aac

Many thanks. One to hunt out at Warley.

Great photo. Who makes the driver leaning out of the cab please? aac

Sorry to hear of your sad task. I noticed at the Warley Show that they run a stand for disposals of stock in circumstances such as you are dealing with. It's another avenue if you need it, but let's hope people rally around.

I have had a further fine-adjustment session for the last 25 minutes. Originally I had set up the following: CV2: 3; CV3: 63; CV4: 60; CV5: 220; CV6: 100; CV51: 25; CV52: 32; CV53: 80; CV54: 65; CV55: 20. I have now re-adjusted to: CV2: 3; CV3: 63; CV4: 60; CV5: 220; CV6: 100; CV51: 25; CV52: 75; CV53: 90; CV54: 70; CV55: 18. I am now certain that anyone who has had problems with running quality should concentrate particularly on Page 47 of the Manual which is easy to follow. Paras 11.1.2.4. Parameter “K slow” and 11.1.2.5. Parameter „I slow“ are essential for really smooth slow speed running.

Since my cleaning out of the gears in Post #863, and subsequently using the silicone grease advised in #931, I have been experimenting with D211's tuning after reading in detail one area of the Loksound v4.0 manual dated 2012. It is much easier to save the manual into your drive and then, in "VIEW", it can be opened to full page width to make it more user-friendly to read (It was handy to have it on a laptop next to the layout so I could read it as I went along. You will need Pages 47 - 49 for what follows). Originally I had been happy playing with the basic CVs, and later setting CV54 to 0 and pressing F1 for the auto tune-up, but the manual gives additional guidance which I have spent a couple of hours trying. I had earlier been content to watch the loco run 5 feet and cross 4 points in 71 seconds, but I'll come back to that later. I found the key to this tune-up was to play again (by Programming on the Main) initially with CVs 2,3,4,5, and 6, where eventually I found new settings after working from a starting point of using the data on a Loksound V4.0 Type 47 that runs beautifully throughout all speed steps from 1 upwards in the 128 range: After adjusting those settings to suit the Type 40, D211 eventually had the following data: CV2: 3; CV3; 63; CV4: 60; CV5: 220: CV6: 100: (CV63 (volume): 45). Since the silicone greasing of the gears, this data had worked well (the eagle-eyed will notice that CV6, which should be a little over half the value of CV5, is less at present). I then ran the CV54 trick (post #901) before putting the loco on the programming track to read the data settings for CVs 51 - 55. This is because, as the manual explains, the CV54 trick actually has a combined effect on the compensations governed by these other CVs, BUT - it also says that those other CVs can be fine-adjusted, so that is the next step -and what this post is about - for which the loco can now go back on the running tracks as we can do the remaining work by Programming on the Main. To do the adjustments, I found it best to work on these CVs in the following order: 54, 55, 53, 52, 51. On Page 48 there is a table of settings with example data for each CV, but I found after trial and error that it wasn't much use, but the following procedure worked, all done at Speed Step 1 of 128, with sound and lights on; CV54. (ref Manual 11.1.2.1. Parameter „K“) CV 54 had given me a data read-out of 42. The manual guides you to reducing the data figure 5 at a time between adjustments so that you get a smooth run at speed step 1 of 128. I found it easier giving myself a range between 35 and 85 and changing the setting by 5 at a time, subsequently fine adjusting by ones and twos, and finally settling on 65. This can all be done quickly by Programming on the Main - setting the data, giving it a run at Speed Step 1 for only a foot or two in each direction, and then setting up a change in data and trying it again until you get smooth, stutter-free running at Speed Step 1 of 128. CV55. (ref manual 11.1.2.2. Parameter „I“). CV55 is really important as this deals with the inertia of