DCC converted my 1961 "Britannia" after giving her a full service as she runs "as new", Now, a year later, going to swap the decoder for a HM7000 (pity it's not called a HM 70000)! now that the Britannia sound file is available. Enjoyed last nights Monday club Jen.
Hi Jenny. I am surprised that you do not have one of Ronald Dodds truly excellent remagnatizers. They are worth their weight in gold for remagnatizing older motors. Still an enjoyable video to watch.
I built a remagnetiser in school. It worked, but could destroy a wrist watch left on your wrist! To be honest, replacing the old iron cores with Neodymium is far better and long lasting.
I've got one - I use it for Trang too. But for old Dublo it is almost a must. Ron is the godfather of Dublo... He rewound his cores with more turns to slow them down. You can also delta connect the three armature coils like Triang rather than star connect them as Dublo did but I think to do it properly you should twist the commutator slightly. Neo magnets are very strong - using one of the same size is just too strong and can pull adjacent trains off the lines going the other way as I found out. I have seen magnets with a much smaller cross section being used rather than thinner magnets, with a non-magnetic former around them to form a straight replacement of the right size that would do the job. I'm trying to remember where I saw that - may have been a 00Bill video.
Just stumbled across this video. I’ve had one of these since about 1964. It is starting to show its age, but this has inspired me to strip it down and sort it. I have a two-level layout - dc on bottom deck for continuous running of older models and dcc on top deck for slower, more refined, running. I’ll see how the service goes and then consider a ”promotion”. Thank you!
I just purchased 23 dublo wagons last exhibition. This is extremely timely for me. Thank you, now i need to purchase several decoders of this size.. although i do have an hm7000...
Great video Jenny. This is ideal especially for those who are buying older models because of price who want them to be DCC fitted. Its made me think about converting some of my older Triang and Hornby models in my collection if I decide to go DCC.
@JenniferEKirk very helpful. Up stairs in our the loft is a box of old Dublo three rail locomotives of my dads, that I would love to get running again.
Hi Jenny, Back in 1979 I was given a 2nd Hand Trainset with a Hornby Triang Princess Elizabeth In LMS maroon, and an even older Triang Jinty 47606 (with the solid wheels), needless to say theres some sentimental value in these two. They are now running very successfully using a Zimo MX600 in the Jinty, and a HM7000 TXS decoder in the Princess with Stay Alive (for the same reason as your loco, it only picks up on 4 wheels). I have struggled a little with decoders limited to 0.9 or 1 amp with these locos, however most Zimo/Lenz/Gaugemaster have peak limit of 1.5-1.7 amp and run the older locos with aplomb. The new Hornby TXS is 1.5A Peak, (unlike the older TTS, and None sound Decoders) and therefore runs the old XO4 motors brilliantly.
I use nail varnish for insulating these soldered joints as the wires are more flexible. It is also good for stopping screws backing out on valve gear and still retaining the ability to remove screws for maintenance.
Quite a re-fit and great result, especially with the stay-alive...I know a few DC loco's could do with one, but needs the regulation of the new circuitry! I was thinking of the Neodymium magnets for the DC locos, to give them a new start anyway. Great video and the conversion made easy too. Thanks for taking the time Jenny. Keep safe now. Cheers!
