WolfofBadenoch

I bought a pair of Loksound v5 ( class 91 / DVT - 1 a function only) a while ago. After seeing the info above from GoingUnderground I changed cv 28 from 131 to 3 on both decoders to get both on the same address.

After changing this nothing works - no lights, no sounds, no loco movement. My ECoS can still read the decoder addresses and cv28 correctly ( I didn't try any others!) On changing the cv28 back to 131 everything starts working again.

Am i missing a step anywhere or anything else obvious?

Thanks

Scotrail Inter7city HST heading south yesterday approaching former station at Dalnaspidal Lodge.

Looking north through Drummochter Pass

Scotrail Inter7city HST heading north yesterday approaching former station at Dalnaspidal Lodge.

looking south down Glen Garry

Looking to site of Dalnaspidal Station

Class 66 heading south with the Tesco train through Dalnaspidal.

I bought a full 14 car set  (plus development coach) 18 months ago. I will probably run it as a 9 or 10 car set but with the initial NDM it struggled to run up a short 1 in 50 (4cm rise) on 900mm radius curves. On my longer gradient it slips to a halt on a tricky reverse curve. Again gradient is 1 in 50. Initial sound before train appears is NDM slipping and again it can be heard after the APT has stopped but the engine still running.

I bought a new NDM this week (less than 24 hour delivery from Model Rail Direct). It weighs 90g more (metal block inside is about 7mm thicker). New on left, original on right.

It now runs a 14 car set up my long gradient without slipping. Why couldn't Honrby have done such basic testing?

On 08/07/2023 at 19:10, brushman47544 said:

Very nice job, but the BR blue ones really do need the data panel below the number. They look very odd - at least to me - without it.

Thanks.

I hadn't noticed that while checking nameplate positions. 😕

The Railtec number/nameplate sets contain data panels so they can be replaced, but i'm not sure i want to remove panels on 1 of the locos as it came pre-weathered. 

With advice from  a fair few members up the page and some Railtec transfers i've got my own 87s 🙂

Thanks everyone.

Thanks everybody for the advice.

I had successful a go last night with T-cut and as described by many the paintwork is a shiny but still there :-) -

Stephenson side  all removed. Royal Scot side i left the nameplate on as the new one will go over the top.

What is the best way to remove numbers, nameplates, and plaqes on the 87?

I want to rename + number a couple of 87s but not sure which is the best way to remove existing numbers, nameplates and plaques without damaging the underlying paint. I thought i'd practise on an old Lima model as shown below. Admittedly manufacturing techniques etc have probably changed and it's a different company but my trial run hasn't gone well.

Using IPA i've removed the underlying paint but barely removed  any of the nameplate around Charles.

At the MacIntosh end the lettering has been removed but also the underlying paint using T-Cut. Similarly the underlying paint is coming off more than the plaque again with T-Cut.

On 12/05/2023 at 19:28, G-BOAF said:

Looking at pictures of the latest 87 batch, the bufferbeam angled plating (running up from the side of the bufferbeam to the loco body) seems to actually fit snuggly to the bottom of the bodyside. However on the front end, the buffer shanks now seem to be central on the bufferbeam, which is not quite correct. Are the buffers higher on this latest batch, or is the body lower? Can someone put a new and old one buffer to buffer, with shots of both cabs?

 

Here's some shots. Two cab to cab with 8pin on left and 21 pin on right. In the 4 head on photos L-R is 21pin, 8pin, 21 pin, 8pin

I have just tried fitting chips to my new  87s. I had Rails 21 pin decoders and found as above they're too wide to fit between the chassis sides. Luckily the PCB doesn't sit up too much and i was able get the screw in at each end, just not fully engaged at the chip end. Image below. The body went back on ok.

That was the 1st loco, for the 2nd (87009) i just can't part the body from the chassis. I can ease them apart in places, stick in slithers of card but they just wont slide apart! Having managed to open 6 other 87s i'm happy with my technique so have contacted the retailer and am awaiting a reply.

I also fitted decoders to a couple of 8 pin 87s. unfortunately i misread info earlier in this topic and bought Hattons 8 pin decoders but not the direct fitting 8pin decoders. I've managed to fit these under the PCB using black tac but again the decoders are a touch too wide. It was a bit tight getting the bodies back on but i think this was the wiring harness rather than the slightly rasied PCB.

On 28/03/2023 at 22:45, 97406 said:

Mine's coming along with the main spraying done. After painting the light grey, I masked the area off (with the roof all masked off from before) and sprayed the yellow ends and cab roofs.

 

I let it set, then masked off the cab roofs and all around the lower bodysides with the join 10mm from the bottom of the loco body and sprayed the dark grey.

 

Finally masked off around the cab windscreens and brushed black acrylic for the subtle effect from the prototype - they actually had black window surrounds, not dark grey. Also brushed the dangly bits off the bottom of the bodyshell.

 

Detail and transfers next with a coat of varnish to follow.