the motor (i.e. the tendancy for the motor to want to remain at rest, or in uniform motion, so you have to be able to overcome either the sluggishness of something that is happy doing nothing, or is happy running merrily along). There had been discussion in this thread about whether the loco was too heavy for the gearing, etc, but what we are really dealing with is getting the flipping thing to move using its quality motor - or to stop! I even wondered if the output and input angles of the carden shafts were too steep and the UJs were trying to lock up). See the manual reference and adjust accordingly. Looking at the blow-up diagram that Bachmann supply, I worked on the "heavy flywheel" option, and again set myself a data range and worked in blocks of 5. I had an initial data read-out of 24, but moved all around the park to check before settling on 20 for smooth running at Speed Step 1. CV53. (ref Manual 11.1.2.3. Reference Voltage) CV53 helps you to set the correlation between throttle setting and speed achieved. I don't need top speed on my layout as it is end-to-end in 11 feet of scenic work and then a fiddle yard, but it was useful to play with in data blocks of 5 and I settled on a setting of 80. I will probably experiment further with this CV, but for now I am happy. CV 52. (ref Manual 11.1.2.4. Parameter “K slow”). CV52 helps sort out slow speed and starting to pull away.The manual advised setting the data about 5 or 10 higher than CV54. It didn't work for me, but with everything else set so far, playing around with this found a nice setting at 32 (i.e. lower than the CV54 data). CV51. (ref Manual 11.1.2.5. Parameter „I slow“) CV 51 helps motor inertia at slow speeds or starting from a stop. The CV54 trick had left a data read-out of 0 in CV51, so again I moved in data blocks of 5 and finally found a result with a setting of 25. The result in chopping and changing this, as with all other CVs is visible in the way the running is affected as you try minimal adjustments so it is worth the bit of time it takes. In summary my CV settings are now adjusted to CV2: 3; CV3: 63; CV4: 60; CV5: 220; CV6: 100; CV51: 25; CV52: 32; CV53: 80; CV54: 65; CV55: 20. Remember, once you have done the "CV54 Trick", put the loco on the programming track to read off the CV data for CVs 51-55, and then everything else you do is by Programming on the Main and doing adjustments in small data block changes. It won't take too long, but it's worth it. The loco is sound on, lights on, so you are driving as you adjust. I did find it best to do each setting change for that foot or two in both directions, as there is clearly some sort of slight preference the loco has for running in one direction or the other, and you can decide what you like best about the running quality. KEEP A NOTE PAD TO HAND. Record each data setting for the initial read-out, and for the CVs as you go, and you will then have a complete table of the settings you tried to get where you finally end up. And the timings? I said I had been pleased originally with the loco covering 5 feet, crossing 4 points in 71 seconds. Following this work, the stop watch ran and recorded the following times (I promise you): 5 mins 21 secs; 5 mins 12 secs; 5 mins 23 secs; 5 mins 35 secs. D211 now covers its own buffer head to buffer head length in an average time of 61 seconds. My standard Bachmann couplings are modified with a small horizontal wire on the shank below the pivot point which is pulled down towards a rare earth magnet under the baseboard at uncoupling points, thereby lifting the hook off the drawbar. With these slow speed improvements the loco can now rev up, and then couple or uncouple really nicely, and that was ultimately what I wanted to get right. Cleaning out every trace of the "wrong" pink grease, re-lubricating properly with the silicone, and doing what the manual explains really well has utterly transformed this model. I hope this helps if you are still feeling a bit frustrated by the running quality of your loco. Go for it.

