APT Fan

Hi, So Cavalex are creating a custom sound project for this model rather than using a currently available aftermarket one? The reason for the question is that I've just received a Bachmann class 47 with factory fitted sound and the system integration with the sound decoder is superb. Whereas I have a Hornby class 56 with an aftermarket sound decoder and the integration is not the best and I think this is all down to the sound project that has been chosen as they are both loksound v5 decoders? I've no idea what Bachmann have used for the 47s but the sounds and functions are very responsive to function control changes. Also as I've preordered two of these with factory fitted sound is there anything else to do for double heading beyond setting up a consist address? Thanks

Class 56 as stated above?

Class 47/7 47711 'Greyfriars Bobby' BR Blue (Large Logo) Diesel Locomotive (DCC Sound) Arrived this morning at 8:30 after being sent by Rails of Sheffield yesterday at 11:30 - incredible service! A stunning model with fantastic sound, it runs like a dream and is very smooth and quiet with the sound switched off. It's my second Bachmann model in space of a week and my third overall, I've yet to be disappointed with any of them. I actually cancelled an order for the new Hornby Class 56 in Large Logo livery which ironically also came into stock this week also - I chose this instead. Really glad I did, I love the little features such as the machine room detailing which even has lighting. I doubt the Hornby will even have cab lights and probably have an 8 pin socket, immediately limiting the available functions that can be controlled without significant modification and no room for a speaker of course.

Bachmann Branchline Class 08 Diesel Shunter in BR Blue livery as No. 08031 arrived yesterday, chuffed with it! Only tried it on DC and low speed running isn't perfect, but then again neither is the 'Clipper' power supply, it has a High/Low resistance setting and setting it to Low seems to make a big difference. I need to get a decoder fitted really. I was watching a 'Sams Trains' review of an earlier Bachmann 08 and he was quite complimentary about it apart from stating that the pickups were mounted on top of the wheel rims rather than behind the flanges. This means that they get dirty quicky and are difficult to clean. This latest model has six pickups fitted behind the flanges, so it looks like they have addressed the issue. Its a nice and weighty model with lovely details, although not as quiet as I would have hoped.

With sound cards in each? Imagine combined noise of all those cooling fans!

So the Dapol doesn't look particularly promising and the CMX is expensive. Seems like the Gaugemaster comes out of the review with reasonable credit apart from the colour of the livery? I understood there were other liveries available for that product?

Are we talking ao the Dapol 'motorised' track cleaning wagon? I've read mixed reports, low power motor, dodgy power pickup and needs perfectly level track?

Thanks, Do you think an 09 Lima shunter could pull it okay? Might give the rascal something to do.

Hi, I've started looking into 'Track cleaning' wagons, initially the Hornby variety then the Gaugemaster and the ten commandments offerings and finially the CMX 'Clean Machine' Track Cleaner wagon which seems really expensive? I've watched a few video's and it sounds like the Hornby unit isn't much good and the Gaugemaster models are pretty heavy and difficult to pull but do work. To be honest, I've confused myself a bit and was wondering if anybody has any experience with these and can offer any advice. Thanks in advance.

I only have MK2E and MK3 BR Blue coaches, plus one of those Royal Mail one's with the collection basket. I have quite a lot of petrol tankers and a real mixed bag of Lima wagons. In terms of the WCML, around the North West region you'd see an awful lot of Class 25s based at Springs Branch in Wigan, there were quite a lot of Class 40s about too. Around Warrington you'd see Class 56s and Class 20s, mainly at Arpley but also on the mailine sometimes. Class 47s?? well they were everywhere weren't they?

Yes! Those Inter City Express trains thundering down the mainline doing the ton being hauled by those uniquely sounding Lecy loco's was a sight to behold! I'm hoping the add sound to my '87 and I'm sorely tempted by Heljan's '86. Opps I'm off again, looking for my next purchase!

70?? I did feel like I was going down this route, my single track layout is somewhat temporary. I'd given up thinking that I'd get a decent layout and started selling everthing off. However circumstances have changed and with my house clearout there is light at the end of the tunnel. The APT needs a lot of space and wouldn't have bought it if I didn't think I'd have it.

I can't ever remember seeing HSTs on the WCML certainly north of Warrington but I did hear that they did a bit of work on one of the routes into Piccadilly, not sure what period that was though. I recently purchased one of the newer Hornby models in Inter City 125 livery but I sold two of the older models in the same livery to part fund it. My old layout back in the 80s was three tracks and I uded to run the two HSTs in opposing directions and an APT on the outside track - looked great!

My time period will be the 80s and I was thinking about what would look right passing say an APT in the other direction. However I need to be realistic as I'm not buying two of them, so it will be a compromise with an '87 or HST going the other way. Noting that HSTs didn't run on the WCML but I like the model and it is the correct livery for the period. I'm also not getting too hung up on the details, both the '87 and HST look like the preserved versions but they are the correct livery, so it will do for me! The 158 is another example which probably wasn't around during the APT years but it is a fantastic model in its Regional Railways livery. Yes I've been thinking of storage sidings, they are a must really. Does that mean you have 12 lines then?

