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Chris-ECT

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Posts posted by Chris-ECT

    Drop head buck eye couplings.

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted

    On 05/07/2023 at 10:42, bradfordbuffer said:

    Not a Buckeye question but a huge roast question!! 

     

    Is there a summer show this year?

    G

    Unfortunately not this year. Both Ellis and I have looked at it and with shows being back to full health generally and our increased work load this year we just can not justify the time it demands to organise. 

     

    That's not an 'it'll never come back' its just a 'not this year'

    Drop head buck eye couplings.

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted

    Good afternoon all, Thank you for following this project and product to date.

    This is just a quick note to let you all know that Batch 1 has officially sold out!

    we will be having a second batch produced but a date on this isn't confirmed as of yet as the factory are currently busy with our other projects. As soon as we get a confirmed date we will update everyone who was hoping to purchase some.

    • Like 1

    Ellis Clark Trains Finescale O Gauge Black 5

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted · Edited by Chris-ECT
    Updated spec info

    Good morning Wappinghigh and everyone else,  

     

    Sorry I didn't get back to this yesterday I ended up out of the office. To make life easier I have copied and pasted the questions and I  popped the answer below them for ease.

     

    1. Will the Hornby DCC HM7000 Bluetooth chips be power matched OK with this loco's electronics (If I order the DC only version)

    Unfortunately, Hornby doesn't make a chip to fit this interface.

    2. Does the DC only version still come supplied with a speaker prefitted fitted in the loco?

    Just the DCC Sound models will be pre-fitted with speakers, as we have opted for high-end 2 x Zimo 'The Boomer' SP18x13x13 Dynamic Speakers

    3. Where is the DCC plate located? in the tender or the locomotive?

    The interface is located in the boiler in a removable fixture, it is fitted with its own 34 pin interface which is developed for and around the Zimo MS950 Sound Chip, as they are our DCC Partner. The Zimo chip also has a built-in stay-alive.

    4. Is the DCC plate easy to get at?

    There are two screws at the rear and two at the front to remove the boiler and the smokebox so the speaker X fitting and DCC interface can be accessed. There is also quite a bit of room in the boiler for other fittings if required.

    5. What wheels have power pickups? Just the loco or tender as well?

    The driving wheels have plunger pickups, the bogie is unpowered and the last two tender wheel sets are also fitted with pickups.
     

     

    I hope this helps and if you have any more questions please drop me a line

    • Like 3
    • Informative/Useful 5

    Ellis Clark Trains Finescale O Gauge Wickhams

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted

    49 minutes ago, Nile said:

     

    Mine , bought today at Kettering , is also devoid of instructions. Very nice model, that comes in a not stupidly large box.

    Good evening Nile, same as above there seems a box has sneaked through the leafleting stage! 

     

    If you can email me at chris@ellisclarktrains.com with your address I will make sure the missing info is dispatched Monday for you 

     

    • Thanks 1
    • Round of applause 1

    Ellis Clark Trains Finescale O Gauge Wickhams

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted · Edited by Chris-ECT
    Phone is playing up

    2 hours ago, neal said:

    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.

     

    9DAD292A-F59B-47FE-9BFC-6A0BE9E7E613.jpeg.18c7af3a3633f4cdbf7833cfca92db70.jpeg

     

    Neal

    Good evening Neal, it seams your Wickham has slipped through the net! Can you ring the office Monday and ask for me (Chris) and I will get a set of instructions in the post to you.

     

    We are just on the road and I will get a proper reply up tomorrow if that works? 

    • Round of applause 1

    Drop head buck eye couplings.

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted

    On 23/02/2023 at 13:44, Bucoops said:

    It was interesting thank you - but still nothing on recommended ways to uncouple?

    Good morning Rich, 

     

    The drop head couplings were designed with ease of coupling rakes together easily and looking prototypical. We have found the easiest and simplest way of uncoupling them is to simply place a screwdriver or uncoupling stick on top of one side and below on the other and pushing in the opposite directions up and down. It isn't a pretty way to do it but it is functional. Magnets hanging down wouldn't work as they would foul the bogies in the dropped position and with them being as close to scale/ the prototype as possible there were no other real options available. 

     

    Hope this helps?

    • Thanks 1

    Clark Railworks - customer care

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted

    On 23/11/2022 at 16:22, Simon D. said:

    Just to note that I ordered a lovely brass US old style train set in N Scale at a good price a while back.  When it hadn't turned up a week or so later I gently enquired to then receive a really good response from a staff member, Amey, expedited dispatch and a £15 credit voucher.  This was actually excellent customer care - if only others realise that proper response to customer problems and complaints enhances reputation and is not a nuisance or chore.

     

    They don't have too much pre-owned N Stuff, but the prices are very fair, the website very well presented, and - as I say - excellent service standards.

     

    Recommended

    Thank you very much for the Kind words (sorry for the delay in reply) If Amey hasn't seen this I will make her aware of the thread

    Drop head buck eye couplings.

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted

    On 14/09/2022 at 16:03, ozzyo said:

    Do you have any updates on the drophead buckeye coupling as one of the last posts that mentioned it was round about 11/8/22

     

    OzzyO.

    Good evening OzzyO,

     

    The good news is they have been bumped up the production schedule as they are now going to be supplied Fitted to the next batches of Darstaed Thompson's instead of the Kadees.

     

    I will double check but I belive they are due to come into stock around the end of this month but as this gets confirmed I will pop back on here with a definitive answer 

    65F Grangemouth sheds 7MM

    in Layout topics

    Posted · Edited by Chris-ECT

    Last Friday a we got back to the club and decided to get Grangemouth pushed forwards. It has its first official show invite next March at the MIOG (Modern Image O Gauge Show) held at Crewe Heritage Centre on the last weekend of March.

     

    Seen on shed are 37402, 413 and 425 to help inspire us and they did the trick! Next time we are up we will keep on with the ground cover and then electronics when Andy gets back over.

    20220909_214620.jpg

    20220909_214441.jpg

    20220909_214753.jpg

     

    • Like 8

    Drop head buck eye couplings.

    in Ellis Clark Trains

    Posted

    If this project is one on your list, or you have a pre-order with us, we will be taking all of our current samples to display this weekend at Guildex (Stafford Show Ground) 

     

    Come along and ask the team for the latest info and updates on this and our other ECT projects!

    • Like 1
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