Kernow Model Rail Centre - Bulleid Diesel

[Riddles]

At last I have had a chance to try my 10201 with an ancient Bachmann decoder. It runs forward as it should, radiator end first.

 

I did notice that the body fits on easily either way but if it is on the wrong way round, it’s obvious that the engine room windows don’t show the engine. From your fine pictures it seems that isn’t the problem. Could it be that the decoder you fitted has been used before and has had its direction reversed?

 

My "factory fitted" 10201 with Loksound 4.0 decoder arrived today and "Forwards" was NOT fan end first. CV29 had been set at 14 so "Normal" was not conventional. 

[No Decorum]

My "factory fitted" 10201 with Loksound 4.0 decoder arrived today and "Forwards" was NOT fan end first. CV29 had been set at 14 so "Normal" was not conventional. 

Hm. Very curious. I’m sure you’ll either run it fan end last or tweak the CV. I wonder how SRman resolved his problem.

[SRman]

Hm. Very curious. I’m sure you’ll either run it fan end last or tweak the CV. I wonder how SRman resolved his problem.

 

Not a problem, as such, but no, I haven't done anything about it on mine. I want to retest it on analogue DC with the decoder removed: if it runs in reverse compared to other locos, I'll swap the brush wires over. That's a task I have to do with my Heljan Co-Bo as well (that has CV29 adjusted to compensate for the present).

[Riddles]

Hm. Very curious. I’m sure you’ll either run it fan end last or tweak the CV. I wonder how SRman resolved his problem.

 

"Forwards" is now fan end first after changing CV29. I've also added 4 digit addressing and turned off analogue running as a matter of course.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Riddles

[Downer]

This may be a very stupid question, but were the headcode discs on the rear end of a diesel in service all left closed?

Edited January 18, 2018 by Downer

[JSpencer]

This may be a very stupid question, but were the head codes on the rear end of a diesel in service all left blank?

 

 In theory, a driver should remove discs and lamps on the rear/train facing part of the loco (i;e the part facing towards the train, not the part facing forwards of the train).

 

In practice, they often did not do this. So you could get away with 2 different headcode settings on each end for different trains (just don't leave all of them open as I doubt they did Royal Service).

 

Side tracking, only 10202 and 10203 ever pulled the Golden Arrow with special headboards.

My 10201 is fully run in now and accepted for regular service, I will certainly add sound at some point when I have some readies.

Edited January 18, 2018 by JSpencer

[sparaxis]

I've been running mine in for several hours on the rolling road, and I have to say it is probably the noisiest loco I can remember coming across in a quarter century.

 

The infernal racket sounds like a swarm of chainsaws taking down a redwood tree, and makes the previous champions, and elderly Airfix 4F and a dysfunctional Rivarossi Mallet sound like paragons of virtue.

 

I guess I got a bad one then.

[Ian Hargrave]

I've been running mine in for several hours on the rolling road, and I have to say it is probably the noisiest loco I can remember coming across in a quarter century.

 

The infernal racket sounds like a swarm of chainsaws taking down a redwood tree, and makes the previous champions, and elderly Airfix 4F and a dysfunctional Rivarossi Mallet sound like paragons of virtue.

 

I guess I got a bad one then.

 

Can I suggest you contact Kernow with a view to a replacement ?

[Mallard60022]

I've been running mine in for several hours on the rolling road, and I have to say it is probably the noisiest loco I can remember coming across in a quarter century.

 

The infernal racket sounds like a swarm of chainsaws taking down a redwood tree, and makes the previous champions, and elderly Airfix 4F and a dysfunctional Rivarossi Mallet sound like paragons of virtue.

 

I guess I got a bad one then.

You never heard the actual thing then?

Phil

[JSpencer]

Mine is fine and runs quietly unless I crank it up to full speed, but then it hardly looks realistic and its still quieter than a Heljan diesel.

 

Edited: to avoid confusion

Edited January 25, 2018 by JSpencer

[toboldlygo]

Mine is fine and runs quietly unless I crank it up to full speed, but then it hardly looks realistic and its still quieter than a Heljan diesel.

 

Edited: to avoid confusion

 

There's an after market option offered by the MiM with regards to the Bulleid Diesels, however Air-Smoothing and intensive sound therapy is involved (so you can fully enjoy the sounds of the Bulleid diesels properly)    

[JSpencer]

There's an after market option offered by the MiM with regards to the Bulleid Diesels, however Air-Smoothing and intensive sound therapy is involved (so you can fully enjoy the sounds of the Bulleid diesels properly)    

I am surprised my post has had 2 supportive ticks. My Bullied diesel is fine, fully settled in and running perfectly. Sure the motor whines at top whack but then it looks like an APT rushing around the tracks - all normal for RTR diesels these days. Agree though sound DCC fitting will be required at some point ;-))

[Covkid]

You never heard the actual thing then?

Phil

 

 

Funny you should say that. I was talking to my dad a couple of weeks ago and he said he had a ride behind one of the trio from Southampton Central to Waterloo. He said the loco was quieter than he expected but appeared quite nifty and got the train underway from station stops with little fuss. 

