SRman

Sounds good, magic_monkey09. Mine are too clean at the moment; I'll send you some to rust up and weather too!!! ? ?

While I am quite happy with my 66 that I had Bryan reblow for me a while ago, the notching feature does sound interesting. I might have to send it in for another reblow! ? Bryan also mentioned to me some ideas he has for improving the class 73 (I have a beta test one - see my earlier vids), so that's another one to go back to him soon. I have now installed a class 158 from Howes but have yet to take a video of it. Bryan did a special feature for me in adding another engine start on F10, thereby allowing me to mount it in a two or three car class 158 or 159. At the moment it's in two-car 158 but when I finally get the lighting sorted out for DCC on the 159 I intend swapping the installation into that. By way of explanation, while i am fiddling with the lighting circuits (and making mistakes!) I figured it's better to risk a cheaper non-sound decoder rather than blowing up a rather expensive LokSound decoder! Keep the videos coming guys. I enjoy listening to (and seeing) others' work. Lots of variety is a very good thing! ? :icon_thumbsup2:

Both are very good and represent different builds of the wagons; Hornby have the smooth welded sides and Bachmann the rivetted ones. Watch out though, as Hornby have another variant in the form of the older Lima ones with rivetted sides - while they have upgraded these a little, they are not as good as the newer mouldings. There are pros and cons for both brands. Hornby's are lighter but have ? more detail ready fitted. I believe the heavier Bachmann ones have the more accurate internal partition arrangements. there is also a question mark over Hornby's number of end railings. I run rakes of mostly Hornby with a few Bachmann ones thrown into the mix, only because I stocked up on the Hornby ones while they were available in certain shops' bargain lists. There is no reason why you cannot mix the two brands and mix the liveries a bit too.

Just a small caution here: both of the suggested decoders will work well in the 153 but if you wish to run two or more in multiple, you may need to consider a more expensive chip that supports advanced consisting. I presently have two with Hornby decoders factory-fitted and am happy with their running qualities bit I have consisted them using the old-style "brute force" consisting available on the NCE Power Pro / Power Cab systems. For the future, with a third one in Wessex Trains black livery on the way to join my two in Wessex Trains pink and blue liveries (Electra Graphics overlays), I will be giving strong consideration to TCS DP2X-UK decoders which will give the control and features I want, together with advanced consisting, and no trailing wires. There are many other possible decoders to suit as well from several other manufacturers.

You are not wrong about the NSE stock straying. I was very surprised to catch NSE liveried Mark 2 stock from Inverness to Nairn in 1986!

? If I can stick my oar in the water here, the whole point of my starting this topic was to allow people to post videos (or links to same) so that others could make up their own minds. There are merits to all of the above arguments / discussions but, ultimately, we need to hear the various sounds and combinations of speakers to make up our own minds - it is, as has been stated elsewhere, a VERY subjective area. There are several possible spanners in the works too. One is the owner's operating environment; each of us has their own different environments that may vary from the posted videos and, therefore, alter the requirements for particular speaker and sound combinations. Another variable which we don't have a great amount of control over is the rather necessary compression that has to take place to make the videos small enough to transmit via the Internet. And yet another is that appreciation of the sounds comes down to very personal tastes. Even so, most of the above discussions are helpful in explaining why some combinations work the way they do. My own experience with a Howes class 50 was that there was no discernible difference between using a large rectangular speaker plus a standard round one, and using a bass reflex plus standard round one. I took the bass reflex out after testing that and used it in a more deserving project - a Hornby class 60 which really did respond well to having the bass reflex installed in place of its factory-fitted large rectangular speaker. I must emphasise that the above judgements were my own personal opinions and don't make anyone else on here wrong in what they say.?

? Sounds like the best of both worlds, to me. ? :icon_thumbsup2:?

My only encounter with a Gresley buffet in fairly pristine blue and grey was at High Wycombe. It was parked in the bay platform in May or June 1984. I still have no idea why it was there, especially as I was under the impression that they were all out of service by then. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me at the time. ?

I wondered what an ED would be doing in the States!!! ? ? ?

That's all right, Peter. I'll be very happy to change the DCC thingy to give you sounds on DC. As you know, most people have no idea what I'm talking about at the best of times anyway!!!

Is that the Bachmann sound-fitted one, Peter?? Looking good, anyway.

As Southernman46 says, class 15s, together with many other "non-Southern" classes, made regular appearances on cross-London and transfer freights. There are very few diesel classes one cannot justify (and without using their "Modeller's Licence"!) for use on a London area BR(SR) layout. The only ones that come to mind are classes 17 and 27, although I do have a picture (in a book) of a double-headed freight with a class 25 and a class 27 (D5183 and D5381, respectively) well into SR territory. I'm not too sure if Falcon, Lion, Kestrel, Deltic or DP2 ever got onto Southern metals but that hasn't stopped me buying Falcon, Deltic and Kestrel, to date!! My poor Modellers Licence is getting rather frayed around the edges!! ?

