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Bachmann Desiro's


smg201
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Yes, I tried the Hornby couplings with the idea of coupling my two existing class 450 units together (converted from 350/1 units) but, like andyman, I found they were too short. I would eventually like to fix that to, because they look so much more realistic than any otehr couplings.

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Can you pull them forward abit - out of the NEM pocket. Then temporary secure in place with blu-tac or similar to test? Glue in place if successful.

 

I've extended NEM mounted couplers this way before now.

 

Cheers,

Mick

This sort of works.

I used some small pieces of plasticard to mount behind the coupler head, thereby pushing it slightly forward.

The problem I then had was that the fishtail did not go all the way through the mounting. It held for a little while. After a few circuits, the units pulled themselves apart.

They would have stayed together if I wanted to use a more permanent glue to hold it in place.

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Mick and Pete have given me an idea: working out the distance for the fishtails to sit, then drilling holes in the sides of the pockets to allow the fishtails to lock into place. I'll have to give this a try, and report back here when I have a result/failure.

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Ok; having been inspired by the comments above, I have drilled and slightly elongated holes in the sides of the NEM pockets, just where they flare outwards. The Hornby Dellner couplings then clip neatly in with room to couple up and allow for some swing on curves.

Trying to show holes in black plastic is a bit tricky; I used flash illumination for these photos, something I normally turn off. Hopefully they show what I have done reasonably well.

36685562220_9abb492388_b.jpg

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Note that these photos show rather cruelly the faults in my 450 conversion, still in progress on this unit (I have used both Driving Trailers from the same unit for the tests). I have to eliminate the remnants of the orange cantrail line, and tidy up the edges of the 'swooshes' where I have varied them from the vinyl overlays.

Edited by SRman
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Hi all

 

I'm planning on buying a few Class 450s and class 350s, to run together as 8 car units.

 

With the standard couplers, does this mean that the trains don't run well in 8 car sets on curves etc?

 

Thanks

 

They run OK with the standard Hornby couplings, but there is some 'slop' when using them.

 

I ran a pair of units using Kadee #19 couplings at the outer ends, which are now going to be replaced with the Hornby Scharfenberg couplings, as in my earlier post above, as soon as I find the other pair of couplings to do the second unit.

 

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I have a small anomaly showing up with my 450 073 now. When running in reverse (car D leading), the lights are working correctly, but when running forwards, the head and tail lights illuminate at both ends simultaneously. 

 

To elaborate a bit more, I started off with a Hornby Sapphire decoder (one I had lost track of - it had been mis-labelled in my decoder box) but wan't entirely happy with the slow speed control. I replaced it with a TCS EU621 decoder, which gives much better smoothness at low speeds and also smoother acceleration and deceleration curves. I didn't notice the lighting fault with the Sapphire decoder fitted, but only since the TCS one was installed. I have checked the decoder function allocations in JMRI Decoder Pro and can't see anything amiss there.

More investigation is needed, I think; possibly I have left a leg of one of the removed capacitors sticking up, or maybe the decoder itself is faulty. I'll have to try another 21 pin decoder to see what is going on. I'll post further information when I have done a little more testing.

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I have a small anomaly showing up with my 450 073 now. When running in reverse (car D leading), the lights are working correctly, but when running forwards, the head and tail lights illuminate at both ends simultaneously.

 

.

See the previous page, I had this with a Gaugemaster and ESU decoder. Swapped to the Bachmann 36-557 one and it works perfectly! So much for all nmra 'standard' decoders being the same ;)

Edited by PaulRhB
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I have a couple of Lenz decoders on the way from Kernow Models, so will hold off to try one of those in it.

My other two units (350/1 units converted to 450s) have ESU LokSound v3.5 decoders and don't have any problems with the lighting. I don't intend equipping the latest one with sound, though.

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Lenz probably ok. The loksound doesn't seem to have a problems but the lokpilot does bizarrely. I had that on the mpv and was expecting trouble when I added sound but it was fine.

I had similar issues with a Heljan metropolitan with poor running and sent it back. The shop tested it with a decoder and said no fault found so I asked what decoders they tried. They had tried Bachmann and Lenz so I fitted Bachmann and had no problems.

It's a little frustrating when you have a decoder in stock that doesn't work with them and I now have two 21 pin decoders awaiting a use as the only locos I currently have awaiting chips with those sockets are from Bachmann and Heljan!

Now I'm just going to buy the Bachmann ones if not adding sound.

