The package.
Package arrived when they said it would.
Product well packed.
10/10
Wot’s in the package.
Having opened the package found the chip with speaker plus a (I assume) sound chamber packed in an ESU box.
Also included was a manual from ESU plus a letter from SWD explaining how the chip worked.
However no detailed instruction on fitting to a Bachmann class 24
8/10
Installation.
The loco to be used is an 18-month-old Bachmann class 24.
First remove the body from the chassis by removing the 4 screws from the under side as per Bachmann instructions.
I then removed the Bachmann 3 function chip that the loco had been running on.
This was fixed in by the 8-pin plug.
I then tried to decide where to put the speaker.
I did a test run of the chip with it all lying loose on the chassis.
Every thing worked fine but it was obvious that the speaker must be fitted in the sound chamber for best results.
I had wanted to fit the speaker under the fan but there is not enough room.
I rejected the idea of cutting the chassis weight down to accommodate the speaker as to big a job for me!
So in the tanks under the loco was the next best option.
The lower frame of the loco was removed from the chassis by first removing the bogies from the wheel towers and then removing the 4 screws that held the lower frame in place.
I then removed the weight from the inside of the tanks and removed the inner ribbing with a Dremmel fitted with a milling cutter.
To let the sound out, I cut a slot along the under side of the tanks.
The speaker and sound chamber were constantly offered up as progress was made until it was a snug fit.
Now it was time to rebuild the loco. This is a simple procedure of reversing the disassembly. Care must be taken with the speaker wires. I routed them up the outside of the chassis as there is a recess, which the wire’s fitted into nicely.
The chip comes fitted with an 8-pin plug, which is a push fit into the socket on the loco.
The body was then replaced.
Job done.
8/10
Running the loco.
It must be said the sounds are just fantastic and much better than you hear on the web!
Running of the loco on the SWD preset settings is very smooth but acceleration to full speed takes about 20 seconds, as does deceleration.
Pressing f1 starts the engine and soon there’s the clatter of a sulzer engine ticking over.
Add power and the engine revs up prior to the loco pulling away and as this happens the revs drop and then pick up again just like the real thing.
There are two horn settings, buffer up noise, coupling noise, air tank hiss, brake noise and also wheel flange squeal and when you have finished with it the loco shut’s down.
10/10
Over view.
A little bit more work than I had hoped, But no soldering.
The single round speaker is quite adequate for my use.
The result is well worth the effort.
All my loco's will be fitted with sound chips when funds are available.
Excellent product from SWD
9/10
