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Bachmann Class 37 with a Zimo Multi-Drive sound de-coder


buggerlugs

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Greetings to one & all, I'm still pretty new to DCC(& this forum) & in particular DCC sound. For those of you who are thinking about trying it(sound) but are still not too sure be warned it's like a drug! I always thought of myself as an out & out steam man vowing never to have a "smelly" diesel on my lay-out. I bought a 2nd hand Bachmann Deltic DP1 prototype (before they were fetching telephone numbers) & stuck it in a display cabinet? I had fitted sound chips to a Bachmann Robinson & was very pleased with it. So I bought another sound de-coder for my Tornado, again I was impressed. I then read an article in one of the mags about fitting sound into a Deltic Class 55. I thought to myself I've got one of those lets have ago. Never having been one for doing this by halves I decided to see if I could fit two speakers. So I stripped down the Deltic as pre the instructions in the mag and whipped the chassis out into my workshop and milled holes/slots into it. One to take the 2nd speaker & one under the pcb board to let the sound from the 1st speaker that was installed as the instuctions in the fuel tank. Re-assembled everthing,the slots in the chassis made it a doddle to refit the drive-shafts,popped in onto my programming track to check all was ok and then it was time to fire her up! Blimey!! Now two or three Class 55's,a Kestrel & a Lion later, I thought I'd get a Class 37. I bought one of the new Bachmann split h/code green examples.Tried it on my rolling road (DC) I then stripped and modified it pretty much in the same way as I had the Deltics. I did away with the switches in the tank (put a bass reflex speaker in there) and another under the fan.I totally rewired it as well because I'm sorry Mr Bachmann when I took the top off your wiring looked like my Grannies old knitting basket. Anyway like a muppet I had fitted 100ohm bass speakers (I had them in stock) made sure all was fine with the install / re-wire by using a sound de-coder from a Class 55's. I then started looking at "different" makes/types of de-coders from the type I had used in the past. I'd read an article in a "Hornby Magazine" that used a Zimo sound decoder. So I watched the videos on the internet & compared various makes / types & decided to go from the Zimo! I called Digitrains & spoke to Jeremy & told him what I was after.Good job I did! After another strip down to fit a pair of 8ohm speakers,wired in series, I took my Class 37 over to D.T. and Jeremy popped in one of their Zimo Class 37 Multi Drive decoders. What a difference from anything I've had before! I'm still getting used to "driving" it using the "notching" method but please if you are in the market for a sound decoder take a look at the Zimo. I will be changing the Class 55's over when Zimo have sorted out their file and think I will try the A4 mod that's in the current "Hornby Mag" next. Sorry if I've been a bit long winded before I got to the point about the Zimo but I think you can tell that I'm pretty impressed. Oh & they are cheaper than the type I was using before! Off for another Thrash! If someone will tell me how to do it I will post pictures of the chassis mods/installs (if anyone is interested) Thanks

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Buggerlugs, welcome and I for one am definately interested in pictures and method of construction, I actually am really a 7mm bod, but my son is building a 4mm layout presently and I have been "collecting" several diesels of my own for running on his layout I started with a Falcon just because I liked it, then the limited edition C37 "003" and just lately the "Ely Cathedral" 47.

 

After fitting sound to my 7mm 37, 47 and 08.....and hopefully soon the Cl108 too, I cannot just leave thier smaller brethren languishing mute now, can I?

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Buggerlugs, welcome and I for one am definately interested in pictures and method of construction, I actually am really a 7mm bod, but my son is building a 4mm layout presently and I have been "collecting" several diesels of my own for running on his layout I started with a Falcon just because I liked it, then the limited edition C37 "003" and just lately the "Ely Cathedral" 47.

 

After fitting sound to my 7mm 37, 47 and 08.....and hopefully soon the Cl108 too, I cannot just leave thier smaller brethren languishing mute now, can I?

 

 

Zimo do an exceptional 7mm decoder, MX695, with a 10W amp and 6A power in a smaller package than some other leading brands, so easier to fit. They use the same sound projects as their smaller brothers, too, so no one misses out.