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Anybody had problems with derailing? The front bogie of both driving cars has some rotational issue, my 350 doesent. My track is prity level and gental radius, somthing is obstructing the free movement? As soon as it starts the bend it jumps off the track.

 I use to have that sort of problem with that with my 350s... Just took the coupler off and loosened the boogie screw a bit and it was fine.

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Kernow reporting in their newsletter, with regard to the upcoming Bachmann SWT 450:

 

Pre-orders from Bachmann are high with them looking very close to selling out before they arrive!

 

Thus if you have not ordered yours, I would! Great news these have been a strong seller, hopefully shall give Bachmann the confidence in more modern MUs - 185 or Electrostar anyone?

 

 

Now showing on the Bachmann website as sold out. Well, barely two months from release and the entire batch sold. Now who says modern EMUs do not sell?!

 

Electrostar next please Bachmann....

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Now showing on the Bachmann website as sold out. Well, barely two months from release and the entire batch sold. Now who says modern EMUs do not sell?!

 

Electrostar next please Bachmann....

 

Bachmann may have been being a bit more cautious with production numbers to see how an initial batch sell before committing to too many

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The 450 is a lovely model. Mine showed a green light in the middle of the roof. I think it’s the interior lighting reflected off a circuit board and shining through the hole left by a missing ventilator. Fortunately I found the ventilator on the floor when scrabbling around looking for the tiny screw which holds the decoder cover on. Unfortunately, I haven’t found the screw yet. That sort of thing happens from time to time.  :scratchhead:

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The 450 is a lovely model. Mine showed a green light in the middle of the roof. I think it’s the interior lighting reflected off a circuit board and shining through the hole left by a missing ventilator. Fortunately I found the ventilator on the floor when scrabbling around looking for the tiny screw which holds the decoder cover on. Unfortunately, I haven’t found the screw yet. That sort of thing happens from time to time.  :scratchhead:

 

A bit o' Blu-tack (or equivalent) will hold the cover on until you eventually find the screw again. Seeing as the screws are steel, try running a powerful magnet over the floor. That's how I often find dropped screws myself, both at home and at work. It doesn't work for brass screws though, unfortunately! :D

Edited by SRman
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A bit o' Blu-tack (or equivalent) will hold the cover on until you eventually find the screw again. Seeing as the screws are steel, try running a powerful magnet over the floor. That's how I often find dropped screws myself, both at home and at work. It doesn't work for brass screws though, unfortunately! :D

Thank you! I found the screw, third time of looking on the horizontal control panel. It hadn’t even reached the floor. In the meantime, I borrowed a screw from another Desiro. I seem to have acquired four over the years. Lovely models!

 

I don’t use the magnet method much because magnets are so short range. I prefer a powerful torch shone along the floor, which creates a shadow much bigger than the object. It works for brass and, unfortunately, for little bits of scenic coal.

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Thank you! I found the screw, third time of looking on the horizontal control panel. It hadn’t even reached the floor. In the meantime, I borrowed a screw from another Desiro. I seem to have acquired four over the years. Lovely models!

 

I don’t use the magnet method much because magnets are so short range. I prefer a powerful torch shone along the floor, which creates a shadow much bigger than the object. It works for brass and, unfortunately, for little bits of scenic coal.

 

I use a cat - let my two in and they seem to find every little bit on the floor and want to eat it. Just follow them round and grab whatever they find before it gets consumed.

Roy

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I use a cat - let my two in and they seem to find every little bit on the floor and want to eat it. Just follow them round and grab whatever they find before it gets consumed.

Roy

If it does get consumed you could always follow the cat around the day after to get the screw back, it might need a bit of cleaning though!

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The other day I opened the 'hatch' on one of my older 450s to seal the speaker properly (it was a bodged job earlier on!), but with two kittens running around, I can't put anything down within their reach. They try to pick up and eat or chew anything small and fiddly, including screws, couplings, decoders, and even screwdrivers! The male has to push them around first to see if they move, whereas the girl just goes straight for the items with her teeth. :D

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I want to renumber one of my Class 450s. Does anyone know where I can find out which font was used by South West Trains for the cab front numbers, or better still, if anyone makes transfers of the numbers as part of a set?

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John Peck at Precision labels does these. I contacted them some ago when I was planning to repaint a 350 into SWT livery. He was very helpful. Needless to say it remains on the to do list!

 

http://www.precisionlabels.com/images/swt.jpg

 

Hope that works and its useful.

 

All the best

Godfrey

Edited by Godfrey Glyn
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