tractor_37260

That's some impressively clear glazing....it's not just fallen out...has it nope...says it all...bogie pipe clips and rad grille also good improvements on the original batch...

if you look further up in this thread I've explained how to wire up these 51968 boards in response to Foden's query. Your cab lights will require a resistor - 1Kohm on each decoder Aux output wire used will be ok. U+ = positive common connection - Blue wires - if more than one used connect all together. Resistance can be added to the Blue wire, but you then loose the individual circuit brightness adjustment you can have by using different value resistors to suit different LED outputs on the decoder negative output wires, this is as per the circuits on the rear of the 51968 boards. Any other queries - just ask..... HTH

Hatton's own brand is a similar replacement...... HTH

Just spotted this post. I've had this auto-logging out problem while composing a post/reply on numerous occasions recently, it's a real PITA after spending the time composing a reply, go to post it and you find you have been auto-logged out, and hence the text is also lost. I'll spend my time doing something more useful in future, until this gets sorted !! The above happens on both tablet and desktop................

37 025 One of the first 37's into Departmental Grey Livery - AFAIK it was a works re-paint 37 188 Perth - Freshly painted into Dutch livery - a works visit or perhaps at ED ? Both appear to have the roof and bodysides in the same shade of Grey.

Unless I'm missing something, the only speaker I can see in the photo looks like an EM2 ? and they are very impressive....

Agree - assuming it's 37035 in the above photo...? their 37046 Dutch model should have been the same......

The OP is using a Loksound decoder, so the above is not necessary although likely required on Hornby 's 100mA max per function output decoders.

The cab interiors are held in with lips on the cab door glazing - not glued. Use a flat blade screwdriver between the top REAR edge of the cab interior (there is a tab that locates into a bodyshell roof recess) and lever up the rear of the cab part from the body at the same time spread the body apart slightly at the cab door glazing to allow the retaining clips to release. HTH

Em Rob I'm more confused that ever now ! and that's nothing new...... Your photo above clearly shows the roof and lower bodyside being the same colour - RF Grey as does the photo at the top of this thread. The original drab Departmental/Engineers livery started out as all over R/F Grey. Opinion decided it was just too drab, especially once weathered, a Yellow body stripe was added to brighten it up - hence Dutch livery as it came to be called. However, some not all of these liveried locos got Ex Dark Grey rooves at some point, but not 035 and 046 AFAIK.

Hi Ben Yep I'd agree the roof shape will look different from different angles of viewing. However from the front on CAD image above, I think the domed roof on a Hornby model ( also from front on) looks more accurate. Look forward to viewing the first EP of the model. Regards Ken

An easy fix for broken Hornby Class 56 Buffers, after that silly tiny O rings securing them failed/came off and hence fired the buffers across the room - after a lot faffing around I eventually found them. Using a pin vice with a 2.5mm drill bit and a small length of 1mm dia shrink fit tubing. Drill out the buffer housings, but only the first 2-3mm to form a recess, do not drill completely through the housing. Push a length of 1mm dia shrink fit tubing in as far as it will go and cut off flush with the housing face. Place the buffer into the shrink fit tubing/housing (the correct way round) and push it in firmly, no glue required. Although the buffers are no longer sprung, they won't come off or turn to odd angles. HTH

That EP looks mighty impressive What's the current ETA for these models ? Will they all be released at the same time, or in batches ?

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Looks a very impressive beast, apart from the head on image, the cab roof does not appear to have that distinctive dome shape, it's too tapered off/flat towards the edges.

Thinking the Grey roof colour on this loco is a bit on the dark side, especially when you compare it to the earlier Dutch 37 035, which appears more accurate ? The roof being the same or very close to the lower bodyside colour. 37 046 in this respect just "looks wrong" to my eye.............however it does run beautifully like a Swiss watch straight out of the box...

