BR50 - guide to fitting a pulsed smoker?

[Nighthaunt]

Hi all,

Apologies if missing anything obvious - picked up a Piko 37245 BR50 and keep seeing all the videos of the unit with pulsed smokers - particularly ESU ones (been having a bit of a break through manic work from hobbies for a while so last I saw was only massoth doing the pulsed smokers).

The unit has the built in piko sound and 4.1 decoder (MFX/M4 as well which is a big bonus) - does anyone know how complex it would be to fit an ESU smoker to the existing decoder or is it necessary to replace the entire decoder with a ESU one to get the smoker working effectively?

Apologies I know I’m overly cautious and should just have a go - elective and soldering irons are not something I have much experience in

Many thanks

Alex

 

[Nighthaunt]

Hi all,

Apologies if missing anything obvious - picked up a Piko 37245 BR50 and keep seeing all the videos of the unit with pulsed smokers - particularly ESU ones (been having a bit of a break through manic work from hobbies for a while so last I saw was only massoth doing the pulsed smokers).

The unit has the built in piko sound and 4.1 decoder (MFX/M4 as well which is a big bonus) - does anyone know how complex it would be to fit an ESU smoker to the existing decoder or is it necessary to replace the entire decoder with a ESU one to get the smoker working effectively?

Apologies I know I’m overly cautious and should just have a go - elective and soldering irons are not something I have much experience in

Many thanks

Alex

Well the BR50 arrived - sadly some damage with part of the loco sitting underneath - looks like a push in part with the nubs snapped off - one in the socket on loco body and the other loose in bottom of bag (handrail is a different part - just got to figure out where that goes).

Ironically although still used in the current BR50 Piko have for sale, the spare part (pack 29 boiler fittings left) is showing as unavailable - tried ordering through a German company, and emailed gauge master (as Piko official importer) and Piko Germany asking if they have any availability of the part.

Worst case going to have to (and would anyway) use a pin vice to drill into the nub broken in socket on body and get out - and then have to look at bodging something to stick the part to the train body.

Still need to open the tender and have a look at the decoder - see if there’s a susi socket for pulsed smoke generator and how complex sorting a swap will be.

Alex

 

[Nighthaunt]

Well some good news,

Whilst the windbreak think plastic links are snapped one side windbreak still stands - can look and see what can do but been able to find the spare part - Piko still have in stock (won’t deliver to UK) so have ordered via a German retailer - think in slower time this is a vulnerability so will order a couple spare sets (good news)

More good news - on the original detached part it’s a standard Piko part - feed pump, so whilst the set for the BR50 is out of stock and unable to be replaced I should be able to get at some point a variant so don’t have to try and bodge a solution

Alex

 

[dunnyrail]

Many of the Piko parts are pretty delicate, have to generally bodgel something back together each time I need to put on the foam holder on the workbench. The handrails on my Kamel are particularly trashed being replaced by metal substitutes. The trick when moving Piko big beats particularly your 50 (I have a 95) is where to hold the thing safely. Not found a safe way yet, your 50 with tender will be trickier than my 95!