LMSFan72

I can't say I'm familiar with the functionality of that decoder, but, I would try a reset - it may be that the functions have been remapped so they are not operating as directional set of lights on the white and yellow leads. Failing that, a picture of the board connections would be helpful to check that they are as designed? RAF is correct, there is a history of dodgy class 50 lights - some faults were on the PCB, although this version PCB seems fine in mine. Someone may have put the lighting leads to the wrong connectors on the board. The lighting works by the positives and the negatives both being switched - in very over simplified explanation the light positives are switched by the direction when the function is on and the negatives are switched just by the function being on... so, if the positives are connected wrongly you may well see a problem similar to what you have....

I can confirm that that is not how it should be. the lights should be directional and only operate when you have F0 on. Directional would mean whites on at the leading end and reds at the other based on the direction the loco is moving. Since the problem appears to have been there on DC I would look to the board or wiring in the loco. To work out the issue will mean taking the body off and tracing the connections. There are other threads on here regarding lighting for the class 50 which may help - I have posted a traced PCB which shows what the connections should do In the post below but there other posts too: https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/class-50-dcc-connector/?p=1/#post-350759 But, there are a number of different boards - worth posting a picture and the board revision markings...

Well, that's a heck of a wish list, but a fine present for a very lucky young man! You won't get an exact ready to run model as the Hornby power cars have the correct livery but have some small detail omissions but it will be the best you can get. They also do not have all the correct coaches so you will need to decide what to use. Lastly, a lot of them are pre-order and not yet available and others may have sold out. I made mine by a lot of modelling customisation but I think I would buy, if available: R3769 power cars R8120 TTS MTU decoder set R4909 - Mk3 coach R4910 - Mk3 Conference Coach R4911- Mk3 coach R4989 - Mk3 standby generator coach (pre-order) R4988 - Mk3 lecture coach (pre-order) The real flying banana has 5 Mk3 coaches. Hornby only currently make 3 different ones and 2 of those are pre-order. You might just try and find 5 of the ones that are available but that may also be a big ask. Budget wise you'll be looking at the best part of £550 for a reasonable portrayal...

That boards looks very similar indeed to the one I traced in one of my Class 50s. I would wager that the contacts wire the same way. See the trace fo the circuit oin my diagram in this post: https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/class-50-dcc-connector/?p=1/#post-350759 Be aware of the way I had to label the connectors - the pins do have a number on that relate tot the legend, don't take the order of the legend as the order of the connectors.

I have used several of them and they are very good

I would use a 9v battery with a 1K resisitor and touch the contacts underneath the cab to check the LEDs (they hang below the cab floor and face forward). The positive is the RH one as if you were sat in the drivers seat.

This is the trace for the PCB marked 1621-X0091R which sounds like the one in question. I have traces of others too, but, they don't have the additional 4-pin /media/tinymce_upload/2c90192464bd7584c5a14e5a57666753.png

The 4-pin socket doesn't do anything on DCC - it seems to be another motor connection as I recall from tracing it. The top lights switch with the headlights. The light boards are common negative but they have separate positive connections. From recollection. The top light +ve is the red wire on the RH connector viewed as if you are the driver. The top lights are built into the body and connected by contact pads that connect with the sprung contacts on the back of the light boards at the cab end of the chassis. It's most likely that it's the connection there that's the problem unless the top light positive wires are disconnected/poorly connected at both ends. I have found that if the body is not fully clipped down those top lights don't work because the connection is not made properly. Also check continuity on the wiring. If the headlight works (I just realised that I am assuming that you have the top headcode light AND the headlight on the "nose" on your model) then it's very unlikely to be the board/decoder socket. EDIT: I have just found my trace of the main PCB so have posted that but it will need moderating

DCC concepts Cobalt-SS might work. I have no experience of them but they would appear to meet your criteria, and, are designed to look realistic on the surface

All 5 of the super detailed ones I have do not have the fragile connectors. For the most part the lights are hard wired on the chassis and not separately in the body. The exceptions are the cab and head code lights. These are connected by contacts on the back of the lighting PCBs to pads on the board in the body and have proved pretty robust. No wiring needs to be "disconnected" to remove the body completely. Note that there are different main PCBs and there was an early issue with a PCB where layout tracks laid out incorrectly for DCC - there are posts on the forum.

It's an interesting conundrum. The more expensive brands don't have the same problem because they tailor the chip as the last step in classic lean manufacturing. That way the hardware can be ordered to a min stock level based on lead time for a generic hardware. It is an assumption that Hornby order the final product in batch qty. I know that hardware differences may mean the one-time write hardware on TTS may not be able to be done that way but one would think it would be worth Hornby looking at it that way if they haven't already. Would they capture more demand and be able to provide better service that way...

