Blue Grey HST - DCC?

[jamesinyk]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRAHAM-FARISH-N-GAUGE-CLASS-43-HST-BR-BLUE-GREY-INTERCITY-125-W430014-/324466633944?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292
 

Anyone know if this can be fitted with DCC?

[Amand]

Yes it can, but the chassis block and the lower brush holder are live, so two "Digihat" insulated carbon brush holders will be required. From the description it's a very early example, with motor bogies in each unit. They only drive the rear bogie of each HST power unit, and from memory they only pick up from the motor bogie, not the dummy units at the front.  It didn't take long for Farish to re-tool this and the similar 101 DMU to a central motor in jut one of the power cars, but with pickups and drive to all wheels, a solid chassis block etc it has much better running.

 

So - 2 decoders needed, and 2 Digihats (from DCC Supplies) - looking at approx £48 for the parts. Personally I'd try to find one of the later ones with the central motor, only cost £24 for decoder and Digihat. 

 

A Chinese made version would be simpler still, just a decoder but still need to hard wire it in, the only DCC ready HST to date has been by Dapol.

[jamesinyk]

Thanks, will see what sort of bids it fetches as it seems fairly involved to convert it and might not be the greatest runner. I really want a Blue / Grey - the Dapol ones only seem to be the later Executive livery. 

[Steven B]

Dapol have done several in blue/grey:

2D-019-001 (W43047+W41047+W42069+W43046 )

2D-019-005 (E43066+E40424+E44047+E43103)

ND122A (W43048+W41121+W42288+W43049  

ND122H (E43076+E41077+E42151+E43077)

 

There's an almost complete list here: https://www.ngauge.org/ - the latest twin-packs and prototype HSDT aren't listed.

 

Steven B