RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted March 19, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 19, 2013 Here are some photos of my sound installation The unmodified end. The modified end with part of the cab plastic removed and the chassis modified to fit a Bass Enchanced speaker. Heljan could have produced the chasis like this to create a decent space for a speaker. Bass Enchanced Speaker fitted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gronk the shunter Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 It's frustrating that you've had to hack away at the metal chassis to fit in a decent speaker. Surely by now all manufacturers should have realised that a large number of modellers will want to fit sound. More frustrating in that a huge metal chassis like this one isn't required as most will run singly or pulling only one or two vans. The 128 could and should have had an adequate sound chamber waiting for a sPeaker to be added. It surely wouldnt have cost anything to design a space! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted March 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2013 I totally agree, in this case it wouldn't take much if it was straight here instead of these two small lips and the cab was in two sections the sound installation would have been easy. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridwatcher Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 How much space is there above the metal chassis block in the curve of the roof? I haven't had mine to bits yet but my first thought would be to go 20x40 upside down in the roof sealed in with Blak-tak before I started hacking. ...... will advise when Bryan's 'extra farty' sound chip arrives! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted March 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2013 I think there should be enough room and I was considering that as an option before I went for the Bass Enhanced option. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sasquatch Posted March 22, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 22, 2013 Posty arrived at last! Only 4 loose bits, surprising really as the box was stuffed in at one end. Not bad for £17 postage. Very happy with the way it runs. Model RTR trains just keep getting better! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doughnut Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Who is this 'Bryan', geizzer that people keep mentioning wrt Class 128 engine sound chips??? Only ask, as Id love to have an Albion sound filed chip. Dave K Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 They are referring to Bryan Robertson, who is Howes' sound engineer. All of their sound projects are Bryan's work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman Sam Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Has anyone experienced any trouble with these and running with Bachmann 21 pin dcc decoders? I have just fitted one of the new decoders to my 128 and although it runs fine, including lighting control, on its default setting of 3 it refuses to accept a change in loco number. I have managed to reprogram other locos with identical chips, just not this one. For info I am using a Hornby Elite to program on a separate section of track. The lights flash on an off as one would expect when programming, it just doesn't seem to accept the new number. I had the same problem with the new Bachmann 21 pin chips in my 128 but found by programming it with a 4 figured number it worked fine. So instead of 92 (last 2 numbers of unit) I had to use 0092 which then switched off the DC running ability as well. Going off topic I can't say I'm impressed with these new chips I put one in my Bachmann D1547 and it ran like a dog and took me ages to mess about with the cvs until I was mostly happy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gronk the shunter Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 ]Well I've finally had time to put a decoder in and used the Bachmann 21 pin. No problem whatsoever, runs almost silently and accepted a new address without problem. However having lived with it for a week and a bit I'm not as impressed with it as I initially was. Firstly getting the body off was a major pain. After several minutes with it 90% off but stuck it finally came free, but as it did the thin piece of bodywork underneath the headcode box at one end broke. Then I had the same problem getting it back together. It turns out that the lightbar sticks out too much jamming against the bottom of the headcode recesses, effectively forming an unintentional locating/locking clip at the end of each cab which then snaps the lower strip of bodywork when it finally comes out. Then putting back together the body jams again, this time on the cab partitions which were fitted slightly too far forward, in effect making the chassis/interior longer than the interior of the body. Hope that made sense. I had to file down the light bars and trim back both cab partitions by about 1mm. Now the body fits easily. Just a pity it broke the bodywork finding this out. With a bit of weatheing it shouldn't be visible, but it's still poor that it should break. Especially as I was extremely cautious with it. Secondly as Jim SW mentioned earlier the bogie side frames are poor when compared to those on Bachmanns 108. (I don't have a Hornby DMU to compare with,) Basically they lack definition and are very very 2D. How easy is it to source replacement bogie side frames? Do Bachmann provide spares? Anyway it seems a razor saw might be needed after all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 No real problems getting the body off/on mine. A bit easier than most although I did manage to pull off one of the underframe fittings. It just pressed back in place. CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matabiau Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I had the same problem with the new Bachmann 21 pin chips in my 128 but found by programming it with a 4 figured number it worked fine. So instead of 92 (last 2 numbers of unit) I had to use 0092 which then switched off the DC running ability as well. Going off topic I can't say I'm impressed with these new chips I put one in my Bachmann D1547 and it ran like a dog and took me ages to mess about with the cvs until I was mostly happy. I have finally got around to updating the firmware on me Elite (not easy if you don't have a Windows PC) and is now able to program my 128 with the new Bachmann 21 pin DCC chip. I haven't tried programming with only two digits but I can confirm it accepts four digit addresses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 23, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2013 I had the same problem with the new Bachmann 21 pin chips in my 128 but found by programming it with a 4 figured number it worked fine. So instead of 92 (last 2 numbers of unit) I had to use 0092 which then switched off the DC running ability as well. If you program CV29 to 38, that will give you 4-digit addressing, 28/128 speed-steps and automatic DC conversion when you want it. Interestingly, one of the criticisms of decoders that I have heard is that they will only accept 4-digit addresses, while many/most UK locos since 1948 have 5-figure numbers. Evidently 2-digit is ok for some modellers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