According to the Hornby product page it will run on 2nd radius. No experience myself.

...these may come up out of order.... So, Capt Tom Moore, 66731, now dulled down with a coat of Testors dullcote.... good enough to be a keeper now I think rahter than stripping back and starting again. /media/tinymce_upload/5b4b746cc552dfbc87231a1177d99d97.png

@ellocoloco The 66 is always a challenge to get the transfers on well.... First attempt on one side of 66731. It's amazing the difference it makes with the extra transfer detail (forgive the water marks as it was drying so it hasn't been cleaned up yet). I also not that under the LED lamps of the extractor booth the paintwork is much "bluer". Those cant rails are a nightmare to get straight too... I may well end up cutting them in the door apertures and adding separate bits back in - they just don't sit over the creases well /media/tinymce_upload/fd6f189b289a544d0fdcd48935f2c359.png /media/tinymce_upload/652b8b59ff17d4a5689825252df55158.png I'm getting happier with it as time goes by!

I ummmmm'd and aahhhh'd about doing this due to the risk of ruining it, but, I wanted to do a highly detailed 66731 in tribute to the NHS. I therefore decided to repaint my earlier livery Hattons model of the loco. It's OK, but, I may yet strip it back and have another go. I used custom mixed aerosols to try and get the paint match spot on, but, I found the following problems: I used full gloss, perhaps I should have gone semi-gloss/satinthe aerosol paint is really too thick - I should stick to airbrush and lots of practice I think!the orange base coat to get the detail right looks as though it has made the lighter blue a touch turquoise. I went for Pantone 300C as that seemed to be the NHS blue according to their "brand image". That may just be the lighting though!Picture shows it coming "back to life". All detail had been removed and it is now going back on as you can see - just the grills, wipers and lower body pipes/ladders to go back on which I will do after I put the transfers on..... Then I will touch up the detial around the grills etc after the need to handle as much is past. /media/tinymce_upload/b7c303072b00cb0d1c026c65dc94dee4.png

I was inspired by Tornado now back on railtours in a new livery. I decided to detail my R3098 to reflect it: Re-lined tender and cab sides with better lining reflecting the colours better (I actually used various wet and dry grades to completely flat an early BR logo tender top back so I didn't need to repaint it - the colour is modelled into the plastic. Then applied sevarl coats of Halfords clear laquer and Fox transfers for the lining)High gloss finishGlazed the cab (just using Glue 'n Glaze)Added extra overhead line warningsTouched in some brass colour to the detailsFabricated some drain cocks from electronic component leg off-cuts. These are going to need to be adjusted when I run on the track I think, but, I think they should be sufficiently pliable...Added a 4-pin wire to the tender and TTS sound with a mega base speakerI still have buffer beam work to do, but, very pleased with it so far. /media/tinymce_upload/5a04e65caec302beb0c989407c2c6942.png

I have successfully used DCC++EX and run it on an Arduino with an Arduino motor shield. I have also used a Pololu shield and a Mega. It is free. Help is on the forums mentioned on their website at https://dcc-ex.com/ . You may well get additional help there as there will likely be far more users doing a similar thing.

Hi I haven't found an off the shelf match. I found the following and am in the process of trying it... https://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3143

Nice locos bulliedboy.... So, a couple more Bachmann based this time: "Alycidon" as is in preservation today, waiting final repairs for return to the mainlineChassis milled for EM2Zimo sound4400uF stay aliveHeadlight fitted in additiona ot replacing the domino headcodeGloss finishI couldn't get the D9009 in the preserved font though... Fos Transfers this time /media/tinymce_upload/7de53ffcf7382dbf8c2813bf8880bd9a.jpg RSS Class 08 08670This one has Digitrax sound - a custom 16-bit project as well as a 1.5W sugar cube abd a life-link stay alive system with 12 cuboid tanatalum capacitors (2600uF) making a false cab floor.Working lights fitted, but no cab light as only 3 functions/media/tinymce_upload/46fa4d2db0121aacb80e15a6005a5ac8.jpg

Just finished another Class 08. This one started out as a weathered EWS 08630 I think R2595 that I had secondhand. It's gone through a complete makeover: - replaced motor with one from a TTS so that I had space for a TTS decoder - removed the weight over the drive gear to add a 5800uF stay-alive - added fully independent lights and cab lights - has a TTS decoder, Lais 4fn decoder for the lights and the stay-alive all above the drive train leaving the cab completely free - Rover Hurricane grey and Railtec transfers - Kadee for the buck-eye couplings as per the prototype - I had to modify the air tanks and rebuild the steps (one was broken) - Modelu driver painted in safety gear /media/tinymce_upload/4c03ca141b64930946afadbd4c508f77.jpg

I believe it's the livery. I updated mine to the latest livery Which is significantly different if you google recent photos. I also added the light at the top of the cab and the updated camera which is narrower. I don't know if the new model will incorporate all those changes...

