Tales from The Room of Doom. Dipping a toe in various bucolic backwaters.

[Yorkshire Dave]

Yesterday saw three sound fitted Manning Wardles arrive.

Yesterday evening saw three sound fitted Manning Wardles tested........

All eighteen wheels cleaned, treads and backs.

1x Bombay immediately bunny hopped down the the track at slow speed in forward. Given over an hour in both directions on the rollers. No change. Back in box. Going back.

1x Bombay travelled less than 12inches, shed crank pin. Locked up. Replaced crankpin. Reasonably smooth but tad noisey. More running in needed.

1x SE&CR. Reasonably quiet but noticeably surging in forwards at slow speed. Run in for a couple of hours. No change. Probably going back but further running in planned for today.

On a positive, the sound fine is good but the enthusiasm for these lovely looking locos is starting to go.

Sorry to hear of your continued tales of woe and it appears your saga is destined to become as long as Homer's Illiad and Odyssey combined. I can fully understand the waning enthusiasm.

Like yourself when I purchase a new model locomotive or rolling stock item I expect it to run flawlessly throughout the speed range without bits dropping off or screws loosening themselves with any tinkering being superficial (weathering, extra details) to create the prototype I require and effectively personalise the model.

From my observations poor running seems to be an affliction with British railway modelling throughout time and way back in the 1980s this was one of the reasons I gave up modelling British outline, got rid of the lot and went over to Continental outline as at the time Roco, Fleischmann and Liliput running qualities (and detail) were far superior. Added to which I was modelling LBSCR, Southern and Southern Region and could not get the locomotives, rolling stock and EMUs without resorting to major conversions, scratch or kit building.

I have noticed over the intervening 40 years or so things did appear to improve with better running qualities and a wider choice of prototypes but it still did not tempt me back into British outline until today. I made a partial return albeit with secondhand Southern Region EMUs and electric locos, and yes, not much has changed as the Dapol class 73 was a shocking runner with poorly designed pickups. During these intervening years I built up various skills to allow me to tinker with (and build) models which enabled me to fit a more robust pickup system to the class 73. However, at the end of the day I still prefer to purchase a flawlessly performing RTR locomotive rather than build a kit or carry out an operation to improve running qualities.

It does make you wonder why manufacturers continually mess about with some of their fundamental designs such as pickups and gearboxes as even models in the same manufacturer have differing pickup designs. If they have a reliable design why not use or adapt it? From experience I've noticed the design of Roco pickups and gearboxes in their electric and diesel locos hasn't significantly changed over 40 years and similarly with their steam outline models. It appears they found a reliable combination, stuck with it and adapted it for different models while retaining the reliability and running.

 

[Flaxfield]

Evening, all.

Very early days but I may have a SE&CR liveried Manning Wardle that does what it should........

Rob

 

[Willl]

Evening, all.

Very early days but I may have a SE&CR liveried Manning Wardle that does what it should........

Rob

Good to hear Rob, I've just been having a play with mine. I very rarely run trains (until today I hadn't even bothered attaching the fiddle yard back onto Rye Sands since returning from SWAG) but I was seduced by its charms. Now beginning to wonder if I should have gone for sound..

Will

 

[JRobin]

I would not bother with sound as it drives one mad after a while, I am operating in silence after having sound on my American Narrow Gauge layout. John

 

[simond]

DCC with sound does have the facility to be turned off. And on. I like it, but I want to spend the (probably rather boring) time adjusting it so some aspects do not annoy.

The loudest sounds a loco makes (to a passer-by) are likely to be the safety valves and whistle. Not the shovelling sound which has presumably been recorded on most sound projects with the microphone in the cab, rather than a good few coach lengths away. And random sounds are far too frequent, far too loud and far too repetitive in my view. But they are all adjustable to taste. One day I’ll get round to it.

 

[Flaxfield]

Good to hear Rob, I've just been having a play with mine. I very rarely run trains (until today I hadn't even bothered attaching the fiddle yard back onto Rye Sands since returning from SWAG) but I was seduced by its charms. Now beginning to wonder if I should have gone for sound..

Will

Morning, Will.

I did see the images on RmWeb. As you said, 331 looked very much at home on Rye and I'm looking forward to seeing you at Larkrail, next month.

Though not yet run in, this latest example of 331 to fall into my clutches runs pretty well and I spent a very pleasant forty minutes or so yesterday evening shunting a few wagons around. It was that good out of the box. The sound side of it was fun and 331 seemed to enjoy chuffing and tooting about the place.
As I mentioned up thread, I went for DC silent originally but it became apparent that the retro fitting of a decoder would not be quite as straight forward as it appeared, with much risk of annoying collateral damage to pipework etc.

If Rapido did a DCC fitted silent job, then I'd have probably opted for that, but that is not an option, hence the noisey one. I don't mind. It's fun, and that is why we do this...as I reminded myself several times last weekend.

As an extra bit of fun, I popped a bit of background noise, in the form of meadow/ river sounds on, courtesy of YouTube. I really enjoyed the sounds of nature combining with the chuffing and tooting and it was indeed very relaxing.

