PJ-101

I was hoping that was the case - thanks!

Does anyone know whether Bachmann's 57XX Pannier tank Body - 32-217A will fit onto 32-208 (Class 8750 Pannier Tank 6757)?  Many thanks

Just to confirm for anyone who finds this thread - the information which came back from the retailer was 'Dapol have told us that the decoder is a two function decoder and the factory have mislabeled the decoder as a 4 function'.  Interesting that the Imperium 5 6 pin is still widely being advertised as four function!  

On 22/04/2023 at 11:17, Crosland said:

Pedantically, functions are selected on a cab and are internal to a decoder. A decoder can support many more functions than it has outputs (i.e. wire connections), that's what function mapping is for.

 

You could, if you wanted, map F28 on your cab to some lighting effect. It doesn't mean the decoder has to have 28 physical outputs.

 

Having said that, it would be unusual for a decoder to only support four functions, so I think Dapol (or whoever) are just mislabelling the number of wires as well as calling them functions. "function outputs" would be better.

I'm really a bit of a newbie re DCC and still finding my way, but a 6 pin 2 function, has 2 function outputs and an 8 pin 4 function, has 4 function outputs which all makes sense. I am aware that some chips have solder pads rather than wires to make up the additional function outputs, but the Dapol one does not. Also they sell a 6 Pin 2 function chip for a few pounds less, so I'm struggling to see how this one is any different if it only has 6 wires and no solder pads.

On 21/04/2023 at 21:52, ISW said:

Oddly, the Dapol UK website (https://www.Dapol.co.uk/search?q=decoder) doesn't have an Imperium 4-function 6-pin decoder in the list! I did find a CV listing (attached) that makes reference to up to 6-functions, but I can't 'translate' the text into anything meaningful.

 

Since many other major retailers stock the Imperium-5 6-pin 4-function decoder (Rails of Sheffield & Kernow Model Centre to name just two), why not give them a call and ask about the instructions on how to use/wire the 4-functions? Surely someone has made it work ...

 

Ian

imperium-cvlist_1-0D.pdf 91.44 kB · 16 downloads

Thanks Ian. I have contacted the retailer to see whether they can help, although as you say, this is commonly advertised by a number of retailers so I feel like I need to get to the bottom of this one way or another. If it's misleading, Dapol will need to change the description.

Thanks Ian, that's very helpful as you say, someone else had exactly the same problem!  Over a year later and it's still being sold as 'four function'. Dapol sales have not responded. I will be referring this to trading standards if Dapol ignore my email. 

I have just purchased a Dapol Imperium 5 6 pin 4 function decoder which says 'Full instructions included inside' ......this is not true!  I understandf the 6 pin wiring, 4 for the motor/pickups and two for lighting functions, usually directional, but I have no idea how to wire for the other 2 functions as it says 4 functions?  I was looking to have a function for the front light, rear light and internal lighting, leaving one unused.  There is a 2 function version of this chip, so the 4 functions must be accessible somehow. There are no solder tabs on the chip itself.  Any ideas would be very much appreciated!  Thanks.

On 22/01/2023 at 00:39, Dagworth said:

I've just realised there is an even easier way to do it, connect the interior LED to the supply (either the black or red) and then after the interior LED then split to the front and rear LEDs, onwards to the resistors and finally to the yellow and white wires. No diodes needed at all. I'll draw the circuit diagram in the morning.

 

Andi

Hi Andi, just a quick further reply to say thanks for the additional wiring diagram. I have now realised that this is a very neat solution to the problem, in fact, its the perfect solution in this situation!  Could even be useful in other situations. Thanks again.

14 hours ago, Nigelcliffe said:

 

It works just fine as Andi drew it.    Can also substitute either of the pickup wires (red or black) for the blue shown, which will be simpler on a six-pin decoder socket.  

 

 

Yes I realise now that it should work fine, in actual fact rather a neat solution.  Thanks for confirming though.

6 hours ago, Dagworth said:

Circuit diagram now added, hope it helps

 

Andi

Thanks Andi. Is it not the case that voltage/current can get back to the chip via the 'closed' function ie both yellow and white (when only one is selected) and damage the chip? Apologies if this is a stupid question! 