Jenny: interesting as always. Yes, heat can build up as current increases due to various reasons; the worst being a dead short. As I understand things, you are now asking a brush spring to carry not only the traction current, but also any increased current as above. There is a risk of the brush spring heating like a radiator element (see link to Warbonnet Trains below). Look at boring the housing out a little more so a metal sleeve can be inserted into the inside of your new insulated bushing. The metal sleeve contains the brush and spring, as happens on the opposing brush as factory set. The supply 'plug' now goes into the new sleeve, your new insulated sleeve isolating it from the frame. This setup means not even dead short conditions can heat the spring as it does not carry current in any meaningful way. On current through brush springs I have found Dave Ramirez th-cam.com/video/E5W0xy2SMyM/w-d-xo.html VERY helpful. The whole video is brilliant, especially after the 7:22 mark. Another related problem with the asking the brush spring/s to carry traction current in general, and current in general is it implies contact with an insulated bushing. This is common to most HD/Wrenn DCC conversions as around here practised. As the spring heats and burns the insulation material, what gases are given off??????????????????? You can be sure HD knew exactly the chemical profile of their insulation materials, especially as they heated. ALWAYS MONITOR MODELS FOR HEAT BUILDUP, AND RUN TO A REALISTIC DUTY CYCLE. And yes, I have had a brush housing (not HD/Wrenn) melt (MY FAULT, just like everything else around here), and being suspicious, I did very deliberately test run a common non- Brit brand loco to what it should have taken, and it catastrophically overheated. Too bad if it happens to a kid! Finally, it might help if one of the folk on the model engineering side of the interest area could suggest an accessible way of supporting the chassis while being bored. If that drill grabs a nasty injury will result. These things can wrench a work piece right out of a vise clamped to a drill table. Hands and face away, and use a face shield. I'm not sure about mazac/zamac, but my guess is it drills like brass???? Does anyone know? See 'Clickspring' th-cam.com/video/pAngKHIZgyA/w-d-xo.html As I keep saying: Everything we do moves the mechanism from factory settings, and the there is no such thing as a model electric motor. If I have said anything wrong, please call the alarm, and Jenny, please scream loud. I don't mind a slap over the knuckles, what I do mind is me or anyone else finishing up in hospital casualty. I mind that a lot. Now go and watch Ramirez, and spread the word. Thanks Jenny, wonderful site; thanks to Daviddorel; your site has a new subscriber. Hope this reads OK. Why is something so simple so hard to write!
Hi Jenny.. What a fantastic video. All the more better as I have exactly that model. Now that I'm retired I am just about to venture big time into setting up a layout, but 1st step is to build a large shed in my backyard in the form of a train station. Lots of work ahead 😊 Once again thanks very much for a very informative vid and your layout looks amazing. I will now look forward to going through your previous vids to see what they have for me
Excellent. I suppose you could do the same with a 3-rail Dublo loco, but I think they are more likely to cause a short with the metal trackwork. If it did cause a short would this blow the decoder? Can you get overload protection that would cut the power before it blew the decoder?
If you're going to take one of these apart be careful when taking the armature out because there should be a tiny ball bearing inside the bearing housing - which you will never find if it drops to the floor!
I hate to be the bringer of bad news but that model could be even older than you thought, the Hornby Dublo 2-6-4 was introduced in about 1954. this might not be a project for the purist, but These models are robust and would work well in a garden railway, especially if the railway is always in the sun, You could probably even fit a sound chip and a smoke unit as well.
I was unaware of a Stay Alive. Years ago I fitted something similar under my 4mm tramway which boosted the current collection from the overhead wire to the tiny trolley head/skate (but it does not work now). I might get one for my modern type controller (not the rheostat one that I used ).
@@daviddorrell8390 it would need a decoder with short protection like a Zen Buddha as the pickup skates cause momentary shorts when passing over points.
Thanks, I realised later that might have been the problem after my original comment dissapeared. I have done some extensive work on converting these old locos that I have freely published on the Platform 1 MRC website for all to view. My user name there is JimFreight. If you like what you see please feel free to publish a link to the index page. Jim.
the insulation material can be found on ebay as fish paper
That’s handy to know.
Hi Jenny. It's always great to see the old timers back in action, and to demonstrate they can be DCC fitted.
Absolutely!
DCC converted my 1961 "Britannia" after giving her a full service as she runs "as new", Now, a year later, going to swap the decoder for a HM7000 (pity it's not called a HM 70000)! now that the Britannia sound file is available. Enjoyed last nights Monday club Jen.
Hi Jenny. I am surprised that you do not have one of Ronald Dodds truly excellent remagnatizers. They are worth their weight in gold for remagnatizing older motors. Still an enjoyable video to watch.
I built a remagnetiser in school. It worked, but could destroy a wrist watch left on your wrist! To be honest, replacing the old iron cores with Neodymium is far better and long lasting.
