HORNBY HM7000: will fit in a Hornby class 08, will it work on the z21?

[@TimStacey]

Wish I had found this before I tried my 09, I’ll check it now and repeat your install once the power packs arrive, if they ever do!

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Glad to help. If its any help DCC Concepts have released a compatible stay-alive, but they are a different shape. A quick chat with them could identify the best fit for the 08/9. Hoping thats helpful?

[@phil36310]

Thanks for sharing this installation and test running. Having an engine working like this is a real pleasure and magnifies the joy of running & shunting trains on a model railway. Success & happy model railroading!

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Ahhhh thank you, so glad you enjoyed it. You are so right, see the 08 creeping over those points was so rewarding.

[@keithshayle7027]

Very impressive step forward in technology

[@TheSynthnut]

Excellent video, many thanks. Hornby have the 8 pin versions on pre-order for a penny under £40 as of Sept 24. Even factoring in the stay alive, that's a bargain. The downside seems to be the decoder size of the other versions not fitting other manufacturers models and the small rosta of sound profiles.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Thank you, glad you liked the video. Is this 8 pin decoder a sound decoder? Think they are bringing out non-sound too. I paid between £50-60 back then, at £40 if that is sound, that truly is a bargain. I cannot comment on using HM7000 with other manufacturer models, but have to say the number of sound files (and checked just now) is seriously growing they now have most diesel locomotives, electrics need developing, quite an assortment of steam and even class 800. Multiple units are quite lacking atm. I spoke to someone from Hornby about decoders sizes at a show not that long ago. They said they wanted a smaller decoders from the start, but struggled obtaining certain components, meaning they had to choose alternatives in the short term. Im very happy with them, so far, they seem quite controllable and durable, things that were lacking from the previous decoders. Hope that helps.

[@AntoekneeDE]

Thanks for sharing, this is definitely one of the better and more comprehensive reviews on these decoders 👍

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, thank you. I just wanted to take a different angle. The thought of having to control one loco differently to the others was disturbing, so needed to test it would work solely on DCC also.

[@AntoekneeDE]

@@piccadillymodelrailways I think I will be in the same boat (for use with existing DCC), and look forward to what loco options will be added to the roster in future 👍

[@roystudds1944]

Really interesting demonstration of this new development John. Thanks for the time you have put into making this video. Roy.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

I was sceptical, but it sounds and performs very well especially with the powerpack

[@cravensdmufan4449]

An excellent presentation. Thanks for posting.

[@lord-al-2024]

WOW John am impressed. Your giving me ideas again...lol..

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Ha ha ha, you and your ideas Allan, no doubt it will involve the scooby doo van and the vicar’s wife, lol. Honestly I was skeptical, but the idea of £75 sound decoder, with stay alive, is too good to miss. Its amazing, the 08 going over points slower than a snail sold to me, along with the sound quality. I wanna get more when more sound files are there.

[@chriscox4023]

Great video, ordered my decoders as 8 pin as I have same model , turned out to be 21pin. Only problem getting stay alive cables through cab to decoder.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, oh dear, the model is definitely 8 pin, if yours is the same. The cab comes off and the control panel will too, just be careful might break easily. The gaps are big enough to fit through the decoder. Hoping that’s helpful

[@mikeatpudhamjunction2323]

Thanks for sharing. Stay safe.

[@IVERJUNCTION]

Wow John very impressive it’s amazing what technology can nowadays fantastic video as always kind regards Danny 👍🏻👀👋🏻🤩

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Bless you Danny glad you liked it.

[@route7railway567]

Hi John hope you are well. Nice job fitting the sound in such a confined space. I’ve got myself several of the 7000 chips and power packs ready to have a go at dcc. Hope to catch up with you soon 👍

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi Steve, good to hear from you. Hru? I think the the HM7000 decoders are great. Certainly great investment. May I ask how you are powering the track? Are you using a DC controller? I’ve heard people are having issues with decoders burning out. If you use DC power you’ll need a Hornby 240v power adapter. Little Wicket Railway did a good video on this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoLLknluqchle80

[@route7railway567]

I’m good thanks John. I have also picked up the Hornby 15v power transformer to be on the safe side. I think the 7000 kit is a game changer. I cancelled an order for the Powercab dcc system in favour of the free 7000 app and this Bluetooth kit.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Good for you! Itll be good to see how you get on. Maybe you could a video showing the hornby app with the 15v DC controller?