12 hours ago, peach james said:

I'm assuming N scale here- because size constraints.  If there is room for a 2nd set of LED's, that's probably the easiest way to do it...

James

Thanks James, it's actually a OO scale conversion but virtually nowhere to hide the chip, hence need smallest possible.  The second set of LED's is my default option, just seems like wiring two interior lighting circuits (4 leds per circuit, so not too onerous) means alot more interior wiring to hide, if the same result can be achieved with one circuit. Appreciate your input.

Hi Andi, thank you so much for your thoughts on this, particularly helpful circuit diagram. If you could do one for the simplified solution suggested above, that would be fantastic.  The 6 pin chip does have a blue common return wire, so presume I can just use that rather than the red or black.

Thanks Iain, I did a mock up with diodes, it does work but there is still measurable voltage (I think it was around 2v) the wrong side of the diodes, they block most of the current/voltage but not all of it, so concern would be damage to the decoder, but the whole diode thing was stretching my electronics knowledge to the max!, so I'm not sure whether it's viable or whether I have to just accept that this arrangement wont work.

I think it can't be done, but just wondering if anyone knows better.  6 pin DCC 2 function chip. 1 function (white wire) for front light (directional), 1 function (yellow wire) for rear light (directional), but can interior lights be wired from both white and yellow? so the interior lights are on with the front headlight, then when the direction changes, the rear light comes on with the (same) interior lights, albeit that they probably turn off briefly during the directional change.  It would mean that there's no independent control of the interior lights, just front light/interior or rear light/interior. 

Need a small 6 pin chip, not enough room for an 8 pin 4 function, but not too bothered about controlling them independently.  The only alternative I can think of would be to have two separate interior light circuits (4 leds each), so one is wired to front and the other wired to come on with the rear.  Just hoping to avoid lighting circuit duplication if possible. 

Comments welcome. Thanks.

On 26/04/2021 at 23:41, The Johnster said:

The B sets respond well to a bit of working up.  Personally, I think the most obviously jarring feature is the plastic windows, shaped to provide the correct amount of set in from the sides but the thickness causes a prism effect that creates the illusion that the window reveals are too small.  Mine have been rebuilt into a brake third and an all third, and I have ‘conventionally’ glazed them with clear plastic along the inside of the body sides, which I think looks better overall than having the correct set in. 
 

The BR. livery is, SFAICT, intended to represent 1956 unlined maroon, but is a bit too purple for my taste, made worse by the colour fading.  A repaint is advised.  The interiors can be painted which improves the look considerably; cream for sides and compartment dividers, red seats in 3rd and blue in 1st, dark grey lino for floors, and I paint the insides of roofs white to better reflect the light in there.  It is worth fitting no smoking and first class transfers inside the windows of the appropriate compartments. 
 

A big improvement in appearance results from proper sizes buffers on the outer ends of the set.  These can be obtained from several sources; Wizard are my go to and can provide the correct square shanked type in cast whitemetal, which, once the mould line is filed out, are much better than the undernourished Airfix plastic mushroomy blobs.  The Airfix 7’ Collett bogies were pretty good when they were first introduced, but things have moved on and if I were doing it now I’d be using the very good current Hornby’s or Stafford Road Works/Shapeways 3D prints, which come with NEM pockets printed in. They run very well with Hornby or Bachmann wheelsets with no need for bearings.  It’s worth replacing the plastic Airfix wheels anyway; all metal run better and spread less dirt about your layout. 
 

Pick out the door handles and grab rails in brass enamel, and if you really want to gild the lily, Wizard supply lighting cable connectors to replace the moulded on ones on the outer ends.  Depending on your curves you may be able to close couple the set, and Roxey do suitable lamp brackets.  
 

The Mainline 60’ sunshines need less work, but will benefit from painted interiors and window transfers.  

thanks for all your thoughts on this, which Hornby bogie replacements would be the correct one's to use?

I'd managed to convince myself that it wasn't worth the effort doing too much (wishfully thinking retooled versions may be along soon!) but now you've sown the seed and I'm starting to rethink along the lines above. I certainly agree that the windows on the B sets look odd, maybe replace buffers as well, oh and the wheels, perhaps the bogies, damn it, now I can't leave it as a paint job, I'm going to have to give it a lot more work!

