Analog to Digital 1980s Graham Farish - Can it be done (N Gauge)

[darrena]

Hi all

 

I have been handed back my childhood locos from about 30 years ago from my dad and have decided to build my 7 years old son a large layout (well I say for him maybe a little bit for me too)

 

I want to be able to run several locos at the same time but can recall this being quite tricky with the old analog engines.

 

Most of the locos are GWR stream engines with a few diesels.

 

I spoke to my local model shop at the weekend he said that its a bit of a ball ache with N gauge trying to isolate the supply and they no longer do it as they kept  burning the chips out.

 

I was wondering if this is the case and also the approx. cost to do the job yourself? I can solder but I'm not the best in the world!

 

Any advice is appreciated, I have about 8-10 locos

 

Many thanks

Darren

[centraltrains]

You could try Wickness models as they do allot of N Gauge (though they mainly seem to specialise in sound conversions) however it depends on the Analogue running condition of the train if it would run well on DCC.

https://www.wicknessmodels.co.uk/

 

If you were to do the job yourself you would just need to buy a 6 pin DCC decoder (about £16+ depending on type/manufacture) and some wire!

[daftbovine]

Converting them to DCC certainly can be done but is a bit fiddly. You will find that getting something called a Digi-Hat available from DCC Supplies will help a lot. http://www.dccsupplies.com/item-p-100525/digi-hat--the-easy-way-to-convert-graham-fari

 

Whether it's worth doing is debatable, it migh be easier to either stay with DC or buy some of the newer DCC ready models. The newer models have a lot more detail but aren't as robust so that is worth considering too as your son will be running them.

[Tynedaletrains]

We have fitted DCC to numerous n gauge Locos for customers. Some brand new some from the 80s. Depending on exact spec but most of the time not really a problem.

[Krazykrisbell]

Hi

Just bought a Graham Farish steam loco 1816 (Duchess of Hamilton). Looking to convert to DCC , it appears that the tender is suppling the power to the motor , in the cab, via a small cable. Have seen some posts saying a brush isolator  would be required ? if the power is coming from the tender why would you need an isolator for the motor ?

[Nigelcliffe]

59 minutes ago, Krazykrisbell said:

Hi

Just bought a Graham Farish steam loco 1816 (Duchess of Hamilton). Looking to convert to DCC , it appears that the tender is suppling the power to the motor , in the cab, via a small cable. Have seen some posts saying a brush isolator  would be required ? if the power is coming from the tender why would you need an isolator for the motor ?

 

An old Poole-designed (either Poole made or early China made) design, then yes, it needs the brush which is live to the chassis isolated.   

 

Tender pickups were fitted at various times in Poole production in addition to the loco pickups, and were an optional spare part.  They improve the running reliability a lot *if* correctly fitted to provide pickup with minimal drag.  In some (quite a lot) of models, the other "wire" of the tender pickup is via the draw-bar.    Badly fitted ones either don't connect electrically, or cause the tender wheels to drag and bind.  

 

In most of the locos of that period, I found it easier to put the decoder in the tender: room for a sound decoder, speaker and stay-alive.  That needs four connections to the loco, two for pickup (which could include the draw bar for one) and two for the motor.   Very flexible wire is needed for this; the most flexible you can find.  Not all decoder wire is as flexible as others, so pick carefully.  

 

If the chassis is correctly assembled they can run very well.  They're very sensitive to the precise tightness of various screws/bolts, a small change can alter the running, as can the order of tightening screws (seems to slightly distort the chassis block).  The motor bearings need to be good ones (plastic, so running the motor hot, which can be done on a bad quality DC controller can damage them).   
A decent quality decoder will run a good one ridiculously slowly.  The last one I setup for someone (a black 5 with sound, etc.) was able to do 1 or 2 cm per minute on speed step 1.  

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by Nigelcliffe