Thanks for that, NERBOB. Too much grease can be a real pain hence my earlier post after I'd clobbered residual pink gunge with Cillit Bang and vinegar. I've had good running, but I've also just tried the input of CV54 at 0 then F1 advised in # 901. That was a revelation which I then applied to other locos that were already running really smoothly. It's a bit of a shock to see it shoot off at speed, but it stopped 4 feet later. I'm not sure what goes on inside the chip, but what a difference! I learn something every day.

I have already cleaned up and re-lubricated my 211, but wanted a good silicone to try. Just ordered a 50g tube of Servisol Silicone Grease from Amazon for £4.50 post-free which sounded a good deal.

I'm interested in this too, but do you have to re-set CV 32 as well once the changes are done? Thanks.

I would hope not. I re-lubricated in the right places with the right lubricant. The problem had been excess pink stuff still in the system. That has now gone. With some bedding in it's now managed 5 feet with 4 points in 71 seconds.

I have just completed a few hours' cleaning out some residual pink grease and any other grease in both bogies of D211. If it is useful, the process used is below. Try not to wince when you read my description of materials used! I do anything with locos in a large deep wooden tray about 14 x 18 inches, and 2 inches deep. (Raid the kitchen or cut a piece of ply and fit a 2x1 softwood surround). Nothing escapes or slides off it. Screws are put on a piece of sellotape stuck to the side of the tray. Remove the 8 body screws. For replacing later, note that the main fan on the roof is at the end nearest the white "DCC Sound" label on the underside of the fuel tank. Put the loco on a table and remove the top pivot screw to the bogie. When you lift up the main bulk of the loco the released bogie will remain, complete with its carden drive shaft which simply comes away from the the flywheel. Put all the main bulk of the loco to one side. Turning to the released bogie, unscrew the front pony wheel and its sprung plate. Note how the sprung plate fits (there is a right way up, but you can always confirm in your mind by looking at the other bogie when you do the rebuild). Then unclip the bogie detailed outer moulding from the main bogie structure. Pop out the wheels sets. The first popping of an axle is a bit eye-watering, but having done one carefully, you will be confident enough to see that it's not difficult. Once everything is down to component items, it is ready to set about the clean up. My cleaning agents (believe me, they worked) were an eggcup with some malt vinegar, and another into which I sprayed some Cillit Bang "Power Clean Grease and Sparkle" (purple bottle) kitchen cleaner (The label says don't use it on wood, and a test on plastic proved all was well - after all, it comes in a plastic bottle). I then used a small modelling paintbrush to apply the Cillit Bang all over the gear sets (Note: Once the wheels are out you are left with 2 sub-sets of 3 small white plastic/polyurethane gears in the base of the bogie moulding. One set is gear-locked to the gearbox, but they can be turned for cleaning by revolving the carden shaft manually. The other sub-set of 3 gears are free turning once the wheels are out.). I then gently prodded and scraped variously with a cocktail stick, cotton buds and patted with a paper tissue to get off the worst of the excess. Make sure to get into the recesses of the teeth of the gears I then gave it a brushing over with Cillit Bang to dilute the remaining greasiness and repeated the prodding and patting. Next, another brushing over with vinegar and then, holding it in a paper tissue, I used an empty airbrush running at 65psi to blow out any stuff I couldn't get at under the gears. This residue was airbrushed into corners of the plastic moulding of the bogie and then, with a bit more vinegar brushed on, it helped to push the final bits into a tissue held up close to the area. This might take a bit of time if you do a couple of repeats, but as the worst of the grease goes, you can see what is grease and what is just the shine of the plastic moulding. The wheels were liberally brushed with Cillit Bang, sloshed with vinegar and then dealt with using the cocktail sticks, cotton buds and tissues. Once it looked grease-free, I rewashed it in vinegar and airbrushed it onto a tissue held on the inside of the wheel, and tucked under the gear. Then a final wipe over with a piece of tissue, and the wheels were done. Once everything was degreased, the rebuild was straightforward. However, check the brass bearings on the (main wheel) wheelset axles. Two axles have bearings with a broad channel that sits on the bogie, and also a very narrow channel that takes the phosphor bronze pickup strip. The other wheel has only the broad channel for mounting on the bogie. This is the MIDDLE set of the three main wheels and does not pick up current. On the outer wheels you must make sure the pickup strip fits inside the narrow channel. All but one of my pickups fell into place automatically, but it was easy to lightly ease the other strip outwards a very tiny amount and then it all fell into place as the axle was push-fitted back onto the bogie moulding. Once the first bogie was done and re-fitted, only then did the second one get removed to repeat the process. Once done, the body fitted back on like a dream and the loco went on the track. Does it work? Perfectly. At speedstep 1 of 128 it took 53 seconds to move 5 feet fault-free including crossing 4 points. There is no stuttering or hunting. A good indication of this is that a Bachmann coach, with the sprung extender couplings which they carry, doesn't judder along behind the loco. This is simply D211 out of the box, but now minus grease. I hope this is of use. It was a very worthwhile exercise. If you do it, just take your time.

Thanks. The basic CVs are not far off one permutation I have tried, so I'll try those once I have put mine back together. The running has been good but I thought it might be worth having a poke around after a bit of use, whereupon I found myself removing small amounts of residual pink gunge from the gearing inside the bogies and the motor end of the carden shafts.