I'm trying to improve some old GWR Mainline 60' coaches and Airfix suburban B sets, nothing too detailed, just weathering really as next to Hornby's latest offerings they don't hold up too well.  The interiors are pretty poor so looking to give them a paint job to tone down the plasticky look. I've tried all sorts of colour variations but can't quite getting them looking right.  Any suggestions on suitable colours to use?  I'd prefer acrylic as I want to airbrush them, but can go enamel, and I'll then brush paint the seats reddish for second and blue for first. Compared colours to photo's but nothing looks quite right out of the tin/pot. Thanks.

Thanks. I guess the lighting does look a bit intense in the photo's, it's softer in real life and will be installed with a voltage regulator which will allow some tweaking.

Scalescenes shop fronts in low relief with 1930's frontage 

My version of the scalescenes hotel

One of my early builds, although I was quite pleased with the results. It's an odd shape to fit is a p articular location on the layout

I have after much consideration decided to put virtual pen to paper to create a thread for my upcoming layout.  I've been reluctant to date as I have a major house renovation and a business to run and was concerned that I might not be able to offer enough updates.  I started work on the buildings a few years ago having returned to the hobby after many years (I wasn't really any good at it back then) although I have managed to improve over these past few years from the original Ratio signal box through to the almost completed Wills craftsman goods shed, but finescale it is not!  The internet now provides such a wealth of research material and inspiration and I, as I'm sure have many others, have relied on many of the posts on this forum and others to help me along.  Partly in return, but also for my own benefit, having found that I often forget how I did something or what colour I used, I'm creating this layout thread.  I'm also hopeful that once I start constructing the layout itself I might be able to get some advise on positioning for kadee uncouplers, signals etc!   I will update the thread with many of the buildings so far either complete, or soon to be completed, but in the meantime, a brief introduction to Central Park;

Yes it's mainly GWR themed and a tail chasing 6x4!

It will be constructed in a modular way which will feature a 'front' and 'back' scene and a higher level, each of which should be replaceable with a different module.  

Front - Suburban low level station with footbridge to upper level. This will also feature brick retaining walls, a goods shed unloading bay for GWR removals service which should include use of the arches for storage (Likely to be interchangeable with a London Underground scene which would work with the town scene above - this is a little way off yet!)

Back - MPD - double engine shed, water tower, coaling stage, turntable etc. 

Upper - brewery layout which can be used as a shunting puzzle, interchangeable with a town scene with working trams on the same track plan.

The whole thing to be portable and height adjustable.

I'll post a few photo's of the build to date just to get things started....

Hoping someone can help. I'm in the process of building a Scalescenes engine shed and carrying out some minor variations around the roof to make it a bit more GWR style.  I want to include chimney stacks as I have seen these on the Stratford and Didcot sheds but I can't tell from the photo's what they where made from. There are some photos on google showing sheds in disrepair and it looks like there was a metal frame, which presumably was connected down into the smoke troughs, so I assume some sort of cladding or render was used over the metal frame?   Thanks to all in advance.

Thanks for the thoughts so far.  Unfortunately resin buildings leak light through the main walls, despite being quite thick they allow light to pass right through so it requires more than caulk to seal up a few gaps.  I also have warm white LED's which give a decent representation of incandescent lighting.  The difficult bit is getting the light to shine through the windows without showing empty interiors, as with a low relief building you can't really imitate a basic interior without giving away the low relief aspect internally.  I might have a go at creating some form of light box to at the least get the led light to shine correctly behind the relevant windows.   

I think interiors are becoming more of an issue as led interior lighting is becoming more prevalent. Scalescenes (https://scalescenes.com/scratchbuilders-yard/) do an interior detailing kit which includes domestic appliances which might be useful, also worth checking Model Railway Scenery (http://www.modelrailwayscenery.com/) for their detailing packs, Shapeways (https://www.shapeways.com/shops/dcyale) sell 3d printed items and this guy sells some interesting laser cut workshop tools (https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/naaron88),  I'm sure there are other options, but these are the ones that come to mind.