As standard a Lok V3.5 has 4 only function outputs. I've used numerous ESU 51968 adaptor boards with Lok V4 decoders, the number of functions available depending on the version of the 51968 board and also the version of the Lok V4's used with them, the last of them which I think was V4.3 when used with one of the later 51968 boards had up to eight powered functions available. I've never used a 51968 board with a Lok V3.5 so I'm unsure if you will get access to an extra 2 functions of not. As supplied Express Models kits normally have a small connecting board with resistors with 5 ? loose wires to connect to the decoder - White/Yellow/Green/Purple/Blue. If the headlight and marker Leds are separate wires, it should be possible to link them together, and use the White wire to power them both at No 1 end (Fan) same at the other end using the Yellow wire. The Green and Purple wires could then be used to power the tail lights. Assuming the combination of the LokV3.5 and a 51968 board gives access to Aux 3 & 4 these could be used for the cab lights, wired directly from the 51968 board using a 1Kohm in-line resistor for each - negative wire, all Blue + positive wires being connected together. One issue you might find when you connect the marker and headlight LED wires together, when powered the headlight may draw all the power, and the markers won't light, or be very dim, depends on the LED's used for the headlights. I'd experiment first using a 9V batt to find out if when linked both headlights and markers light up on the White/Yellow wires. The decoder will also require the function outputs mapped to the desired F Keys. HTH Ken Edit: Perhaps the mods could combine this thread with the other with the same title ? duplicated original post ?

A much better choice..............

Nice work ADB coincidentally I've also just finished the same conversion, I'll put some pics up on OMWB thread shortly. The toothpick tip is interesting, I used the edge of a curved blade hobby knife with similar results. A couple of additions you can or perhaps already plan to add, RETB nose aerials and the classic car spot lights, 262 was also a "steamer" with open boiler port and pressure release valves. I used to use double sided tape for nameplates a few years back, but found that eventually the glue dries out and the plates fall off leaving a glue residue that's difficult to remove cleanly on the loco side, presently use Matt varnish. If one prefers using double sided tape, the easy way is to lay the plate on the DS tape and then cut around it. I remember well that winter here of Dec 1990/Jan 91 got stuck in the snow a number of times !! Although 37 133 worked off Inverness, it was never allocated here, although it was at ED and ML. With a bit of work and some Yellow paint - perhaps ED 37 232 for your other 142 ? Always nice to see some more modelling inspiration................ Regards Ken

On the DCC fitted versions the decoder is a built in part of the main circuit board, to convert a non DCC version of the coach you'd require a spare Bach circuit board or a custom made lighting unit could be made up and used with a wired decoder, but cost and time wise easier to source a replacement DCC fitted coach.

I'd agree, an EM2 speaker also sounds it's best when fitted inside on the chassis, the shell helps as a sound chamber, the difference is very noticeably with the body on or off.....so unlikely any speaker is gonna sound any better with the exhaust ports cut open.

quote: Also Hornby state that the chip is for an "unrefurbished" loco which leads me to think it's only meant for 37/0 and 37/3 locos. Am I correct in thinking this? Yep later refurbished 37's - 37/4 -37/5 etc had starter motors/alternator's, the original as built 37/0's used generator's

Newly fitted working spot-lights for a couple of 37's - L/L 37 012 and 37 114

Hi Darryl When using DCC pairs of LED's should be wired in parallel. For a pair of coach tail lights you have 2 options Wire them directly to the track via wires and pick up's via the coach wheels, the tail lights would then always be ON as long as the track is powered, regardless of direction, avoids the cost of a decoder Or use a decoder which would allow the lights to be switched on/off to suit from the handset - wheel pick-ups would still be required. For both options a resistor is required, 1Kohm is a good starting value, if the lights are too bright, using a higher value resistor ie a 1.5 or 2 Kohm will dim them. For either option join both the long LED legs together (+ positive) and both short legs - (negative) together. Use the in-line resistor between the short legs and the power source. If using a decoder, the long + positive legs are connected to the decoder BLUE wire, the short legs VIA an in-line resistor to one of the decoder function output wires, White/Yellow/Green/Purple. Normally the White & Yellow wires are directional by default, using either wire would mean the lights would go on/off depending on direction. The Green and Purple wires are basically just switched on/off regardless of direction by a handset F key, these would probably be best to use in this case. HTH

Interesting comments on the lighting. Apart from bi-colour LED's being used, there is also a light bleed issue, which also spoils the effect. It also appear's that Ice-Blue/White LED's have been used, when Warm White LED's would have looked far better. The cab/destination and interior lights appear to be a lot brighter than the those fitted to the "Barbie" units, although these later units I believe had different/dot matrix destinations similar to the 158's. However overall it's a really nice model, but the lighting issues spoil it for me, which would be very difficult and awkward to correct, although perhaps not impossible. As for the justification of cost compromise. surely the differences in the early and later lighting configurations would have been part of the overall design spec/costs from the outset, as the units were all originally built with the same Wipac lighting arrangement.