Pierre Le Brun

My Locos, Dapol Western, Dapol Railcar, Hornby Railcar all seem to have a pedestrian top end speed. My Bachmann Warship is better but not much. All my locos have loksound 5 fitted. I'm using a Gaugemaster Prodigy Express 2 Controller and testing on a Kato track. I've set CV5 at it's max of 255. Is there anything else I can do to improve the top speed? Do I need to alter the Tv value?

Thanks Richard, I'm not in a rush to do it. I've read in a previous post that cutting the blue wire will disable the lights or alternatively including a resistor on the blue wire. This was on a Bachmann Loco but may apply to a Heljan loco possibly.

I have now upgraded to Sound and everything works well

Richard, If it's the lights I could remove them as it's not a deal breaker. Going off the topic I've recently installed the Railcar decoder I bought from you in my Dapol Express Parcels and the sound is excellent. As you know the only thing I changed was the speaker (personal preference only) and nothing to do with sound quality.

Problem solved the part has been kindly donated by Phil Bullock. Its now installed in my Heljan Class 47 and working well.

I've read on other posts that a TTS decoder wont work with a Heljan loco as it draws too much current and blows the chip. I wondered if its possible to wire a resistor in between the loco and decoder to reduce the current. I'm not sure if this is feasible or if anyone has given it a go.

Thanks for your assistance. I glued the headcode on the inside using pva a bit of a fiddly job though. I havent checked if the supplied headcodes are waterslide as it may have been easier to put them on the outside. I will check that out later.

Having a problem fitting the headcodes. Pealed back the rubber fitting to insert the supplied Dapol headcode. There doesn't seem to be anything inside to hold the headcode in place!

Thanks Phil, the GWR Railcars look good in the video. Just need to sort out the volume in my Hornby Railcar, third attempt at a better speaker.

I suspect this is the problem I may have had with the decoder as it refused to work after several attempts and then wouldn't work with the blanking plug. Possibly it needed that extra push. All working now.

I'm after a retaining clip for my Heljan Class 47. Existing one has snapped. Contacted Heljan HQ without success and annoyingly drawn a blank so far on the web.

I've just spent a few hours replacing a DCC chip in Smokey Joe, possibly as a result of racing around Abbotswood Junction a couple of years ago. Frustratingly the soldering aspect and chip replacement was straightforward what took the most time was trying to get the motor retaining clip back on. This was a nightmare any one else experienced the same difficulty and is there any easy way to do it. Also at one time Smokey Joe was as cheap as chips to buy, now in the region of £36 for this price I would have thought it would be dcc ready.

Finally managed to get everything up and running on dcc, not sure why it wouldn't work the first couple of attempts. Reinserted the chip a few times also checked the motor was running freely, as suggested by letterspider as things may have been tight. Did not uncouple the drive as things are now working I thought I'd leave well alone. It's only a 4 function decoder so I've got the following lights, front and back, both cab lights but no coach interior. Worst case scenario I was going to let Phil Bullock (Abbotswood Junction) have a look at it.

I've had problems with the 121. Tested first on DC everything fine albeit not beating any speed records. Problems started when I installed a 21 pin MTC laisdcc chip. Ok I know this is a cheapskate Chinese chip. The loco did not respond, using my Bachmann EZ controller. Though I did detect a brief humming sound. Next replaced the dc blanking chip, the bubblecar did not respond now on dc. Tested track with another dc loco and everything is fine with the track circuit. Sniffed the loco, no obvious signs of burnt or blown circuits. Anyone come across this before.

Ok Boyo, I'm Welsh but speak with a refined Welsh Cardiff accent.

Phil took a well deserved break from operating Abbotswood to have a look at the other layouts at the Newbury Exhibition. He left it to the capable hands of his assistants but while he was gone prototypical operating took a downward slide and an intruder was spotted on the line. This little loco seems to appear regulary when backs are turned.