Steve Williams

Mine was set to 192, much too loud. I reduced it to 80 and found that more than loud enough.

Got 'The Black Watch out of the box and all OK apart from one brake chain disengaged at the body end. Absolutely no idea how to refix as it doesn't appear to hook on the lever, but would appear to have been glued. Not sure my eyesight and manual dexterity are up for re-fitting! One question: I have always believed that 'Drive Hold' means that one can increase or decrease throttle, but speed remains the same. When I am stationary and engage F5 (Drive Hold), the sound increases in volume up to a point and will decrease when I disengage. If I increase speed steps with F5 engaged, loco will move and continue to increase in speed as I increase sped steps, rather than remain stationary, as I would have expected. Similarly, if loco is on the move and I engage F5, then rather than maintain that speed if I increase speed steps further, loco will continue to increase or decrease in speed, depending on throttle setting. Is this a CV programming error or am I misunderstanding what 'Drive Hold' means in this instance?

Received mine today (Thursday 23rd) and the postal packaging was the same. Just two pieces of crumpled brown paper. Fortunately, the model itself is well-packaged in its own box.

Just returned my second Class 121. Same issue, grinding along like a tractor at slow speeds, plus, as a variation, one of the seats was rattling around the interior, not that that is in itself a major issue, just symptomatic of build quality. Given up on them now.

Well the one motor seems OK, but the other one is very noisy. Well either the motor or the gearing. Certainly doesn't sound as though it's something that would disappear. Quality control seems to have become such a widespread issue, whether it's with Dapol. Heljan or Hornby to name but three. There really is no excuse.

Well I have just got around to testing my 121 (on DC) and it has the grinding sound at low speed in both directions, so that will be going back. Fortunately I kept all the packaging in anticipation. That in itself is sad reflection on quality control!

Any details of what function re-mapping required, appreciated, thanks Norman.

I always thought that those cables looked too long, from the very first photos I saw. Such a ridiculous error.

I have done a similar thing, except that I have an A5 ring-binder and create a separate card for each loco. Functions that I rarely use, I put in a smaller font and if I have changed the function mapping on any, as in this case where I made the compressor easier to access, and also the 'coast' option', then I just attach a red asterisk. Using an NCE Power-cab, by changing the function mapping on those two functions, it saves me having to go through the options button to expand the function accessibility. Instead, I can just use the main buttons immediately. C44-9W (Dash9) (1005).doc

Aaah! That sounds a distinct possibility. I had read about being able to vary the volume with the wand, but had not made the connection with the word 'MAX'. Thanks for that info.

I have just acquired a Lifelike USRA 2-8-8-2 steam locomotive with sound. It has a QSI decoder. When I used it on my test track set-up which has several Kadee under-track magnets, whenever the tender went over the magnets, which is where you have to wave the magic wand to reset, the whistle would sound several times and there would be several audio repeats of the word 'MAX'. I also found that it would reset the sound volume from 45 (which I had set it to), back to 50 (which was my previous setting). It did this at every magnet except one. It was as though it was trying to go through a partial reset routine. I have no idea why the word 'MAX' is even in the sound file, unless they are all Vestappen fans! I would be interested to hear if anyone else has had similar experiences with QSI. I have a couple of diesel locos with their decoders fitted and have not been aware of any issues.

I have recently read, on another website, that in order to get the Zimo M644 decoder to work properly, one needs to remove the suppression board. Something to do with it interfering with the BEMF. I would be interested in any observations as I have two to fit and I intend to use the Zimo chip with Paul Chetter's sound file. Also, what stay-alive would folk recommend? I don't want it to be able to run for seconds, just enough to cope with the odd blip. Thanks in advance.

Glad to hear all OK. Yes, I have now ordered some of the male connectors. I really do wonder why Heljan make life so unnecessarily difficult. What on Earth is wrong with solder pads like Dapol. I really do think they need to look at Dapol and pick up some tips on end-user convenience.

