Although not quite up to the standard of Hornby’s 4MT 4-6-0 model, Bachmann’s model is never-the-less a reasonable model and can be found very cheaply.  It is no wonder that one has found it’s way into the Locoyard running fleet, particularly one in Bachmann’s rich rendition of Brunswick Green.  A review of the model will be published in the future, but today we learn how to fit a DCC decoder.

Hornby and Bachmann have both come to realise that fitting a DCC decoder into a tender is usually easier than in the locomotive.  The actual plugging in of the decoder is not the issue, but it is easy dissemble and then re-assemble that is usually easier with a tender.  I was little annoyed at first that this modern model had a loco-mounted DCC socket but fortunately my worry’s soon proved to be unfounded, as this is an easy job with space for a large decoder.

Disassemble the locomotive body by unscrewing the two screws as indicated in the picture above.  Note that the front securing screw is accessed hole through a hole in the bogey – you do not have to remove the bogey.  You will have to remove the “dancing pony” brake rigging to access the screw under the cab, but this is a simple thing to do, just be gentle.  With the screws removed, the body will separate from the chassis easily.

The DCC plug is located above and between the front two driving wheels.  Match the orange cable on the decoder with the number 1 pin as usual.  The locomotive body has a wide hole in the smokebox area to locate a reasonably sized decoder. A Gaugemaster DCC25 was used in this instance.  Check that it works before fixing the body and the chassis together.  And that’s it!  An easy job done!