OldSutt

I get CRITICAL PROCESS DIED message on some rare occassions with Win 10 and then a reboot. Annoying if you haven't saved your post, reminds me of the early days when one was paranoid about saving.

Just an update on very slow progress. The main problem was chasing a short circuit, which resulted in disconnection of several parts in order to eliminate the short. I think it was where the rail had been cut on a point and somehow it had been spanned?? With 3 panniers and the GWR parcels chipped, I have had the opportunity to see the really slow running of DCC. Except the time when one loco completed a circuit when it ignored the controller(Dynamis fade) and proved continuity of the remaining analogue circuit.

Slowly, slowly converting inner circuit to DCC. The main problem is making the Peco points DCC friendly and fitting point motors as I go with switches and checking continuity. (They are of an age that someone on another thread enquired about) For a change, just converted my Hornby GWR Parcels railcar No 34 to DCC using a Hattons DCR-8PIN-Diirect. It used to run quietly before and now glides along silently. Its slow running is far superior.

Tried to fit a Hattons DCR-8PIN-Direct decoder into my Bachmann GWR 56xx tank. The chassis proved to work beautifully when fitted. However replacing the body was not an option as the decoder snagged in the gap near the smokebox. (Width problem?) The blanking plug was replaced and the decoder fitted into my 87xx Pannier, which earlier had a Bachmann 36-552 decoder fitted and gave the results previously posted. This now runs like a dream with no initial buzzing! Probably due to the back emf of the decoder? I would be interested if anyone has fitted a decoder into a 56xx without trouble.

A Hattons DCR-8PIN-Direct decoder arrived today. Popped it into my 57xx Pannier and it ran beautifully with default settings. I feel a larger order coming on. Hattons packed the decoder so well, it came in a box that would have been fit for a pannier.

As I obtained originally an inexpensive Bachmann Dynamis DCC set, I have come across the dreaded drop off of signal, which I think has been well documented. However with the Probox IR extender, the problem has been reduced to almost nil. I did find out however that the IR receivers(original and extender) are not interchangeable due to the connections. The wiring has arrived so I shall be busy!

Thanks for the reminder. The current layout is essentially two circuits, so I propose to keep one isolated to DC and one for DCC for the time. Crossovers will be isolated, until both circuits are DCC.

Today, I fitted a Bachmann 36-558A decoder to my Pannier 6407. It was a case of read the flipping manual as removing the two screws from under the couplings as usual did not release the body - there is a third screw at the rear of the baseplate, I discovered. Fitting the decoder was no problem except the orientation was not obvious. Using my programming plank, the Pannier ran perfectly on DCC with factory settings. When I replaced the body, it again ran well, but the hollow sound, noted when I had run it before on DC was still there. I even had 2 panniers moving on the plank.

I have been thinking about changing from DC to DCC for many a long day, but the thought of rewiring my layout and chipping my collection of locomotives has been the great stumbling block. I have read many articles about DCC and seen it in action at shows, but have been dithering. However, I obtained a DCC controller (not my first choice) for a song and have decided to explore further. So I built myself a programming track and connected the controller/power source. I had an Bachmann Pannier which was DCC ready, so I fitted a 36-552 decoder which was going cheap in my local model shop. The results so far - it works and I have even managed to program a few CVs. The stuffed Pannier creeps along far slower than DC, but there is a motor noise just before it moves off, which drops as it accelerates. Is the noise due to the capacitors not being removed? The pannier glided along originally on DC. I know that the decoder is not of the first rank and people will laud the praises of Lenz et al, but at £13 a pop, this is a ditherers effort to make a start.

So that's what happened. I have been researching DCC and a lot of pdfs had eventually appeared(very slowly) in Edge. So I changed back the file association to Acrobat format!

Upgraded to Win10 a week ago and had the screenshot in a previous post so I knew what was going on. Seemed to take about 4 hours to become fully fuctionable. It came up with an interesting screen saying things were taking a little longer than expected. I noticed that startup and shut down is appreciably faster than Win7, so that was a plus. The only crash seemed to be when I was running Openrails, but it seemed to recover whatever after some thought/time and has not had a repeat. It also seemed to get a little confused with Ebay and TurboLister, but I think that has been sorted now. I refuse to use Edge? and use Opera and Opera Mail anyway.

Millbay not Milray??

I have been running 6407 in and comparing with a similar pannier in your picture. I noticed the difference in driving rods, but I think the overall weight is different. 6407 felt a little lighter compared with the resident pannier. Perhaps a little weighing is called for. Also the 'sound' seemed to be that bit hollow. It seems to be getting quieter with more circuits. I shall also be interested in anyone who has chipped one with a 6 pin decoder, as I am about to take the plunge in changing to DCC. A quick look at the exploded diagram of the chassis of 6407 seemed to indicated that the motor is at the front and the socket at the rear, which is the reverse of my other dcc ready pannier chassis.

Thanks for the memory! The second shot has a row of houses on the skyline where I used to live. However our house is obscured by the steam. I was more used to the distant reciprocal view of the two lines WR and SR from our house.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_11_2014/post-13986-0-57959800-1415821925_thumb.jpg Thanks for the picture of 70021 Morning Star. Took me back when I first saw her newish as a kid spotting at Plymouth North Road. Tempus Fugit.

They did have a Buffet car, which went on to Clacton, in the seventies. Much fun was had by us commuters when people found that they were on the wrong portion, even after the guard went through the train announcing the split.

I thought I saw that Hattons had some Stars in their new stock listing several days ago, so looked forward to an e-mail saying that my pre-order was going to be despatched. Nothing happened, so I checked the listings of previous days and they had disappeared! Ah well senior moment?

Just been notified by Hattons "Our latest information from the supplier suggests this item(KOGC non DCC) will arrive with us on or after Friday 31st January 2014" Well that's 13 months since ordering, and there I was worrying about a cash flow problem with other orders!

Am in the same position as you and echo my sentiments exactly. Cheers!!

As my copy of the 1954 ABC reminds me that there were only 4 Stars listed, 4053, 4056, 4061 and 4062, I have recalled several other Stars that I remember seeing prior to 1954. Using the Rail UK directory, the Stars that I saw were on their last legs and were withdrawn a few years earlier. I recall the glee when a Star or Saint turned up amongst some of us dino spotters!

I have used the smallest of these to utilise the tender wheels in my Hornby WC Bideford as additional pickups.

My 42xx turned up to-day and immediately tested it on the layout. Great slow performance and looks. Took twice as long as usual to complete a circuit with its lower(?) gearing. Slight heart attack when I heard clicking after a few circuits, but it was only the rear pipe (sander?). Soon fixed. I feel that a 72xx will be replacing venerable tender drive 28xx in the near future.

Typical! ordered a 42xx from Hattons when it appeared on their site few days ago, so its on its way. This morning, dropped into the Bure Valley Model shop to get a yard of Streamline and lo and behold a 42xx and a 72xx in their display cabinet!! To rub salt in the wound, it was cheaper when taking postage into account.

Thanks for posting images of Saltash Passage and the St. Budeaux side of the Royal Albert Bridge. Ahh, takes me back to my youth. Note the start of the Tamar Road Bridge on the Saltash shore.

Many congratulations on producing such a riveting subject. Even a died-in-the-wool GWR/SR fan such as I am, can appreciate the work that has been put in and I always try to keep up with your progress. My only knowledge of Peterborough station(is this the same one?) is modern day, trying to get parked, in order for #1 son to relieve me of one of my motors, so the forecourt area seems vaguely familiar. Again thanks for all the photographs.