lyneux

On 17/02/2023 at 00:20, Peter Kazmierczak said:

For whom the bell tolls...

I wonder why 59101 never got a bell, unlike 59001 and 59201?

 

Am I allowed to say: I'm glad it didn't? 🤣

I'm not sure he actually wants to sell anything. My last interaction with him was over an old dusty Bachmann NSE 166 he had in the display cabinet. I asked him 'how much' to which he replied 'make me an offer'. So I offered him £150 for it (fair eBay average price after a bit of googling) but he told me that he wouldn't let it go for less than double that.

I picked one up recently for £100. 

I decided after that experience that it was my last visit.

Guy

43 minutes ago, Bob83a said:

You would have to assume that Bachmann/EFE have done due diligence on these models with respect to intellectual property rights or there could be the possibility of the models being stopped at Customs.

I think you misunderstand the role of customs officers if you think they check IP rights as well as collect import duties!

20 hours ago, SouthernMafia said:

I paired in parallel with a small 12ohm speaker at the suggestion of Roads and Rails, to give more power and better high frequencies. It worked great giving an output of 3ohms (ok on a V5) but it's almost like the purpose of the EM1 just becomes about bass, rather than volume as you get with th EM2.

I wouldn't recommend that. 3 ohms is NOT fine for a Loksound V5. Read the spec: https://www.esu.eu/en/products/loksound/loksound-5-loksound-5-dcc/

4-32 ohms.

Guy

On 19/01/2023 at 20:01, Ron Ron Ron said:

Unless the HM DCC app can work with other manufacturers Bluetooth fitted decoders, such as those from SoundTraxx, BlueRail Trains, or any other brand, it may be doomed to be a niche product.

Yes, exactly my point. Publishing the protocol spec (with whatever license you like, open source or otherwise) would help to gain traction for this technology and prevent this.

On 20/01/2023 at 18:38, Ron Ron Ron said:

The Blunami app not only works with SoundTraxx's own Blunami decoders (there's only one model no. released so far), ......but also with BlueRailDCC by Tam Valley boards, Bachmann EZ app fitted locos and BlueRail Trains' original Blue Horse decoder boards.

All derived from the BlueRail Trains development of course.

n.b. The Blunami app was developed by BlueRail Trains for SoundTraxx..

BlueRail Trains are smart then. It sounds like they are licensing their protocol/tech so that other brands can build compatible products. Even better (from an adoption point of view) would be to open-source it. 

@RAF96 - any idea of Hornby's plans in this area?

Thanks,

Guy

11 hours ago, charliepetty said:

PPS The Legomanbiffo was recorded at Merehead from a 'Real' Class 59, sadly most of the others out there are Free Files from the ESU Website of SD40 (Class 66)  or just a Class 66.   

See my post from last week for some details of the recording session with Biff and Revolution Trains at Merehead (link below).

I think the combo of a sugar cube and EM1 works really well to capture both low and high frequencies. Make sure that you fit an enclosure to your sugar cube though as the high frequencies are not as loud without it (details in my post).

The 'default' volume that Biff has set seems loud enough for me, but as Charlie says, if you want it louder, tinker with the (well-documented) CVs to increase the volume.

Guy

On 18/01/2023 at 13:48, BachelorBoy said:

But, I worry that Hornby doesn't have the market power or management skills to make it a global industry standard.

It will never become an industry standard unless they in some way open up the spec for the protocol it uses.

DCC succeeded purely on the basis of it being an open standard.

Guy

Sorry to hear you've been under the weather Will.

Those corridor connections look superb! Can you take a pic of the ends with the unit uncoupled? It would be good to see what they look like end-on.

Cheers,

Guy

Hi Andy,

Am I right in thinking you have tinkered with the street plan a bit to the south end of the layout around Warwick Road? The Radnor Arms looks like it's swapped sides of the street?

I think I can see what you have done. Is it because the tracks curve round to the fiddle yard?

