One of the more recent additions to the Locoyard fleet is GWR small prairie tank number 4555.  It will be reviewed in due course, but for the time being here is the guide to fit a DCC decoder.

This model is a DCC Ready version of the Bachmann 45xx.  Many earlier versions of the model are not DCC Ready and require hard-wiring for digital operation, although some were DCC Fitted.  This DCC fitting guide probably also applies to the GWR 4575 version too, but I can not confirm this at present.  To fit a DCC decoder you will need a small to medium sized 8-pin decoder with a wiring harness.  As always, check the model works well in DC mode before starting the conversion.

The first step is to unscrew the two screws underneath each bogey as indicated above and gently separate the body from the chassis, taking care not to damage anything.

The DCC 8-pin plug is at the front of the model as shown in the picture.  Remove the blanking plate and fit the decoder as per manufacturers instructions.  Test that it works now.  All being well, the DCC chip can now be fed into the smokebox in the body of the model (see below) and the chassis can be re-attached to the body of the model.

This is a simple DCC job with little to worry most users.  Don’t forget that this one of many DCC fitting guides, click here to see what other guides have been published.