 

How do you get off all the detail parts eg. Handrails cables etc? I've removed fire extinguishers and aerials off other 87s but i don't re-use them so  i'm not worried if i damage them (as i tend to 75% of the time). Handrails etc i'd be much more worried about.

Thanks

On 25/02/2023 at 12:36, St. Margarets said:

Does anyone know if there is a problem at Modelmaster? Phone no. on website says number not recognised and Jim not replying to e-mail.

 

Thanks

No idea but in the last month i tried emailing and got no response. I tried phoning and initially after hearing the number dialling there was just silence - no ringing. A few days later it changed to a message saying number not recognised. I tried writing and sent the letter 'signed for on delivery'. Royal Mail tried to deliver 3 times and each time it says address was inaccessible!!

As i feel i've exhausted all possible communication channels I've started Chargeback Procedure to recover my money.

On 24/02/2023 at 21:35, StuTheUseless said:

I asked Peco about the portal at the Glasgow Exhibition, and they said it would hopefully be available this year (but with no guarantees).

In previous years at Glasgow there have been examples of portals on display - can't remember how long ago they first appeared but it was certainly pre-covid. I couldn't see any this year and wondered if it was quietly being dropped.

As Thane of Fife says above it's taking forever! At this rate it'll take Peco longer to produce the portal than it took BR to install OHLE on the WCML!

Thanks for the replies.

On 05/12/2022 at 08:38, Izzy said:

Are the pins on the OPTI decoder longer than the others and shorting on the chassis etc. when fully pushed into the socket? This is a fairly common issue that is often encountered. 

Yes the pins are a few mm longer on the OPT decoders but looking inside the bottom of each pin hole is sealed as you might be able to see in photo so i can't see it being that.

On 05/12/2022 at 04:57, DCB said:

Welcome to the "I've set my loco on fire" club.  I managed it by shorting out 2 X  AA rechargable batteries in a battery powered class 37.
It is a worry as in what would one do if the failure occurred somewhere inaccessible.  I suppose we shoud all have fire extinguishers but I don't.

I'm very glad i had the body off the loco at the time so saw it straight away and was able to remove the electric source.

On 05/12/2022 at 04:42, peach james said:

Yes.  Check the motor is actually isolated on both terminals from the chassis.  Shocked the decoder works if it was actually on fire 🔥

I’ve let lots of magic smoke 💨 out, but it is rare to see fire.

 

I'm thinking that due to the way the wire harness was wound round on the loco maybe bare wire from the black cable has been touching the top of the grey wire pin on the 8 pin socket. Then when i've tried it in the programmer the wires haven't been as taught and hence not touching.

Sad to hear. Thanks for the update.

I used a Gaugemaster OPTI mini decoder in a Hornby Class 87. Decoder had worked ok in a different model. A Lokpilot decoder had worked fine in Class 87. On applying power the decoder caught fire, luckily the body wasn't on. I pulled out the decoder, then just to confirm there was a problem i reinserted it. Flames began to flare again. I was about to write the decoder off but decided to test in my ESU decoder tester. It works fine! For the class 87 i have put in a Hornby decoder ( not sure what type but it's small and came in an LNER D49), and it appears to work fine.

So should i be worried about an issue, surely it's more than an unlucky combination - i'm more worried about the 87. Is there an easy checks to make?

Thanks

Does anyone know if this is still open? I went to visit today but it was shut and it looked permanent to me. On returning home i checked and noticed advertising for it in the Railway Modeller stopped in the August edition.

Is it 'APT The Untold Story' by David n Clough?

1 hour ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

That sounds very familiar. My 85 has stuttering sound although the loco itself does not appear to stutter.

Same. You had to look very closely to see the movement was stuttering but the sound consistently cut out and back in again.

Please forgive the lack of technological terminology.

In the photo hopefully you can see a thin strip  - brass? - red arrow. On the axle is a 'thing' with a groove in it. The brass strip sits in the groove. I can't remember whether it was the section of the brass strip in the groove or the groove itself, but one of these was dirty and cleaning both these did the trick for me. I can't remember but it was probably a fibreglass pencil i used and then maybe a wipe with IPA.

My 85 went from a great runner to very stuttery. The sound chip became awful, continually cutting out for a millisecond then on for a couple of seconds. I think the problem was with the pickups and needing to clean them / or wheel. I can't remember the exact details but i'll have look at my model to remind myself and get back to you.

On 13/05/2022 at 00:54, GraemeWatson said:

 

Many thanks for taking the time to reply again, and with photos. It has helped confirm a need to replace the pizza cutter wheels (the new ones are not as cheap to buy now as they used to be!).

 

I've re-wheeled a few of my MKIVs with Hornby 12.6mm wheels and noted a positive effect.

In your last photo, you can see how potentially the MKIV coupling could ride on top of the 91 coupling. In my experience, it has been doing that, and that is potentially implicated in my coach derailment. I ended up putting the slim NEM coupling into the 91 "upside down" and removed the hook. The lower lip on the slim NEM now faces upwards and deflects attempts from the MKIV coupling to over-ride it.

