LNERandBR Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Hornby had a period where they tried to do their own thing with programming didn't they. Maybe that affected their controllers as well? I know early Hornby decoders cannot be read by other makes of controller. I've had no issues reading back the Zimo decoder my Linda is fitted with on my Lenz DCC system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Dublo2 Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 1 hour ago, didcot said: My ancient Hornby Select controller won't read the default CVs either. Once I have changed them it will. Even if you upgrade the Hornby Select to the latest firmware, as far as I am aware you still can't read CVs (what the newer firmware gives you is the ability to write CVs ) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 19 hours ago, 5Dublo2 said: Even if you upgrade the Hornby Select to the latest firmware, as far as I am aware you still can't read CVs (what the newer firmware gives you is the ability to write CVs ) I'm definitely going to jump DCC systems. It is actually scary watching it trying to read a DCC OO-9 loco as it suddenly does small sharp movements! 20 hours ago, LNERandBR said: Hornby had a period where they tried to do their own thing with programming didn't they. Maybe that affected their controllers as well? I know early Hornby decoders cannot be read by other makes of controller. I've had no issues reading back the Zimo decoder my Linda is fitted with on my Lenz DCC system. Some of the first TTS chips they did would only work on other DCC systems if you placed the loco facing a certain direction. Despite upgrades, the software does not recognize some recent chips and its not too great with Cab like loco driving that Bachmann OO-9 uses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 19, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2023 Well a new Charles arrived today and was picked up on the way to work. This is everything I expected in terms of running :) Now it runs as well as it looks. No jerkiness, no locking up and beautiful slow speed control. Well done Bachmann, a masterpiece when it’s right. 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted January 19, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2023 11 hours ago, PaulRhB said: Well a new Charles arrived today and was picked up on the way to work. This is everything I expected in terms of running :) Now it runs as well as it looks. No jerkiness, no locking up and beautiful slow speed control. Well done Bachmann, a masterpiece when it’s right. Quite the dapper chap, Paul. Has he come from Bachmann or as replaced by the retailer. Rob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 19, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2023 4 minutes ago, NHY 581 said: Quite the dapper chap, Paul. Has he come from Bachmann or as replaced by the retailer. Rob. Bachmann via the retailer as they only had one sound version. Blanche is still with Bachmann though as they had none left in the warehouse so it is in the repair shop. Hopefully a new set of running gear out of a Charles is being transferred. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted January 19, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2023 Hi Paul, Interesting. My Linda seems to have a slight quartering issue. It' s not too bad forwards but slightly lumpy in reverse. Pity as it's almost there. When it halts, you can see that the cranks are at slightly differing angles. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 19, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2023 (edited) 12 minutes ago, NHY 581 said: Hi Paul, Interesting. My Linda seems to have a slight quartering issue. It' s not too bad forwards but slightly lumpy in reverse. Pity as it's almost there. When it halts, you can see that the cranks are at slightly differing angles. Rob Yes I think being just two axles and the tolerance of the holes mean they are a bit sensitive to it. An 0.6.0 can get a bit of restriction on the rods angle out from the third axle but there’s nothing to stop it on the 0.4.0. You can see it take up the slack on this one but the quartering being closer means the other rod starts to pull and the angle never gets anywhere near locking up like the old one. When the rep asked if it had been run in I’d already mentioned it to the shop so they confirmed it had. To be honest when quartering is out that much running it in is just going to cause more wear and make it worse over time and I was concerned it could break the cranks or strip the splines on them. It was a minor irritation having to wait but the repair or replace worked well through the shop so excellent service overall. Edited January 19, 2023 by PaulRhB 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERandBR Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 I think it's clear they are more susceptible to being incorrectly assembled then other models. However those with issues are also clearly just those which have slipped though QC. There are plenty of reports of people being happy. I think Bachmann should be commended for taking the plunge with these more complicated prototypes. I'm sure they will be gathering all the data they can on any issues for future models. Be that adjusting the designs or tighting QC further. Personally I keep looking at Charles now and thinking of taking the plunge with another. However I don't think my wallet could stand it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 19, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2023 4 minutes ago, LNERandBR said: I think Bachmann should be commended for taking the plunge with these more complicated prototypes. I'm sure they will be gathering all the data they can on any issues for future models. Be that adjusting the designs or tighting QC further. Yes all it needs is knowing where the issue lies and it can be sorted with a check on the two parts that are sensitive rather than complicating it further. I took the videos to show the shop as they hadn’t noticed it as their test track is in the window so they’d run it faster where it got over the ‘lumps’. Fortunately the video meant they could accurately describe the fault and Bachmann accepted both back straight away. I was unlucky to get two and Christmas shutdown of the service department has slowed the one in for repair but they’ve sorted a couple of previous failures well so I’ll let them get on with it. I was more worried with Blanche when they said they were sold out that I might not get one back! :) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nightstar.train Posted January 21, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2023 Finally got my Linda with tender today. What a superb model! It really is a magnificent little engine. Thankfully it runs beautifully in both directions even at a very low speed. Very very happy. Now i just need a Blanch with tender, and maybe a Charles? I wonder if the 2-4-0T-T versions of Blanche and Linda will be announced in February? