Kaput

It's the same decoder. Previously it was only available as a spare part hence the "X" product code. The new release is just it being made available as a standard "R" coded retail item. I imagine it'll probably mean the packaging upgrades from an anti static bag to a box but these days who knows...

It is quite sad just browsing the Farish pages on a site like Rails of Sheffield, the amount of stuff that is preorder outnumbers the actual in stock items by an insane amount.

Some alarm bells ringing from there as most of the images look exactly like the ones on Hattons website.

Yup, looks exactly like a drop in sound decoder for a Kato loco of some sort. Probably a Digitrax due to the stay alive capactior

Remember the factory sound comes with LokSound Select decoders which are cheaper for the manufacturers to obtain. Unless I'm mistaken the Class 156 sound available via the DC kits website is full fat LokSound v5's now hence the price. There is a possible chance if you contact Charlie directly he might still have a supply of the Selects from the factory fitted version that could be sold for the price difference between non DCC and sound fitted.

Think I have #20s on both but I do have 2nd radius curves so I tend to lean towards caution.

It works perfectly fine - can't actually remember the last time mine even ran as a full 4TC. I'd very much suggest Kadee couplers for using with the Heljan 33/1 as well.

Ah. Fair enough, cheers I'll have a tinker at the weekend.

Bit of a random one and maybe better suited for the DCC forums but I was trying to enable the dynamic braking on my 156 so it matches my LokSound V5 stuff but I can't seem to actually set CV179 (the braking force) any higher than 0. Decoder Pro just gives a failed to confirm error. Any ideas or is it just something the LokSound Selects don't actually support?

It's almost like you waited until I sound fitted my Bachmann 37/4 before announcing these....gits

Seems like its off for the year - I imagine with it being mostly outdoors (in tents) theres a fairly limited seasonal window for when it can happen and the jury is still out on whether the entire summer is dead and buried...

I have a distinct feeling the type of traders that have fully functional websites with online ordering facilities and such are the ones the least affected by the cancellation of shows. The smaller traders that rely on shows are a lot more likely to either not have a website at all or only a basic one and any mail order setup is strictly old fashioned email/post based and wouldn't actually hold up to replacing their show attendance.

Even when something exists in a manufacturers N gauge range it seems to be a pain to actually get them lately due to lack of reruns of older releases. The Farish Black 5 is a prime example - hardly ever see any for sale. Sometimes seems like theres two extremes with N, either it sells like hotcakes and if you aren't there at release you'll miss it and be up the creek or it doesn't sell at all and ends up in the bargain bin for no real reason. Distinct lack of a middle ground where a newcomer can come in and find some models of fairly common prototypes. I've been on the lookout for blue/grey MK1's to make up a fake 4TC rake, so far managed to find an FK and thats it...lol

I used a Hattons 8pin direct fit decoder with an Elite once upon a time (in a Class 71). Seemed to work fine, only slight oddity was a noticable buzz from the loco whenever it was on the track that doesn't happen with other decoders.

Cheers Dave, just sent a message via the contact us form on the site.

Anyone having issues logging into their account on the Hattons site tonight? Was trying to add something to my wishlist and it claims it can't find my account. Will send them a query tomorrow but was curious if I was the only one.

Is it one of the new ones with the next18 socket? If so the light functions will need setup properly as they aren't quite on the traditional function outputs to allow for independant directional control.

Assuming its like the other recent Dapol retools to have a a next18 socket then no, its not had any other modifications for sound and will still require chassis mods to fit a speaker. The change to next18 has mostly been done for better control of the lights. Only the Class 50 and 68 from Dapol currently have speaker space built in.

It's also worth pointing out I overheard a person at the Bachmann stand at Model Rail Scotland asking for info on the Garrat they were doing and after a bit of thought the Bachmann person said its not us, think its Hattons. Now I can't remember if N guage was specifically mentioned considering the original Heljan OO ones were Hatton's commissions but the point still stands that advertisment is a mess. It really does feel a bit like Hattons have went: announce Garrat in N > preorders a bit low > quietly say on a few places it won't go any further without more orders > don't actually advertise it well > quietly cancel it and use the entire thing as a reason not to bother with N gauge commissions/exclusives. Still think they'd have got much more interest by doing either something much more widely travelled and ubiquitous like a tank engine (even just a new tooling J94/Austerity) or shrink raying some of their OO exclusives (RHTT, Beilhacks etc). Going for something with such a limited operational area/time in a market as small as N seems foolish.

I noticed the dckits website is now offering a Class 29 sound file, anyone tried it? Or even anyone sound fitted their 29 yet?

Probably both. I think the idea is to have only one coach setup so the ECoS can auto detect it. I use a much simplier DCC controller that doesn't need a fight to have 2 decoders on the same address.

I think you have to disable Railcom on one coach.

The CV changes Dapol provide for light setup only apply to their own decoders. The required CV's on a Zimo decoder will be completely different.

For what its worth the manual for the N gauge Class 68 includes an exploded parts diagram but the OO ones don't.

At the minimum they need to upgrade/replace the MK2's with PRM compliant stock by the end of May going by the extension letter from the DfT.