neal

Can’t believe I made the same mistake twice! This is a screw terminal decoder, up to 5A for larger locos. The wiring diagram on the instructions is misleading and actually handed (effectively as if you were looking at the decoder from below). However one would assume the view is from above (with the ‘stay alive’ socket shown on plan as it would be viewed from above): (I wrote NO on the diagram for future reference!) Having spent the usual 2 hours working out the lighting wiring for another Heljan diesel, it took a further 45 minutes to fathom that the decoder wasn’t getting juice from the tracks! Looking at the terminal connections to the underside of the decoder, they are labelled correctly. I do recall a similar (identical) issue with an old DCC concepts chip - in fact I think this one may be the same (with the same duff instructions!) Now it’s installed, the loco runs fine with default settings. At £40 a pop, these are still good value, and gave the grey cells a workout! Neal

Compared to Airfix and Scalextric announcements, this does seem somewhat understated. After yesterday’s news I feel bad for our hobby, Neal

How many of us have the Hattons ‘new arrivals’ page as a favourite on our web browser? Sad day, Neal

That’s great, thank you! Was worried these might have been held up by the Houthis. I assume you will contact pre-orderers for payment… Best Wishes, Neal

Dare I ask whether the early batch landed, need to brace my bank account….!? N

The L style socket (as used on the class 17, A3, A4, Prairie, Mogul) is supported by ESU and Zimo, and has both sound and power decoders available. Plenty of functionality and power- my point is why change? ECT have gone with the L socket for their Black 5. Neal

Nope, not as far as I could see. I ended up buying a Loksound XL sound decoder (which is great), but will hard wire my Hattons bargain 27 (£265 - 👍👍👍). I can’t help but think this is a factor in the Cl 26/27 discounts, and it may be relevant that the 58 has already been offered at cut prices. I assume the 73 is also ‘XL’ ready. Unless there are decoder options, I think this is a barrier for sales. Neal

Latest YouTube vid suggests the new year for most/all - can’t imagine my unlined late BR would be delivered to me on the the 23rd Dec… Ahh well, best things and all that. Slippers for Xmas! Neal

The EC guys at GETS say these will land from next month, excited now! N

TT By Only Mr Kohler I think… N

Since the fat controller barged that 9 year old child in the Sodor community sports day, rugby is a sullied sport on the isle. N

My DCC ready one arrived with the decoder pcb loose in the box, and smoke box door off. Thankfully no other damage. A simple fix, but a shame nonetheless. I guess vibration in transit could have caused these to come loose. Pity the smokebox door has no positive ‘hold-shut’, has a tendency to creep open in use. Neal

This was a wreck at my company’s store, a little TLC… I think it’s a bit of a hybrid, the timbers ain’t great, and there are signs of repair, but it has beautiful axle grease lubricators which now work again. Need to resurrect some sign writing skill for lettering… N

Didn’t realise that Heljan supplied these with the spare parts bag. They look ok. Annoyingly I had misread the blurb and assumed that this had an ESU 5L socket, rather than a 5XL. The 5L Lokpilot bought to go with this wont fit! I have sourced a Loksound 5XL with sound project and matching speaker, however I feel a little aggrieved that Heljan have only offered a socket which (currently) appears only supported by one manufacturer without the option for a power/function only decoder. Looking at the pcb, there appears not to be much slack in the wiring, so stripping out and hard wiring would be a pain. There is no wiring diagram supplied with the model. As Jenny Kirk’s video review stated, the hoses/cables which loop around the N/S buffers unplug from the chassis, but are well glued into the body shell. As the body is a tight fit, it is very difficult to remove this without stressing the plastic hoses, and one of mine succumbed - I see Jenny had the same problem…. I will replace using the end fittings from those supplied, but with fine black wire to enable the body to be removed without trauma in future. Whilst the cable/hose issue is annoying, I feel the DCC socket is a retrograde step, and less ‘DCC friendly’ than the screw terminal pcb’s of prior models. If Heljan provided a correct and user friendly wiring plan, then wiring in a screw terminal decoder is not a major hardship. ESU offer a 5XL Loksound decoder with screw terminals, so this decoder would remain an option. If and when a wider array of standard large scale plug and play decoders are available, the change to a plug and play socket might be more appropriate. The Heljan/Hattons steamers and Class 17 have 5L sockets, but at least these have non-sound decoder options available (although just by ESU?)*. I wonder if this is a factor in lower sales of the same, and subsequent discounts (yes I know the Gresleys had wider issues). It is of note that Rails are already discounting the 26/27. I assume the 58 and 73 will follow suit. Neal *The outstanding Minerva-imported Chrezo 140C also has a 5L socket, but benefits from the Loksound 5L having a very good pre-installed sound project.

