fitted Goyle in a flash though. (Airfix D55XX excepted).

I'm of the opinion Hornby have not got the tooling, if it ever existed, to do such a model though. Shame.

 

C6T.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Classsix T

[SDJR7F88]

Thanks for the video. It does seem unlikely that anyone's memory for sounds will have lasted the 40 plus years to say with confidence what a Mirrlees Brush 2 was like.

 

I'd no idea there was the Gaugemaster sound for DC controller you've mentioned. Having checked it out on their website, this looks a very interesting prospect indeed - so thanks for this as well!.

 

John.

Only found out about the Controller last week, really is perfect for what I need, as I have been tempted to get one or two sound fitted locos for my layouts, but at the same time stay DC. The unit was just shy of £100 (same price as a basic DCC Controller), but unlike one of the basic DCC controller, it allows you to use all 29 sound functions (a Select will only allow you to use 9). Oh and off course run Analogue locos too. 

[pauliebanger]

Only found out about the Controller last week, really is perfect for what I need, as I have been tempted to get one or two sound fitted locos for my layouts, but at the same time stay DC. The unit was just shy of £100 (same price as a basic DCC Controller), but unlike one of the basic DCC controller, it allows you to use all 29 sound functions (a Select will only allow you to use 9). Oh and off course run Analogue locos too. 

 

TTS decoders will run on DC but will not produce any sound.

 

I don't believe that the Gaugemaster will help overcome this, but it may be useful for morefully featured sound decoders rigged to run on analogue.

 

Kind regards,

 

Paul

[Legend]

Only found out about the Controller last week, really is perfect for what I need, as I have been tempted to get one or two sound fitted locos for my layouts, but at the same time stay DC. The unit was just shy of £100 (same price as a basic DCC Controller), but unlike one of the basic DCC controller, it allows you to use all 29 sound functions (a Select will only allow you to use 9). Oh and off course run Analogue locos too. 

Could you maybe do a review of this controller showing how various sound locos operate with it. Quite interested