RMweb Premium Solo Posted April 18, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2020 Just a quick and (and possibly daft) question but I may be about to inherit a non-DCC 156 from a friend who's decided to go 'O' - if I wanted to retro-fit this with DCC sound, am I right in saying I would need two sound decoders since each car is powered? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted April 19, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 19, 2020 2 hours ago, Solo said: Just a quick and (and possibly daft) question but I may be about to inherit a non-DCC 156 from a friend who's decided to go 'O' - if I wanted to retro-fit this with DCC sound, am I right in saying I would need two sound decoders since each car is powered? Thanks Yes you do and Charlie is selling them at £90 for the pair (I hope that’s right) as I’m planning to get some for my 156 soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dicky L Posted April 19, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 19, 2020 5 hours ago, jools1959 said: Yes you do and Charlie is selling them at £90 for the pair (I hope that’s right) as I’m planning to get some for my 156 soon. I see Class 156 sound listed at £120 on the DC Kits website. A bit more than that supplied with speakers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEOEng03 Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 7 hours ago, jools1959 said: Yes you do and Charlie is selling them at £90 for the pair (I hope that’s right) as I’m planning to get some for my 156 soon. Hi, is this shown on the website or from a conversation you've had. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted April 19, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 19, 2020 2 hours ago, GEOEng03 said: Hi, is this shown on the website or from a conversation you've had. Cheers From what I remember when I had a conversation with Charlie, the model already has speakers fitted but I’ll have to get the manual out to check. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 All come with Pre-Fitted I Phone Speakers. Charlie. PPS £90.00 for a Pair of sound decoders, 'Get me some please !!!!!! ' 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dungrange Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 13 hours ago, jools1959 said: Yes you do and Charlie is selling them at £90 for the pair (I hope that’s right) as I’m planning to get some for my 156 soon. On the DC Kits website, ordering a DCC Sound fitted model costs £110 more than the analogue version. However, if you want to buy a matched pair of ESU V5 decoders as a retrofit, then the cost for the pair seems to be £170: nearly £90 each!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted April 19, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 19, 2020 52 minutes ago, Dungrange said: On the DC Kits website, ordering a DCC Sound fitted model costs £110 more than the analogue version. However, if you want to buy a matched pair of ESU V5 decoders as a retrofit, then the cost for the pair seems to be £170: nearly £90 each!!! I suggest you contact Charlie at Realtrack to confirm. I can only tell you what he told me and what he’s written on here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Kaput Posted April 19, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 19, 2020 Remember the factory sound comes with LokSound Select decoders which are cheaper for the manufacturers to obtain. Unless I'm mistaken the Class 156 sound available via the DC kits website is full fat LokSound v5's now hence the price. There is a possible chance if you contact Charlie directly he might still have a supply of the Selects from the factory fitted version that could be sold for the price difference between non DCC and sound fitted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Solo Posted April 19, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 19, 2020 (edited) That's good news re the pre-fitted speakers....has anyone used these with Zimo sound chips though? I normally use projects from YouChoos or Digitrains, I find their range of functions far more useful - the actual engine sounds from the factory-fit 156s sound really good on videos I've seen but I find the functions as listed on the Realtrack website/DC Kits somewhat bizarre (e.g. toilet pipe(?!) and three functions dedicated to passenger announcements), no facility for sound fade-in/out etc. Edited April 19, 2020 by Solo unfinished sentence Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 (edited) On 19/04/2020 at 20:10, Solo said: That's good news re the pre-fitted speakers....has anyone used these with Zimo sound chips though? I normally use projects from YouChoos or Digitrains, I find their range of functions far more useful - the actual engine sounds from the factory-fit 156s sound really good on videos I've seen but I find the functions as listed on the Realtrack website/DC Kits somewhat bizarre (e.g. toilet pipe(?!) and three functions dedicated to passenger announcements), no facility for sound fade-in/out etc. We have reacted to customers comments and requests over the last 5 years on all of the Realtrack DMU's, the functions we have are: F0: Day time running mode (Front Lights) F1: Engines. F2: Playable High Horn. F3: Playable Low Horn. F4: Passenger Doors Open/Close. (With Closing Bleeper) F5: Manual brake application(When moving) Brake Dump when stopped. F6: Drivers Door Open/Close. F7: Compressor Speed Up. F8: Toilet Pipe Discharge. (Toilet Flushing onto Track sounds) F9: Variable speed flange squeel. (Fully automatic, nothing when stopped, increases