Just tried some refinements to CVs: CV2: 10; CV3: 104; CV4: 125; CV5: 128; CV6: 70; CV 63: 55 ( Re-set the volume (CV63) On The Main, with a Class 20 next to it. This way they are about the same tolerable volume). Has anyone else tried settings they could offer up? Has anyone any other settings that

I have had a bit of a session this afternoon/evening seeing if I could do any fine tuning to an out of the box D211 sound version. I am no DCC expert and found it interesting to change just one CV and see what happened, and then develop relationships between start voltage/acceleration, etc. If it is useful to others, I have now set up the following and will see if it can get even better. Also, this of course is like training a dog. I want this loco to run in the lower speed ranges to arrive and depart from a terminus before running for a short distance through inner suburbs and then entering a fiddle yard. There is no long range running at very high speed. I do have the characteristics set up now to move slowly and couple up, pull away and accelerate sufficiently for the run available, and then I halt in the FY on the red button. So, that being the case, these are the key CVs I have set so far. Still need to learn and play with the EMF area presumably: CV2: 11; CV3: 97; CV4: 135; CV5: 128; CV6: 68. Good luck aac

It was a fantastic echo chamber of a place with steam locos as they blew off!

A great photo for reference on the loco, but it also brings back to me the general run-down look of Lime Street in those days - rubbish in the tracks, dirty platform edges, a grey gloom and those DMUs (or is one a Liverpool-Crewe EMU?) as the only other stock in sight. Then to those rolled up packages awaiting attention on the multi-coloured, multi-textured surface of the next platform, wrapped in brown paper, and not on a trolley despite the damp weather. Good stuff for modelling a gloomy Monday in the 60s. (My sister was born in Liverpool the day before, a Sunday).

Have you tried adjusting CVs using the comprehensive advice in the Loksound V4 site referred to in the documents that came with the loco? Just read the CVs on the Read programme and record them before adjustment, and you can always reset them later if you do need to return it. Maybe we and others can exchange thoughts on optimum settings. I think the sound is great for the low speed work around shunting, coupling up and pulling away, etc. I also enjoy selecting speed 1, waiting for the sound to start revving and then reselect zero speed. Sounds like the driver is bored and itching to get started! Also, there might still be a bit of residual grease coming out after some running. I don't have any of the Isopropyl Alcohol they use in the #730 photos, but a touch of malt vinegar on a fine paint brush seems to work if I need to degrease things sometimes. Good luck. aac

While trying out things I notched up by mistake at very slow speed and wondered what had happened. Have you tried notch down F12 just to see if that drops out the screech (making sure F11 is off)? I still put myself in the learning bracket with DCC, but try combinations of F11 and F12 to see if it cures it.

D211 has arrived. Out of the box and away on the button. No problems. Great sound. Set it to move and it winds up the revs and pulls away about 3 seconds later. Good fun doing a cold start/fail/restart. I'll also pay due thanks to Hattons. I had an email from them last night at 1728 saying it had been sent out at 1726. It was on a 48 hour delivery order and it actually arrived by courier at 1250 today. Better go - a perfect 211 awaits another drive.

That was posted on the response at the time of order. Anyway, as of today 211 is confirmed as in the post on its way from Hattons, so here's to a fault-free loco!

Thanks, then I will. I will also say that I think Bachmann have been very fair since they were asked to deal with the Class 40 problem. I've got 211 on order and have no worries.

That's a fair one. Luckily my confirmatory reply from a well-known on-line supplier in Liverpool had the following as part of their note: Pricing policy on Forthcoming Releases/On Order items The price you pay will be the current price advertised

If you have a confirmatory reply to your pre-order I think you have a contracted price.

Frozen(!) - in my case at Liverpool Mossley Hill watching Coronations, Scots, Patriots, Jubilees, Brits, and even DP2 bombing past!

I didn't know about it until it appeared here a few days ago. I think the actual railways aspects are great, but would also like to know more about the construction of the buildings which give so much to the atmosphere of the whole thing.

A great thread. Looks like we have another out of the Bradfield Glos Square/Waverley West/Peterborough stable! Good stuff and congratulations. Looking forward to seeing more.