New Howes west country sounds on V4 chip

[SRman]

My own WC was done with Bryan's earlier release on a LokSound v3.5 and,as Wilton was an earlier Hornby release of this model, it had no socket so had to be hard-wired. However, much as I would have liked a larger speaker, I could only find room for the smaller 20mm speaker and enclosure, tacked in right behind the smokebox door. The sound from this speaker comes out through the chimney and is not too bad at all.

[Happy Hippo]

Not being a southern man, is there a significant difference between the sound made by the original and rebuilt Bullieds?

 

Regards

 

Richard

[roundhouse]

I have unscerwed the front weight which holds the cylinders in place, cut an angle section of the weight off at the front but leaving enough to hold the cylinders in place when screwed back idown. The underside of the chimney is trimmed then the standard Loksound baffle box is glued up side down under the chimney.

 

This speaker and housing just fits and when firing the sound downwards seams to be loud enough at shows. I think I have even hard wired the newer unrebuilts as the socket is in the way where it is. I will check a newer one in next few days as need to open it up to fit the new batch of Albert Goodhall ash pan sides that Rt models are now doing.

 

I havent tried the loksound v4 yet but can feel an order will be placed with Howes fairly soon!

 

Ian

[tender]

My own WC was done with Bryan's earlier release on a LokSound v3.5 and,as Wilton was an earlier Hornby release of this model, it had no socket so had to be hard-wired. However, much as I would have liked a larger speaker, I could only find room for the smaller 20mm speaker and enclosure, tacked in right behind the smokebox door. The sound from this speaker comes out through the chimney and is not too bad at all.

 

Thanks for that SRman, funnily enough the WC i'm fitting sound to is also 'Wilton' but a rebadged earlier Malacite version as 21C141. The loksound is also the v3.5 with Howes WC sound. I think I still have the original 20mm round speaker so i'll give that a try first and see how it sounds.

 

I have unscerwed the front weight which holds the cylinders in place, cut an angle section of the weight off at the front but leaving enough to hold the cylinders in place when screwed back idown. The underside of the chimney is trimmed then the standard Loksound baffle box is glued up side down under the chimney.

 

This speaker and housing just fits and when firing the sound downwards seams to be loud enough at shows. I think I have even hard wired the newer unrebuilts as the socket is in the way where it is. I will check a newer one in next few days as need to open it up to fit the new batch of Albert Goodhall ash pan sides that Rt models are now doing.

 

I havent tried the loksound v4 yet but can feel an order will be placed with Howes fairly soon!

 

Ian

Thanks for that Ian - if i'm not satisfied with the sound of the 20mm round speaker i'll measure up the bass reflex speaker i have and look into your method more closely.

 

Ray.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

Sorry to bump this topic, but i'm just about to embark fitting my West Country, Loksound chip and bass reflex speaker. Can anyone who's already fitted this explain the best method. The loco has a 8pin dcc socket on top of the main block in the loco but i don't think there's room for the bass reflex speaker. Should i rewire and fit decoder and speaker in the tender or just the speaker or other suggestion?

 

Is this rebuilt or spam can?

[tender]

 

 

Is this rebuilt or spam can?

 

Spam Can - I have two chassis to choose from, one with a DCC socket, one without.

[roundhouse]

I have only fitted sound to an unrebuilt. A rebuilt one has a small slot for a Hornby or similar sized decoder. if you want to fit a sound decoder and speaker you will either have to remove the weight from the front of the smoke box or fit it on the tender

[SRman]

Thanks for that SRman, funnily enough the WC i'm fitting sound to is also 'Wilton' but a rebadged earlier Malacite version as 21C141. The loksound is also the v3.5 with Howes WC sound. I think I still have the original 20mm round speaker so i'll give that a try first and see how it sounds.

 

 

Ray.

 

Ray, the standard ESU speaker is more like 23mm diameter; I had to change it to the smaller 20mm one as I just could not get the 23mm to fit.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

The Spam Can will take a 23mm speaker. There is a weight screwed to the chassis which also keeps the valve gear in place. i used a small lead sheet and the same screw to hold it down. An ESU Loksound 3.5 and a 23mm speaker fit on top of the lead sheet. A really good sound as the speaker is directly under the chimney which is holed on this model.

 

Just make sure that the decoder is insulated from the lead. It is also a good idea to fold the lead sheet in the front of the smokebox to give extra weight as far forward as possible. These models are noted for porpoising if the weight is removed altogether.

 

My model is Tangmere so if they have changed the chassis since then I might be wrong. Rebuilt is a very different kettle of fish and rebuilt WC is a smaller smokebox than the MN that I converted so a change of speaker to an 8 ohm sugar cube is a must.

[SRman]

I might have to look at that weight if I 'revisit' the installation later, David. I did add some sheet lead as a wrapper inside the casing for around two-thirds of the length, adding approximately 75 grams to the overall weight, concentrated over the driving wheels.

