voucherman Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 I've recently bought a second-hand R2349 - class 50 Ark Royal. I plugged in the decoder & everything seemed fine when I had the loco on the programming track but as soon as I put it on the main track I got an Error on the controller.I've got the Elite controller and tried both R8249 & Sapphire decoders both with the same results.The loco seems fine without the chip fitted - at least, the lights come on.Just wondering if anyone else has had similar issues or knows what the problem might be, or even better a solution.I've successfully wired up a few locos but get a simple DCC ready loco !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Does it happen if the tender is removed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morairamike Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Class 50 is a Diesel loco. Note that when the train is on the prog track there is no tractive power to the loco only prog info. Check that the caps are removed.check that the decoder is in the correct way.Did it run without a decoder fitted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil_Spiegel. Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Contact Hornby Customer Services DIRECTLY with the PCB VERSION NUMBER: These original 'DCC-Ready' models were supplied with an incorrectly designed PCB - the decoder will work ONLY if pligged in the opposite direction -- inserting as marked was reported as destroying the decoder by Model Rail Magazine at the time. REPLACEMENT BOARDS were made available - either for user fitting or by returning the loco to Hornby for them to change it over.Presumably the orginal owner was eithe ra 'collector' or 'ananlogue-dc user' and therefore was not aware or bothered by the situation, and did nothing to take up the offer at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 morairamike said:Class 50 is a Diesel loco.Oops!Completely lost track of what I was doing there. My mind was on another query about a Mallard!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbird Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 Note to morairamike; A programing track is isolated from the main track only to to facilitate programming without interferring with other stock that may be on the main track. All functions are available including motion (motor power) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voucherman Posted December 4, 2011 Author Share Posted December 4, 2011 Thanks for the replies.I had come across a problem elsewhere on the web regarding class 50's, but wasn't sure how widespread it was. Also with it being second-hand I didn't think I'd get assistance from Hornby.For now I've gone for the easy option. I've taken the loco to the local model shop, also an official Hornby service dealer, so I'm hoping he'll be able to fix it.Just my luck. After successfully rewiring a few locos I'd decided all future purchases would be DCC fitted. Made an exception with this one. How hard can it be to just plug it in? I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman777 Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 voucherman,Hi, it's worth persisting. I have a BR Blue Hornby Class 50 (Illustrious) with a DCC Decoder - awesome loco, very smooth & powerful. The detail is super too, looking just as I remember them. You'll enjoy running trains with this engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morairamike Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 note to Blackbird, sorry but on my system, Prodigy2, the prog track has no tractive power it only programs the decoder it can not be driven on the prog track. Different connectyions on the rear of the base station. Yes you can also prog on the main if you wish using the main track output on the base station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voucherman Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Just came across this thread while searching for something else so to update - I contacted customer services as Phil Spiegel suggested. Informed them I'd bought a second-hand loco and would like to buy a PCB.They replied that they had no boards in stock but would keep my details on file. I then forgot about it until a couple of months later when a circuit board arrived in the post. I retrieved the loco from the model shop (they'd not been able to fix it) and within half an hour I'd swapped the boards and had the loco running.So if anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation do as Phil said & contact customer services. I wasn't expecting anything, thinking demand for replacement boards would have died off so was pleasantly surprised to receive one, especially free when the loco was second hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The son of Triangman Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yup contact Hornby Customer Service. Another thing as the loco is s/h does it run ok under DC control.Also worth bearing in mind is that decoders are static sensitive devices so it is best to use anti-static handling equipment when fitting decoders. Static electricity damages deocders, handle the deocder or connection pins without proper Anti-static equipment and you could damage the decoder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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