with speed) F10: Despatch Whistle. F11: Guard to Driver Buzzer/optional reply. F12: Interior Lights (With flicker). F13: Destination Blinds. On/Off. F14: Automatic coupling/uncoupling Sounds. F15: Passenger Announcements 1. F16: Passenger Announcements 2. F17: Passenger Announcements 3. F18: Speed Dependant Detonators. (Fully automatic, nothing when stopped, faster at speed) F19: Cab Lights (Directional). With On/Off switch sounds. F20: Night Time Running (Front Lights) F21: Parking Mode (Red Lights at both ends). F22: Wabasto Heater. The destinations have been designed to suit those printed on the Past, Current and Future Northern Class 156 Units, these can be customised to suit your layouts location. CV155 to Change destinations: F15 F16 F17 0 / = Birmingham N S 0 / = Cambridge 0 / = Stanstead Airport 1 / = Norwich 1 / = Lowestoft 1 / = Sheringham 2 / = Barrow in Furness 2 / = Clitheroe 2 / = Manchester Vic 3 / = Colne 3 / = Blackpool North 3 / = Manchester Vic 4 / = Liverpool L. St 4 / = Preston 4 / = Ormskirk 5 / = Cardiff Central 5 / = Portsmouth Hbr 5 / = Weymouth 6 / = Skegness 6 / = Nottingham 6 / = Leicester 7 / = Matlock 7 / = Derby 7 / = Newark Castle 8 / = Grimsby Town 8 / = Lincoln 8 / = Peterborough 9 / = Ipswich 9 / = Norwich 9 / = Liverpool L. St 10/= Sheffield 10 / = York 10/ = Leeds 11/= Carlisle 11/ = Leeds 11/ = Selby 12/= Newcastle 12/ = Middlesborough 12/ = Morpeth 13/= Scunthorpe 13/ = Doncaster 13/ = Hull 14/= Crewe 14/ = Derby 14/ = Stoke on Trent 15/ = Doncaster 15/ = Lincoln 15/ = Worksop 16/ = Chester 16/ = Rose Hill Marple 16/ = Manchester Pic. 17/ = Huddersfield 17/ = Sheffield 17/ = Manchester Pic. 18/ = Shrewsbury 18/ = Buxton 18/ = Manchester Pic. 19/ = Knaresborough 19/ = Leeds 19/ = Manchester Pic. This is unique in the sound decoder field and honestly our customers love it. The English ones have an English accent, the Scottish ones have a Scottish lady!! Legomanbiffo also has Cornish, Bristol, Welsh, Black Country, Liverpool, Middlesborough, Newcastle and South East Accents on our Multiple Units. Hope you like these. Arran & Charlie Edited April 22, 2020 by charliepetty 10 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Solo Posted April 22, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 22, 2020 Ah, that's really useful thank-you. Have to say I do like the flexibility of all the lighting options/combinations. Now just got to see if that 156 is coming my way. Or maybe order one of my own..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractor_37260 Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Reggie Rail 156....finally made a start today on dismantling it to fit some passengers, secondary speakers and also to consider a possible fix for the dummy marker lights. Beware - spent over 2 hours trying to remove the body from just one car ! Once apart, the problem being strips of double sided sticky tape have been used at both ends between bodyshell and chassis edges, and some of the glue used for retaining the windows also appears to have wicked into the body/chassis join line at both ends. The Barbie unit I stripped previously did not have these strips of DST between the body/chassis it came apart easily with no issues. Why fit these strips of DST, the body/chassis fit is fine without them, they just make removing the body a real PITA...if it ain't broke don't fix it ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 (edited) On 24/05/2020 at 00:53, tractor_37260 said: Reggie Rail 156....finally made a start today on dismantling it to fit some passengers, secondary speakers and also to consider a possible fix for the dummy marker lights. Beware - spent over 2 hours trying to remove the body from just one car ! Once apart, the problem being strips of double sided sticky tape have been used at both ends between bodyshell and chassis edges, and some of the glue used for retaining the windows also appears to have wicked into the body/chassis join line at both ends. The Barbie unit I stripped previously did not have these strips of DST between the body/chassis it came apart easily with no issues. Why fit these strips of DST, the body/chassis fit is fine without them, they just make removing the body a real PITA...if it ain't broke don't fix it ! We had about 25 returns from customers on the first batch (150 Sample Units) with the bodyshells sitting too low or too high on the chassis, thus the lights did not line up everytime, which made it look like faulty lights !!! Also if too low on the bodyshell the bogies catch the body on sharp corners and derail. So we asked for the balance in China to have a 'Fix' to stop this. You should have contacted us with this for advice, as a small craftknife quickly run down between the chassis and bodyshell would get it off quickly. Our website gives advice and pictures on this. See: https://realtrackmodels.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=92 The Provincial mostly have this 'Fix', the East Midlands & ScotRail units are as normal. Charlie Edited July 3, 2020 by charliepetty 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractor_37260 Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 2 hours ago, charliepetty said: We had about 25 returns from customers on the first batch (150 Sample Units) with the bodyshells sitting too low or too high on the chassis, thus the lights did not line up everytime, which made it look like faulty lights !!! Also if too low on the bodyshell the bogies catch the body on sharp corners and derail. So we asked from the balance in China to have a 'Fix' to stop this. You should have contacted us with this for advice, as a small craftknife quickly run down between the chassis and bodyshell would get it off quickly. Our website gives advice and pictures on this. See: https://realtrackmodels.