Rob

 

[John Bruce]

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking some "sounds" are a little too "in your face", try exhibiting next to a diesel depot for a weekend. I'm obviously on a soapbox here so I'm going to ask what is the current obsession with interior lights? I see some new diesel models have illuminated dials and controls, and coaches...if you have a train pass you during daylight hours you know the lights will be on (modern times) but the chances are you won't be able to see them from the line side whereas on our model coaches the passengers will all need dark glasses and resemble some of the cast of "The Matrix"!
I do like the idea of "background" ambient sounds though, does that mean I'm getting soft!
Soapbox away.

John Bruce.

 

[Simon H]

Good to hear you're finally having fun with a MW, Rob!
I have mixed feelings about sound...my one equipped loco is a Roco DB V80 (centre-cab 4-axle bogie diesel from the 1950s) which is currently resident on the layout, pottering around with some wagons or the pair of 6-wheeled coaches when the mood strikes. Sometimes I find the sound relaxing and immersive, others it irritates me, so I turn it off...though this perhaps says more about me than the sound!
Even with it switched off, there's the odd pop or click from the speaker, I don't know whether this happens to all sound-fitted locos? Something I find amusing is that when I power up the (Lenz) DCC, the loco toots, this is regardless of sound being on or off, or even whether the loco is selected.
I remember background sound on an EM NER layout called Fryupdale, many years ago...a cassette of sheep sounds, which greatly added to the rural ambience.
Keep having fun...
Simon.

 

[Terry]

Good to hear Rob, I've just been having a play with mine.

Watch out! You can get arrested for that!

Terry

 

[Terry]

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking some "sounds" are a little too "in your face", try exhibiting next to a diesel depot for a weekend.

Been there and done that! Pass the paracetamol! Not quite as bad as being stuck next to a layout for a whole weekend a few weeks ago, which was re-fighting the First World War!

Terry

 

[Willl]

Morning, Will.

I did see the images on RmWeb. As you said, 331 looked very much at home on Rye and I'm looking forward to seeing you at Larkrail, next month.

Though not yet run in, this latest example of 331 to fall into my clutches runs pretty well and I spent a very pleasant forty minutes or so yesterday evening shunting a few wagons around. It was that good out of the box. The sound side of it was fun and 331 seemed to enjoy chuffing and tooting about the place.
As I mentioned up thread, I went for DC silent originally but it became apparent that the retro fitting of a decoder would not be quite as straight forward as it appeared, with much risk of annoying collateral damage to pipework etc.

If Rapido did a DCC fitted silent job, then I'd have probably opted for that, but that is not an option, hence the noisey one. I don't mind. It's fun, and that is why we do this...as I reminded myself several times last weekend.

As an extra bit of fun, I popped a bit of background noise, in the form of meadow/ river sounds on, courtesy of YouTube. I really enjoyed the sounds of nature combining with the chuffing and tooting and it was indeed very relaxing.

Rob

Funny you should talk about ambient sounds… I too decided to try some wave and seagull noises, which was really rather effective (and surprisingly therapeutic). Something I will try at exhibitions in future (albeit not too loud!)

will

 

[Quintus]

DCC with sound does have the facility to be turned off. And on. I like it, but I want to spend the (probably rather boring) time adjusting it so some aspects do not annoy.

The loudest sounds a loco makes (to a passer-by) are likely to be the safety valves and whistle. Not the shovelling sound which has presumably been recorded on most sound projects with the microphone in the cab, rather than a good few coach lengths away. And random sounds are far too frequent, far too loud and far too repetitive in my view. But they are all adjustable to taste. One day I’ll get round to it.

I fully agree Simon. On my Bradstock layout I have set the volume of all the (steam) locos to a level I can enjoy when operating at home, they have this same volume at exhibitions, and can sometimes be barely heard above the chatter, but hopefully it's not annoying anyone nearby.
The worst scenario is a diesel depot with all the locos set at a high volume ticking over all day, I have had the misfortune to exhibit next to this type of layout, the operators usually seem completely oblivious to this.
I am also experimenting with ambient sounds, using a small pcb recording device, what do others use?

 

[Flaxfield]

If MRJ can do it........



Rob

 

[Phil O]

The Plymouth G scale boys were the worst ones at the Tavistock show, after the 1st year I took a 2 1/2 lb lump hammer and threatened to permanently turn the volume down, I kept by the entrance with a label "volume control".

 

[Flaxfield]

Or if you prefer......




Rob

 

[ullypug]

When I took Clevedon to one York show we were placed next to a diesel depot with annoyingly loud dcc sound.
By the middle the first afternoon, my operators had started singing Wurzel songs to compensate. By day 3 we had ramped it up from minor to major wurzelling. I’d like to think that 4 part (kind of) harmony West Country accents still sound better than yet another class 66 ticking over for 6 hours…

 

[Terry]

Or if you prefer......

View attachment 265545


Rob

How about the technical details Rob? Camera or iphone? How did you get the panoramic view?

Terry

 

[Andrew Young]

If MRJ can do it........

View attachment 265504

Rob

Very atmospheric!! I like the occasional article being a bit different. When Wheal Ponder appeared in NG&I Review a year or two back, the photos were sepia and the article was written as a contemporary visitors report sent in as a letter to the editor.

Andrew

PS having heard of Monochrome Monday, Throwback Thursday, Front End Friday and Side On Saturday. Maybe we should have ‘Sepia Sunday’?!!