#20 A quick DCC conversion on a tiny loco

A freebie loco from Hornby Hobbies given away with membership of the Hornby Collectors Club. A very small loco and not a lot of room inside for a decoder but I managed it.

[@duncanrhodes4778]

Just about to dip my toe back in to railway modelling. This is a really useful video, as I do have DC models which I will be changing to DCC. THANK YOU!

[@JumbleLane]

Glad to be of help Duncan, if you ever need any further help you are welcome to email me on [e-mail] and also take a look at the items I produce on scenic3d.co.uk

[@andystocks3252]

Excellent video. So refreshing to here an English dialect!

[@JumbleLane]

Funny thing is, it’s supposed to be a Yorkshire dialect not a Brummie one 😂

[@user-rx6do2ir1w]

Top Man very please ,made it look easy.Thank s

[@jimmyplaysclash]

Great video, thanks for sharing. I've just converted a small loco to DCC using your instructions and it works very well :)

[@JumbleLane]

Glad to be of help to you Jimmy 👍

[@ianturvey3894]

Wonderful video. Clear instructions. I’ve just got back into 00 gauge and have a number of my old loco’s that could be converted to DCC.

[@JumbleLane]

Great to hear hear you are returning to modelling with 00 gauge, if you are going to convert them start with the ones with lots of space in the body until you get used to it.

[@rongoodwin4053]

Top class instructional video Geoff, very useful, thank you.

[@JumbleLane]

Glad to help, thanks. Regards, Geoff.

[@Kettenhund31]

Thank you for producing the video.

[@JumbleLane]

You’re very welcome, thank you. Regards, Geoff

[@philiplogue2344]

Smashing video Geoff. I’d like to echo the thanks of others for you producing it. I have 2 of these locos, 1 recent and the other from way back that I’d like to convert to DCC so this is very useful for me. Thanks again........... Philip.

[@JumbleLane]

Philip Logue no problems, it’s what the community is all about, sharing. Regards, Geoff

[@onnomulder9775]

Thanks for the instruction video!! Regards Onno.

[@JumbleLane]

Not really instructional video Onno but just the way I tackled it, like to share ideas with others

[@bobbowen65]

Thanks Geoff. A great little video. I did the same thing with my little red "Santa Express", a variant of the same GWR Holden 101.The only difference being, I also fitted and wired in a DCC Concepts Headlight on top of the smoke box, just forward of the chimney. My only problem then was, I think, just bad contacts, so in hindsight, maybe a "stay-alive", if I can find somewhere to place it.

[@JumbleLane]

If the stay-alive capacitor(s) are small enough they can sometimes squeeze into the coal bunker area.

[@bobbowen65]

@@JumbleLane Thanks Geoff. Yes, I thought of that, but am not sure whether I can get one small enough to fit in there. I suppose I can always make a cut-out at the bottom of the bunker, if it doesn't look to much intruding onto the footplate too much...

[@tommurphy4307]

when club members come to me with an N scale Lima locomotive- i tell them to a) use it on the 'dead' line, or b) throw it away.

[@JumbleLane]

Now that is a novel idea. I have thought of N gauge so many times so I can get more for a given space but I now struggle with OO gauge at times, I have varifocal glasses but I still need close up work glasses as well

[@cousinvinny7990]

i just did this same loco same motor same lack of space but it's done running and perfect

[@JumbleLane]

Nice one, it’s great when a plan comes together

[@SimonLivertonCentral]

Hi Geoff, very nice conversion, if you find it does not run properly you can remove the suppressor, choke coil etc

[@JumbleLane]

Thanks Simon, I did remove the choke first but left the capacitors in. After a few tests I did remove the capacitors and it did improve running. Regards, Geoff

[@ianmcewan3535]

You can now use Hornby's R7274 4 pin decoder which fits in the well and a quick conversion with no extra leads to tie up .

[@JumbleLane]

Hi Ian, very true, there has been many improvements and innovations made in design since this was done and the electronics are getting smaller all of the time, something to use when updating etc.

[@charlie1872]

Your intro reminds me of visage’s “Fade to grey”. I am a big fan of Midge Ure and have met him a few times over here. Would you say those decoders are generally best for the older locos?

[@JumbleLane]

Hi Charlie, I wouldn’t say it is the best for small locos, it’s basically one that fits. This was done a good while ago and I have learned a lot since. The one thing I would say for small locos especially 0-4-0 configurations is that if you can fit a stay alive capacitor then do so as it will improve the performance vastly. As for the intro music, it was sone music clip that was bundled with the editing software unused at the time. I must agree that it does sound a little similar and that’s why I probably chose it as it’s the sort of music I like as well. Regards, Geoff.

