RBE

What surprised you? The model has been made to incorporate prototype independent control of all of the lighting functions as per the real loco. It simply cannot be done with a basic decoder set up (the lights have to be programmed In such as way as to override the standard lighting etc for instance when setting it to stabling mode with reds at each end. You can set the dip switches to 'basic mode' if you like but obviously you won't get the full functionality of the lighting.

Having examined the coupling situation we have decided (at this point) that a Kinematic coupler is necessary, however I have redesigned the couplers for both the upcoming class 60 and the second run class 56 to a design that requires much less longitudinal force to swing and recentre the mechanism. As a result the coupler has less extension but a more reliable action. Once the samples with the coupler are produced we will do heavy train testing to prove the concept.

Excellent. Sounds like you did a great job there!!! Far from an idiot.

Yes we are making it roundy roundy.

It's actually been taken on by Cavalex as a whole and we are rebuilding it as a WCML 90s layout. We are not regauging it though it will still remain EM. 👍

You didn't have to. You can always return it to us to look at if necessary.

Again you don't need to go anywhere near them. Anyway we are where we are. The shoes fit onto a peg on the brake gear so a spot of superglue (gel is probably better with a little flex to it) should sort it. Might need your glasses on though.

How on earth do you pull the brake shoe off when checking the bogie tower? You don't need to go anywhere near those. It's a small piece but should glue back on if it's just the glue that's given up, however I have never knocked one off so can't comment on how easy it is to glue back on.

Its not a rail guard its a step. The rail guards are mounted to the bogies as per the prototype.

Which Lens decoder is it. It is sold as 21 pin because it is 21 pin. There are indifferent 21 pin standards though so maybe that's an issue for you?

I would check the worm cover caps for peace of mind.

Have you ran it previously with the sound off? It seems odd that there would be more noise after running in than before. It's not something that we have seen before and we have had 008 and 120 running on Making tracks for a couple of months none stop with no detriment to running.

There is no decoder issue though with the 56. The complexity of the lighting requirements on the 56 necessitates a certain level of custom set up. The choice is that you either have basic lighting or submit to custom chip set ups, you can't have both. We are going for fully accurate with lighting etc to match the model and that means we need custom chip set ups. We have specified which decoder to use and you have the ability to download and blow your own chip or get one supplied via a retailer. The locomotive works perfectly with the specified decoder so if you are planning on using something else then that is a problem created by the end user and not the manufacturer to be honest. We can only do our best to accommodate other decoders etc as best we can given the complexity, but that level of compatibility is not a requirement or an obligation on our part.

Having fitted the clips to a few returns I can now understand 1: How hard it is to apply the clip from the top and ensure that it engaged both sides fully without specifically checking afterwards and 2: How much force is required to pop them off when you want to remove a bogie. Based on this I would air towards them not being fully home during assembly. Needless to say we have made the factory aware of the issue and also already tweaked the tooling for the clips in the next run to make it easier to fit positively. On the cradle, we do not intend to move away from this as it protect ms the models and their detail like nothing else. However we do intent to change the design a little where the wheels sit, and also add thumbscrews rather than normal screws to make removal and reattachment easier. I personally have an easier time putting locos back in this than clam packaging, I guess it's down to practice.

You don't have to take the circuit board out. You can easily clip it back on through the access holes.

Tbh we are questioning whether it's a cradle issue or simply that the clips were not pushed fully home at the factory. Once on they are very hard to get off. It seems unlikely that screwing to the cradle would pop them.

Yes it's a very easy fix. Just remove the body and look in the four access windows on the chassis where the gear towers are. There is likely a cover clip not seated correctly. This can be clipped into place with a flathead screwdriver. Clip on Clip off

I would check to make sure that you don't have the worm clip issue. It causes the worm to not mesh with the gears so effectively powering only one bogie under load. The loco can easily pull that load without problems when working correctly. In fact a test was done recently where a Hornby 56 pulled against ours one going one way and one the other and our 56 pulled the Hornby one away in the opposite direction.

Have you got the dip switches set for none ESU?

Why don't you use the specified Lokpilot with the correct programming either via download from ESU or pre programmed from Rails of Sheffield?

The symoba couplings very much benefit from a very shallow pull out, it's more like a slightly improved draft box and is the way to go I think.

The couplings aren't 'guided by the bogie' the bogie has a gap in it to simply make room for the mechanism. Ideally you don't want the kinematic anywhere near the bogie as the sideways pressure caused by the kinematic (which is a different force to that of a bogie mounted couplers) is usually what causes problems with the couplers causing derailments as it pushes the bogie to the side. This bogie gap requirement and potential for bogie contact is unavoidable if you insist on a combination of kinematics and bogies very close to the end of the vehicle.

There's time yet. 👍

Yes on coaching stock with magnetic couplers kinematics do come into their own I agree.