Wayne-in-Oz

I have the Hornby Princess Margaret Rose with the glowing firebox. The circuit board is wired to the power pickups so permanently on and not controlled by DCC.

Originally posted at 01:56:07 Fri 14 Jul 2023 A long way from you mate! I'm in Queensland, Jones Hill which is a suburb of Gympie basically. Wayne

By rpjallan Originally posted at 12:08:45 Thu 13 Jul 2023 Thanks for the video. Much appreciated. I wouldn't mind fitting a crew when I do the decoder. Where are you located? I'm in Adelaide.

Originally posted at 05:35:55 Sun 9 Jul 2023 Hi Richard, Loved the video, your friend has a lovely large layout. Mine is small but happy with it. Anyway, YES, my Hornby 71 has Cab Lights. Also Headcode and Head/tail lights which are all independently combined and controlled on the HM7000 App (Function 0). Like you, I didn't know it had Cab Lights until I put the HM7000 in to replace a standard Decoder I put in (I think a DCC Concepts one). Mind you I didn't try the CV for that decoder to turn on extra lights. So, check your Decoders manual and try the different lighting CV's/functions. Oh, the Cab Light is Function 21 on the App (third page, first light button). Here's a quick video Wayne

By rpjallan Posted at 12:58:07 Sat 8 Jul 2023 Thanks for the info. Much appreciated. I had already read about removing the "booster". I'm not even really sure yet if I'll put sound in it being that it's an electric loco. Just another question as you seem quite knowledgeable about this loco. Is it fitted with cab lights? I assume it is but there doesn't seem any way to turn them on with DC. Here is a link to a video of mine pulling a rake of Pullmans on a friend's layout, if you're interested:

Posted at 00:24:46 Sat 8 Jul 2023 Never saw the video but its reasonably straightforward to install. The hardest bit is to run the cable for the speaker in the 71. If you turn it over, next to the two switches, there is a purpose made place to fit the sugarcube speaker in the second smallest (from memory) enclosure. Dont be concerned it wont be loud enough.... I have mine turned down to 25. But to run the wire, you basically have to disassemble the PCB then Motor etc to get it routed. Fiddly getting the two drive shafts back in during reassembly but thats the most painful bit. Now, I decided that it was a bit tight sliding the decoder under the PCB above the motor and also the motor might get warm so I decided to remove the fake Booster molding and put a put a piece of black cardboard over the window just taped on. This allows both the decoder AND the Stay alive capacitor pack to fit. Mine runs a treat and I dont miss the fake Booster as I read a review that showed pictures of the real 71 and it is actually mounted very low in the engine compartment so it cannot be seen through that window.... well not at that angle. Also, the engine compartment light would have to turned on as well otherwise its a black looking at the window so I feel mine is now more accurate :)

Ok, I am trying to consolidate the Class 71 discussion from the "Confirmed list of Hornby locos working and not working with HM7000 DCC Bluetooth" thread so that I can then delete my posts in that thread to try and clean it up a bit as requested by Fishmanoz. So, below is the post by rpjallan Posted at 09:07:22 Fri 7 Jul 2023 Did this link ever get posted? If so, I can't find it. I'd like to have a look at the video as I have one of these locos & have been putting off trying to install a decoder in it.

Moved

Moved - see above

Conversation moved to separate thread: https://uk.hornby.com/community/forum/fitting-hm7000-to-hornby-class-71-r-361597

Hey Fishy, Ok, I think what he is trying to achieve is having the speaker in the Loco not the Tender so the sounds come from the Engine not the Tender. I now have two Railways Loco's in the same configurations as his (Mallard and Princess Royal Mary). All decoder, speaker and stay alive are in the tender. Yes, I do hear the sound coming from the Tender more than that actual loco a bit but I am not concerned (well at this stage lol). However, the sound source is very noticeable when either come out of my corner three track tunnel.... Loco emerges but the sound comes a little bit later when the Tender emerges. Not the end of the world but I know some will feel it is :) So, what to do..... I have actually thought about it and looked inside the Loco's. These Railways version have a 4 pin plug connection to the Tender so two +/- connections. Inside the Loco, there is GENERALLY enough space to move the 8 Pin plug from the Tender and also fit the Speaker in one of the small enclosures. So it is possible to move the Decoder into the Loco with the speaker and then use just two wires to the Tender plug for the stay alive...... My feelings are its a bit of work and opens up to possible issues (ie backward compatibility if you sell it on - ie that 4 pin is different now). And really not a huge gain... well for me anyway. In any case, I have decided its not worth the potential pain and the two Ladies are running and sounding quite nice.... (time will tell lol).

I have had this happen a few times. No need to reload the whole Sound file. My solution has been to Reset CV's via App CV 8 and then just do "Import Running Profile" for the specific Profile to reset the specific CV's as a bit of a safety. My Loco's then return to normal DCC or Bluetooth control. Bit of a pain but hasn't been happening as often as right at the start months ago.