Reposting my earlier links from the old RMweb ... second attempt after accidentally closing the tab I was working in. I have edited some text but much of it remains as before, so apologies if you think you have seen and heard it all before, you probably have!! WARNING: some of these clips are quite large (20MB to30MB) so may not suit dial-up speeds. This one is of my Heljan class 33/2 fitted with the Howes sound decoder and two speakers, one in the body of the locomotive (opposite end to the radiator) and the other in the fuel tank. Volume level is set at 30 (out of a possible 64). The layout is my own High Cross and Middlehurst, with only High Cross showing in the videos. There is much still unfinished so please ignore all the rough spots. Also, please ignore the laughter audible in the background in a few places - we had a rather giggly (but very nice) friend drop in unexpectedly at the same time! Continuing on, in no particular order: The Bachmann Standard Class 5MT with BR1B tender, fitted with the Howes sound decoder with SR N15 whistle. The decoder and standard speaker are in the tender. The speaker points down through holes drilled in the tender floor. The wires from locomotive to tender will be tidied up now I'm happy with the set up, although not before I pull the tender apart to fit extra pickups. A Heljan Hymek fitted with Howes sound decoder, still with only one speaker under the roof fan grille but pointing downwards (Heljan's grille is solid!). A second speaker has subsequently been fitted in the fuel tank. Heljan class 58 (parts 1 & 2) with Howes sound decoder and two speakers, one under the roof fan grilles pointing upwards, and one in the fuel tanks [ A Hornby class 50 with Howes decoder and two speakers, both pointing downwards but mounted above the chassis block. Same caveat as before: some of these files are a bit on the large side so may cause you problems on dial-up. Here are the latest videos of my sound-fitted locomotives, taken by Neil S Wood and edited by me. Two sound-equipped Bachmann class 37 locomotives, 37 693 and 37 698, double heading. These have been consisted under DCC control but if you observe closely you will see that 37 693 has fallen out of sync, even though I carefully matched them initially. This shows up particularly on stopping where 693 seems to have lost its momentum setting. I have subsequently fixed this but didn't have time when Neil Wood took the video. We may yet redo this one in the future. 37 693 (leading) is as it left the factory, with no modifications to the sound or speaker - it is set at near maximum volume. 37 698 is modified as shown elsewhere in an earlier post, with the Bachmann speaker "boxed" in and an additional 20mm speaker and chamber mounted in one of the noses. Volume is set around 40 (out of 64) - the sound quality is better with more bass showing up the exhaust bark better. Next is the Bachmann 37 reblown with Howes unrefurbished class 37 sounds. This locomotive is the result of swapping chassis and bodies between 37 057 "Viking" and 37 035 in Dutch livery. This also involved swapping bogie frames and buffers. The now non-sound-fitted Viking may be seen in the foreground in some parts of this video. Note the difference in behaviour of 37 035 between the first circuit and the second: opening the throttle gently means it doesn't "thrash" too much, where the second time round I opened the throttle wide from the standing start and it "thrashes" noticeably more. The sounds make an interesting contrast with the Bachmann (South West Digital-based) sounds. Note also the much better volume from the Bachmann original speaker setup, albeit "boxed" in as per above, suggesting that the volume is as much dependent on the original sound project as on the speaker fitting. Next is the Hornby Brush Type 2, class 30, with Mirrlees engine sounds from Howes. This one has a large rectangular speaker mounted beneath the radiator fan grille but pointing downwards (the working fan was removed). Bryan, the Howes' sound engineer, took some existing Mirrlees sounds and matched them to some archive footage of original Mirrlees equiped Brush Type 2s, retaining things like horn, buffing and compressor sounds as these would not have changed when the locomotives were re-engined by English Electric to become the later class 31. The Heljan class 47 was fitted with Howes sound when the earlier videos were done but we ran out of time to take this one. It now has two speakers, both 23mm standard ESU ones, one under the roof at the non-radiator end (the fan grille is solid anyway!), pointing downwards, and one in the fuel tanks. The Bachmann class 66 as it left the factory has the rather annoying "yinging" noise. This one, 66 522 in Freightliner/Shanks livery, has the standard Bachmann speaker setup but the decoder has been reblown by Howes with their own class 66 sounds. The Howes sounds include rather a nice turbocharger whistle but I'm not sure it can be heard well in the video. The "yinging" is still present but rather more muted. The Bachmann class 24 sounds reasonably good as it comes but seems to lack a little depth. I "boxed" in the original Bachmann speaker as per the class 37s shown earlier, and also added a 20mm speaker with severely cut down chamber, which just squeezed in under the roof at the other end. Finally, one that was shown in the earlier clips but I have now fitted a bass-reflex speaker under the roof fan grilles, pointing upwards, together with the second standard speaker in the fuel tanks. In this case I think the bass reflex speaker has added noticeable depth to the sound. I also added a bass reflex speaker to the class 50 featured earlier but I think the difference from before is barely noticeable. I hope you enjoy these clips. I have tweaked them to get better sound quality at the expense of video quality, since the sound is really what these are about. EDIT 19-04-2009: I have done a few more videos of my various sound locomotives. Again a warning as the files are quite large (in the 20 to 30 MB range). First