Converting 1990s Hornby

[George Spencer]

In July, my family will be moving to Alton and in doing so, I will effectively be inheriting a oo gauge model railway layout from the previous owner. I am unsure if the previous owner ran DC or dcc, but the leaflet he left implies the latter. As such, I feel that I may need to move over to DCC.

 

My collection comprises of a 1997 Flying Scotsman set (R1001), Mallard (R304) and King George V (R737), soon to be joined by Dornoch Firth from a secondhand Thames-Clyde Express pack I've purchased from the Facebook marketplace (R2329M). Would conversion to DCC be viable, and if so, how easy would it be? Would it be something I could do myself, or would I be better off contacting the Alton Model Centre?

 

The leaflet provided by the owner says:

"The main layout comprises around 200 feet of continuous run, looped back on itself and giving the impression of a double track main line. Automatic train control allows for up to four trains to be run at a time. This has a 4 track through station with passing/stopping lines. In addition there is a 12 road terminus with 2 storage lines, 4 freight lines with run around, a small loco servicing depot and a semi derelict engineering facility. 2 lines connect with the main line. One controller serves the main line, and each of the through station lines has a secondary controller allowing trains to stop. Another controller serves the terminus."

 

I apologise if this sounded like bragging, but I felt that I should include as much information as necessary. 

 

[DCB]

Don't apologise for bragging, it sounds like my idea of a nightmare.

The 1990s Hornby Tender drive locos are not as easy to convert as 1970s loco drive ones with their X04 motors, as it is difficult to isolate both brushes  from the chassis.  To be honest the Tender drive locos I have have been withdrawn mainly because their traction tyres make the track filthy, one or two have been converted to loco drive using older 1950s/60s etc chassis.

The electrics sound very complicated,  Maybe relay  controlled, magnets/irdot is it, state of the art 1965?  Its  not conventional DC not even cab control, sounds like te control I designed for my loft layout which I couldn't actually afford to build (th electrics that is, I had all the track for the layout. 

Being old the layout may not take lightly to being fed with 4 amps or more of DCC after years of 1 amp DC. 

I would run it as DC for a while before changing anything, as I can see you drlilling many hundreds or holes and adding an equal number of droppers.   I certainly don't envy you that.

[George Spencer]

Mind you, the leaflet also mentions a wide range of running stock which could be made available by arrangement. The mention of controllers for track sections might suggest dc control, in which case I wouldn't need to worry about dcc.

 

I haven't actually touched my model trains for nearly 20 years, due to two house moves and a lack of a dedicated room in either of them.

Edited December 20, 2020 by George Spencer

[WIMorrison]

The description is of a layout with multiple DC sections each run by a dedicated controller.

[George Spencer]

Thank you for clearing that up. At least I don't have to worry about dcc then.

[WIMorrison]

I worry about DC and not DCC - too complex using DC to control more than one loco

[RobinofLoxley]

We can look forward to hearing how the layout was updated in due course