[@SammoKarm]

You mentioned that the polarity of the track wires mattered, On DCC they shouldn't. When using a reverse loop the polarity has to be changed and the loco should continue in the direction it is going. I agree that the motor wires have to be correctly wired for polarity.

[@JumbleLane]

Hi Sam, I think I said it does not really matter as this has no effect on the power houng into the decoder. As a standard throughout the industry there will be a protocol that the wires attached to the wheels on the right will always be the same etc. Technically it has not effect. However as you mentioned reverse loops, this is an issue dealt with at track level and not within the loco. If you did not deal with the reverse loop issue as soon as the first wheels touched the track beyond the loop they would short out the reverse loop module quickly switches the polarity of the track at the isolated section to deal with this issue. Sorry if the explanation in the video confused matters.

[@samwoodward8491]

Fitted 3 decoders now all run in wrong direction. Do I change just the motor wires or do I need to change the track connections as well . Great video regards Sam Woodward

[@JumbleLane]

The easiest way by far is to just swap the motor wires. This is a DC circuit to the motor do reversing polarity will reverse the motor. The second way of doing it requires changing a setting in the CV’s. This requires changing one of the BITS in CV29. Unless you are happy to change CV values I would just change the wires to the motor.

[@samwoodward8491]

Thanks Geoff 😊

[@FE428Power]

Thank you for the great video. I have many older locomotives from the 70s and 80s, when I was a kid. I want to get into model RR with my older locomotives if possible. Will these work on them?

[@JumbleLane]

On most old locos it should be okay but some old locos have di cast chassis and one pole of the motor is connected to the chassis as this is metallic and fixed to the chassis. If you use a multimeter you can test for this.

[@trainfest7537]

Hi Geoff, Great Video. I managed to fit mine in the same position, but the motor on it is slightly notchy. Can I ask where your tiny heat gun came from, as I think it is a much safer way to fit heat shrink. Regards, Ken.

[@JumbleLane]

Thanks Ken. The heat gun is a combined soldering station and heat gun unit, just a spur of the moment purchase from ebay. Regards, Geoff.

[@trainfest7537]

Cheers Geoff, I 'll keep an eye out for one. Regards, Ken.

[@peterwebster3076]

What dcc controller are you using

[@JumbleLane]

Hi, I am using the Z21 Black.

[@peterwebster3076]

@@JumbleLane who makes that bud

[@JumbleLane]

@@peterwebster3076 Hi, it’s made by Roco, they do the white version which is a more basic model. It comes with a WiFi router so you can access it using apps on tablets and phones

[@rongoodwin4053]

Hi again Geoff, I have a Club Model 2009 (43209). There seems to be room for the decoder in the coal bunker space, but the motor connections seem to be different to the one you have DCCd. Have you fitted to this model? I don't wan't to "destroy" it.

[@JumbleLane]

Hi Ron, no, I haven't but to be honest with all DC convertions the process is the same. The two wires that go to the motor have to be re-routed to the red and black of the decoder and the orange and grey wires from the decoder go to the motor where the original wires went. If the loco travels in the wrong direction then swap the orange and grey connections to the motor. It really is as simple as that. Yes, there are instructions to wire the red wire to rail right and black wire to rail left but it really does not matter.

[@rongoodwin4053]

OK, thanks Geoff.@@JumbleLane

[@ccartmel]

You say small. I work in 'N' gauge, that is small. 6 of my engines are now DCC enabled.

[@JumbleLane]

Yep, this one is tiny for me, N scale is just impossible for me though.

[@davidbotfield2237]

Thankyou Geoff for this video, as a DCC beginner I found it extremely helpful. What was the decoder brand you used?

[@JumbleLane]

Thanks David, its a while now but i think it was a Hornby8249 decoder, its not my first choice. There are loads on the market but dont be enticed into buying the cheapest. Especially if you want functions. Regards, Geoff.

[@smalllocoguy770]

try putting a dcc chip in a hornby L&YR pug

[@JumbleLane]

I'll have a go at anything but it don't mean I will succeed, maybe try an N gauge next time lol. Regards, Geoff.

[@smalllocoguy770]

@@JumbleLane ive seen n gauge DCC sound fitted lbsc A1X class

[@JumbleLane]

small loco guy I really don’t think my eyes would be good enough for tiny work to be honest so magnifying glasses will be required

[@alant3970]

00 gauge - hardly tiny.

[@JumbleLane]

It is for my eyes and fingers. I would live to be able to do an N gauge so I can get more of a layout in the same space but I wouldn't enjoy the struggle