Just what I hoped!

Having thought about the issues with the electrical pickup of the Bachmann Class 150 that I posted about yesterday, my conclusions were keep it simple as to any solution. Some Googling had shown that the issues I was experiencing were not unique. One solution involved soldering wires from the bogie pickups to the circuit board contacts which is probably very robust. However, before breaking out the soldering iron I wanted to look at a couple of things. One was the wheels in the bogie and the pickups. Having tried to run the motor using a 9volt battery making contact with the wheels I noticed that the level of motor running seemed dependent on pressing the wheels in certain directions which indicates a pickup issue. Turning the chassis upside down, the bogie frames were removed.

What was revealed was not good! Lots of shiny oil.

It may be good for the gear wheels but was not good for the contacts! Both ends were the same. The excess oil was mopped up. The contacts and backs of the wheels cleaned with some contact cleaner. Then the bogies were put back together and the chassis turned right ways up. This allowed me to use masking tape to hold the circuit board contacts in place and permanently rubbing the bogie contacts. 

Not sure how long this will last but it worked and the unit runs like a dream!

Whilst the bits were out of the box. I added snow ploughs and scale couplers to each end.

They made a big difference to the front end.

And on the layout it looks even better!

And this has given me the boost to get back to the bridge /tunnel structure! Just what I hoped!

However, in true Woody style it has not quite gone to plan!

Sometimes you find a project that you are working on just does not seem to flow. You have done similar things before so it is not as though you don't know what to do and how to actually do it. But, for what ever reason, the project just does not come along and your mindset is not with the project either. That is the way I am with the bridge/tunnel structure I am building at the moment. It is not the first time I have or indeed other modellers have gone through such a thing and it won't be the last. We all have different ways to deal with the problem. Mine is to usually put the project to one side and do an easy and quick to show results project which usually gives me the lift and inspiration to get back to the original project.

So that is what I have done! However, in true Woody style it has not quite gone to plan! The plan was to DCC chip a Class 150 DMU that I had bought second hand/used/pre loved (take your pick!) about 15 years or so ago.

I payed just £85 for it which was a good price then and considering that the new ones today are £200 to £250 even Mrs. Woody would have to say it was a good buy!

The detail and paint finish are superb!

To fit a chip was simply a matter of taking the top off. However, the two screws at the rear are small and deep set down a narrow opening. Finding a screw driver that fitted was a pain but eventually the screws were undone and the top came off revealing the circuit board.

Access to the chip socket was easy and it was all marked up which was a nice touch.

The blanking pug was removed and a 21 pin DCC chip fitted.

Everything was going great! Or so I thought!. Testing on the track revealed that it ran like a stuttering rabbit! It would go, then stop then go, stutter, then go and so on. Clean the wheels I though. No difference. Lubricate the motor. No difference. Eventually I traced the issue to the electrical pick up system.

The bogies transfer power by copped uprights arrowed with the horizontal arrow. These 'wipe' on the copper strips on the green circuit board with the vertical arrow. The system is not good and despite cleaning it and a slight improvement in performance there needs to be a better system which I will have to think about! At least it has taken my mind ff the bridge/tunnel structure!