DCC Loco Conversions - 19 - Dublo Early Castle

Straightforward conversions as both brushes can be isolated from the chassis with insulating sleeves on the brush springs, small package decoders chosen for the loco conversions described below are easy to place.

One is an ex-3 rail version and the other a 2 rail version.

3 rail Castle converted to 2 rail, fitted with Digitrax DN136D

Interference suppression components left in place.

Original magnet re-magnetised.

Chassis connected brush spring sleeved to insulate from the chassis.

Wires attached without strain relief, however this earlier way of doing this is fragile, the approach used for for the 2 rail Castle below is preferred.

The decoder is slipped into the the cavity provided by the front end of the bolier and the metal plate riveted to the underside of the boiler as the body is refitted.





Power pickup is via the loco wheels from one rail and via the tender wheels from the other rail. The original plating on the tender wheels was disintegrating, suitable replacements are the Hornby X9603 (13.4mm dia) tender wheelsets. New wipers were soldered to the original centre rail pick up posts to bear against the plated flanges of the new wheel sets.

The Hornby wheelsets are delicate, temporarily removing one from each axle to fit them into the Dublo tender chassis is tricky, I bought two sets of 3 axles and used 4 axles after breaking one wheel.






2 Rail Castle fitted with Hattons (8 pin Mini-Harness) MD4

Interference suppression components removed.

NEO magnet fitted.

Chassis connected brush spring sleeved to insulate from the chassis.

Note using unshrunk white sleeves to act as strain reliefs to the wires soldered to the brushes, protects the soldered joints and minimises pull on the spring wires which would upset the spring action on the brushes.

The decoder is slipped into the the cavity provided by the front end of the bolier and the metal plate riveted to the underside of the boiler as the body is refitted.





Discussion always

Jim

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