Sentinel Diesel Shunter - Decoder fitting

Discussion in 'Hornby RTR' started by Gary, Jun 6, 2016.

  1. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

    Messages:
    7,316
    Likes Received:
    3,847
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    The Hornby 0-4-0 Sentinel Diesel Shunter (DCC ready) is a tiny locomotive, especially when you compare it against an 08 Class. Hornby have cleverly designed this loco with decoder installation in mind, and when you first set your eyes on the Sentinel, it seems that there wouldn't be enough space for one.

    So, what to do...

    1. Obtain a 4 pin decoder. I used Hornby's offering for this, Hornby catalogue no. X9659.

    [​IMG]

    2. Flip the loco over onto it's roof and identify the screws that need removal. These are marked below. Note that there is one hidden under the NEM coupler pocket on the short hood end.

    [​IMG]

    To remove the coupler pocket, the brake rigging needs to be lifted, shown green. It can be unclipped where the blue arrows are and lifted back towards the centre of the loco, but don't lift too far !

    [​IMG]

    4. The coupler and three screws removed. The pic shows which screws belong where in relation to the locomotive. One short and two long.

    [​IMG]

    5. Using a small flat blade screw driver, carefully lift out the handrails from the front and rear valance/buffer plate and along the body valance. The hand rails at the short hood end besides the cab pop out vertically.

    [​IMG]

    6. With the body off, this is what you have. Be careful with the small marker lights. They will come out on the short hood end, as I found out !

    [​IMG]

    7. To expose the decoder socket, a small flat blade screw driver is used to lift off the cab controls casing. Lift this gently moving around all three sides.

    [​IMG]

    8. With the cab control casing off, the decoder socket is exposed.

    [​IMG]

    9. A close up of the decoder socket. make a note which end goes where, so that the dcc decoder is not put in the wrong way round. Note the small arrow.

    [​IMG]

    10. Attach the decoder in place. If using a Hornby decoder, you will note that the colour of the wires match on each side of the plug.

    [​IMG]

    11. Test fit the decoder. Note how the decoder sits on the blue section of the chassis. The blue section is plastic and the chassis is cast.

    [​IMG]

    12. To prevent any future shorts, I chose to wrap the decoder in some insulation tape. Carefully place the wires back in the void under the cab controls.

    [​IMG]

    13. Place the cab control casing back on, remembering not to pinch any wires !

    [​IMG]

    14. I chose to paint the cab controls grey and fix a driver into place.

    [​IMG]

    The Dapol/Airfix figure had a good portion of his legs removed to fit under the cab roof and his arm has been cut and shut as to allow him to meet the controls.

    [​IMG]

    15. Fit the body back on and reconnect the handrails. This will hold the body down so you can flip it over and fit the three screws. Pop the coupler back in and your ready to go, well atleast to program the locomotive !

    Loco fitted, programmed and weathered ! ;)

    [​IMG]

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  2. ed

    ed Full Member

    Messages:
    1,156
    Likes Received:
    118
    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2016
    Certainly a tight fit Gary.

    I have read that there is a school of thought that it's not a good idea to wrap insulation tape around decoders due to overheating.

    That said, there are some makes of decoder that come with a heat shrink covering.

    Don't know if it's a good idea or not, just mentioning it in passing.

    Ed
     
  3. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

    Messages:
    5,991
    Likes Received:
    4,140
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    You told me about this the other night Gary but I didn`t realize just how tight it was???

    Blimey!!!!!

    The mods on the driver will now mean, that whenever he leaves the cab he will be just bumming around.

    :avatar::avatar::avatar::avatar:

    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  4. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

    Messages:
    7,316
    Likes Received:
    3,847
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    Maybe so Ed, but I hope not. I do have a spare 4 plug decoder in the spares box just in case ! With the plastic shroud over the top that is molded within the cab control cover, perhaps the decoder won't move, but I thought I'd be safer for now, than sorry later on ! ;)

    Gormo, I just wonder where the speaker is to be positioned when I put sound into it ?? :scratchchin::scratchchin: Then again, maybe not !

    Just to give you an idea of how BIG the Sentinel is, here is it side by side with a Bachmann Class 08, which measure less than 120mm from buffer head to buffer head...

    [​IMG]

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  5. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

    Messages:
    5,991
    Likes Received:
    4,140
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    What about up under the cab roof.???????
    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  6. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

    Messages:
    5,331
    Likes Received:
    1,588
    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2015
    Hi Gary

    I haven't got one of them and I don't have any of that but i'm impressed with whatever you did! ... wow

    Ian vt :tophat:
     
  7. 60019Bittern

    60019Bittern Full Member

    Messages:
    596
    Likes Received:
    174
    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2015
    The Sentinel is a very nice little loco. I have two, the Cattewater one and the Balfour Beatty one. I'm glad you showed how to get into one as I need to repaint the Balfour one into IMERYS livery. I have some info on the Cattewater depot (now closed) and somewhere amongst it is a pic of the loco before it was sold on for preservation. Your weathered version of it seems clean compared to the real one in its final days.
     
  8. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

    Messages:
    15,419
    Likes Received:
    3,842
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2017
    Hi Gary,

    A great how to. I have a blue sentinel to chip at some point so looks like this could be getting revisited again.

    Spot on Sir.

    :thumbs:
     
  9. Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    2,227
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    ed wrote:
    Another great how to and a really nice weathering job

    :thumbup:
     
  10. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

    Messages:
    7,316
    Likes Received:
    3,847
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    :scratchchin:... Maybe I should remove the tape before the exhibition..

    Cheers Gary.
     
  11. Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    2,227
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Look Gary, if I can drive a Morris off and wreck it, the least you can do is let a loco go up in smoke and flames.....all adds to the drama:avatar:
     
  12. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

    Messages:
    7,316
    Likes Received:
    3,847
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    True, but the Sentinel will be shunting the fuel siding. I'm now worried how big of a fire it will be with two 100 tonne TEA fuel tankers in tow !! :avatar::avatar:

    Cheers, Gary.
     

Share This Page