petee19 Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Whilst at Ally Pally show today i picked up a copy of Ian Allan's,British Railways Western Region in Colour For the Modeller and Historian.There is a nice colour picture of a late blue 128 hauling the following,MK1 GUV,a single DMU power car in Parcel Service livery ,SR 4 wheel utility van,50ft parcel van,4 wheel GUV,and a 4 wheelbox van.I think this well illustrates what these vehicles were capable of hauling at times albeit that in this case there was probably assistance from the single DMU. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted March 25, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 25, 2013 Whilst at Ally Pally show today i picked up a copy of Ian Allan's,British Railways Western Region in Colour For the Modeller and Historian.There is a nice colour picture of a late blue 128 hauling the following,MK1 GUV,a single DMU power car in Parcel Service livery ,SR 4 wheel utility van,50ft parcel van,4 wheel GUV,and a 4 wheelbox van.I think this well illustrates what these vehicles were capable of hauling at times albeit that in this case there was probably assistance from the single DMU.Almost certainly both under power Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 25, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 25, 2013 Almost certainly both under power As I don't really understand DMMUs, can someone explain how the leading 128 could control the power on the other DMMU vehicle when there was a Mk1 GUV marshalled in between them? Did the GUVs have power control jumpers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted March 25, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 25, 2013 The GUV must have been fitted with through connections to enable the lead unit to operate the second unit. A similar arrangement must have been used on the GW twin units as they often ran with an ordinary passenger coach in between the units. Such a load would be no problem for a 128 with 460 HP on tap. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 25, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 25, 2013 As I don't really understand DMMUs, can someone explain how the leading 128 could control the power on the other DMMU vehicle when there was a Mk1 GUV marshalled in between them? Did the GUVs have power control jumpers? The WR GUVs used in the parcels formations were fitted with full Blue Star mu wiring and connections Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmustu Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 There were some class 116 sets that were converted to parcels use, they were reformed into 4 car sets consisting of a DMBS-GUV-GUV-DMS. They were branded something like 'Railair Parcels' or similar, I cant remember off the top of my head at the moment! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyneux Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Discussion (and photos) on this old thread here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=50613 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted March 26, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 26, 2013 One green (yellow cover) parcel car arrived safely down under. I was a little wary having read that parts may be loose in the box but none was loose here. A complete vehicle emerged from the packing only to have a sand box scat off by my little finger making heavy contact with it As others say this is a heavy beast and when I get a moment she will be tested on the layout and photographed. I wonder how well the gearing will match with a Hornby bubblecar as I can run a "mixed" train with the 128 and a pair of green bubbles towing a couple of Hawksworth vans. That might raise an eyebrow or two. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 My early blue liveried one arrived yesterday. Two of the sandboxes had come loose and were floating around within the packaging but these were easily pressed back into place. A quick test on analogue DC power showed that 1. it was running very smoothly and quietly and 2. all of the pickups were doing their job correctly. I then removed the four screws and persuaded the body to part from the chassis to fit a Bachmann 36-557 21-pin decoder. Another quick test on the programming track proved all was well so I gave it a number, tweaked the inertia and momentum settings and set it off to run it in. Apart from a slight squeal from the pickups in one direction only, it runs very sweetly indeed. Very happy with this one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted March 26, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 26, 2013 Pics here : http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/6296-penhayle-bay/?p=993402 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 A quick video of my early BR blue liveried unit on a running in turn. Sorry about the shaky (phone) camera work again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45125 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 The GUV must have been fitted with through connections to enable the lead unit to operate the second unit. A similar arrangement must have been used on the GW twin units as they often ran with an ordinary passenger coach in between the units. Such a load would be no problem for a 128 with 460 HP on tap. All Albion engines were down rated in the late 60s early 70s to 200hp. The only ones that produced 230hp, had fuel pumps over hauled by CAV local to the depots when Derby/Swindon could not supply. Al Taylor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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