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=92 The Provincial mostly have this 'Fix', the East Midlands & ScotRail units are as normal. Charlie Interesting comments Charlie, first I've heard or seen about issues with some of the Prov 156's. I resorted to using a blade as above when the usual strips of card had no effect. I'll be in touch soon about some other QC issues/misssing parts etc Regards Ken Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 21 hours ago, tractor_37260 said: Interesting comments Charlie, first I've heard or seen about issues with some of the Prov 156's. I resorted to using a blade as above when the usual strips of card had no effect. I'll be in touch soon about some other QC issues/misssing parts etc Regards Ken The missing handrail can be sorted easily, the lamp bracket if bent can drop off, a replacement corridor connection can be supplied as a replacemant if you wish. The spot of glue on the body shell normally comes off with your finger nail. Hope this helps. Charlie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractor_37260 Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 6 hours ago, charliepetty said: The missing handrail can be sorted easily, the lamp bracket if bent can drop off, a replacement corridor connection can be supplied as a replacemant if you wish. The spot of glue on the body shell normally comes off with your finger nail. Hope this helps. Charlie Yes the glue blobs on the roof did indeed come off using a thumb nail leaving no damage to the paint ( obviously not CA adhesive as I first thought) As I found the lamp iron I'll attempt to fix it back on, but I'll look out for a replacement handrail arriving in due course. Thanks for the help Ken Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 38 minutes ago, tractor_37260 said: Yes the glue blobs on the roof did indeed come off using a thumb nail leaving no damage to the paint ( obviously not CA adhesive as I first thought) As I found the lamp iron I'll attempt to fix it back on, but I'll look out for a replacement handrail arriving in due course. Thanks for the help Ken No Problems. Charlie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southwich Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Received my 156 from Rainbow Railways yesterday, and converted it to EM this evening. Superb work from @charliepetty - very impressed! The conversion to EM was very straightforward because of the nicely spaced bogies and split axles, a nice design feature! Here she is at platform 1 at Motts Lane (station yet to be built!): Looking forward to getting the sound chips to finish off the model. Thanks, Will 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted June 3, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 3, 2020 I’m really happy with my two EMT versions (okay, I’m still awaiting for my latest 156 ) and I wonder what versions Charlie’s got planned next Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractor_37260 Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 On 25/05/2020 at 22:13, charliepetty said: No Problems. Charlie Thanks for the spare 156 handrail .....appreciated ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Scottish-Exile Posted June 15, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2020 On 02/06/2020 at 21:35, Southwich said: Received my 156 from Rainbow Railways yesterday, Will Looks fab. I've been looking at Rainbow Railways website since Model Rail Scotland, as having seen their Northern Liveried 156, I walked around the hall another time before deciding to go back and buy it, where needless to say it had been sold. I see they also have the Strathclyde Orange PTE listed. Not sure whether to take the plunge or wait for the official RealTrack release, as from the original literature, Strathclyde was always on the cards to be released. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted June 15, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Scottish-Exile said: Looks fab. I've been looking at Rainbow Railways website since Model Rail Scotland, as having seen their Northern Liveried 156, I walked around the hall another time before deciding to go back and buy it, where needless to say it had been sold. I see they also have the Strathclyde Orange PTE listed. Not sure whether to take the plunge or wait for the official RealTrack release, as from the original literature, Strathclyde was always on the cards to be released. Wow I just saw that. I bought a Northern one a few months back (see back a few pages), the respray quality is fantastic, I mean right up there with rtr finish. I’m tempted by that Strathclyde one, i’d recommend it from my “Northern” experience, its not that much above rrp all things considered. Edited June 15, 2020 by adb968008 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dicky L Posted June 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2020 I have recently purchased this unbranded Northern version from Rainbow and i am very happy with it. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEOEng03 Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Can the blanking plugs be brought as spares? Assume the standard release Bachmann ones are no good, given the lighting arrangement on these units. I spilt coffee on my two... Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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