[@Tunamayo47]

Hi again. Thank you for the quick response. I model in OO gauge, so was going to try to try to resize your models. I have started to design my own, but if I could have had access to your models, it would have given me a head start. I can understand if you don't wish to share your model, as they take a long time to design. If I do manage to make an acceptable model, I will post it RMWeb. Happy modelling.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, thank you for the vote of confidence, much appreciated. Sadly I don’t share designs, as I did so in the past, rather made model for people FREE inc PP, only to have them complain, sell the items, just bung them in a drawer and forget them or just break the item. So I just don’t any more. Hattons made a OO gauge RHTT, I’ve got one. Not a bad model, might be worth seeing you can find one. Of course you may enjoy the process of making your own. I do. Wish you well with your build.

[@gazclass58]

Awesome John 👌

[@malcolmmyatt9092]

Wow brilliant.

[@waynemeakin]

Well done Hornby. I'm impressed!

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Yes, I agree. on initial findings it appears they are on a winner here. Ofc there will be a few teething problems to sort out.

[@waynemeakin]

@@piccadillymodelrailways ...a nd thanks to this video, I've discovered kapton tape! :-)

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Lol, yes that’s good stuff too. Just try not to touch much of the sticky bit the grease in our fingers can affect the stickiness.

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

I did wonder if I should dip my toe in the water of these new decoders. Having watched your video, it convinced me that I should. Cheers John.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Yes go for it, £60-75 sound decoder with stay alive unbelievable.

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

@@piccadillymodelrailways Bargain and ideal for the class 08

[@johnsrailwaylines7087]

If you want to run in DCC with your Z21you have to give the loco a running number with your programming track. All the TXS decoders are set to 3.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, you can change the address in either app, but if you do set the address or any CV on DCC , then switch it back to the hornby app for whatever reason. The hornby app will revert all CVs as per the Hornby app, unless you change them. This is my experience with the decoder.

[@robertstrainset6556]

Hi John, Very well done on doing this as wanted to see if these will work well on dcc and if it does on your Z21 then it should on my DR5000 so I want to try putting one in my A1 and see if iTrains will control it ok. The 08 worked well but not so good without the stay alive and as my A1 only picks up on the 6 driving wheels will need one to so I hope I can get it all to fit, so all I need now is the app for my stuff as do not own any iPhone equipment, end of the month I think it should be here. Hope you are well and not over doing the work/hobby balance but again super video at the right time. Cheers Robert.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi Robert, yes its certainly impressive. Yes sounds like it should work on the DR5000 without issue and therefor itrains. That’ll be good to see. The 08 is a short wheelbase loco so the powerpack has brought it to life, amazing performance, if you saw the last running shots creeping over point without fail. The A1 sound is available, and Im sure it will help your A1. Hopefully all aspects will fit inside.

[@dallasthomas9298]

Robert I will be interested in your testing re running with iTrains. Im guessing you will do a video.

[@robertstrainset6556]

@@dallasthomas9298 Hi Dallas, Yes I would think so but could be a while as the app is not out yet so will leave it until it is and see if that works ok as does the iphone one. Then see if hornby can supply me with it. Cheers Robert.

[@mechatankzilla4733]

I couldn't figure out how to get the cab off of my 08 so I placed the powerbank and the speaker (considerably smaller) in the gap between the grille and the motor. hHowever I had to remove some of the internal pillars in order to get it to fit

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, if it works, got to be good. The body of the HORNBY 08 just slides off with slight wiggling. I don’t have a Bachmann one so can’t comment on that version.

[@tonyclixby]

Excellent

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@dallasthomas9298]

Great video John, food for thought for some of my old Hornby short wheel based locos. Keep up the great work.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Absolutely, it’s all down to space. I found the power pack was the making of the 08, and that needed careful placing. Worth a try if you can get it to work and sound file is available.

[@PaulGarwood]

Hello - on your previous video you had some magnetic coupling attached so some of your wagons, please could you tell me what make they are?

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, those magnetic couplings came with the Chaldron wagons as tension lock would be massive on them. Accurascale ‘do’ sell them separately, BUT they’ve been out of stock for ages that why I did my own. The home made version is cheap but VERY fiddly. I’m guessing accurascale will restock but I think they were £11… for 6 or 8. Hoping that’s sort of helpful.