[roundhouse]

I have added weight in some of the unrebuilts to the back of the smoke box door and the gap between the speaker baffle box and roof just forward of the chimney

 

However this should be fitted after installing the speaker.

 

If the Albert Goodhall cast white metal ash pans have been usee this extra weight is even more important especially on earlier Hornby models as the rear driving axle had a lot more spring or compensation in it compared to more recent releases.

 

I tend not to add weight to the sides as I use Plastruct box sections laong the lower inside of the body to reduce the chances of the sides bowing in with handling at shows.

 

Ian

[tender]

Thanks for the information guys, all really helpful. I had the body off for a quick look last night and gave it a test run before making any mods. Just as well I did, it was rubbish. I did buy this second hand but at sometime in it's life it looks like the slide that the piston rod runs in had come detached and had been glued back on on one side, unfortunately in the wrong place, which was preventing the piston rod travelling it's full stroke. After a bit of fettling with a scalpel blade and some super glue its now running as it should.

 

Now to the Loksound install, it looks like i might have room for the bass reflex speaker if I remove a bit of the chimney tube and mill off a bit off the top of the weight as suggested by roundhouse. I would loose the decoder socket but that's no big deal. Not sure where the decoder will go until I measure up how much space there is between the top of the chassis and the body (behind the speaker?).

 

Ian, if your still watching, where did you put the decoder?

 

Ray.

[roundhouse]

Ray

 

I think it went somewhere in the front. If I get chance tonight I will open one up and take a few photos.

 

Ian

[roundhouse]

I have opened up 222 Squadron and taken these photos. The loksound decoder is taped to underside og the loco body behind the chimney.

 

The front weight has been cuy at a rake then covered in tape. The 8 pin plug and socket has been kept but left loose and also covered in tape.

 

As this is a newer Hornby light pacific I hadnt added any weight at the front. However after taking these photos I added some lead strips.

 

Ian

[tender]

That's great Ian, gives me a good idea how much space is available above the chassis for the decoder. I might see if i can get the bass reflex speaker in the same place as your round one.

[tender]

Here's an update on progress.

 

This is the body with the chimney cut back to be flush with the two ledges ready for the speaker.

 

 

Speaker and Loksound decoder stuck in position with double sided tape

 

 

This is the front weight complete with plastic mount for the 8 pin decoder socket pcb

 

 

This was modified to lower the 8 pin socket so it didn't foul the speaker

 

 

Just need to reassemble and add some lead to the sides of the chassis (or body) to make up for the weight of the removed material plus a bit extra for luck.

 

Will post a final picture when the lead arrives.

Ray.

[tender]

Forgot to add this one of the weight block back on the chassis

 

 

The 8 pin decoder socket is now low enough to give the speaker mounted in the body a bit of breathing space.

[blackmoor_vale]

Hello,

 

here my expiriences with sound fitting in the unrebuilt West Country.

At first, please excuse my crude english, I come from Germany.

 

Last month I have fitted a Loksound 4.0 with Howes Sound Files in my West Country.

This loco was customized for me at TMC in lined green with late crest. The basic was one of the older Hornby models, chassis without socket. But I don´t like to hardwire the decoders. The reason is easier handling (especial exchange and test with different kind of decoders) and it is not necessary to cut-off the plug from the decoder. Sometimes this is even important in question of warranty and so one.

The first task was also to fit an socket. The secound question was the space for the speaker. In my humble opinion, the bigger the speaker, the better. The original speakers delivered with the ESU decoders are very, very basic and really useless.

Afters some trials with diesel locos I prefer to use only bass-reflex and bass-enhanced speakers, like the speakers from dccsupplies. In direct comparision with the ESU speakers the results are impressive.

 

 

Here the chassis. I unscrew the big weight block and fitted a distant plate made from 2mm plasticard. On this plate I glued a steel plate 40x 22x4 mm for weight balance. On top of the steel plate comes the speaker. The bass-reflex speaker is supplied from dccsupplies and have the number 995200038.

 

 

The speaker is fixed with double sided tape. Like written before, for space reasons the chimney is shortened too. The small socket in front is the connection for the lightning, because my Blackmore Vale is equipped with front laterns.

Right from the speaker you can find the 8-pin socket for the decoder. The dcc 8 -pin socket is made from two-line connectors, distance between holes 2,54mm, aviable in well-stocked electronic stores.

 

 

The only aviable space for the decoder was at the side. I used always Sellotape instead of normal insulation tape. Sellotape is very thin, sometimes is half of one millimeter essential. And you can later see, what you have glued one year before!

 

For a impression of the result look this short video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uVltKXq_no

 

Best greetings from Potsdam, Germany

 

Torsten

[tender]

Well, sometimes things seem easy at the time, all was going well until i tried to get the body back on. Somewhere along the line i got my measurements mixed up and it was clear the socket was going to foul the speaker.

So a quick mod to move the socket further back.

 

 

 

Here's the body back on, no problem this time.

 

 

At the recent MRX Manchester show Legomanbiffo suggested having the speaker pointing down towards the track for best results. Boy was he right, it's loud.