Bob83a

There is only one part number (R) for each of the decoder interface types, so you cannot buy a decoder with a specific sound project loaded. If one of the sound project is loaded by default then there is less than a 1 in 30 chance of it being the one you require. Therefore it might as well be blank.

Can’t find mention of this on here HS2: Foam pool appears near construction site in west London https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64708869 The tunnel is generating a bit of froth!

What is missing from the program is any sense of timeline. Some streams must have been filmed over months, the tooling of the Lion for example must have taken a couple of months. At what time was Simon deciding to do the Lion, was it before the Titfield saga. The Buccaneer was shown at Fairford in July, but the design must have started in Q1 at the latest. The editing seems to imply that the two were progressing at the same time but could have been actually months apart.

Does anyone know if it will be possible to set-up the sound decoders as a matched pair. By that I mean the one decoder operates slightly differently, e.g on An HST the horn only works in the forward direction on the leading power car or the startup of the rear power car is delayed a couple of seconds. This has been done by several sound project developers on ESU decoders. Despite Hornby selling the TTS HST decoders in pairs I don’t think it was possible to change the sounds in this way. I.e the TTS HST decoders were just packaged in pairs. The TXS decoders are not being sold in pairs and anyway the sound project is downloaded separately. I would assume the TXS decoders are being sold with no sound project installed or some generic sound.

Nobody seems to do enough testing these days, they just release it and then provide updates. Even then it seems they release fixes separately rather than bundle them up. Android and IOS apps are examples of that with some apps being updates very frequently. Lets hope that Hornby provide updates to the firmware of the decoders as well as the Soundfiles.

Hornby site says winter 22-23, so should be fairly soon.

I think that there were two varieties of the Bachmann 36-557 decoder, one is blue board and is a LokPilot. There is also a green board which was a Soundtraxx MC decoder. Are you sure which one you have.

The description just says speaker fitted, no clue as to whether if it is prewired, however because the decoder fitting is a next18 then the speaker should be prewired to the main PCB and just plugging in a decoder should be enough. With regards to the Farish model it depended on what type of connection was fitted to the model, if it had a 6 or 8 pin connection then the speaker cannot be connected to the decoder via pins on the connector (there are not enough pins) , hence separate wires from the speaker to the decoder direct. With Plux, Next18 or 21 pin connection then there are pins on the connection specifically for the speaker.

It is not possible to adjust the chuff rate. I believe from other posts that there is a set rate for groups of speed steps. There is very little that can be adjusted on the TTS decoders, limited set of CV’s. The only people who can change the TTS decoder sound project is Hornby. In the past some decoders had to be returned to Hornby for modifications, whether they replaced the decoder or updated a eprom is only know to Hornby. It seems that even for the new TXS decoders it is only Hornby that can create protects but for those you will be able to download a new project and reblow the decoders.

But there is nothing for mobile phones etc to broadcast. The mobiles scan the wi-fi channels waiting for Router (or whatever you call them) to broadcast their network ID. The may then obtain an Ip address from the router and determine if there is any security required, at which point they usually just display a list of the networks available and require user interaction to select a network. This usually will not be done. The router will not allow access to local resources or the internet until the security has been passed. I never said there was not a general issue but just there should not be a problem in the cathedral.

It is not so much as to the total number of devices but more linked to the number of wi-fi routers/access points/base stations/hot spots which are the problem. Most devices do not transmit very much just idling, they are just looking for wi-fi networks to connect to, they do not broadcast anything. The routers etc are broadcasting their SSID, I.e the name of their network. Once a device is connected to a network then it will be able to transmit and interact with that wi-fi network and most devices can only be connected to one network at a time. So there will only be one model railway network, maybe the cathedral will have one or two, then there are the ones in nearby buildings. But the thickness of the wall of the cathedral will block a lot of the more distant/weaker networks. Mobile phones use different frequencies for their communications inc voice and data so this will not be an issue.

