D I Y or Pay an expert to fit Decoder

Hi All    This week I treated myself to an early Christmas Present(as nobody else will):sad:. I purchased a new class 57xx in London Transport livery. The decoder recommended is a "E S U Micro Loksound V4", If it is a straight forward job?? would one of you kind modellers please tell me where can I get my hands on one?? and how much would one cost?? Conversely, if anyone knows someone who can do a proper job without bodging it, and who has got time to spare at this busy time of year, would you let me know  Kevin

South West Digital do sound for the 57xx, see here : http://www.southwestdigital.co.uk/ It will be in Group 1.

Digitrains also have a sound : http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommerce/search/ds020-gw-pannier-tank-soundfile.aspx

I would get in contact with one of the suppliers and ask them if they can do the install. If they can't, there would be a retailer of their products who will.

Cheers, Gary.

Hi Gary                   Thank you for your reply, I will phone Digitrains today.              all the best  Kevin

Hi Kevin,you could always pm Paul Chetter and see if he can advise you.

Hi Alan                   That is a jolly good idea, he did a Bachmann 08 Shunter for me, but the last time I approached him he was busy with other projects.                     all the best  Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Plenty of information on the web about how to do this. Shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. Is it DCC ready? I seem to remember some issues about this model. Decoder in the body, small speaker in the bunker. Thread the speaker wires around the backhead. The holes should already be in the floor.

Nigel

Hi Nigel.  My model is D C C ready, I have read a thread on the subject.
But it is supposed to be straight forward to do. But just in case it isn't, I thought that I would look for help .  All the best Kevin

Kevin,

I'm always busy. Lol

I'll give a more detailed reply to your PM later.

Fitting a speaker in the bunker requires the removal of a large balancing weight. Not really advisable, in my view, and it puts the speaker partially on display. The small speaker suggested in that thread can be improved upon, too.

Non of that is necessary if you choose a ZIMO decoder as there is one small enough to allow everything to fit inside the boiler/pannier tank space.

Loksound Micros are a bit too bulky for this one, so if you prefer them you will need to utilise either cab or bunker space for your speaker.

Kind regards,

Paul

Hi Paul.  That was the reason that I started this thread. Expert Advice,"just like it says on the tin". If you say "Zimo is the best " then as long as there is one available with the correct sound for a 57xx, Zimo it is.
All the best Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Plug and play for a quick fix, bit more work for a decent installation.

Not sure about the weight issue, they're normally rear heavy unless some weight is added at the front, and getting rid of any bunker weights normally improves traction as there is uniform weight over each driver. Getting rid of the bottom half of the bunker back plate and the boiler DCC circuit and plug allows some interesting options - decoder in the boiler, speaker in the bottom half of the cab/bunker; decoder in the cab/bunker and speaker in the boiler (which means sound comes out where the cylinders are, not in the bunker); speaker and decoder in the cab/bunker  with the speaker facing down, decoder on top, and another speaker in the boiler (if the decoder amplifier is up to it). Putting the speaker in the bunker means it has to be small. Even a sugar cube has a battle even after judicious holes are drilled in the coal (which should be replaced with the real stuff as it normally looks like reindeer droppings) or the floor.

More than one way to skin this cat.

Nigel

Hi Nigel.   It is the cutting about of a new loco that worries me,I don't like the idea of messing up something that I have just paid good money for, also the risk of cutting myself does not appeal to me. I have read about the Adams 02 model built by Dave Jones, where the smoke box door can be removed to accommodate both the decoder and the speaker. It is a pity that Bachmann couldn't do that. Size is really important, and that is the confusing part.  All the best Kevin

Hi Kevin,

The Adams 02 has only access in the smoke box for the decoder. Dave Jones had designed the model so that a speaker can be placed in the coal bunker, including a chanel for running the associated wires from the decoder.

Now there is a sound profile waiting for Paul Chetter to get stuck into ! ;-);-)

Cheers, Gary.

Hi Gary              Thank you for clarifying that for me, as I have said before all this is new to me, and I should have stuck with the hobby, although I probably would have updated some stock along the way. all the best  Kevin            

Hi Kevin
On some of the smaller stock there is often no other choice than to get the surgical instruments out and start doing what the manufacturer should have done. The issue for me is that the sound decoder is often equal in value to the locomotive if not more. If I've paid good money for the decoder and speakers I want it to sound good. I look upon the necessay butchery as demolition and improvement. As i said, not for the faint hearted. 
If you're worried about keeping the value of the locomotive, check secondhand prices of models just a few years old. Adding DCC sound probably did more to keep the value, even if it involves selective modification of the bodywork and the chassis. I model in EM, so every locomotive gets modified in one way or as another anyway, irrespective of the DCC conversions. 
Nigel

Hi Nigel. Thank you for your reply, I never thought of it that way, the reasons for my "Seemingly Frugal Approach " are not important, but when one has not had everything go smoothly,in life one tends to hang on to what one gets. Having said that, I will bear that in mind.
All the best Kevin

Sorry Kevin, I got distracted from this by a domestic issue. The central heating boiler packed up and needed replacing.

It's wise to be a bit wary of 'Experts'; it's not a label I would attach to myself voluntarilly. I've found that they often disagree. Lol.

This is not a 'Father knows best' situation.

Nigel makes a fair point that there are other ways of doing this conversion. I did not say, nor did I mean to imply, that ZIMO was best. I did outline why, in my view, the smaller format available from ZIMO would be more suitable in this model.

You will know that my preference is always to use ZIMO decoders. They are what I use for all my own installations and the type I know best. This means I am able to offer advice and support so I feel confident in recommending them. You should make an allowance for this in any suggestions I make, though I will never knowingly give any inaccurate advice.

There are others available, though as I pointed out, they might not fit as easilly and therefore the installation might present more challenges for you, particularly in view of your initial question/title.

It makes no difference to me whatever choice you make.

I'll PM you as promised shortly.

Kind regards,

Paul

Hi Paul            Thank you for your reply, wouldn't you know it? just when you need the Boiler, it packs up. I live in rented accommodation, and the housing officer invited me to "Move out while the repairs are done" to which I replied "Are you trying to kill me?? I don't want to move, not at my age". Back to the "Serious Stuff" I only know that when you put sound in my Bachmann 08 Diesel, that you did an excellent job, and I would recommend your work to anyone.            all the best  Kevin

Kevin,

Thank you. Personal recommendation is often a good indicator - especially if you recommend to yourself. Lol.

Kind regards,

Paul

Hi Paul    I had never heard of you?? until a long list of modellers (On an early thread of mine) had recommended your work to me.                                                                          all the best;-)  Kevin

My Boiler packed up today ,had to take the electric heater from the railway room. so until a replacement boiler is fitted. No modelling. Don,t it just pick a good time to give up the ghost.