kev

It can be mended but may well cost more than a new one

My own preference is the gauge master system but lots out there

If locomotive a favourite can always ugrade the motor

I like the gauge master one the club uses the lenz system

Any one got a circuit diagram for the gauge master prodigy dcc base station

Any o converted to sound I use the Hornby tts put a good speaker on it so if you do the motor replacement sound chip cost of loco all for about 100 pound nice little project and saved the pennies and to you the pride of o did that

I have done my Lima ones easy to do plenty of space and if required a more modern motor can be fitted and best of all a fraction of the price of new

First picture looks like you cleared the ghost out of the loco 🤣

Used a lot of them on the odd one I have had to do a reset on program track some are 8to8and the other is 8 try 4 also check not been locked never had many problems but you can get a poor one on any of the chips on the market

My neck of the woods went to Lincoln from that bay were the DMU is would only be about 9 with mum the canopies had gone by then 1964 was the date

I would put it on a separate power supply

A Hornby class 37 had the magic smoke come from the loco tts sound fitted but decoder is ok and working on close inspection wiring is burnt has any one come across this looks like poor quality wire the loco is a rail road one

Now your model looks like the real thing

Sounds like you had a overheating problem make sure you get a good air flow round the unit as you say ok next day all I can think of

I tend too use a 25 watt one but years of using one means I can do most jobs with it but a 15 watt is good for fine work standard solder for electronic use