Does anyone know of a supplier of O-gauge tablet catchers suitable for this locomotive? Neal

Check with ECT whether the decoder will support DC operation for sound. Neal

I thinks that’s a good call. I’ve ordered DCC ready and will take a view on decoders available at launch. Can’t wait for this one! Neal

I don’t think that the Soundtraxx decoder will be compatible with the ECT DCC ready socket, but this could be hard wired. This would however require the ‘hard yards’ working out wiring relevant to the decoder connections. I don’t know what sound files are available for this decoder. In all honesty, Bluetooth is new to the UK DCC market, and expecting manufacturers to respond in weeks or months to a new technology is unrealistic - particularly for O Gauge where production volumes are less, and commercial risk is very high. As far as I can see, Bluetooth DCC still requires a solid AC or DC power supply, which could equally provide a DCC signal. In my mind the ECT sound fitted loco, supported by a well installed DCC network still remains the way to go. That said, such comments echo those of analogue supporters 10-15 years ago! There are parallels with going electric for your car - I have just bought my ‘last’ petrol powered car but was torn over the decision! N

I doubt that compatibility with a low end OO gauge sound decoder will be a primary concern for ECT. The model will be suitably heavy (I have held one), and have a corresponding current draw. I would hope that ECT design the motor and electronics for performance and reliability over power consumption. As the sound version is Zimo, I would think that the 34pin L interface will be provided - such as: https://www.coastaldcc.co.uk/products/zimo/decoders/o-gauge/ The price difference between dcc ready and sound fitted appears to be in this range. Nonetheless, there would be an hard-wire option for other decoders, but experience would suggest that models of this size would draw more than 1 amp peak, most likely defeating the HM7000. I have dabbled with using TTS chips for ‘sound only’ in 0 Gauge This works with diesel sounds - the class 50 is remarkably good - but the steam sounds rely on BEMF for chuff sync (what little there is). I would imagine the HM7000 is similar. ~ Obviously using them for sound only would obviously defeat most of the Bluetooth benefits. It might be worthwhile lobbying Hornby to produce a range of decoders for 0 Gauge, with relevant large scale sockets. Alternatively, Soundtraxx are already on this with their Bluetooth enabled range: https://soundtraxx.com/blunami Neal

Many thanks for your thoughts. It is in such bad shape I don’t think it’s worth salvaging as a souvenir, I will leave it be for others to enjoy and watch it’s history slowly decay… Neal

I regularly take a circular walk around Stoke Bruerne with the dog, ending up at the Boat or Navigation for a drink. For more than 13 years I have walked past this piece of metal which lies undisturbed, rusting away at the side of the embankment which carried the SMJR between Towcester and Olney, around 1/2 mile west of where this crossed the WCML at Roade. I have often wondered what this could be. Common sense might suggest that this is some form of culvert/drainage outlet, however in my mind it does resemble a firebox throat plate. The upper surface whilst heavily corroded does appear to have some blackened (possibly burned) marking. It could well be from an agricultural machine (maybe traction engine), but is quite large - some 18 inches across. I would welcome your thoughts, romantically I would love that this might have been from a passing 4F, cast aside when the branch was mothballed… Neal

Long nosed pliers, patience and care. Wiggle very gently and it will come out. I don’t think the tool referred to exists… Neal

Ordered one on the back of this…. Hopefully Christmas present…. N

Thanks Chris, Neal

Afternoon all, Picked one of these up from Kettering this morning - a lovely thing with crew to match. A few notes - there were no instructions in the box. I may have been unlucky, but the guys at the Ellis Clark stand had told me how to access the decoder in the chassis. Getting into it is a matter of removing 8 small screws. The chassis comes away from the body quite easily, however there are cables connecting the two for the lamps, with little slack. The decoder socket is mounted on a thin flexible pcb. This makes removal of the blanking plate difficult. It would be easy to fold the pcb and damage it, so care is required. The decoder has to fit below the pcb and socket. There is no slack in the wiring to change this. The decoder goes into a recess in the chassis (where the fuel tank is moulded below). There is some further space above this with a recess to the body floor, however there is very limited width for your chosen decoder. The Zen ‘next 18’ decoder I acquired at the show was too wide, and was never going to fit. A subsequent trip to my local store in Northampton found a Bachmann/Zimo alternative which when compared with the blanking plate appeared to have a chance of fitting (and has the benefit of a braking feature). Looking at others available, I would suggest the Gaugemaster equivalent would also fit, but the Dapol Imperium might be marginal. I assume Ellis Clark have designed this with their chosen (Zimo?) sound decoder in mind. Reassembly requires care to ensure that cables run in grooves to the chassis and body floor. The motor is clamped between chassis and body, and does come loose, allowing the axles to drop out. Patience and a strong cup of coffee are advisable when you fit it back together. Be very careful, whilst the chassis and body floor are metal, the superstructure, chairs/frames and roof are all plastic. Care is required when pushing them together. If the cables and motor sit correctly only a little pressure is required and the 8 screws nip things up firmly. If adding the crew, I would suggest doing this before adding the rolled up side screens (if you choose to add these). The white metal crew supplied by Ellis Clark are nice, weathered and ruddy looking. As with many seated model characters they do not all match the depth and height of the seats. Adding some black-tac to their backsides allows them to sit ‘comfortably’, with adequate hold. Tools supplied were fixed similarly to the trailer. The crew do add a nice bit of weight. On track, the DCC fitted model ran backwards, resolved with CV29 change. Directional lamps are bright with a yellowish glow As others note, it runs beautifully, with no hint of stall over trackwork, including a double slip. It can crawl at a (scale) snails pace! Given its size, and desire to have space for DCC and sound on board this model is a fine achievement, particularly the refined running. It is fragile however, and might come off second best in a head-on with a Heljan Deltic! All bodes well for the Black 5 which I am told is a good bet for Stafford or Warley. The LMS liveried prototype looks magnificent. Neal