It depends on what you consider to be Hornby only engines. You can be sure that Hornby will only provide sound files for classes of locomotives that they make or have made. They probably would not create files that would help to sell other manufactures models, but of course may do so if it was likely to be generate sufficient extra sales of the decoders. However where other manufactures make the same classes as Hornby (e.g. class 37 and 47) then there is no reason that you cannot use the Hornby decoders and sound files in them. Previously Hornby TTS decoders were only available with 8 pin connectors and this meant that you needed to hard wire or fit adapters to install the decoder into other manufactures models. The new sound files I believe have some CV’s adjusted to match Hornby models but of course this may not be the best optimisation for other manufactures models. E.g chuff rates etc as this depends on the construction of the model or the characteristics of the motor etc, the TTS decoders did not provide much in the way of adjustment. Even for Hornby models.

You would have to assume that Bachmann/EFE have done due diligence on these models with respect to intellectual property rights or there could be the possibility of the models being stopped at Customs. As Charlie of Realtrack has said they do appear to have some of the deliberate “mistakes” which are part of the Realtrack models, but until Realtrack see one of the models then who knows.

No, it will work with just insulfrog points. if you look at the current flow one side of the crossing track is isolated by each point.

Important item is that you have both your power connections (red circles) the same polarity. E.g Red wires to outside track and black to the inside track. This is to ensure that you have the polarity match when vehicles cross over the irj’s. I used to run a similar layout but with insulated points and no irj’s, in that case it was important to ensure that one controller was turned off when trains crossed from one circuit to the other. I would advise doing the same in your case. Because you are using irj’s then the loco will stop on the crossing at which point you can turn off the first controller and the use the second until the train clears the crossing.

Putting this in terms of above ground landmarks, they have passed under the road bridge at the West Ruislip Station entrance, and then under the platforms. They are currently in the vicinity of the point where they pass under the Metropolitan line, which crosses under the Central and Chiltern Lines. There is nothing much to see above ground other that surveying points monitoring for movement.

Anyone know what episode is airing on Monday. Is it episode 1 that many have already seen. Some listings are showing it as episode 2 but I think that may be based on the original start of the series last Monday. Given that they have released episode 1 and 11 on UKTV Play, is it likely that they may drop the schedule for the last episode which would allow for the remaining 10 episode to still be show in the original planned slots. Episode 11 is a top 10 round up so to me not so potentially interesting as the other 10.

Has anyone else noticed that the Blue/Grey Mk3 have different R numbers where as the Executive one have the Base number plus different suffixes. R40391/2/3 as apposed to R40238 -/A/B/C Normally different R numbers would have indicated something significantly different, livery etc and a different suffix would indicate different running numbers etc

Given that Hornby have announced a 21 pin decoder and several models have been retooled to include 21 pin connector, it the time to announce 21 pin TTS decoders.

TTS decoders are only 8 pin so far but Hornby may announce something soon, HST ones are out of stock in most places but the are bargain Valenta ones to be had. Most suppliers of full blown sound decoders e.g. ESU or Zimo will be able to provide them with most interface types

The positioning might relate to shorter portion on the Kingswear branch compared to the Plymouth/Cornwall portion. But the shorter portion would have to be on the rear in both direction which does not seem likely.

Lais 860042 is not a decoder, it is a breakout board to allow a 21 pin MTC decoder to be plugged into a model. It has wires to connect to the model, the colour of the wires appear to follow the NMRA standards.

This map dates from before 1911 when the goods facilities were relocated on to the Moretonhampstead branch, adjacent to the race course. The station was rebuilt in 1927 with much longer platforms and no overall roof. I believe that the crossovers to allow the joining of trains were installed at that time.

A quick guess would be that they were to allow fitting of a stay-alive capacitor. It would be useful to know the colour of the wires and the make and model of the decoder. You should be ok tapeing over the end of the two wires individually with insulation tape to ensure that they do not contact anything. The model should already have a speaker installed connected to the Circuit board so no wires are required for that. I believe that previous Howes decoder have all been ESU’s so your is probably the same.

Start by checking what type of lighting is installed, bulbs would most likely need to be replaced by LEDs to avoid overloading the decoder function provision. Check as well what current the motor draws, or replace the motor as suggested. Choose a Decoder to suit the current draw of the lights and motor. I would add a decoder socket, available from the likes of Strathpeffer to make installing the decoder easier. Most importantly you will need to clean and re-oil the gears and bearings. I would not think about installing sound until you have done all these things. Don’t bother with sound unless you have solved the noisy running, it is a waste of money to install decent sound and then drown it.