Example 1: Older Hornby OO LMS 8F with Zimo MS sound (loco-fit)

Kit: MS450R; SugarCube9

An old classis here, the Hornby 8F has an 8pin DCC socket in the boiler. We plan to make space for the larger MS450R sound decoder, though there won't be much space for a speaker and stay-alive, so we opt to keep those simple. The smaller MS480R would also have been a good choice, and a little easier.

Access into the boiler is after removing a horizontal screw under the footplate.

It would have been nice to get the kit in without hard-wiring, but that proves too much, so we remove the socket and milling the screw mounts off the top of the metal block to create a little more space.

Now we have space for the 1000uF cap (that comes with the decoder) to sit on our now-flat platform, and the decoder/speaker slot up under the chimney.

Example 2: Later Hornby 8F with 8pin socket in tender

Kit: MS450R; IceCube28X18X08; SuperCap

This time we have a more recent version of Hornby's 8F model, with 4pin electrical connector to tender, and 8pin DCC socket provision in the tender.

We want a nice big speaker, so we cut away much of the plastic slope under the coal load to maximise room.

An MS450R decoder will plug into the socket, which we'll retain, and we connect up a SuperCap for stay-alive.

Wrap the SuperCap in Kapton, and this is secured under the metal weight - some care is required to ensure it doesn't catch on the tops of the wheels.

The dual IceCube speaker is fixed to the metal weight and positioned so it slots up into the cut-out we made in the coal chute area.

A good neat fit, tender body back on and coal back in place.

Please note that these guides are provided as useful resources for you, as-is. YouChoos cannot be held responsible for errors in the information, or for any damage caused to your models or equipment if you choose to follow any of the steps detailed here.