Many thanks Steve. Have ordered some. Steve

Mike, I was wondering those light leads with the mini-plugs solved the problem. I too need to attach speaker wires to that ridiculous little female plug! Steve

Alan, When you say the side walls of the chassis opening, I am trying to work out exactly where you mean. I have one of these ready to have sound fitted, so any advice much appreciated. Regards Steve

You wouldn't by any chance know how to remove the centre section of the body? The instructions just give a couple of arrows, which seem to imply that you stick something in the side and lever out, but I'm not sure if that is correct and, in any case, doesn't seem to work. It's necessary to remove the centre section to fit a decoder.

Bought one of these when they came out and only just got around to fitting a decoder and the three link couplings and hoses. The hole for the three link is much too big, so the coupling just falls out, whilst the air hoses are a full 180 degree curve, resulting in them fouling the front of the bogie. I will have to glue in the coupling with super glue, hoping I get it correctly aligned before it goes off, and try and heat the hoses to straighten them slightly. Such basic things. Not impressed.

It's the one on the Class 60 bogie side-frame that I am after. Suddenly realised that I had lost one. They seem to be held in place with two little projections smaller than a gnat's whatsits! I'm also after the ETH cables from the class 50. The most vulnerable part of the loco I would suggest. I was told in a separate email a little while ago, that they are awaiting supplies of these. I live in hope as these seem to have been unavailable for a long time.

Sorry about that. I was rushing to get the post finished before the call for dinner. ;-) There, that should be easier for you,

I have had a look on there Andy, but, sadly, to no avail. They were my first port of call after the Hornby website.

Am I the only one who considers Hornby spares availability, completely unfit for purpose. For a start, I don't find their website particularly intuitive or user friendly. If you manage to get a list of spares up for any loco, it's utterly inadequate. I tried to access a service sheet and it failed to respond when I put in the loco concerned. The only way I could get the website to respond was to type in service sheets, which then gave me a few to choose from, none of which were what i interested in. What spares that do happen to be available appear to be quite random. I fail to see why any item that is currently being used, is not available as a spare. Also, those items that are particularly vulnerable to damage, or likely to drop off, should be available a a matter of course. It's as though Hornby are adopting a policy of built-in obsolescence by making availability deliberately poor. If I contact Atlas or Athearn in the US, I can acquire most parts. In the case of Athearn, when I have sent an email query, on a couple of occasions, I have even been sent parts free of charge! If Hornby want people to buy their products, they need to up their game considerably. I am sure there will be people who will say they have had no issues and been able to get what they want. Fair enough. I am equally sure there are an awful lot of people who have not been able to get what they want, and if you upset or frustrate your customers, they will go elsewhere. I don't expect to go to my garage and be told the spare part I need isn't available, especially when the model is still in production. Neither do I accept the cost argument of producing and storing items. If they want people to buy their products, they need to have a good after-sales service. I recently emailed their CEO with regard to this issue. I haven't even had a response. That says it all.

This would seem to be the case Ian. If I am understanding things correctly, when changing the F4 value (CV522) from Whistle (value 19) to Air Horn (value 16), the practical result is that instead of continuing to get a 'double-toot', albeit with a horn rather than a whistle, it changes to a short 'single-toot' Air Horn Acknowledgment. I was under the, clearly wrong, assumption, that the 'double-toot' facility remained constant with F4, irrespective of which of the two values were entered I shall know all these damn CVs off by heart before long :-)

That's excellent, thank you Paul. I'm presuming that once CV 519 is changed to 15, although CV522 is still changed to 16 (as before), its effect is simply to repeat the altered sound of CV519? I rather liked the idea of someone shouting 'Oy', it would be reminiscent of 'bunking' sheds in the 60s! :-) UPDATE: Changed CV519 to 15 and that has changed the whistle to horn. However, Changing CV 522 to a value of 16 is still giving me a single 'toot' rather than a double one..