Quote from: Gooner1953 on May 24, 2013, 10:37:55 AM
I've received back from Douglas Stewart at Wickness (http://www.wicknessmodels.co.uk/) my Black 5 and Hall that he was converting to DCC sound. I'm well chuffed (sorry about that!) with the final result.

Douglas always posts a video of the converted loco for his customers to view before final payment which is a nice touch..

Black 5
Graham Farish Black 5 DCC Sound Conversion
Hall
Dapol Hall Class DCC Sound Conversion

I've already got one of his Warship conversions, just need to decide what to send him next month!

Cheers
Nick

Whats the cost to convert your locos?

Just bought this job lot, few bits i will keep for mine, will probably break the track up depending on what its like then sell off what i don`t need.

Quote from: portland-docks on June 02, 2013, 11:31:43 AM

Quote from: Gooner1953 on May 24, 2013, 10:37:55 AM
I've received back from Douglas Stewart at Wickness (http://www.wicknessmodels.co.uk/) my Black 5 and Hall that he was converting to DCC sound. I'm well chuffed (sorry about that!) with the final result.

Douglas always posts a video of the converted loco for his customers to view before final payment which is a nice touch..

Black 5
Graham Farish Black 5 DCC Sound Conversion
Hall
Dapol Hall Class DCC Sound Conversion

I've already got one of his Warship conversions, just need to decide what to send him next month!

Cheers
Nick

Whats the cost to convert your locos?

It varies from depending on the loco. The variable bit is really down to the cost of labour. For instance the cost of the Black 5 can be broken down into decoder/sound file cost of £105 (Loksound V4) which is about the norm. Labour costs came to £70, higher than usual because, as Douglas put it, it was a 'Bit of a bugger to convert ..'. The the fitting of the decoder was straightforward but Douglas then had to spend a lot of time tweaking the pickup system. The problem you have with sound decoders is that you really do need uninterruptable power. Douglas tweaked the pickups and then hard-wired the loco pickups back to the tender as the connection was very poor.

The Hall cost circa £105 for the decoder and sound file (Zimo in this one) whilst labour costs came to £60. The installation was a bit more straightforward and the pickups were a lot better than the Black 5.

Overall I think that Douglas at Wickness charges a fair price, particularly considering the amount of work he does fettling pickups etc. On the Black 5 he also tweaked it to get rid of the traction tyres and thus improve pickup.

Both the Black 5 and the Dapol Hall were brand new from Hattons, I just got Hattons to send them direct to Douglas. The Warship on the other hand was supplied by Douglas with sound installed. For that he charged £240. You can see other locos supplied with sound at http://www.wicknessmodels.co.uk/online-store/shop/dcc-sound-fitted-locos?vmcchk=1

I would be happy to recommend Douglas/Wickness to anyone. He does a first class job and is well aware of the need to look at issues like pickups etc. He does not charge anything 'up front' but waits to receive the loco and, once he is satisfied that he can do a sound conversion, he charges you for the decoder/sound file. He also gives you an estimate of labour costs at this stage. When the installation is complete, he videos it and sends you a link to the relevant YouTube page. The 2 videos I posted are of my locos. He then charges you for the labour costs and any P&P.

I'm now trying to work out which of my locos to send him next! Probably my Class 122 bubble car...

Hope this helps..
Nick

My purchases at the NGS AGM.
Very surprised at the colour difference between the inspection saloon and the Stove R.

One question if any one knows the answer please -  The Stove R - how would they have been used, what sort of train configuration would have included one.

Yeah, there is quite a bit of difference in the liveries! But that is a good question about the Stove R... I don't know either, and would be most interested to learn!

Cheers, George.

Quote from: NeMo on May 31, 2013, 11:36:57 PM
Spent the day in London with the good lady wife, and while on Oxford Street, nipped into the 'Wheels of Steel' at Grays Antique Market (close to Bond Street tube station). I picked up a set of three SPA wagons (with loads) plus a single OCA wagon, all in EWS livery, for £25.

A certain model shop online is doing the SPA wagons in EWS for about £5 each (can't remember if £4.99 or £5.99) also can't remember which one as I was just flicking through the bargain bins online. Probably Hattons or Modelzone, so if you want more then a quick search should help you.

Hi

I finaly got the Class 101 DMU BR blue, been on my wishlist for a while. I'am very impressed with it. It's running in at the moment, Good cab detail.

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Also got this for my farm. It's a bit small so I couldn't get a good focus.

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some more pictures

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Got some other stuff aswell.

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I might put some more pictures later 

nice dmu

i like the fronts of the 101s


tim

Did you try putting the detail parts on the 101? I managed to get the couplings and hoses on but 3 of the 8 little sockets went flying... Still lovely though...

Anyhoo... I was browsing through the model shop when....



£38!!! down from £97!!! I know I don't do American stuff but... 



I thought I should get a wagon to go with it too.... (£4 down from £9.50)

Bloody hell these American things are hoooooogggggeeee!

Quote from: Luke Piewalker on June 14, 2013, 06:06:55 PM
Anyhoo... I was browsing through the model shop when....



£38!!! down from £97!!! I know I don't do American stuff but... 

Bloody hell these American things are hoooooogggggeeee!

Is the loco a Kato?
If it is you certainly have bagged a bargain 

cheers John.

They're Bachmann, I quick scout around the internet suggests I did ok pricewise even compared to importing one from America.

Quote from: Luke Piewalker on June 14, 2013, 06:06:55 PM
Did you try putting the detail parts on the 101? I managed to get the couplings and hoses on but 3 of the 8 little sockets went flying... Still lovely though...

Hi, I actually bought a magnifying glass which has a led light on and tweezers it's from Guagemaster so I'm gonna use that to try and put the detailing on because they are tiny! I haven't put them on yet but when I do I will put a picture on here.

Wish me luck.

Some more of the Americian wagons for my Americian train... Now I just need to come up with an appropriate means of actually coupling them all together...

Which would have been easier if the previous owner hadn't fitted body mounted couplers to a couple of them... the body of one of which is considerably higher than the others...

And cut all the mounts off the bogies when he did it... 

Anyone got any spare Bachmann wagon bogies...  I'll have some Micro0trains body mount couplers I can swap 

Hi Luke,

Nice looking freight cars. Are you looking for any particular railroad company or just grabbing what you can?

Alex

My latest additions, with pics to follow tomorrow,

Dapol hall class "leighnton hall"
Dapol b17 class "everton"

And a bargain....
Old farish, dcc hardwired class 25, to be named and numbered to the nymrs own "sybilla"