WolfofBadenoch

I bought a pair of Loksound v5 ( class 91 / DVT - 1 a function only) a while ago. After seeing the info above from GoingUnderground I changed cv 28 from 131 to 3 on both decoders to get both on the same address. After changing this nothing works - no lights, no sounds, no loco movement. My ECoS can still read the decoder addresses and cv28 correctly ( I didn't try any others!) On changing the cv28 back to 131 everything starts working again. Am i missing a step anywhere or anything else obvious? Thanks

Scotrail Inter7city HST heading south yesterday approaching former station at Dalnaspidal Lodge. Looking north through Drummochter Pass Scotrail Inter7city HST heading north yesterday approaching former station at Dalnaspidal Lodge. looking south down Glen Garry Looking to site of Dalnaspidal Station Class 66 heading south with the Tesco train through Dalnaspidal.

I bought a full 14 car set (plus development coach) 18 months ago. I will probably run it as a 9 or 10 car set but with the initial NDM it struggled to run up a short 1 in 50 (4cm rise) on 900mm radius curves. On my longer gradient it slips to a halt on a tricky reverse curve. Again gradient is 1 in 50. Initial sound before train appears is NDM slipping and again it can be heard after the APT has stopped but the engine still running. I bought a new NDM this week (less than 24 hour delivery from Model Rail Direct). It weighs 90g more (metal block inside is about 7mm thicker). New on left, original on right. It now runs a 14 car set up my long gradient without slipping. Why couldn't Honrby have done such basic testing?

Thanks. I hadn't noticed that while checking nameplate positions. 😕 The Railtec number/nameplate sets contain data panels so they can be replaced, but i'm not sure i want to remove panels on 1 of the locos as it came pre-weathered.

With advice from a fair few members up the page and some Railtec transfers i've got my own 87s 🙂 Thanks everyone.

Thanks everybody for the advice. I had successful a go last night with T-cut and as described by many the paintwork is a shiny but still there :-) - Stephenson side all removed. Royal Scot side i left the nameplate on as the new one will go over the top.

What is the best way to remove numbers, nameplates, and plaqes on the 87? I want to rename + number a couple of 87s but not sure which is the best way to remove existing numbers, nameplates and plaques without damaging the underlying paint. I thought i'd practise on an old Lima model as shown below. Admittedly manufacturing techniques etc have probably changed and it's a different company but my trial run hasn't gone well. Using IPA i've removed the underlying paint but barely removed any of the nameplate around Charles. At the MacIntosh end the lettering has been removed but also the underlying paint using T-Cut. Similarly the underlying paint is coming off more than the plaque again with T-Cut.

Here's some shots. Two cab to cab with 8pin on left and 21 pin on right. In the 4 head on photos L-R is 21pin, 8pin, 21 pin, 8pin

I have just tried fitting chips to my new 87s. I had Rails 21 pin decoders and found as above they're too wide to fit between the chassis sides. Luckily the PCB doesn't sit up too much and i was able get the screw in at each end, just not fully engaged at the chip end. Image below. The body went back on ok. That was the 1st loco, for the 2nd (87009) i just can't part the body from the chassis. I can ease them apart in places, stick in slithers of card but they just wont slide apart! Having managed to open 6 other 87s i'm happy with my technique so have contacted the retailer and am awaiting a reply. I also fitted decoders to a couple of 8 pin 87s. unfortunately i misread info earlier in this topic and bought Hattons 8 pin decoders but not the direct fitting 8pin decoders. I've managed to fit these under the PCB using black tac but again the decoders are a touch too wide. It was a bit tight getting the bodies back on but i think this was the wiring harness rather than the slightly rasied PCB.

How do you get off all the detail parts eg. Handrails cables etc? I've removed fire extinguishers and aerials off other 87s but i don't re-use them so i'm not worried if i damage them (as i tend to 75% of the time). Handrails etc i'd be much more worried about. Thanks

No idea but in the last month i tried emailing and got no response. I tried phoning and initially after hearing the number dialling there was just silence - no ringing. A few days later it changed to a message saying number not recognised. I tried writing and sent the letter 'signed for on delivery'. Royal Mail tried to deliver 3 times and each time it says address was inaccessible!! As i feel i've exhausted all possible communication channels I've started Chargeback Procedure to recover my money.

In previous years at Glasgow there have been examples of portals on display - can't remember how long ago they first appeared but it was certainly pre-covid. I couldn't see any this year and wondered if it was quietly being dropped. As Thane of Fife says above it's taking forever! At this rate it'll take Peco longer to produce the portal than it took BR to install OHLE on the WCML!

Thanks for the replies. Yes the pins are a few mm longer on the OPT decoders but looking inside the bottom of each pin hole is sealed as you might be able to see in photo so i can't see it being that. I'm very glad i had the body off the loco at the time so saw it straight away and was able to remove the electric source. I'm thinking that due to the way the wire harness was wound round on the loco maybe bare wire from the black cable has been touching the top of the grey wire pin on the 8 pin socket. Then when i've tried it in the programmer the wires haven't been as taught and hence not touching.

Sad to hear. Thanks for the update.

I used a Gaugemaster OPTI mini decoder in a Hornby Class 87. Decoder had worked ok in a different model. A Lokpilot decoder had worked fine in Class 87. On applying power the decoder caught fire, luckily the body wasn't on. I pulled out the decoder, then just to confirm there was a problem i reinserted it. Flames began to flare again. I was about to write the decoder off but decided to test in my ESU decoder tester. It works fine! For the class 87 i have put in a Hornby decoder ( not sure what type but it's small and came in an LNER D49), and it appears to work fine. So should i be worried about an issue, surely it's more than an unlucky combination - i'm more worried about the 87. Is there an easy checks to make? Thanks