[@capitallines]

Nice. I'm tempted to get one and see if it'll fit in my Bachmann 08 😎

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, yes it would be interesting to see that. Might be worth comparing the space available. Ive never had a Bachmann 08 Im afraid.

[@gregmacdonald927]

I got it into the Bachmann 08, but only just. Had to mount the chip vertically at the front of the loco, and the speaker had to go in the cab. Not fitted a stay alive and not sure if there’s room for it. If you’ve no stay alive your track needs to be spot on… which mine is not! But that’s no fault of the chip at all.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

See how it goes.

[@westwonic]

I have fitted a decoder ZenZN8D+stayalive into to my Bachmann 08, both behind the front grille, but only DCC without sounds. I might try replacing them both with the Hornby sounds system.

[@davidrauger]

Great video. The 08 ran gorgeously, loved the sound. Is the power-packed the same as a stay-alive?

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi Dave, yes I soooooo happy with it, sounds great and runs like a dream, especially with the powerpack. Yes the powerpack is what hornby call the stay-alive, but its hornby’s own with the plug which fits straight into the decoder. They are super-capacitors and hold a lot of charge, but you cannot use any stay-alive or there is a risk of blowing both the decoder and the powerpack. The powerpacks are quite pricy, but the results are plain to see. If it works on an 08, it should work on any, providing it fits inside. At some point I want to fit the pecketts with such. There’s a challenge, lol

[@davidrauger]

@@piccadillymodelrailways Have you tried fitting stay alive to any of your n gauge Locos?

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

No, I did the hornby one as it was plug and play, but not sure on others. I know if you get it wrong the whole lot could go bang.

[@Tunamayo47]

Hi, totally off the subject, but would you be willing to share your stl/3d files for the Rail Head Treatment Train? I know it was 2 years ago, but I have recently purchased a 3D printer and would like to have a go at making one like yours. Either way, thank you.

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, you can get an N gauge RHTT from shapeways. www.shapeways.com/product/BPGMVKM2D/fea-b-rail-head-treatment-train-v1-0

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

I've ordered the decoder and stay alive and rewatching this video. I've noticed that you copied the sound file into the Z21 but you didn't show how this can be achieved. Any chance John

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, I looked at each function on the hornby app, then go to the z21, (I fortunately have two ipads). I go to the main page/ vehicles. Bottom left press ‘+’ then loco. Press Data. Input address, name, mph/ kph speed steps. Then press ‘functions’. You will see C1 / 2 & 3. On C1, you have each function position. Press first. Choose your first function from hornby app. Put in the function address, switch/push button or time, name your function, choose an appropriate symbol. That’s the first. Its then a case of going through each sound one by one copying the functions to the from the hornby app. There is no way, sadly, of copy/paste functionality into z21, you literally copy each function into z21. See how you get on. I have done z21 videos in the past. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pomQfXWvdtyMjrc. It MAY be helpful. Just say if you get stuck.

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

@@piccadillymodelrailways cheers John. Thanks for your support.

[@davidcoleman3773]

What app are you using besides the HMDCC app

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi David the z21. This is a controller by ROCO, and it can be app controlled, PC and there is a handset available separately too. Hope that’s helpful

[@TheSonofruss]

I am surprised that the decoder doesn’t have shrink wrap or the like on the board

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, hornby never wrap their decoders, but easy job with the capton tape.

[@tonyclixby]

With a chip like this can you run it on a DC layout using Bluetooth only?

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, hornby advise NOT. There have been decoder failures from DC units as the voltage varies. You would need a DCC controller. I use Z21, and it runs beautifully. It’s really easy to switch from Bluetooth running to DCC.

[@djburland]

How do you know what Loco sounds are available?

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Hi, if you download the hornby app, they are listed there, but should be on their website too. Atm both HST sounds (valenta and MTU), 31, 73, 66, 08, 56 and steam: S15, A1/3, A4, P2, Coronation, britania, 2P, 9f, merchant navy and black 5. Hoping that helps. I think many more are coming, but not sure when.

[@kennethmaney914]

Well done for not handling, moisture and acids from your fingers can start a corrosive long term reaction on PCBs. Especially with modern hard solder. My son's an electronic engineer and said it was the first lesson he was taught . So all you old modelers. DON'T TOUCH..💀💀💀

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Ok thanks

[@davidcook380]

Absolutely Super slow running

[@piccadillymodelrailways]

Thank you, yes Im amazed by that, especially over 3 points.