Not Sure if My Flying Scotsman is DCC ready

[Chris, Brighton]

Hi All! I may be asking the wrong question in the wrong way, but I am struggling with this, so any help much appreciated! My lovely family gave me (for my 61^st birthday) a complete Hornby ‘set’ including the Flying Scotsman (set reference is R1255M). I am looking at reviving my love for model railways but I am interested more in DCC than DC going forward. Therefore, can you please advise whether my loco is DCC-ready? If so, which decoder should I buy/use, and is there an Idiot’s Guide to installing it? I am basically an idiot (according to my wife) but also IT literate and able to wire/ plug and re-plug and – at a push – solder (Ye, Gods!).

Thanks for any help.

Cx

[Chrissaf]

According to Hatton's, the loco is indeed DCC Ready.

www.hattons.co.uk - Hornby R1255M Flying Scotsman - starter train set

The decoder socket is an 8 pin socket for which there are a multitude of decoders to choose from in a range of price points.

The basic Hornby 8 pin decoder is the R8249, but there are others at the same price or better with more functionality.

No idiots guide that I am aware of. Mainly because there are so many locomotive type variables that any idiots guide would be a 'War and Peace' production to cover them all. Any guides would be generic in nature and just cover 'in principle' instruction. Requiring your good self to work out the details.

Obviously, DCC Ready locos with sockets are the easiest to convert (you just open them up, unplug the 'blanking plate' PCB and insert the decoder in its place. Then test the installation on the default 03 DCC Address, then if tested OK change the address to a unique number), but non DCC Ready locos each have their own unique conversion requirements for which an element of previous expertise would be advantageous.

Current Hornby locos typically standardise on 8 pin decoders but smaller Hornby locos may be 4 or 6 pin, Bachmann tend to be 21 pin, but there are far more than these common basic types that other manufacturers might deploy.

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[96RAF]

The set should have included a maintenance sheet for the FS showing how to get the body off, lubricate, etc and usually these sheets show the location of the decoder socket, if provided, either in the loco ahead of the motor or in the tender, along with a speaker space.

[ModelerXYZ]

Open it up, if there is an 8 pin socket in it it is DCC ready.

Note: DCC ready DOES NOT mean it will run straight away on DCC.

An 8 pin decoder will fit in the socket-Hornby always use 8 pin sockets. Don't try it on DCC until you have unplugged the blanking chip and replaced it with a decoder.

Keep the blanking chip though, they are as scarce as hens teeth.

XYZ

[Going Spare]

The catalogue states it is 8-pin DCC-ready but photographs of the loco online show just a simple plastic drawbar without any wiring between the engine and tender so the decoder socket will be mounted on the engine chassis rather than in the tender. As 96RAF says, the Maintenance Instructions sheet supplied with the set should show you how to separate the engine body and chassis to add a decoder.

[Howbi]

Flying Scotsman with a decoder fitted..........

[Bulleidboy]

No mention in the ops. original posting about a DCC controller - no point in fitting a decoder until he has something to control it.