Kaput

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.

Scotrail versions are still readily available from retailers and ebay without silly inflated prices so between that and the fact they've already modelled both Scotrail ones I don't see them doing more. I assume once the Fife circle loco hauls stop at some point this year Daring and Valiant will get repainted back to DRS livery of some sort - that might be a more likely candidate to re-release one of them.

Speaking from previous experience the non factory sound Tornado can be a little flaky over isulfrog points on DCC due to lack of tender pickups - just something to watch for.

Wouldn't be the first time Hornby have listed a J94 as DCC ready right until it released.

Hamley's has always amused me with their prices - especially when its Lego for more than the RRP and both the big Hamley's shops I know of are within 10-20min walk of an actual Lego shop... Still there is something kinda cool about the sheer size and insanity of the London Hamleys.

Could be wrong but I think yard mode on the PA2 just lets you change direction using the wheel instead of the direction button so probably has no real relation to CV changes. Handy for shunting operations I suppose.

Sadly Hornby seems very stuck in the mud with using 8 pin sockets then just for comedy value fails to provide enough space for their own 8 pin decoder to actually fit. Most likely the 91 will have switches on the bottom for day/night mode and turning off the tail lights, not much good when its pushing its train from the rear when you'd actually want the tail lights but not the headlights....

No matter what happens the chances of the DCC provision on the Hornby 91 being anything more than an 8 pin socket and barely enough space for a tiny decoder with basic directional lighting is minimal.

Question is which version of Bachmann 21 pin - the latest ones are ESU LokPilot Standards so should have all the functions as required. The older ones on the other hand won't have enough functions and no amount of CV fiddling will change that.

Did have to chuckle a bit at the Farish 70/8 being in the options for N guage locomotive of the year considering they still ain't out (AFAIK).

Do remember that while 68's of some varieties are hanging around in shops there has been 3 separate runs in 00 already and some of the models in the second run at least were pretty much the same ones as the first run just with some issues corrected (not including the livery error that was corrected with replacement bodyshells).

One aspect of putting a powered pan in is adding the motor and wiring for it will probably make it less likely they could just reuse the 68's internals without some major mods. Theres also the question of available functions for the decoder - the 68 already needs a 6 function to handle its normal lights and on the 00 version the cab lights aren't linked to the decoder at all.

I'd have guessed for axle loading but I've just checked wikipedia and its claiming the 93's are planned as Bo-Bo so it seems my information was out of date. Could bode well for the model chances.

IIRC the 93's are planned to be Co-Co as well so it would be some very creative tooling to allow an 88 from the same tools even if they are otherwise similar looking.

Is it possible the prodigy's that are messing with CV29 for no reason are the older non squared versions and the squared ones work as expected?

Considering Dapol require enough pre orders to confirm if a single livery Class 68 run is feasible when it requires nothing other than name/number changes I think the chances of an 88 are close to none. Just from a casual glance at the prototype next to a 68 it looks like the only part of the tooling they could reuse is the bogies and even thats debatable. Add the fact the compass livery on the 88's is different (and more complex) than on the 68 and of course the whole theres only 10 of them and all in the same livery so little scope for multiple runs.