Martin_R

Apart from yellow variation there are possibly detail differences on cab end but these may be changes during life of the vehicle.

I did mean to give a few tips but time wasn’t in my favour back then…….. Separate the body from chassis as already shown earlier, unplug the lighting bar connection CAREFULLY. The external mods were kind of standard, I used a fine razor saw to create the horizontal bottom edge below the red lens. I put a sliver of brass in the cut to protect and then gently carved and filed the redundant lower light housing and lens away. I couldn’t see a simple or safe way to get to the lens from the inside so carefully drilled the lens out a little so it could be filled with Milliput Superfine - if you don’t do this I suspect you may get a light bleed from the filed back lens. When filling I have always added a little matching acrylic paint when mixing the Milliput, then after 24 hours some very gentle filing and sanding to blend in the profile. I hand painted in the yellow warning panel giving 4 light coats giving plenty of time to dry between coats. When completely dry give the area a light coat of Johnsons Klear, add your transfer (I used Railtec as they have the correct number). Another coat of Klear to seal - job done, now electric’s….. The top light was a warm white LED and a 1.5k resistor, drill out hole to suit the LED lens size. Remove the internal lighting strip, a little gentle carving off the top of the central window housing is needed to get the LED to sit properly - use a short length of heat shrink around the LED body to stop light bleed. Secure with epoxy or your favourite fast adhesive - NOT superglue as it could cloud surrounding glazing. I held the body upright and added a few spots of Glue n Glaze to form the lens for the new top light and added securing. The lighting strip has three tiny solder connections at the cab end - common +, FL1 and I think RL1? (just like the 20/3). Splay the LED wires so they are at each side of the roof just above the window glazing soldering on wire and cover all the bare wire areas with heat shrink tubing. Connect the resistor to LED long pin (anode) and solder the wires to the connections on the lighting strip, resistor to the common + and the LED short pin (cathode) to the tag FL1. Tuck and secure the wires along the roof / body juncture so they are not visible. Connect plug and rest body on the chassis and test, if all’s well click to body back on, look out for the fitting at the bottom of cab end - don’t get it trapped or damaged between body and chassis. Job done!🤞

Following the modifications to all my Bachmann Class 20/3 to give them the outer marker lights I’ve now just modified my DRS DBSO to partially correct to lights to DRS configuration. The positioning is not 100% correct I know but at least the lighting now looks much better to me.

Sadly everything seems to be going T-Up for Hornby at the moment😳

More likely promoted these days….

When (or if) Hornby attend exhibitions etc I wonder how many placard waving modellers and retailers will make their presence felt (and be forcibly removed) from the Hornby stand especially if the media pick up on it. Then again Hornby seem to regard anything and everything as good publicity these days. I personally will never purchase a Hornby Group product ever again.

According to the information leaflet with all DBSO’s they are DC compatible as purchased but not all functions are controllable.

Preordered the NR version from Rails when first announced but looks like it’s been way over subscribed and there’s no way I’m paying eBay prices☹️

I’m thinking of a ‘what if’ livery of black and white with a ‘Badger’ name plate 😳🦡 Custom sound set recorded at the sett……. Hat and coat on 🏃‍♂️

It would be better if they got their outstanding models sorted ie Std Class 2, than bring yet another fictional model out. Strange marketing policy but I guess that the Chinese manufacturing is in such a Covid mess making anything to sell is paramount.

Complete replacement YMA’s just arrived, they look from a brief inspection to be spot on. Brilliant service as I was just expecting just a replacement body and then rebuilding the wagons. Well done Richard, thanks for getting this sorted out.

My guess part of tomorrow’s announcement will be an all new class 37 to the same standard as the class 47 including DRS Wipac light versions all due to arrive in the next few weeks……..

I’ve also been trying to establish which 20/3s had the logos on the central doors. I’m fairly sure that 20 301-5 were central and 20 306 upwards were offset towards the cab end. This site has a good selection of images that seems to confirm this but I’m sure there could be an exception to this. https://www.theironroad.net/DieselElectricLocomotives/Class-20/Class-20-Direct-Rail-Services/i-8qkTFTT/A I’ve now converted my six 20/3s with working marker lights at the cab end using the method shown by SouthernMafia earlier but using these SMD LED’s, the wires are very fine and a devil to work with but they do leave the cab mostly clear of wires etc.

