MrB

Where do you get your resin buildings from, are they Hornby/Bachmann or another supplier unpainted/painted? Regards Roy

I'm glad I waited for the price drop, was over the moon when I saw the Scottish Varient R3000 in late crest in Hattons for £80, so glad I bought two in my eyes it's by one get one for £40! I'll have to get the transfers ready when I get home for some renumbering. Up-dated 14.15hrs Gutted, just noticed rails of Sheffield are selling them for £69.50

The easiest and quickest way is to remove the bogie frames as shown below in DSC01157.jpg or to strip the whole loco and remove the whole bogie as shown in DSC01160.jpg. I've done this work to improve the original class 66 electrical pickups for DCC sound. The Above Image shows the 1/16" x 0.005" x 6" Phos. Bronze Strip from Slaters soldered behind the existing pickups. The Above Image shows the strip cut to length bent and completed Above shows how I've wired the loco for directional lighting. Hope this is of some help. Regards Mr B

Above shows the components for modification and sound equipment for fitting. Above and below show the modifications to the tank and the speaker fitted. Above and below show the speaker, tank and the battery box fitted to the loco Above shows the assembled loco. Hope this is of some help, will post another blog showing the mods I made to the early Bachmann class 66s pickups. Regards Mr B

Any word on when the HST is arriving? Was told it would be July, so I asume there is a delay? Regards Roy

Hi Mick, Looks good, I'd love to do that, but don't want to deal with or inhale the excess dust, the veroboard is nasty stuff. Regards Roy

Hello Folks, As a result of reading this thread I've had an attempt at replacing the Heljan ones with the Bachmann coach wheels. I also checked the dimensions; Bachmann wheels = 14.1mm Heljan wheels = 15.0mm Bachmann over flanges = 15.72mm Heljan over flanges = 16.34mm Quite a scale difference, but with running and visually I havent noticed much, I'm sure if you were to measure the loco's hight there would be a reduction. I have added a link to my fotopic gallery so you can make your own decisions. http://galleryroy.fotopic.net/c1947763.html Hope it helps those who chose to change them a bit easier to under take the work. Regards Roy

After a spell of work at home and away, I have still been really busy since the new year and appear to have no time for modelling, although I have managed to find sometime to make the wheel pick-ups more reliable and rotate easier. There are 2 A4's and 2 A1's still to be renumbered, as the old numbers have been removed but not time to number them yet . The prototye was to hard solder some wires from the wheel around the axel then back on the wheel, but that was more hassle than it was worth and the results were poor. The plastic bushes could take the heat as long as you in no way touched them then they melted. After a month of thinking I decided to give 'wire glue' a go. 1st was to secure the spring away from the wheel where I'd be working, also at this stage burnish the wheel where the contact is to be made. 2nd thing was to solder a connection to the wheel, not a good idea as two of the plastic bushes found out. 2nd this is then to open the 'Wire Glue' and give it a good stir. Then apply using a cocktail stick leaving to set. Finally wheels attached for the third time to the prototype. Although this makes an improvement the connectivity still not as good as i'd liked, think on the next two wagons i'll try;- Making one bogie with two pick-ups for the left and the other bogie to have two pick-ups for the right, (easiest) As the prototype one for left/right on each and to connect wires at each end, (most fiddly) and to add some weight to the prototype to improve connectivity. (best to do anyway)

Still working on that concept, prototype done but needing much refinement. R. p.s happy new year!

Planning/offering to do some weathering Andi? Roy

Having made the prototype light fitted ballaster, the time has come to fit lights to the other 4 wagons in the rake. For me the first step was to sort out the wheel sets to allow electrical connectivity (the pick-ups), for these I used the DCC concepts spring The wheel set on the left is as it comes, and the one on the right is with the insulating coating removed. I removed it using 600 emery cloth. The above photo shows the insulating bush, this is between both wheels and the axle. This shows the wheel removed from the axle to allow the spring to fit. As above and below to remove the wheel I used two sets of pliers, levering one against the other to carefully remove the wheel, but allowing the snipe nose pliers to slide up the axle avoiding any scratches or damage to the axle or wheel and ensuring the wheel is removed square. Above, one done 19 to go. Above all done, still have to complete the electrical pick-up as there is still no connection from the wheel to the axle. Also there is always one, one of the plastic bushes is loose on the axle, a dab of clear nail polish and a back-to-back gauge check is all that's required then allowed to set. I used a grip to hold the spring away from the glue, as if the spring was to be glued to the axle it wouldn't be free to rotate. Remember to roll the wheel sets to ensure the flanges are square, if they are not I would replace with new ones as a wobble could cause de-railment. In part two i'll solder an electrical connection between the axle and the wheel. Roy

Gus will be glad to see you, and even happier to hear your story! haha p.s first class Depot.

Hi Bruce, The last photo looks like a speedlink working, possibly heading back south, as the flats have no pipe on them. Looks like it stopped in Montrose, with the 'Thompsons Mag Lime' tipplers. Loco looks to be one of the Gateshead 474XX as it would appear to have the crest above the number on the bodyside. Roy

I know, not the best video i've taken, have a stand for it now, haha.

Hi Guys I fitted dcc sound to my Hornby 08 as shown in this link http://www.galleryroy.fotopic.net/c1789682.html and fitted dcc chips to some of my Bachmann 08's in this link http://www.galleryroy.fotopic.net/c1390591.html Regards Roy

Hi Guys, I haves some videos on youtube and some DCC and DCC sound fitting on fotopic. I have added the links below. http://www.youtube.com/tractorclag http://www.galleryroy.fotopic.net/ Regards Roy