I had one of these from new back In the day and could never cure the squealing problem. Within an hour or so of lubricating and re-flatting the carbon brushes the squeal would be back. I suspect it may be gear slip on the motor shaft, but, I never solved it. Now in my 40s with degrees in engineering and a whole load more experience I still have the train and had a go again a few years ago. Same result. I then found a class 35 (I think) 5-pole, 4-wheel pick up drive bogie and fitted that. Cured it! But too slow... I have now remotored with a dvd drive motor much better!

So many to list! Here's a collage of some and a list of others: In the picture are, all full lights and sound conversions: 08411 RSS completely repainted from BR blue D1924 "Crewe Diesel Depot", roof and ends repainted and renumbered from a Vitrains two tone. Behind is a completely repainted Vitrains 37 now as 97302 "Ffestiniog & Wales Highland Railways" Sentinel shunter with Tarmac branding removed and strobe lights fitted 47593 "Galloway Princess" used to be a Vitrains 47401. 1733 (Lima body on Bachmann chassis) and 47786 WCRC hide behind. Both full repaints 47739 GBRF was a Vitrains, full repaint, can't recall what though! 47813 "Jack Frost", another Vitrains full repaint, in front of 47449 "City of Truro" another modified and repainted Lima body on a Bachmann chassis 3 of my Class 50 repaints - 50049 "Defiance" in both GBRF and Large Logo with black roof, and 50007 "Hercules" in BR blue - I also have done 50007 repainted as GBRF but not in picture (actually twice - Hornby and Lima versions) DRS 37401 "Mary Queen of Scots" in large logo - a renumbered and redetailed Vitrains 37. Not shown but also in the same fleet and all renamed/numbered detailed I have 37402 "Stephen Middlemore", 37403 "Isle of Mull", 37407 "Blackpool Tower", 37409 "Lord Hinton" and my favorite 37424 "Avro Vulcan XH558". All Vitrains, most of which I completely repainted from other liveries but some are just renumbered. D213 "Andania", renamed and redetailed from the Hornby TTS "Empress of Canada" Then we have my frist attempt at a preserved tender for 35018 "British India Line". This is now being remodelled more accurately! /media/tinymce_upload/e4a0297c97bf0b22460c7c1a5ed94c62.PNG Also renumbered but not photographed I have: Network Rail 97301 - had to make completely new noses for this one 97303 renumbered from 97302 NMT re-modelled into the current scheme and both power cars now named GNER HST renumbered after fitting Paxman engines to suit the final days of the GNER 2 VTEC HST sets now liveried as LNER 66744 "Crossrail" from Bachmann 66745 2 EWS Class 66s updated to be as currently operated by DB in EWS colours Both Class 67 royal livery locos now updated to current livery An EWS Class 67 now running as DB but still in EWS colours DB Cargo train reliveried from EWS Manager's train A few renumbered renamed A4s in LNER garter blue "Royal Scots Grey" masquerading as 55018 "Ballymoss" with headlight fitted as was running in 2016 9001 "Alycidon" in current livery and detail... ... the list probably goes on, but, I don't hink I can recall them all!!

Good luck. If it doesn't fit you may be able to modify one, or switch parts to the old one...the benefit of having to buy a second spare!! Looking at the pictures I think you'll be OK, there'll be a way of tuning it to work even if it's not exact.

OK, so, without the picture of the actual loco I can't tell, but, there are a couple more things to note. There are lots of variations of the Flying Scotsman and they have different draw bars. The one in your link is a sprung draw bar that was on tender driven locos around the year 2000. I have one of these from a set. However, there are earlier locos that are tender driven that have a draw bar more like you describe - there are no "fingers" on the top of it. Does yours look like the fingers used to be there or can you not actually see any tell-tale marks? If you have a look at a few service sheets, you may be able to see what I mean. They are available on this site under the "Help & Advice" section if you didn't know... HSS 204 is for an earlier model without the fingers: https://www.hornby.com/servicesheets/index/download/id/157/ HSS 259C is for a later model with "fingers" these draw bars are sprung https://www.hornby.com/servicesheets/index/download/id/33/ So, worth confirming to help your diagnosis!