Good Evening, I currently have quite a small single track layout and my interest has been buying older locos and converting them to DCC and buying the odd new one when they became available with discounts and then adding sound to them. It got a bit daft and at one point I was upto 14 or 15 locos, so I've starting selling my old stock and just keeping hold of the newer one's that I've purchased. I'm down to 9 now with 3 still to go at some point, which still feels alot. However this year I have spent a lot of time clearing space for a larger 25 foot loop layout. Twin track, but could very easily be four, so what is a reasonable amount of stock for a larger layout for it to look like a proper working railway? In terms of rolling stock, I can only make up a couple of passenger trains and a couple of goods trains plus an APT and a 158 DMU. So that's four 'pulling' locos plus an HST and a shunter, so feels about right but might it look a bit bear without a few trains parked / stabled etc? Any thoughts? How many locos do people tend to have, does it matter or is it more about the scenery etc? I think once I get into it my interest will revolve around the signalling and automation, modelled with the WCML in mind with lots of straight track and bland countryside after being inspired by a layout I'd seen on display at Chester Cathedral.

You'd still need to drill holes in the body would you not? Unless the manufacturer has pre fitted lenses, difficult to tell from the pictures of it?

Or get my tools out:-

I was quite pleased to see this announced:- Bachmann Branchline Class 08 Diesel Shunter in BR Blue livery as No. 08031. But a bit disappointed to see that it isn't fitted with lighting?

Thanks, Replacement cupboard is in now and very nice it is too. In fact I don't think it has ever operated as well, perhaps it wasn't fitted as well as it should have been in the first place, all sorted now though. The day after the cupboard failed, the fan element in the oven exploded and caught fire, looked like a Catherine wheel as the fan was still operating. Smoke everywhere and the RCD tripped. The replacement element arrived this morning, so that's now been fitted and the oven has been returned to service. All of this is distracting me from the loft conversion I'm carrying out in which I intend to have a large enough layout to do justice for both my HST for which I've got at least 7 coaches and my 9 car APT. WCML is what I'm thinking about so I'm applying a bit of artistic license with the HST, right era though! I've carried out quite a lot of DCC conversions of older loco's and really enjoyed the process. However because I'm into updating the lighting to LED at the same time I'm finding it hasn't been the cheapest way to get there. For example a Class 56 requires 12 leds plus wiring, fibre optics and connectors etc. I bought a new Hornby 56 for £99 and recently a new 87 for £130, I notice the R3957 is returning to stock and some deals are available. I've also seen deals for the Hornby Railroad Class 43 HST Pack BR Blue R3608, not necessarily new. It's a relatively recent model with reasonable detail, I have a feeling that it uses the Lima tooling but I think it would be absolutely perfect for this project.

Hi, After your post, I went into the kitchen to look for the scales which are kept in a 'magic' corner kitchen cabinet. Unfortunately as I opened the cabinet it failed and the bearings exploded all over the place. The strip down and replacement turned into quite a big job which I've literally only just finished tonight, so forgive me if I got a little bit distracted! So I didn't get around to checking the weight but it feels very heavy even campared to my Hornby 56. Got it a couple of weeks ago from a European retailer who still has them in stock for around £235 + the duties, so about £290 delivered. I actually had two of those models of the same type that you've converted but I sold both of them this week! So it seems like they are still popular but I think the original Inter City 125 livery is still the best. 👍

I managed to get an excellent BR Blue match using Railmatch paints on a Lima Class 55. If you click on the links the images should open.

Have you now resolved all of the TTS restart issues? I had a go at converting one of these to DCC using TTS decoders myself recently. I gave up mainly because of this issue, fitting a stay alive didn't completely fix it, the only solution was a second decoder for the motor. Then I wasn't happy with the pulling peformance, so I sold up and replaced it with an R3957.

Not for me as its quite an undignified picture of an APT on a layout.

How smoothly did that go? Did they just send you a replacement out or did you have to muck about returning the unit? I get the impression they are a bit more fussy if you've purchased through a retailer rather than direct from Hornby.

An aircraft you mean? For me the TSR2 wings just didn't look right compared to the full delta's of the Vulcan and Concorde. Much of my aerospace life has been spent working on the Tonka, more commonly known as the Tornado, one of the last stable platforms before computer control and it was a proper aircraft. I first worked on the F3 and an ex-navigator told me about when they were testing it for service release and had the opportunity to do some flight trails with a concorde. The exercise involved a scramble from an East coast base and they detected their 'prey' over the north sea travelling north, at which point the Concorde hit the after burners and went super sonic. The radar instruments on the F3 showing the radar return went mental both in terms of altitude at over 50kft and speed at over 1k knots and they couldn't get anywhere near the thing. It was rather embarrassing considering the F3 was our latest and greatest cold war interceptor. The thing that amuses me most about the story is the fact that jet fighter crews would be wearing g-suits and oxygen masks but those in the Concorde cabin would be walking about business in suits or even casual clothes - that's science fiction stuff. And that's how I felt the first time I saw an APT on the WCML at Golborne - science fiction. I used to love watching the Class 86s and 87s thunder through with such elegance but I remember lamenting that I wanted to see something new after seeing the HSTs on the ECML. Then one day my dream came true and it was completely unexpected, it was an APT front end with the HST 252 back end, it raced through quietly without fuss but very very fast. It just looked like a rocket on rails and I had to go home and do some research as to what I'd just seen - no social media or internet back then. I had no doubt in my mind that I'd seen something very special though, would it be about 1982?