 

Paul

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Greetings to one & all, I'm still pretty new to DCC(& this forum) & in particular DCC sound. For those of you who are thinking about trying it(sound) but are still not too sure be warned it's like a drug! I always thought of myself as an out & out steam man vowing never to have a "smelly" diesel on my lay-out. I bought a 2nd hand Bachmann Deltic DP1 prototype (before they were fetching telephone numbers) & stuck it in a display cabinet? I had fitted sound chips to a Bachmann Robinson & was very pleased with it. So I bought another sound de-coder for my Tornado, again I was impressed. I then read an article in one of the mags about fitting sound into a Deltic Class 55. I thought to myself I've got one of those lets have ago. Never having been one for doing this by halves I decided to see if I could fit two speakers. So I stripped down the Deltic as pre the instructions in the mag and whipped the chassis out into my workshop and milled holes/slots into it. One to take the 2nd speaker & one under the pcb board to let the sound from the 1st speaker that was installed as the instuctions in the fuel tank. Re-assembled everthing,the slots in the chassis made it a doddle to refit the drive-shafts,popped in onto my programming track to check all was ok and then it was time to fire her up! Blimey!! Now two or three Class 55's,a Kestrel & a Lion later, I thought I'd get a Class 37. I bought one of the new Bachmann split h/code green examples.Tried it on my rolling road (DC) I then stripped and modified it pretty much in the same way as I had the Deltics. I did away with the switches in the tank (put a bass reflex speaker in there) and another under the fan.I totally rewired it as well because I'm sorry Mr Bachmann when I took the top off your wiring looked like my Grannies old knitting basket. Anyway like a muppet I had fitted 100ohm bass speakers (I had them in stock) made sure all was fine with the install / re-wire by using a sound de-coder from a Class 55's. I then started looking at "different" makes/types of de-coders from the type I had used in the past. I'd read an article in a "Hornby Magazine" that used a Zimo sound decoder. So I watched the videos on the internet & compared various makes / types & decided to go from the Zimo! I called Digitrains & spoke to Jeremy & told him what I was after.Good job I did! After another strip down to fit a pair of 8ohm speakers,wired in series, I took my Class 37 over to D.T. and Jeremy popped in one of their Zimo Class 37 Multi Drive decoders. What a difference from anything I've had before! I'm still getting used to "driving" it using the "notching" method but please if you are in the market for a sound decoder take a look at the Zimo. I will be changing the Class 55's over when Zimo have sorted out their file and think I will try the A4 mod that's in the current "Hornby Mag" next. Sorry if I've been a bit long winded before I got to the point about the Zimo but I think you can tell that I'm pretty impressed. Oh & they are cheaper than the type I was using before! Off for another Thrash! If someone will tell me how to do it I will post pictures of the chassis mods/installs (if anyone is interested) Thanks

 

Glad my articles have inspired you to try something different. You will save a bit of loot, too!!

 

Paul

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi all,

 

it looks like I have finally worked out how to post pictures!

 

Obviously the 3rd one in the group is the finished acticle

.

I'm sorry but I don't seem to have any shots of the modified fuel tank, showing the other speaker but it is definitely in there!

 

I've got a Class 40 arriving this w/end that I hope to modify in a similiar way. Trouble is there isn't a "Multi-Drive" decoder available for it!

 

Any chance Paul?

 

Cheers.

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Hi all,

 

it looks like I have finally worked out how to post pictures!

 

Obviously the 3rd one in the group is the finished acticle

.

I'm sorry but I don't seem to have any shots of the modified fuel tank, showing the other speaker but it is definitely in there!

 

I've got a Class 40 arriving this w/end that I hope to modify in a similiar way. Trouble is there isn't a "Multi-Drive" decoder available for it!

 

Any chance Paul?

 

Cheers.

 

Wow, what a neat job. Thanks for posting those pictures, it hard to describe this type of work without them.

 

Class 40? Well, it's on the list to do, but unfortunately there are others higher on the list.

 

Twin-engined Deltic being one of them!!

 

I've sent you a PM.

 

Paul

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Great job there Buggerlugs, thanks for posting the piccies too.....looks like I might be after a bit of milling then! Presently I just halved the depth of the enclosure for the 20x40 speaker in my Bachmann 47....seems to work fine although could do with a little more bass but no chance in the tanks as the model is the later version with a huge gap between them. I agree about the standard wiring....I think it is modelled on the local speciality in the works canteen...NOODLES! :) I used thread to loom the wires together and it works and looks much better, and much harder to damage the wiring when its neat.

 

I have the 37 to do next, I think it requires a complete strip down like yours, I also wonder why Bachmann didnt use a generic PCB but they have unique boards in each model it appears so far, as the 47 uses edge connectors (crudely described) and the 37 has solder pads for the speakers.

 

Might add some more weathering to the standard weathered 47 body and bogies before finally refitting the boday later today.

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