up, a Bachmann Class 37 reblown with Howes' refurbished class 37 sounds. Not demonstrated here, function 13 gives the sound of seagulls! Next, The Bachmann class 24, reblown with Howes' class 24 sounds and also having undergone a body swap since the previous video. The green body required a minor modification inside, with the removal of a spigot, plus the cab interiors of the blue one as the lights and their contacts are a part of the interior mouldings. And finally for this session, a Hornby class 60, with the unsullied Hornby sound set (just with the volume turned down a bit!). I have, however, swapped bodies, substituting my weathered Mainline liveried 60 078 body (and cab interiors) for the original EWS liveried one. I took these last three videos myself, so forgive any shaky camera work as I was also operating the trains at the same time! OK. Officially NOT HAPPY!!!!! I have been editing andd posting for a while and the browser has crashed on me twice and photobucket has crashed independently as well. I'll try again later to finish the back-dated entries. Here are some later video clips of sound-fitted locomotives. Neil Wood kindly operated the camera again, although we used my camera and tripod; the tripod was a bit sticky in the rotational plane and caused the jolts and clicks and thumps evident in these vids, so sorry about that (definitely not Neil's fault!). Nevertheless, I'm reasonably happy that the sounds are represented quite well. First up is a standard factory sound-fitted Bachmann class 20, no 20 034, with 21-pin decoder. Frankly, I don't like the sounds at all on this but I wanted it recorded for posterity. this one is now on its way to Howes to get Bryan's double class 20 sounds. Next, a Bachmann class 20 bought off eBay already fitted with Howes' sounds (with an 8-pin decoder). This uses a standard ESU 23mm round speaker in the cab. Initially the sound volume was poor but I turned the speaker round and sealed up the sound chamber and that improved things dramatically. This one is also now on its way to be reblown (I don't need two sound-fitted class 20s!) with something new and rather special - I'll reveal more soon. And for something different again, the Howes-fitted Hornby West Country ("unrebuilt" or original), no. 34041 "Wilton. This was a hard-wire job but the decoder and speaker fitted neatly in the locomotive after swapping to a 20mm round speaker - this fitted right behind the smokebox door. There was still enough room to retain an extra 75 grams of lead I fitted some time back. At the same time I acquired a Howes Class 108 DMU sound decoder to fit into my Network SouthEast Bachmann model. The speaker is only tacked to the seat backs currently but I will be experimenting with better speakers and mounting methods soon. Finally for this occasion, a South West Digital Class 52 Western sound decoder fitted into my Heljan 1007 "Western Talisman". While the sounds are good I don't think much of the driveability of the locomotive as SWD make you drive to match the sounds whereas Howes let the sounds match your driving to a greater degree. Needless to say, this one is on its way to Howes to get Bryan's new Western sounds blown onto it. There are two speakers in the Western: a standard round 23mm one and a larger rectanglar bass reflex one from DCC Supplies, both pointing down over the bogies. I have done some further videoing, using a different tripod, so some of these are retakes of previous vids that had odd creaks and clunks from the tripod superimposed on the sounds. Except where stated otherwise, I was driving and videoing at the same time, so there are still imperfections!! For starters, here is a Bachmann class 37, 37 057 "Viking", which was originally fitted with sound but I swapped bodies with the Dutch liveried 37 035 (subsequently reblown with Howes' unrefurbished sounds and shown earlier). 37 057 has now been refitted with a standard Bachmann sound decoder and speaker, although the speaker is simply mounted in a chamber formed from Blu-Tac. The next two are both of a standard non-sound Bachmann class 47, D1764, retro-fitted with a standard Bachmann sound decoder and speaker - the standard pcb allows for a straight forward installation as it has provision for the speaker connections. Just for something different, i have included the short sequence on the Middlehurst branch - Mrs SRman was driving for this vid. I decided to redo the Hornby class 50 with Howes' sound video with the newer wide-screen format. Speakers are a large rectangular (oval??) one and a standard 23mm round one, both facing downwards through the bogies. I tried a bass reflex speaker in this one and decided there was precious little difference to the sound, so took it out again for re-use elsewhere. The Hornby sound class 60 with Mainline liveried body fitted (as shown before) and now a large bass reflex speaker from DCC Supplies fitted. I have done further weathering since the previous video of this locomotive was taken. Mrs SRman was driving - this was her first attempt so there was a bit of a learning curve involved. This is a retake of the Hornby West Country with Howes' sunds - no changes from before, just fewer clunks in the video sound. Mrs SRman was driving and it took several takes to get this footage right! Here is the Bachmann class 24, now fitted with a bass enhanced speaker from DCC Supplies, sited where the original Bachmann speaker was, plus an additional ESU 20mm round speaker fitted into the fuel tanks underneath. I think this now sounds really good - I love it! Here is the Bachmann class 108 with Howes' sounds again but this time with a larger bass reflex speaker fitted, sitting where I have removed some seats and facing upwards. I will try to improve the somewhat intrusive speaker and decoder locations in the near future. Another one with Mrs SRman driving - again many takes to get this looking and sounding right (according to my script). And that just about brings me back up to date ... until the next round of re-blows, updates or purchases!!