If so, I am assuming that the police car is exiting Warwick Road and heading up Holland Road?

Guy

I have finally got all the bits needed to install sound into my three Dapol 59s: Loksound v5 from DCKits with Legomanbiffo sounds, sugar cube speaker (plus the moulded ESU enclosure) and EM1™/Accurathrash™ speaker.

I was present at Merehead with Biff last year when he recorded the 59 with the Revolution Trains team on a foul and miserable rainy May morning. Despite the weather, it was quite special to be present at the recording of a locomotive and for it to happen at Merehead, the spiritual home of the 59s, made it extra special.

Having some personal attachment to the recording process meant there was only one choice when it came to sound equipping my 59s: Biff's new sound project.

I wanted to retain the high frequency whine and ying of the prototype alongside the bass of the engine so rather than just fitting an EM1, I decided to also fit a sugarcube speaker to provide the higher frequencies. Fitting the speakers was fairly straightforward. The EM1 had it's lugs removed on the trusty proxxon table saw and for the sugarcube I added the plastic ESU enclosure but without any of the spacer 'rings' as there isn't much space left once the EM1 is fitted. The sugarcube is 8ohms and the EM1 4 ohms. In series, this gives 12 ohms which is within the 4-32 ohm range for the Loksound V5. Be careful though, in parallel these are 2.57ohms combined which may damage your decoder! The sugarcube was fitted in a gap on the main circuit board (as circled in green). I was careful to use electrical tape to insulate the circuit board from any inadvertent shorts.

And here's the final result. Not too shabby!

Thanks to Biff as well as Mike and Ben from Revolution Trains.

On 13/01/2023 at 17:25, Steadfast said:

Extras! It looks like the CAD was mirrored on the centre line, these holes shouldn't be there.

 

Jo

Also, the red brake pipe has it's handle on the wrong side.

25 minutes ago, Legend said:

Yes sorry I meant 1 amp was marginal for sound , clearly the non sound decoders will work on less 

An indication of what the max current draw might be is probably to be gained by looking at what current the decoders are rated for. For comparison, Loksound v4 is 1A, v5 is 1.5A.

EDIT: Also, by way of comparison, the existing Hornby TTS Sound decoders are rated at 800mA.

10 minutes ago, RedgateModels said:

 

so it's not beyond the realms of possibility for someone with the will (and skills) to come up with a cbus to Xbus interface, wonder if anyone at MERG would take it on .......

The design of both protocols is quite different but 'yes', could be done reasonably easily with an Arduino I think. At least they are both published.

Likewise it should be possible for Digitrax Loconet, although it requires a license and the signing of an NDA to obtain their specs. I think this would need to be a slightly different physical interface too as it is not based on RS485.

Guy

1 hour ago, RedgateModels said:

 

I'm assuming the NCE protocol is closed ......

No, it's published (Cab Bus): https://dccwiki-prod1382-images.b-cdn.net/images/7/78/Cab_bus_protocol.pdf

EDIT: It looks like it is quite a 'chatty' protocol though with continual polling of the throttles: https://dccwiki.com/Cab_Bus

10 minutes ago, melmerby said:

You probably could because the Expressnet protocol is freely available.

I can tell you it works because I have built my own Xpressnet throttle using an arduino and was looking to do something similar to the Hornby Dongle myself.

It’s an ugly protocol though when you go down the rabbit hole! Spec is here: https://wiki.rocrail.net/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=xpressnet:xpressnet-v2.pdf

But at least it’s ‘open’…

Guy

2 minutes ago, melmerby said:

The venerable BBC Micro had an RS485 serial port but you can't control Xpressnet devices with it😄

If your beeb spoke xpressnet using it then why not? Just need to write the compatible software. Because it hasn’t been done doesn’t mean it can’t.

