Well the Derby Lightweight is running, but the correct back-to-back for P4 is not easily obtained. The replacement wheels on their axle stubs have a length of the stub turned down to a slightly smaller diameter; i.e. a step against which the plastic, insulating muff comes up against. In every case, my wheelsets ended up with a B-B figure of 0.701".

From memory the top limit for P4 is 0.699" and the bottom limit for S4 is 0.701". My aim is for 0.7" and I have found this to work well with either P4 or S4 but because in both cases it is on a tolerance figure, the track must be very accurate! at crossings and must have no tight-gauge places anywhere for P4.

Correction is dead easy for the non-powered axles; slice off about 0.020" of the plastic muff, prior to inserting the stub shafts. The muff for the powered axles is actually the final gear wheel and I think I'd rather take a bit off the stub axle, rather than thin down the gear-wheel. Still to be done!

I decided that it would be best to use Bachmann's suggested decoders, one for the driven vehicle and a different one for the trailer which is only needed to control the direction lights. There was a delay because they were part of a birthday present (last week).

Bachmann's info sheets give no information beyond which decoder goes where and their installation has caused me more grief than any other bit of this project. If you want the full story, then go to "Modelling Zone>DCC Questions>Bachy DMUs and decoder in trailing vehicles". All units of the DMU should be programmed as one unit but some systems (I used Lenz Compact and then NCE PowerCab) will not 'talk' to a decoder with no load on its motor terminals so my trailer DMU did not get progammed.

It's been a frustrating week!!!!!

I'm currently painting some Preiser figures to become passengers. Has anyone changed the destination boards on these units? If so, some guidance would be helpful.

Tara!

Dave