Bighandz

OK, I realize that some people who have commented since I posted may have missed an important point in my post. I am actually registered blind, so the idea of having a system that I could use on my iPad was absolutely brilliant. but a system that allows me to do less than half of what I need to do to run my layout on my iPad. It’s pretty useless. I am back to squinting at the tiny display on my Elite which is exactly where I was before I ever heard of HMDCC or the dongle. and yes, I totally agree. Hornby might actually get round to updating the dongle which is why I haven’t thrown it away. It’s in a drawer in the hope that it might actually work properly by the time my 10-year-old grandson grows up because unfortunately I’m not sure. I’ll live long enough at the speed. Hornby are going.

Well that was an interesting read. When I first heard about the HMDCC app I was overjoyed at the possibility of operating my lay out from my iPad Pro 12.9”. (No I didn’t think the bigger screen would make it work better.) I am visually impaired so reading the screen on my elite is a little bit challenging. So I immediately downloaded the app. The next question was how was I going to get it all to work? Didn’t really fancy re-chipping all my locomotives with the new HM7000 chips. And then Hornby announced the answer to my dreams (which later turned out to be my worst nightmare). The Legacy Bluetooth Dongle. Brilliant, so I put one on pre-order. After several release delays it finally became available after I’ve had the app sitting on my iPad for 12 months. But it eventually arrived so let the fun begin. Plug the dongle into my Elite and set up the app. Then start adding my locomotives to the app. So far so good and just so easy. Then I stumbled across an article that made me wonder whether this dongle was all it was cracked up to be. The dongle won’t operate my point decoders. You can’t make a conscious, and apparently you can’t even program a new non-HM 7000 decoder using the dongle. I have to use my Elite to operate my accessory decoders. I have to use my Elite to programme my legacy decoders. Big news, I was already doing that before Hornby conned me out of £40. Mind you these are the same idiots who put in the tech specs for the Platinum Jubilee train pack that an 8pin decoder was required. No it wasn’t it was a 21pin. If they can’t even get that right they will never get the dongle to work properly. So the upshot is that I have removed the dongle from the app and my elite and stuck it in a drawer. I have deleted the app and made some space on my iPad and I am now on the lookout for an alternative to my elite controller. Hornby were in danger of destroying my love of my hobby, but all I’ve achieved is they have destroyed my trust in them. Absolute amateurs.

Again thanks to everyone for their help and input. With regard to brain snap and glitches, I have them all the time. Which is why I come here for help. Well that and the fact I still haven’t got to grips with DCC properly. But I know that no matter how basic my question may be, somebody here will always have the answer. again, my continued thanks to you all.

Thanks folks. Slightly contradictory advice there but I will keep both in mind. Will try without changing CV. If that works, all good. If not, at least I know what to try next. Quick supplementary question. I need two 8 pin decoders, can I mix decoders or is it best to use two of the same brand? The reason I ask is that the guy I have bought this from is giving me a gaugemaster decoder, but I usually use Hornby. Again any advice would be helpful.

I have just purchased the above model and realise it needs two 8 pin decoders. One in the drive car for control and one in the dummy car for lights. so far, so good. Now we come to programming on my Elite. Do I give both decoders the same address? Or, do I need to give them separate addresses and then build a ‘consist’? And do I have to mess around with the CV’s? (Really hope not. The last time I had anything to do with a CV was 20 years ago when applying for a job. Suspect they might be different things.) Any way, thanks for any help you all may be able to offer.

@P-Henny. Yes, I suspected that might be the case. I have noticed that Hornby are a bit light on Mac support, so you can imagine my surprise when they launched HMDCC on Mac, first. @SteveM6. Yes, I remember this being an option as it is what I had to do when I upgraded my Select a couple of years ago. thanks to both of you for your invaluable help.

Hi everyone. It’s me again. I have just bought an second hand Elite controller to replace my Select. The first thing I intend to do is upgrade the firmware. Can I do this using my MacBook or do I need to use a pc? Yes you’ve guessed it, I’m even more useless with computers than I am with model railways. All joking aside I know someone will have the answer. Thanks again in anticipation of your help.

Has anyone ever tried or managed to convert a Bachmann 32-992 Wickham Trolley to DCC control? now I realize this is not a Hornby product, and therefore this post may not be allowed, but I have contacted Bachmann, who have informed me that they have never tried to do it themselves, although they’re aware it has been done. so with this in mind, I am turning into to the extremely useful and helpful folk on the Hornby Forum. if anybody has achieved this feat, could you please advise me which Decoder is best to use and how I would go about making the switch. obviously if I am breaking any rules with this post, please feel free to remove it. But in the meantime, I hope somebody is able to help me with this problem.

Hi MM. Yes I am talking about the purple set. With regards to the white coach pack, I will get under my railway table tomorrow and dig out the number for you. I’m pretty sure I did get them boxed.

I have just been given the Hornby R1153 2012 London Olympics train set. I am now trying to find out whether Hornby made an additional coach pack for this model. I know they did for the limited edition white model as I have a set of those. If anybody knows the relevant Hornby R code I would be very grateful. I realise these may be a little difficult to come by nowadays but hopefully I will eventually find one. Many thanks for the anticipated help I’m sure I will receive. Gary

Thanks for that folks. I have downloaded the service sheets as suggested and will pass these on to my engineer. Because I am blind I have a guy who fits my chips for me but even he threw up his hands when he looked at this particular model. Hopefully the service sheets will give him a clearer idea of what he needs to do.