11 hours ago, RedgateModels said:

OK, been doing some digging, As X-bus and NCE Cab bus use the same protocol (RS485), and devices such as this exist

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253119197806

 

it may be possible to plug the Legacy Dongle into an NCE Powercab too .....

I don’t think this has been answered for you but given it’s my day job I’ll have a stab.

In networking terms (using the OSI layered model), then RS485 operates as physical layer protocol (layer 1) but on top of that you have xpressnet that operates at OSI layer 3 or 4. Basically it’s protocols tunnelled within protocols. You need the same protocols all the way up the stack for it to work.

For me, the key point here and the driver for wide adoption is standards (yes, I work in telecoms!). Open standards work. Closed ones don’t. Interesting to read about the blunami stuff. I wonder if that is an open standard? Clearly Hornby have realised this too which is why their dongle translates into the widely adopted throttle protocol, ‘xpressnet’.

Guy

Very little info on how this works technically. It looks like the legacy dongle is an interface via xpressnet? Could be useful for owners of compatible systems. Makes perfect sense as a system.

Guy

Same problem here on an iPad in landscape mode, e.g. 

It's the speaker you get with the decoder. Choose the one you want!

EDIT: Note the price goes up for 2x Mini Bass... unsurprisingly perhaps!

Thanks for the update Fran. They look very nice.

Being cheeky, when can we expect the Mk 2C announcement?

Guy

Hi Charlie,

The 142 looks superb! Will definitely be having one, probably for Oldshaw.

Quick question on the wheels. It could just be the angle of the pic, but is the axle properly aligned with the axle box? Also, I assume there will be space for EM/P4 wheels between the frames?

Many thanks!

Guy

6 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

In one of these....?

Nah, not big enough! 🤣

15 hours ago, adb968008 said:

Ive recieved notification of shipping this afternoon.

Please keep us updated of the parcels whereabouts…. we can’t wait to hear more about your delivery!

Restarting an old topic.... I think I have found a way to very easily correct the ride height on the first batch without the use of a shim!

I've now got some from old and new batches and have made a comparison. It looks like the new batch have got a revised etched pick-up that has a hole for a height locator pip that is moulded onto the side bogie just above the hole for the pin point (A in the photo below). Presumably Dapol were able to modify the bogie mould slightly to add this pip. The length of the vertical pick-up tab is also slightly shorter on the revised etch.

The effect of this pip is to hold the entire etch at the right height, which is fractionally higher than on the first batch. It may also be the case that the stamping for the bearing cup is slightly higher on the revised etch. Interestingly, the two retention pips on the top of the bogie that are melted in place to hold the etch (the ones that Gary cuts away in his mod) are not actually melted on the second batch. This allows the etch to sit higher and there is a gap in this area between the etch and the top of the plastic. A similar gap to the one that Gary has corrected with the use of a shim on the previous page (B in the photo below).

Interestingly, on both versions, the hole for the pin-point bearing in the side frame is large enough so that the etch can be set at both the correct and incorrect heights!

Bogie from the 'NEW' batch:

Whilst re-inserting the wheel-sets back into the bogies, on the old bogie I accidentally pushed the wheel set in too far, snapping the superglue that was holding the etch in place in the area around the pinpoint. This enabled the wheel set to be pushed up to the correct height momentarily - held by the 'springiness' of the etch.

This made me think, can the old version be corrected without the use of a shim by simply snapping the superglue and bending the shim slightly? And the answer is.... 'yes'!

This means it takes about 2 mins to correct a bogie and no need to break the plastic pips and add a shim. Simply do the following:

Remove the wheel sets. Insert a blade behind the etch and torque it slightly to crack any residual glue attaching this area of the etch to the side frame. This doesn't need much force and on several wheel sets I noticed that there wasn't even any glue so this was more a 'check' to make sure that the etch was free from the side frame.

Insert pliers as shown, bend the etch slightly upwards to raise the height of the bearing cup. Again, this really doesn't need very much force at all.

Re-insert the wheels, and enjoy!

Guy