DJM (or Bachmann EFE) GWR 1361 with Zimo Sound and Stay-Alive

Kit: MX648; SugarCube6; LifeLink + 2x 470uF Tall Tantalums

Great little model this DJM 1361 (re-released by Bachmann under their EFE label too). It has a 6pin socket in the boiler, with the boiler door being held on by magnets, and wiring and space in the bunker for a speaker.

Take out the coal load, remove the cab retaining screws and the cab roof slides off. The model provides a pseudo-enclosure for a 15x11mm speaker, but it cannot be easily sealed, so much better to remove that assembly and put a proper sealed SugarCube6 in instead. Wires are provided for the speaker back to the bunker, so there is no need to mess about trying to route your own wires.

While we have the roof off, let's add crew figures...

Now to the business end... we want to include some worthwhile stay-alive, as the model is small and will certainly benefit from it, but that means removing the 6pin DCC socket and hard-wiring an MX648 decoder. There is a fair amount of space inside the boiler though, so it should be easy enough to get the kit into it.

Note that all of the wires in the model are black or red, so we must be very careful to identify which is which before we solder them directly to the decoder!

We include a BLUE and a GREY wire extra, in preparation for our stay-alive too.

Once we are happy with speaker, pickup and motor wires, test for correct direction, we cover the decoder in Kapton tape to protect it and prepare for the stay-alive components...

Might be able to squeeze 3x 470uF Tall Tantalums in, but opt for a more comfortable fit using just 2. The running reliability of 2 will make a marked improvement anyway.

LifeLink and Tantalums slot in above the decoder under the chimney, with some room for movement. Very happy with the fit, and this all results in excellent running at low speed.

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