I'm back, after trying those settings, John. I have to report that using the "constant dim" settings in CVs 49 and 50 failed, and resulted in a constant flickering instead. I reverted to the defaults for those CVs.

Thanks for that link, John. I'll try the settings you suggested for CVs 61, 49 and 50 in addition to the setting I used in CV64 - as soon as I get up from this computer!

Looking at pictures of the real Kestrel, it did seem to have a different typeface for its headcodes than any other diesel on BR. Mine arrived from Hattons with the buffer beam at one end hanging off and the mounting spigots still in the holes on the chassis. However, since I want it to have a coupling at one end only I have fitted the alternative buffer beam with no pipework and will keep the damaged one for possible future repair and re-use. The model runs beautifully (as Heljan mechs should!). I fitted a TCS MiP-UK decoder and set it to address 4000 and turned the light settings down to a value of 2 in CV64. That makes the tail lights much more acceptable but the headcode still appears very bright.

Here are some more videos taken by Neil S Wood last Sunday. Again I have put a larger, clearer file (around the 15 to 20 MB mark) and a smaller version (approximately 5 to 8 MB in size) to cater for those with lower Internet bandwidth. Larger files first: The Heljan Western, D1007 Western Talisman, now reblown with Howes' sounds. This still has the same speaker set up as before, ie a larger rectangular one at one end and a standard ESU 23mm round one at the other, both pointing down through the bogie openings. The Western has modified cab roof profiles and etched plates fitted. Two Bachmann class 20 locomotives semi-permanently coupled, with Howes sounds and a twin start programmed in. The green one has had the motor removed and a jumper cable feeds power to a second speaker in that locomotive. At this stage the speakers are the standard Bachmann rectangular one in the blue loco (D8056) and a standard 23mm round one in the second loco, which I intend changing to a bass-enhanced speaker later. The blue loco has the original Bachmann sound issue chassis and bonnet but the cab from another locomotive which has the earlier stye side windows (The sound-fitted one came with the larger Scottish windows). I have yet to weather the body to match the cab. The standard issue Hornby class 31, 31 233. I have done absolutely nothing to this locomotive ... yet! If I can find a way, I will disable the fan roar that starts up as soon as one drives the engine in eithger direction. I suspect Hornby did this deliberately to match the fact that the roof fan does start to turn as soon as the engine moves. The smaller files:

Yeah! Shame, Hawker Siddeley Brush, shame!!! ? ?

OK, so to start off, here, at long last, is the vid of my Hornby class 73 with Howes' beta version of the diesel sounds. Bryan of Howes has not yet released this for general consumption as he wants feedback before finalising it. I have put two versions here one of 5.8MB and one of 18.5MB - both are the same movie just that one is higher quality but may tax some people's download bandwidth. Other modifications include fitting a bass-reflex speaker and reversing one of the driving axles so that the unobstructed electrical pickups are on three wheels on each side while there is now only one traction tyre per side, as opposed to having two on one side and none on the other as it comes from Hornby's factory. Video was courtesy of Neil S Wood and his skills, camera and tripod - thanks again, Neil. (thumbs up smiley goes here when available) All editing and effects were done by me using Pinnacle Studio 12. The smaller one: The larger one:

Ah well, looks like I have to start all over. I have deliberately left the topic title open for anyone to post their sound videos here. It may get a little long-winded but it seems to me that rather than having everyone posting the videos in their own separate threads it would be a sort of repository where anyone looking to buy the Howes / SWD / Olivias / etc. or Bachmann / Hornby factory-fitted sound decoders can look and listen to help make up their minds before parting with their hard-earned dollar-pounds. (Of course, there may also be US and European sounds here as well but I am not qualified or experienced enough to comment on those myself.