DCC conversion

[Sri-355216]

Hi,

Am a newbie to both model railways and DCC. Am looking to have decoders fitted to my Hornby Flying Scotsman and Sentinel locomotives. Does anybody know of model shops around West London or the South East that provide this service. Don't feel competent enough to try it out onmyown.

Thanks

[Going Spare]

You could try Janes Trains at 35 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR (020 8640 1569 - janestrains.co.uk); Kernow Model Rail Centre, 75b Stoke Road, Guildford GU1 4HT (01209 714099) or Invicta Model Rail, 130 Station Road, Sidcup DA15 7AB (0208 302 7774) and others listed on the UK Model Shops Directory.

[Sri-355216]

You could try Janes Trains at 35 London Road, Tooting, SW17 9JR (020 8640 1569 - janestrains.co.uk); Kernow Model Rail Centre, 75b Stoke Road, Guildford GU1 4HT (01209 714099) or Invicta Model Rail, 130 Station Road, Sidcup DA15 7AB (0208 302 7774) and others listed on the UK Model Shops Directory.

Thanks for your message. Actually searching the web, and contacting some of the other model shops in London, I also found Northfields Model Shop in Ealing London, does do the conversions. Am going to try them out as they are closer to me.

[96RAF]

Ask them to show you how they do it. Many conversions of DCC-Ready locos are likely well within your existing skill set. Most only involve removing the body (often the hardest bit of the job), pulling a blanking plug and plugging in the correct (number of pins) decoder, then stowing the decoder so it cannot short against any metal parts.

Finding space for the decoder in some locos can be a challenge.

Locos without a factory socket are a tad more difficult and require soldering skills.

Sound installations can similarly be plug and play or can be a bit of a challenge, not wishing to put you off.

[Brew Man]

No, quit while he's ahead, Rob joy

[Simmo009]

Srikant, try your local club, there is surely someone there that will give you a demonstration. Probably get a cuppa too.

[81F]

@RAF,

I find putting the body back on the most difficuld - where do you put all that wire!

[ColinB]

That is why wherever possible I move it all to the tender. I broke some Merchant Navy valve gear trying to get it all to fit, being more worried about crushing the wires. After that I vowed to put the DCC into the tender wherever possible. The only exceptions are A4s and unrebuilt BOB/West Country where because of their large fronts there is tons of room in the loco for even a speaker as well.

[Sri-355216]

Srikant, try your local club, there is surely someone there that will give you a demonstration. Probably get a cuppa too.

Need to find a local club. But the owner of Northfield Model Shop did my conversions and also gave me a lot of advice. Think he runs the shop more as a hobby than a commercial exercise.