Many thanks for the suggestions, I will look into doing that - sorry to have caused a degree of confusion…….

I’ve tried these settings on a Bachmann Class 20 to vary the sound on a double headed set up but as the sound decoders are I believe Zimo it doesn’t work. You can set up CV 31 to 16 and CV 32 to 1 but CV 262 and CV 262 do not accept any changes….. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions please.

Thanks for the suggestion but I’ve checked all the various connections plus I checked the decoder was correctly located. The fact that the tender red lights just dim when F0 is off leads me to think there is a possible wiring issue.

My sound fitted GT3 arrived this morning, all intact with no visible damage. Put it on my test track and nothing! Checking all connections to track and all OK. The tender to loco connection looked possibly not fully connected so pulled apart and refitted, still looked as if not fully connected though. Tried again and nothing still so went to programming mode and read loco, came back as 0000 ?!? Did a decoder reset, 8 to F8 and loco working nice and smooth. Sounds all working but lights on loco not on but tender red lights on with F0 on or off, F0 just makes them go from bright to not so bright - very strange….. Cab lights not working either and F20 does not turn tender lights off. I don’t want to start digging deeper yet but would welcome any suggestions please.

Update on my function problems. 1. Grandchildren are out looking at some fancy lights with Grandma. 2. Set up on programming track with Gaugemaster and same issues noted - only F0, F1, F3, F5 and F6 appear to be working as with Bachmann controller. 3. CV 8 checked and returned 151. CV 8 reset and checked again and some additional functions now appear to be working but not consistently. 4. Body off and quick inspection revealed the sound card a little loose and at a bit of a jaunty angle PLUS the brown speaker wires (not in use) laying loose on top of the pcb. Removed the sound card and tested in my ESU Decoder Tester and seemed to work as expected, whistle and horns operating when either engine running. 5. Sound card put carefully back in place and unused speaker wires insulated with Kapton tape and secured. 6. Loco tested and everything working as expected. 7. Body back on and final test, completely different loco - smooth and responsive with everything working. I can only surmise that the sound card was possibly not seated properly, just glad I’ve sorted it.

That’s what I have too but only F0, F1, F3, F5 and F6 worked on the basic Bachmann DCC controller, I hope my Gaugemaster will work when I get a chance to use it. All of my other sound loco’s have full DCC and sound file details for very easy adjustments to settings/sound levels etc. I find ESU LokSound V5 by far the best I’ve seen or used plus readily available from some retailers with hard to find sound files.

Luckily we are OK but some friends who went on a Turkey and Tinsel a couple of weeks ago developed a really bad cold which turned out to be covid so one in hospital and one very poorly. Turns out most on the coach trip are unwell….. Anyway back to the main subject - has anyone else had sound issues? Could it just be the basic Bachmann DCC controller, there is scant DCC or sound function information with the loco unlike other makes.

Mine arrived yesterday and a quick visual check everything looks great. Tried the sound functions briefly using a Bachmann DCC control unit engines both start and run as do the head/tail lights but no other functions seem to work. Not able to check further with my Gaugemaster DCC controller until the grandkids depart Thursday evening. Hope it’s just a basic Bachmann control issue!

Just been told SR Class 4DD EMU is a new project. Believe there is an advert in BRM. YES!!!!

Mine was apparently dispatched Friday about the same time as another order coming from Cincinnati in the USA. Guess which one arrived this afternoon via DHL… Royal Mail is really struggling in many areas so delivery times are certainly extended so my Road Van will arrive when it arrives.

I have always disliked the duplication of products by multiple manufacturers. I now suspect it could be open season for other producers to introduce items that Hornby refuse to supply to a increasing number of retailers/sellers. The next 12 months or so are going to be interesting and perhaps a turning point in model railway manufacturing.

Just checked my rake of Fastline liveried FEA wagons. 8 of the 9 pairs effected some not too bad but one shows bad splits in the underside. Eased off the containers and top of central spine is OK but the container on wagon with bad underside splits does not fit on very well. This wagon must have a twist too as the bogies rock a little. Going to dig out my other FEA’s and check them out, not holding up much hope though.