I've got one - I use it for Trang too. But for old Dublo it is almost a must. Ron is the godfather of Dublo... He rewound his cores with more turns to slow them down. You can also delta connect the three armature coils like Triang rather than star connect them as Dublo did but I think to do it properly you should twist the commutator slightly. Neo magnets are very strong - using one of the same size is just too strong and can pull adjacent trains off the lines going the other way as I found out. I have seen magnets with a much smaller cross section being used rather than thinner magnets, with a non-magnetic former around them to form a straight replacement of the right size that would do the job. I'm trying to remember where I saw that - may have been a 00Bill video.
Just stumbled across this video. I’ve had one of these since about 1964. It is starting to show its age, but this has inspired me to strip it down and sort it. I have a two-level layout - dc on bottom deck for continuous running of older models and dcc on top deck for slower, more refined, running. I’ll see how the service goes and then consider a ”promotion”. Thank you!
I just purchased 23 dublo wagons last exhibition. This is extremely timely for me. Thank you, now i need to purchase several decoders of this size.. although i do have an hm7000...
I used heat shrink tubing combined with a suitably sized drill for insulating one of the brushes of my Wrenn Sir Nigel Gresley. It runs very well.
Great video Jenny. This is ideal especially for those who are buying older models because of price who want them to be DCC fitted. Its made me think about converting some of my older Triang and Hornby models in my collection if I decide to go DCC.
Glad it was helpful!
@JenniferEKirk very helpful. Up stairs in our the loft is a box of old Dublo three rail locomotives of my dads, that I would love to get running again.
I always liked the simple Hornby couplers like two cupped hands clasping each other. I use filed down Kaydee couplers which operate in the same way.
Using a smaller diameter heat shrink helps
Hi Jenny, Back in 1979 I was given a 2nd Hand Trainset with a Hornby Triang Princess Elizabeth In LMS maroon, and an even older Triang Jinty 47606 (with the solid wheels), needless to say theres some sentimental value in these two. They are now running very successfully using a Zimo MX600 in the Jinty, and a HM7000 TXS decoder in the Princess with Stay Alive (for the same reason as your loco, it only picks up on 4 wheels). I have struggled a little with decoders limited to 0.9 or 1 amp with these locos, however most Zimo/Lenz/Gaugemaster have peak limit of 1.5-1.7 amp and run the older locos with aplomb. The new Hornby TXS is 1.5A Peak, (unlike the older TTS, and None sound Decoders) and therefore runs the old XO4 motors brilliantly.
I use nail varnish for insulating these soldered joints as the wires are more flexible. It is also good for stopping screws backing out on valve gear and still retaining the ability to remove screws for maintenance.
Quite a re-fit and great result, especially with the stay-alive...I know a few DC loco's could do with one, but needs the regulation of the new circuitry! I was thinking of the Neodymium magnets for the DC locos, to give them a new start anyway. Great video and the conversion made easy too. Thanks for taking the time Jenny. Keep safe now. Cheers!
Jenny: interesting as always. Yes, heat can build up as current increases due to various reasons; the worst being a dead short. As I understand things, you are now asking a brush spring to carry not only the traction current, but also any increased current as above. There is a risk of the brush spring heating like a radiator element (see link to Warbonnet Trains below). Look at boring the housing out a little more so a metal sleeve can be inserted into the inside of your new insulated bushing. The metal sleeve contains the brush and spring, as happens on the opposing brush as factory set. The supply 'plug' now goes into the new sleeve, your new insulated sleeve isolating it from the frame. This setup means not even dead short conditions can heat the spring as it does not carry current in any meaningful way. On current through brush springs I have found Dave Ramirez th-cam.com/video/E5W0xy2SMyM/w-d-xo.html VERY helpful. The whole video is brilliant, especially after the 7:22 mark.
Another related problem with the asking the brush spring/s to carry traction current in general, and current in general is it implies contact with an insulated bushing. This is common to most HD/Wrenn DCC conversions as around here practised. As the spring heats and burns the insulation material, what gases are given off??????????????????? You can be sure HD knew exactly the chemical profile of their insulation materials, especially as they heated.
ALWAYS MONITOR MODELS FOR HEAT BUILDUP, AND RUN TO A REALISTIC DUTY CYCLE. And yes, I have had a brush housing (not HD/Wrenn) melt (MY FAULT, just like everything else around here), and being suspicious, I did very deliberately test run a common non- Brit brand loco to what it should have taken, and it catastrophically overheated. Too bad if it happens to a kid!
