Beechcroft Model Railway - #65. Using DAS clay…

#hornbyrailways , #modelrailways , #bachmann , #modeltrains , #oogauge
It’s time to work on the derelict farm buildings and work how the best way to get them level on the sloping landscape.
I’m trying DAS clay for the first time following a suggestion from last week’s video. Let’s see how it goes!
Something on mind is my stock of older, non DCC ready, loco’s and what to do with them - whether to sell them off or look at having them converted to DCC?
As always, Thank you for watching.
/ @grandadstrainroom-pn3tt
andyjxf​@yahoo.co.uk

[@Andrewstolarski]

It’s looking really good i like where your at so far 😊😊😊

[@greatnorthernrailwaytother4711]

Looking good. As others have said if you can solder most Hornby locos are an easy job to convert with a simple 8 wire decoder. If you are not fitting lights it is simply a matter of disconnecting the wires from the wheel pickups and solder them to the red and black wires on the decoder and then connecting the grey and orange wires to the motor. Just make sure everything is insulated with heat-shrink tube or similar. It only gets tricky with split chassis type models. Good luck. Cheers Peter from downunder.

[@rodericfindlay4147]

Nice job. What a transformation. Lovely to see it all coming together. A very fine piece of work.

[@avlisk]

DAS clay is a new one for me. Thanks for the tip.

[@alanwagstaff16]

To dcc fit your locos the first 4 would be a good idea the others not so . I've converted a few locos to dcc and it's a fairly easy job. Plenty of info on you tube.

[@stephendavies6949]

Hi there. Definitely worth while to convert the Super Detail locos. Many say they were "Peak Hornby"! The others can be done quite easily too, so if you want to see them running, then go for it. Plenty of tutorials on KZbin (Jenny Kirk, DansModelRailways, for example). Layout looks great. If you choose to sell, then they'd be snapped up pretty quickly.

[@NewModelRailway1]

One thing you could do with 1 or 2 of those older locos is to heavy rust weather them so they look like they haven't seen service for a few years and are now only fit for the scrap heap. Then stick them in a corner at the end of a siding you don't use much. Obviously, make sure they are from an era that is before the era you're mostly modelling.

[@andrewwarcup684]

Hi, as long as the locos don't have split axles, conversion is not difficult. Just require some cheap eight pin, wired decoders. Give it a try, plenty of videos showing how to do it, just need to follow where the wires go. All that is needed, is the motors have to be isolated from the frame.

[@JanjyGiggins]

I've converted a few older locos to DCC. Decoder sockets aren't expensive and soldering them in is just a matter of 4 wires. Or you can do away with the socket entirely and just solder the wires directly to the ones on an 8-pin chip. The main challenge is just finding somewhere to fit the decoder, but I would guess that wouldn't be too hard in big locos like that.

[@johntaylor-tz6td]

Starting to look very good as for your steam engines i would keep them in a display case on your wall I understand your reason to sell them if they were mine I would keep them or at least some of them

[@adriank8698]

I suppose the key question for you regarding the locomotives is 'what would you actually run on the layout?' Unless there is a compelling sentimental reason for keeping them (perhaps in a display case), I'd be inclined to dispose of the older tender drive locomotives as I don't like their motors or traction tyres. Years ago I installed DCC decoders in a couple of Hornby Schools Class tender drive locos but sold them was soon as the newer loco driven versions became available. With the small 1 - 2 amp decoders now available, the super detailed loco drive models can readily be converted to DCC although it does require a hard wired installation. There are plenty of 'how to' videos on KZbin if this is new territory for you. While sound fitting is a bit more of a challenge, I know a couple of modellers who were determined, brave and innovative enough to do it successfully. If you already have sufficient Duchesses and Kings available for running on the layout it is probably better to sell your surplus ones rather than have them take up cupboard space.

[@barryturner2916]

Great use of the clay, old buildings and wall blending in well, looks great. A pat on the back for your progress on the farm area, can't wait to see trees and hedges to `finish off` area (but is it ever finished lol). With regarding your loco's the first four I would get them DDC fitted and to cover the costs sell the others and hopefully a little left over to spend on the farm area. Take care regards Barry.

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

great vid thanks lee

[@johnstephens649]

I’m firmly DC however that is because I have locos in my family’s collection that are original Hornby Dublo, still running well and go back over 60 years so don’t feel it is right to change them. I believe it is fairly straightforward to covert older locos to DCC, especially as they are more basic and robust to work with. If I recall Jenny Kirk did a very good video of how she has done this. If the models have sentimental value, then you should look into converting them.

[@garylong7599]

Flexible stone walls look very good much better than the hornby resin walls. With the seafoam trees have reinforced mine by including brass wire stuck to the trunk before adding more foliage a bit fiddly but makes the tree less liable to damage and helps with the straightness of the tree. Bit fiddly but using superglue in small sections and accelerant works, the other version I have been using to reinforce the tree is thin hemp style string again superglued to trunk and major branches as the superglue dries it becomes very strong and the fibres reinforce the structure

[@CharlesPruden]

things are looking great. Those steamers might be a bother to convert. there are many variables to converting locos to DCC. a large part is available space in the model. and the motors might need reworked.

[@Millsbritish4x4]

great video, as for converting the earlier loco's it's all possible with enough time and dedication, biggest issue will be modding pickup to suit dcc decoders. I've a few older loco I plan on converting on rainy days! some time ago you did a video on a loco that had running issues noise/pulsing running action...how did you go with that?... keep up the good work.

[@frankthorne5187]

Looks really good and coming along nicely. I would suggest getting some trees in the area along with the undergrowth to counter the general flatness of the area. Adding trees to some other areas as well would look really good.

[@kevinscott4038]

My advice on the loco's, get in contact with Dan at 'Dan's model railways' on KZbin, he has a great knowledge of converting loco's to DCC and does a very good job of them as well.

[@paulturnbull5861]

Brilliant the way that entire area has been transformed and so many options to add rusty clutter. As for the loco's I fear what you will get for them will be peanuts considering the emotional value. Have you considered keeping them and just putting them in the shed as static models? Lots of options there the remove couplings and detailed buffer beams, the Loco driven ones you could convert the tenders to be open and un-coaled etc. Just and idea.

[@liliput50]

The six older models, their motors may not like dcc I converted some of mine and they never ran well

[@garylong7599]

Flexible stone walls look very good much better than the hornby resin walls. With the seafoam trees have reinforced mine by including brass wire stuck to the trunk before adding more foliage a bit fiddly but makes the tree less liable to damage and helps with the straightness of the tree. Bit fiddly but using superglue in small sections and accelerant works, the other version I have been using to reinforce the tree is thin hemp style string again superglued to trunk and major branches as the superglue dries it becomes very strong and the fibres reinforce the structure