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tetsudofan Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2023 19 hours ago, nightstar.train said: Finally got my Linda with tender today. What a superb model! It really is a magnificent little engine. Thankfully it runs beautifully in both directions even at a very low speed. Very very happy. Now i just need a Blanch with tender, and maybe a Charles? I wonder if the 2-4-0T-T versions of Blanche and Linda will be announced in February? ...... and a Beyer-Garratt later this year? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nightstar.train Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 22, 2023 3 hours ago, tetsudofan said: ...... and a Beyer-Garratt later this year? One can only hope, and sacrifice offerings to the gods. It'll be a very expensive time for me if they announce a Beyer-Garratt. They do seem to be working their way through the Ffestiniog and WHR engine sheds, so IMHO a Garratt will be along in the next couple of years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 The tender cab for Blanche will be interesting as to getting it round 009 and how much of a limitation that poses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nightstar.train Posted January 23, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 23, 2023 1 hour ago, Butler Henderson said: The tender cab for Blanche will be interesting as to getting it round 009 and how much of a limitation that poses. You don’t actually need that much room. The gap between Linda and her tender is only about 3mm, and she happily cruises around 9 inch curves. Looking at photos of Blanche I think the gap between roofs is about the same as between Linda and her tender, so should present no problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2023 I’ve added the classic Penrhyn sand bucket (I had to sand the bottom down as it was too tall to fit at first, so it might now leak a bit of sand!) 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 11, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2023 On 12/11/2022 at 01:23, PaulRhB said: Ok on running when I got home I noticed a couple of tight spots that weren’t apparent on the shop test circuit and unfortunately they are quite pronounced on starting sometimes so mine will be going back for a replacement. It looks fine at linespeed but it’s not really acceptable for shunting and on some starts the lurch is quite pronounced. I wondered if it was contact at first but I put my finger in front and you can feel and see the two tight spots in the third shot. I tried running in for an hour each way but no improvement obvious as these clips were taken afterwards. Apart from that it’s superb looking and sound. Well Blanche is back three months later although Bachmann only registered it as in for repair on the 5th Dec so two months to fix. So what’s it run like? Seen here behind Charles, So much better! According to the repair docket, It was the pickups . . . The crank was fine although it now displays several marks to the blackening . . . Well it runs like it should and has been happily trundling around for over an hour and starting and stopping without the ping or 180° apart ‘pickup’ issue seen in the first video so I’m happy 😉 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERandBR Posted February 11, 2023 Share Posted February 11, 2023 I think the pickups can catch somewhere on the rear of the wheels. My Linda (with tender) had a small 'click' sound which could only be heard one way. Took the keeper off and adjusted the pickups and it disappeared. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 11, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2023 (edited) 12 minutes ago, LNERandBR said: I think the pickups can catch somewhere on the rear of the wheels. My Linda (with tender) had a small 'click' sound which could only be heard one way. Took the keeper off and adjusted the pickups and it disappeared. hmmm well they said it was making poor contact but at 7 secs here watch the Rod twist & it jump. There would have to be two things catching at 00:34 as it pauses at exactly 180° twice in each revolution. I’ve fixed a few locos with quartering out and that jump looks more like quartering than poor pickup plus the motor is humming while stalled . . . It’s fixed but I’m not convinced on the underlying reason given 😉 Edited February 11, 2023 by PaulRhB 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERandBR Posted February 11, 2023 Share Posted February 11, 2023 Unless the 'OK' means they fixed it 🤔 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 11, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2023 6 minutes ago, LNERandBR said: Unless the 'OK' means they fixed it 🤔 Dunno but it’s running now matches it’s looks and proves when all fettled it’s a stunning little model 😁 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
didcot Posted February 12, 2023 Share Posted February 12, 2023 My Linda with tender runs much better than my Charles. But with extra pick ups in the tender I guess it would. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiesler Posted February 12, 2023 Share Posted February 12, 2023 I bought a sound fitted Charles and bizarrely when running it exhibited traits exactly the same as in Paul's first video, but only some of the time! It appeared to be affected by curves and slight uphill gradients. It would get stuck with the right rear crank at 11 o'clock, which was the same point my first Britomart would get stuck. It occurred to me if this happened on a kit I built I would be most disappointed, so expectations of RTR should be no less. I hope the issue is fixed by the time the 2-4-0T+T models are released or I will need to rethink my layout plans. Watching it unstick itself reminded me of this departure I filmed once... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMA747 Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 (edited) I've been reading this thread with interest because I have Charles and Linda and neither are very smooth runners. It's not a big jerky motion like in Paul's videos but more of a micro stutter at slow speeds. It's almost like jerking a bit as the motor goes round. I've got some videos but it's hard to see it clearly. Also I think the stutter is effecting the chuffing sounds as they are not smooth sounds but exhibit the same stutter in playback as the motor does. I don't know what is classed as acceptable poor running or if I should be sending them both back as I'm a bit concerned it's the start of a major issue. I have removed the guard plate over the wheels and bent the pickups out slightly which helped but the issue is still there. Cleaned track and wheel thoroughly too. It's been run in for an hour each way on two occasions. I've even lubricated the recommended parts. It sounds like a few of these Hunslets have similar issues. Edited March 24, 2023 by EMA747 extra info Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted September 11, 2023 Share Posted September 11, 2023 Jenny Kirk’s video fitting the Hornby hm7000 decoders into uncooperative sizes of loco video has got me thinking, has anyone tried fitting one of their Next18 decoders into these? From the photos I’ve seen, it might just squeak in if the speaker and stay alive sockets are removed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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