Finally, it might help if one of the folk on the model engineering side of the interest area could suggest an accessible way of supporting the chassis while being bored. If that drill grabs a nasty injury will result. These things can wrench a work piece right out of a vise clamped to a drill table. Hands and face away, and use a face shield. I'm not sure about mazac/zamac, but my guess is it drills like brass???? Does anyone know?
See 'Clickspring' th-cam.com/video/pAngKHIZgyA/w-d-xo.html
As I keep saying: Everything we do moves the mechanism from factory settings, and the there is no such thing as a model electric motor.
If I have said anything wrong, please call the alarm, and Jenny, please scream loud. I don't mind a slap over the knuckles, what I do mind is me or anyone else finishing up in hospital casualty. I mind that a lot.
Now go and watch Ramirez, and spread the word.
Thanks Jenny, wonderful site; thanks to Daviddorel; your site has a new subscriber.
Hope this reads OK. Why is something so simple so hard to write!
Hi Jenny.. What a fantastic video. All the more better as I have exactly that model. Now that I'm retired I am just about to venture big time into setting up a layout, but 1st step is to build a large shed in my backyard in the form of a train station. Lots of work ahead 😊 Once again thanks very much for a very informative vid and your layout looks amazing. I will now look forward to going through your previous vids to see what they have for me
I have both the 8F and rebuilt West Country class ‘Barnstaple’. They are beautiful runners. I think it would be nice to DCC them.
Excellent. I suppose you could do the same with a 3-rail Dublo loco, but I think they are more likely to cause a short with the metal trackwork. If it did cause a short would this blow the decoder? Can you get overload protection that would cut the power before it blew the decoder?
My first loco! Fifty odd years of memories. And smells, it always smelt of electrics / motors slightly (like Scalextrix did).
If you're going to take one of these apart be careful when taking the armature out because there should be a tiny ball bearing inside the bearing housing - which you will never find if it drops to the floor!
Hi, what is the estimated cost of doing such a conversion?
Thanks for another informative video😅
I hate to be the bringer of bad news but that model could be even older than you thought, the Hornby Dublo 2-6-4 was introduced in about 1954. this might not be a project for the purist, but These models are robust and would work well in a garden railway, especially if the railway is always in the sun, You could probably even fit a sound chip and a smoke unit as well.
80033 is the 2 rail version, introduced late in the run of HD. Only 80054 with early crest was around in 1954.
I was unaware of a Stay Alive. Years ago I fitted something similar under my 4mm tramway which boosted the current collection from the overhead wire to the tiny trolley head/skate (but it does not work now). I might get one for my modern type controller (not the rheostat one that I used ).
What happened to all the hornby dublo 3 rail
Jenny still has it but it's not run anymore.
Stays on display in cabinets these days.
If you can can you do a running vedo of it it's so nice to see how much the model railway manafanictors caired
@@JenniferEKirk 3-rail Dublo DCC - has anyone tried it? Could be a way forward.
@@daviddorrell8390 it would need a decoder with short protection like a Zen Buddha as the pickup skates cause momentary shorts when passing over points.
Hmm, why was my link to Dublo and Wrenn DCC conversions at Platform 1 MRC website deleted? Jim
Not deleted - comments containing links are blocked because of issues previously with spam.
Thanks, I realised later that might have been the problem after my original comment dissapeared. I have done some extensive work on converting these old locos that I have freely published on the Platform 1 MRC website for all to view. My user name there is JimFreight. If you like what you see please feel free to publish a link to the index page. Jim.
Great stuff ...... gives a massive extension to rhe hobby. Thanks Jenny
Brilliant train
Given the ridiculous prices of new models, this is an obvious way forward for those of us on a tight budget.
Jenny Are You Going To Model Rail Scotland On Saturday Because I am
Cool.
Thanks Jenny for the video verry informative
Great Work Jenny Keep it up
Thank you! 😀
Cool as always. 👍
I have both analig and digital.
But i am a Märklinist that focusses on the older stuff.
"Made in Western Germany"