Neils WRX

Thanks for that, really helpful. I emailed Masinky the other week as I wanted to buy some station lights. They don’t appear to ship to the U.K. anymore so I asked if they would and so far no response…. Brexit….. On the Belgian layout I control the signals with a Roco Switch Pilot and was planning to do the same. Will carry on looking now that I understand more about how the signals work!!! Thanks again, Neil

Thanks for that I’ve been looking online and trying to understand Czech signaling and find something similar from one of the shops/websites. Plan is I’ll wire them into the Z21 and the route setting, so they all work with one touch of a button. Thanks, Neil

Been playing trains now the rewiring is complete. 742086 shunting the factory First of ever “night shot” Stocked the fiddle yard and ran a sequence timetable. Next job add some signalling… any ideas where I can get some? Thanks, Neil

Thanks for the positive comments!!! Neil

I keep getting a pop up on this forum for a Southern EMU, must resist, no space….. Even if it is a memory when I worked down south in 3rd Rail Land…. Quick update the rewire is pretty much complete the layout was taken apart so I could work one board at a time. The only issue being the amount of stuff stored under the baseboard had to be moved, so temporary storage needed to be found around the house. Each board now has its own DCConcepts point control unit, and a lighting circuit board this means only 4 wires run between each board, the Track and the DCC Bus for lights and point control. This is the opposite of how it used to be with 28 way plug and sockets for all the isolating sections, power feeds and point motors. Post rewire control remains from the Z21 with the route setting on a iPad as the traditional control panel has gone. The actual task of rewiring was straightforward, I removed all the connectors first and reconnected everything again. Only issue I had with rewiring was that on the last board, where I must have run out of wire as the colours changed which led to a bit of head scratching and tracing wires. I have also wired up the station lamp posts which previously were only cosmetic. They need to be changed to something more suitable in due course. Couple of pictures from a quick test run. The full layout. Future jobs include more lighting, updating some of the scenics and hopefully adding some signals. Thanks Neil

Can you read the decoder at all on the Z21 App? What type of decoder is it can you try it in another loco? Thanks, Neil

S & T Have Been at Work… Couple of boring wiring pictures, 2 scenic boards down 1 to go…. First Board once completed. Board 2 Before: After: Also connecting the station lights as well so they work for the first time!! Thanks, Neil

Looking really good!! I should have mentioned my top tip of filling the underside of the catenary wire, to remove the burrs. Thanks, Neil

No problem at all I used to be on here a lot more but found the adverts a bit intrusive. I find both have there place for model railway help and discussion. Thanks, Neil

Guess I need a very fine soldering iron to do this job? I hate soldering wires onto Decoders but the ribbon looks very fragile to a thick tip soldering iron….. Thanks, Neil

A really interesting thread. I have fitted a ESU sound decoder and it does rub against the flywheel as well so I unscrewed the plate, to give an extra 1mm of clearance. Which means there is a slight gap between body shell and running plate. However when I come back it it I’ll change the decoder. Thanks, Neil

Just a pictures update, these ones have all been previously posted on layouts FB page. Roco 5403 waiting to come off shed while the shunter waits to shout instructions. A pair of 55’s on a sleeper ECS. LS Models class 27 on another sleeper ECS. Mehano 5102 on the fuel point: Hopefully have some actual modelling on the next update…. Thanks, Neil

I don’t like my 714….. First update for a while, I was planning a post about the MTB 714 however it’s still not properly up and running with lights and sound. I have discussed this on the Dobris thread. Anyway more about that one in a future update (once it works). As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve now started re wiring and re control the layout. One advantage of this is I have a few new photo angles. Here’s a Roco 749 passing the signal cabin. A boring photo of rewiring the first scenic board. Thanks, Neil

The bit I need to master is the “ski jump” to go from fiddle yard to scenic board for the OHLE. I also want to get a Peco loco lift underneath as well as one end has a very short non scenic bit. I’ll watch with interest. Neil

I think it’s Salome ? On a train from Lille to Etaples. Neil

The continuing saga of my 714. Sorry for clogging up your thread. Been asking questions elsewhere and found this very useful how to on YouTube. So the answer is you do have to drill a hole in the chassis and take the circuit board off and then resolder it. Thanks, Neil

Thanks for the offer. My issue with this model is I have no idea how to connect the marker/tail lights, as the connectors are on a ribbon and I’m scared to solder them incase I melt the ribbon. It’s something I’ve never done before. The other issue is fitting the speaker in the fuel tank without drilling a hole through the chassis into where the motor sits and then drilling the base of the fuel tank to let the sound out. I had a look at the lights this evening and one of the “ribbons” was caught under the running plate so this had to be prised off and threaded through the correct hole: I’m falling out of love with this model despite needing a 714 for my fleet. Tempted to give up on sound and just put a normal chip in it and accept its shortcomings. I used to really like MTB and have loads of their models both locos and DMU’s but will think twice before investing again. Neil

Daft question how did you fit the speaker as there doesn’t seem to be hole through the chassis from the “fuel tank”. There looks like there should be a way through but there isn’t. Have purchased a ESU chip and loaded a Goggle sound file to it as they sound dull as well…. Not keen on a full dismantle and drilling through the chassis though just to get the speaker in. It was hard enough getting the fuel tank out…. Did you try and get the marker and tail lights working as well? Seems like MTB are moving from ready built locomotives to DIY ones… Thanks Neil

Better… ?

I agree both 66400 and 67400 would have worked these sets. 2 pictures from many years ago. Thanks, Neil

I have used plastic masts (Vollmer I think), but I ended up replacing these with Sommerfeldt metal masts as they are so much more sturdy. The plastic ones just didn’t feel strong enough. Thanks, Neil

Great layout, not sure I’ve commented before. Re catenary I use Sommerfeldt on my Belgian layout, I just ordered the bits I needed from Modelbahn Lippe. The only issue I can see for you is they really need to be fixed to the baseboard and screwed down. Thanks, Neil

Did you manage to source a sound file for the 714? Not put a chip in mine yet. Thanks, Neil

Layout looks really good, must not get tempted!!!!! I have to many other projects on the go already….. Cheers, Neil

I did, Santa came up trumps!! Not fitted a decoder yet or added the detailing bits so it’s just an ornament at the moment. Thanks, Neil