[Mallard60022]

Funny you should say that. I was talking to my dad a couple of weeks ago and he said he had a ride behind one of the trio from Southampton Central to Waterloo. He said the loco was quieter than he expected but appeared quite nifty and got the train underway from station stops with little fuss. 

Absolutely, as I was being flippant. I'd not expect those machines to be any more noisy than (say) a Class 45.

Phil

[sparaxis]

Can I suggest you contact Kernow with a view to a replacement ?

The loco runs well enough. As long as I keep it down to a scale 50 mph or so it is tolerable. As I live in the USA paying for shipping back to the UK and then shipping on the replacement gets expensive quickly. And then there is no certainty that the replacement would be any better. Plus I had to glue on the one buffer that fell off, and re-attach the front handrail that popped out of its mounting. Kernow might not like that. Customer fiddling with the goods and all that.

 

It's hardly the first time I've bough a loco that did not perform up to expectations.

[Mallard60022]

The loco runs well enough. As long as I keep it down to a scale 50 mph or so it is tolerable. As I live in the USA paying for shipping back to the UK and then shipping on the replacement gets expensive quickly. And then there is no certainty that the replacement would be any better. Plus I had to glue on the one buffer that fell off, and re-attach the front handrail that popped out of its mounting. Kernow might not like that. Customer fiddling with the goods and all that.

 

It's hardly the first time I've bough a loco that did not perform up to expectations.

You may find that careful greasing/oiling with suitable substances for the gears and then running in (again?) for at least an hour it both directions will sort it.

Incidentally, Kernow may well run a loco to test for you if ask nicely. 

Phil 

Good luck, Phil

[phil gollin]

.

 

I found this on E-Bay (usual proviso, I have nothing to do with the seller - just a fascinating photo).

 

A Bullied on a favourite duty (I wonder who will do a suitable headboard)

 

https://www.ebay.co....aAAAOSwmSdadd~J

 

.

[rembrow]

Bit confused by the update on the Bulleid diesel production in this weeks newsletter. First Kernow stated that unfortunately production had not been completed before the Chinese New Year break, then the usual info about the further batch of 10201/2 being expected in the 1st quarter. I suspect the second was a cut and paste from previous newsletters, as if the production is not yet complete, they won't get to the UK by the end of March, unless air freighted. I won't bother Kernow with a call, and expect that next week we'll get some clarification, but expecting the delivery to be put back to April/May 

[Gwiwer]

Bit confused  ..... expecting the delivery to be put back to April/May 

 

Probably a fair summary.  Hoping to get anything produced before the CNY shutdown is always an inexact science.  Even "promised" production can slip back if the workforce downs tools and sets off for home a few days early.  Which they do.  That is their way and we are not going to change it.

 

Suffice to say that these locos - and the other upcoming items which will also have been delayed slightly by this annual event - will be worth the wait.  I already have some track space cleared awaiting 10203.

[Dogmatix]

This looks to be a very nice model, except of course that the NEM pocket is fixed, which precludes the use of close-coupling couplers, and also it does look a bit silly even on medium radius curves and points because of the way the bogies stick out sideways.

[Tim Hall]

This looks to be a very nice model, except of course that the NEM pocket is fixed, which precludes the use of close-coupling couplers, and also it does look a bit silly even on medium radius curves and points because of the way the bogies stick out sideways.

 

Surely that's the layout's fault, not the loco? Pacific steam locos also look silly in those circumstances.

[JSpencer]

This looks to be a very nice model, except of course that the NEM pocket is fixed, which precludes the use of close-coupling couplers, and also it does look a bit silly even on medium radius curves and points because of the way the bogies stick out sideways.

 

There is not much they can do about that. The buffer beam on these locos is attached to the bogie, like the Bachmann class 40, 44,45 and 46 and the NEM pocket is fixed on those too. A CCU would mean having the buffer beam on the loco hull like the Mainline class 45 - berrrrkkk!

 

On point 2, Kernow have done a grand job in designing these bogies to both allow the body to sit at the correct height and yet cope with the unrealistic track extremes (sharper curves than reality, change of incline and decline sharper than reality) of most layouts. I'm amazed at how well mine handles the track despite having correct ride heights (the Bachmann 40 and 45 sit a tad high I feel).

[paftrain]

There is not much they can do about that. The buffer beam on these locos is attached to the bogie, like the Bachmann class 40, 44,45 and 46 and the NEM pocket is fixed on those too. A CCU would mean having the buffer beam on the loco hull like the Mainline class 45 - berrrrkkk!

 

 

Excuse my ignorance - what's a 'CCU'?. Why not say the words?

[royaloak]

Excuse my ignorance - what's a 'CCU'?. Why not say the words?

Probably a Close Couple Unit! It makes them feel all superior like.

 

Just as people try to be clever and use BNS (for Birmingham New Street) when the correct code is BHM.

[brushman47544]

Just as people try to be clever and use BNS (for Birmingham New Street) when the correct code is BHM.

 

I don't think that's very fair. I suspect the use of BNS by enthusiasts pre-dates the station code BHM. If I had written BHM in my spotters notebook, how would I have distinguished New Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill?