FIT A CLASS 59/1 RUNNING LIGHT KIT MADE BY ILLUMINATED MODELS
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A lighting kit is not absolutely necessary if money is tight. However, fitting one certainly ensures that our budget Class 59/1 project will better match more technically up-to-date models on the layout. DCC-users can take advantage of controlled running lights and constant illumination, so adding the Illuminated Models Class 59/1 lighting kit is worthwhile (illuminatedmodels.co.uk).
They are very professionally designed and manufactured units with quality circuit boards and clear markings adjacent to the solder pads.
The one designed for the Class 59/1 consists of a main circuit board with solder pads to connect the power supply wires and two light boards.
To fit one to an analogue model only needs two connections to be soldered to the main circuit board: the positive and negative supply direct from track power. Diodes ensure the lights change from head to tail-lights when the running direction is changed.
DCC-users should use a wired four function decoder after removing the DCC interface socket. The blue, white and yellow leads are soldered to the main board for control using function F0F and F0R. This is the simplest application of the lighting kit. It does not allow the red tail-lights to be extinguished when the locomotive is hauling a train, however.
Close inspection of the light boards intended to be fitted to each end of the locomotive revealed that the tiny surface mounted LEDs are accompanied with the required resistors to protect them. No resistors could be seen on the main circuit board.
This means that the red wire for both light boards can be disconnected from the main board and safely connected to the green and purple wire of a four function decoder allowing them to be controlled independently using function buttons F1 and F2. This provides, in the simplest terms, the most accurate control of the running lights in day-time mode.
The lighting kit comes with eight lengths of 2mm diameter light guide, but no suggestion of how the side marker lights are fitted. This is all covered in the second part of this article when the model is finally finished after painting.
8: The installation required for independent control of the red tail-lights:
A: Red light board leads are disconnected from the main circuit board.
B: One light board red lead is connected to the decoder green wire (function F1)
C: The other light board red wire is connected to the decoder purple wire (function F2).
9: Red tail-lights shown in test mode to see that the light boards fit and the body clears all of the wiring. The assembly will be dismantled ready for the painting stage where the chassis frame and bogies will be painted ARC grey.
7: A standard DCC installation using a four function decoder:
A: Track supply connected to the decoder’s red and black wires.
B: Motor leads (one hidden) which connect to the orange and grey decoder wires.
C: Blue common together with the yellow and white function F0 leads soldered to the main circuit board. D: Budget LaisDCC decoder (£12!).
E: Light board.
1: Test fitting of the lighting kit by Illuminated Models after completion of all modifications – or so it seemed until it was remembered that there is no frame around the running light housings. They were subsequently filed flush and the warning panel yellow paint reapplied.
2: The kit consists of a main circuit board for making the required connections and two light boards with surface mount LEDs and resistors, one for each cab. Light guides are also supplied to complete the conversion.
3: The moulded running light lenses are first drilled with a 0.7mm drill before opening out with a 2mm bit as shown. The side marker lights are opened out with a 0.7mm bit and finished with a modelling knife.
5: This picture shows a test fit of one light board and where the chassis frame has been cut away to clear the LEDs and to provide clearance for the light guides. This has to be completed as precisely as possible to avoid leaving unsightly gaps between the body and chassis.
4: Once happy with the position of the holes, which will be fitted with the supplied light guides, the body and chassis are clipped together and the position of the lights marked into the frame behind the light clusters to mark where the frame has to be trimmed to clear the light guides and light boards.