Bit late but I have been running HM7000 on my Digitrax since the start. No issues with the Digitrax only the teething issues that we have all had whichever DCC system is used. I did post in this thread back in April https://uk.hornby.com/community/forum/perhaps-test-hm7000-on-other-systems-eg-digitrax-354115#post-354180

Me too :)

No worries Colin. I'm Android as well but my Brother had a spare iPad and loaned it to me. I used my wife iPhone initially but that was inconvenient. I too am waiting on the Android release as I dont know how long I can have the iPad for :)

I just did some research and found this - the girls danced to a pipe-major's tune :) From Railroading magazine #31 - Dec 1969 Page 16 We hurried down-stairs and back up to the Scotsman's track, where we heard that the train would not leave for a few minutes - a view that was reinforced when a kilted bagpiper, followed by several pretty girls in plaid miniskirts, came marching down along the train to the cadence of his own music. This was Robert Crabb, a retired Scots Guards pipe-major who had piped at the Potsdam Conference, led the massed pipe bands at the funeral of King George VI, and now was playing alone whenever the Scotsman halted. source: https://hawkinsrails.net/steam/scotsman/scotsman.html

I made a quick video showing off the Scotsman special sounds if anyone wants to hear them. I do love "Scotland the Brave", heaps of fun. You will have to copy and paste it into the browser address bar.

Hi Mark, Thank you for the info and going to the trouble of disassembling to take the picture. That's how I trial fitted it. I have got my decoder in but removed the Booster for the time being. Was a bit concerned about heat from the motor. I probably don't need the video but it would be great for others I'm sure. Hardest bit was pulling out the motor and running the speaker cable then getting the motor back in and connected back to both bogies. Thanks again

Hi Mark-356967, Just wondering, where did you fit the decoder in your R3569 BR Class 71 Blue? I have the same Loco. Unless I remove the fake Booster plastic piece and put it there, the only other place I can see it will fit is under the PCB. For others: I found there is ready made enclosure place for the sugar cube speaker next to the bottom switches. Just have to disassemble to run the wires. Cheers, Wayne

Hi Bryn, Hmmm, I have four HM7000 trains now all working fine on my Digitrax (DT602 controller and DCS 210+). Have not had that juddering happen at all. On your DCS210+, is the Scale switch set to HO? Only thing I can think of.

Hi, Yes, I know and have done that too. The idea of the extension lead is to allow unplugging the tender if needed.

I just rechecked the Troubleshooting guide and it does not mention my situation where the App couldn't even see decoder ie no Bluetooth connection. So that step could be added to say to Delete it from the App (first disconnect it from the Loco) THEN try it on a separate track with everything else off.

Extension leads for both 2 pin Speaker and 3 pin Power Bank (male to female plugs leads). This would make it a lot easier to put the Power Bank and/or Speaker in a Tender like the Railroad Scotsman for instance.

Yesterday, I thought the Decoder in my Scotsman had failed/died. It had been stopping a lot on the layout and I finally found one of the rear wheel set pickups was bent and not making proper contact. This was after quite a bit of mucking around thinking it was dirty wheels/track/etc so it did a LOT of stopping/starting before the final diagnosis. I fixed the pickup and it was running much better on the track using my Digitrax controller. However, I then tried to control the loco using the App.... it was connected but I couldn't make it move or play any sounds. Switch back to DCC and seemed to work Ok. So, I thought, after reading these threads and the whole manual (yes, I am like 96RAF in that I read manuals for everything I buy/own), I would just reload the Profile and that will probably fix it. Started by loading the Class 08 as recommended and it got to "power loco off" message. Did that but then noticed that it didn't show up as connected on the App ie no Bluetooth connection. I tried DCC control... nothing. Then tried it on my separate programming track with the Digitrax and couldn't read the basic CV's at all. I seemed to be able to write 8 to CV8 via the Digitrax but still nothing. Deleted the Decoded from the App (after saving the Codes for the tenth time) restarted everything too. iPad is pretty new so was confident that was ok but rebooted it as well. But decoder still didn't show up. After a bit of choice words, I was positive the decoder was dead. As I bought it from Amazon and I'm in Australia, didn't like my chances of getting warranty support either. Then, after a bit of thought and remembering 96RAF mentioning he had to revive his decoders at one point. I decided to try using my Old Hornby Select with its 1amp power supply to power just one piece of track. The main layout was powered down so no other HM7000's were on. Powered up the Select and the decoded appeared!! It was showing a Health Warning - no sound file. Selected the default profile and loaded it on. Worked fine then on App and DCC. Now I have reloaded the SD040 Scotsman profile and its still working fine back on main layout. So, don't give up on your decoders if you have this issue. Oh and sorry for the long story but wanted to write down the whole sequence of events. BTW, I have four 8 pin decoders so far and just order another to go in a P2.

I agree with Rallymat, try on a separate piece of powered track with only the one loco/decoder. I just had to do that to fix/reload my Scotsman decoder using my old Select and 1amp power supply.