 

The only other problem I have is that on my lead coach behind the 91 I fettled the resin moulded end to the coach (which includes buffers, a prototype not yet made by Hornby) and those of course, get in the way...

 

Edit: I wonder if the better idea would be to replace the Hornby 12.6mm wheels with Bachmann 12mm wheels, lowering the coach height and therefore the likelihood of over-riding?

 

I'm not as knowledgeable or skilled as many on here so it's great to be able to give  some help. Studying my photos i think the couplings have been suffering from being pushed.

On 10/05/2022 at 11:10, GraemeWatson said:

 

So my original Intercity Margate ones have pizza cutter wheels, and when I coupled them with a loco on a flat table, the D loops ride over the top of the 91 slim coupling.

Are the ones you have tested newer ones (possibly) with better wheel sets?

Many thanks.

I replaced the wheels with 12mm Bachmann ones.

Attached are photos showing the coupling apparently bent upwards. I've not noticed this before but wondering if it's to do with alot of pushing the carriages?

On 02/05/2022 at 21:31, GraemeWatson said:

I've just tried running 91111 with an old set of Margate MkIVs....

Doesn't seem to like them!

The rear coupling on the 91 doesn't stand too far out from the body, and although I'm sure will give a close couple fit on the new tool MKIVs doesn't allow much leeway for anything else. 

 

A bigger Hornby NEM D loop doesn't fit, as it falls foul of the detailing, but perhaps a slimmer D-loop will. 

 

If anyone has any success of running the old tool MKIVs with this I'd love to hear about it

My 91 arrived yesterday. No problems running with the old Mk IVs either pulling or pushing. I had been running the carriages with a Bachmann Class 90 since it came out (3 years ago i think) with no problems either pulling or pushing. The Mk IV DVT i have on the opposite end is actually running on Mk3 DVT bogies and smaller coupling - again with no problems. Nice of Hornby to colour match the new 91 to the old Mk IVs.

On 28/04/2022 at 16:14, Dennis2000 said:

So managed to get my LNER one up and running today. To be honest I'm disappointed by the performance. Really bad running at low speeds, wobbles when on the curves, clunky going over points and makes intermittent grinding noises. Has any one else had any of these problems?

 Mine is a bit clunky over pointwork.

https://youtu.be/B7S3v2fPGgc

On 01/03/2022 at 15:52, WolfofBadenoch said:

 

Just to clear up, i missed out the part of the sentence saying i was off to work for 4 weeks! No APTs or any other trains for me unfortunately.

Well more than 4 weeks have past, but i'm up and running.

I hadn't planned on adding any imges, but since alot of other images have unfortunately been lost, here's a wee video.

https://youtu.be/QGWC25mUYrA

The set is missing a pair of TU but has the development coach in it and only 1 NDM is powered.

Edit to add;

Also running in the video is my original train set (and Hornby's original APT).

2 minutes ago, AshleyH said:

I don’t think running in takes that long, I usually find 30 minutes in each direction ample?

Just to clear up, i missed out the part of the sentence saying i was off to work for 4 weeks! No APTs or any other trains for me unfortunately.

22 hours ago, andyman7 said:

At that price definitely worth a punt, and if you really want the TUs too,  we're getting to that point where dealers with leftover oddments for the APT will no doubt have them on sale.

In many ways that typifies where I have got to with most Hornby releases and the Tier 1 farrago - which is not to get caught up in the hype or desperation to pre-order but wait for the dust to settle and if a model turns up 'in the flesh' for sale at the right price I'll bite. You've read the thread and know all the pluses and minuses but on the day the wallet has opened  

Pretty much sums up my thoughts. The original APT was my 1st train set. Never thought we'd see them again, then DJM came along promising the earth. I put money down, which i luckily got back through my credit card. When Hornby annouced theirs i was again excited but must admit i don't like as you say the hype and desperation of rushing to pre-order. My original set was the yellow fronted so if i was going to get another it was the black lining model i wanted but I was also put off by Hornby forcing the Development coach on us. I don't need a full 14 car set, it'll fit on my layout but look stupidly long so again i was put off by Hornby forcing the public into having to buy pairs of the same coach instead of allowing us to pick up single versions. With their annoucements this year that a 5 car black lined set is coming i was just going to wait, but the inevitable prices rises means that will probably be more expensive than what i spent on Saturday so i just went for it. As you suggest i'll keep my eyes open incase anybody starts selling off TUs.

I've given the NDM 15mins or so running on DC. My method is to lie the model on it's side and stick 2 wires on the pickups but i couldn't get them to remain still so had to hold them (managed to find some Model railways on Youtube to watch to save me getting bored). Struggled to get a decoder working for the next bit of running in, but that was more my fault, although Hornby's lack of space certainly compounded my own issues. Just managed to get the motor running through DCC before i had to leave this morning. I just have to wait 4 weeks now to complete the run in then get the rest of the coaches on the track!!