Hi guys. More help needed. I have just got hold of R297 Pacer Twin Railbus. I believe this is quite an old model and I need to know whether it can be converted to DCC control. I have been told that each car contains a motor, one of which runs in reverse at all times, depending on direction. so as I ask originally, is it possible to convert to DCC? if so, what do I need and how is it done? Many thanks for any help that anybody is able to offer.

Brew Man, No problem. Glad to be able to help. A little surprised you had problems with the 2% but as you say, your locos are a bit intermittent so probably best to use a decent runner. As each section of the incline is 2 feet long, may be worth putting track full length. As I said previously, although I have rather a lot of this stuff, but not actually put it to use yet (everything is slowed by my vision), please don’t tell me it doesn’t work. I usually find the sight of a grown man crying very distressing. Especially if it happens to be me.

Going Spare. ‘Thanks for the info. Will no see if I can actually find any.

Ruff. Love that model. Far more interesting and detailed than the Hornby offering. Hornby one may well be going back in it’s box.

I have just got hold of this working model which comes complete with a flatbed wagon as I’m sure you’re all aware. What I’m trying to find out is whether additional wagons are available and if so what the part number is. I’m fairly sure it may well be stamped on the underside of the wagon I have but I am registered blind so unable to see it. If these weapons are available and anybody knows the part/reference number please could you let me know. Many thanks in anticipation of your help. Gary.

Hi. I have just bought quite a bit of this product. I did start out buying about eight sets of Hornby incline piers. (Worse than useless.) so I was very excited to find this product. No it’s not cheap and although I haven’t actually laid any yet it is definitely a lot more solid and flexible than anything else I’ve seen. I was at the point where I thought I was going to have to hand build all my inclines which was quite a daunting prospect as I am registered blind. Yes you do have to build this up in layers but I am planning to install both 2 inch and 4 inch inclines and this product is just so flexible. Because I have a mixture of you and old locomotives I have decided to stick with the 2% incline. As I said, I haven’t actually installed any yet, but I have done dry runs and it seemed OK. Hope this is helpful and give you a bit of an idea regarding this product.

Thanks everybody for all your help. Should’ve known it was never going to be easy. Looks like I’ll be ordering another box of half inch screws. when I decided to take up railway modelling during lockdown last year I think I said in my very first post that I would get it done even if it killed me. But I have found inventive ways to get things gone, like fitting surface point motors, so I will continue in that vein. But again a massive thanks for all your help.

Hi BB. thanks for that. I really hope you didn’t actually sit there and count the holes and sleepers. I knew it wouldn’t be as simple as put a pin every 10 sleepers. If the day dawns that Hornby makes anything simple or useful I’ll probably take up a new hobby. When I say useful I am of course referring to their track riser system which is either too steep or won’t support the track. But again, thank you for your support and advice.

Okay, this is probably going to sound like a really weird question. I am aware that each track section has holes in some sleepers for track pins. My question is, are these holes evenly spaced over a length of track? for instance, is it every 5, 10, or 20 sleepers? The reason I ask is that I am severely visually impaired and have managed to build a rather large layout. At the moment I am holding my layout down by way of half inch screws between the sleepers. Looks very messy. if these holes are evenly spaced I can find the first hole and then simply count sleepers for each consecutive hole. Any help or assistance would be much appreciated and I feel sure somebody in the community will have an answer. You have all helped me so much in the past. Many thanks.

Yes I’m beginning to think building it myself might be the solution. Especially as I have two raised sections at different heights. Or I might just leave the whole thing flat. Would be nice if Hornby could actually re-engineer these inclines so that they work properly with new locomotives.

Don’t apologise Jimbo, you weren’t to know about my vision issues. Sometimes I mention it, sometimes I don’t. It depends on whether it will affect the answer. For instance questions about wiring and such I usually find it best to mention it. Whereas with these inclines I didn’t think it necessary. How wrong was I. As I said at the beginning of this post, I am new to railway modelling and it throws up some interesting problems when you have vision issues. Fitting point motors has been my favourite one so far. Surprising what you can achieve with a small piece of wire as a guide although track pins and DCC point clips have eluded me. But it does make an interesting hobby even more interesting if slightly annoying at times.

OK, I’m beginning to regret this idea. I’m using two full sets of seven piers and an extra four high-level piers. The spacing is every 28 sleepers which I believe is just about the maximum. Making my own piers probably would solve the issue but I am registered blind so that would be difficult. What I can’t understand is if these piers are such a problem why are Hornby still selling them or why haven’t they updated the design? Personally I expect better from them.

OK, to start with I hope this is the right forum as I think it could of gone here or the DCC forum, but here goes. I am building a layout which would include the Hornby inclined piers but I have heard that locomotives may have difficulty negotiating the incline ratio. My layout will be DCC controlled and I am aware that this gives me the potential to ‘double head’ locomotives. And expensive solution but will it solve the problem. Will double heading get my trains up the incline? I’m relatively new to railway modelling so any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank for that Ruff.