Minitrix Class 42 DCC Conversion

Mistakes may damage your locomotive, controller or other accessories. Use a multimeter to make absolutely sure you have completely isolated the motor from the track before testing. Always use the Programming Track for testing. Our guides are provided for reference only, and you proceed entirely at your own risk. Unsure about something - try our DCC Conversion Service instead.

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This guide covers Minitrix Class 42 models, including:

• N206 Class 42 D823 'Hermes' (British Rail Blue)
• N208 Class 42 D825 'Intrepid' (British Rail Green)

Step 1 - Remove Body

Remove the screw from the top of the body, then push gently upwards to separate it from the chassis.

Step 2 - Prepare Upper PCB

Remove the two screws holding the upper PCB in place. Desolder the red wire and both resistors. Remove the bulbs. Remove each bogie by pulling its retaining pin out with tweezers.

Step 3 - Prepare Lower PCB

Turn upside down, and remove the black plastic piece in the centre by pushing each of the retaining clips with a small flat-headed screwdriver.

The lower PCB will now easily pop out. Remove the capacitor and choke (copper coil) from it. Desolder the red wire.

Step 4 - Connect Track Pickups

Track power comes through on one side via the wipers that touch the underside of the lower PCB. The other side comes through from the wheels to the chassis block itself, via metal parts in the bogies. The lower PCB has a metal contact that touches the live chassis, thus providing us with a soldering point.

Solder red and black wires to the lower PCB as shown, and then to a 6 pin decoder socket. Solder the orange, grey, white and yellow wires to the decoder socket.

Step 5 - Isolate Motor

Remove the two metal clips and two plastic ones holding the motor in place. Solder the orange wire to the contact tab on the side of the motor. This would ordinarily pick uk power by contacting the live chassis.

Add some kapton tape around the chassis pillar so the motor contact can no longer make an electrical connection with it.

Refit the motor and replace the four clips, routing the orange wire to the opposite side of the chassis.

Step 6 - Refit Lower PCB

Refit the lower PCB in place. Route the grey and white wires to the right, through the chassis and towards the top. Route the yellow wire to the top via the left hand side.

Take the orange wire from the motor, and feed it back to the lower PCB following the same route as the yellow wire. Solder the orange wire to the decoder socket.

Cut two notches out of the lower plastic clip, and refit so that the wires exit through the notches. Make sure the wires are right up against the chassis, so there is plenty of space for the wipers to make their full arc without obstruction.

Step 7 - Refit Upper PCB

Solder the white and yellow wires to each bulb contact on the upper PCB. Solder the grey wire to the motor contact tab.

Put the bulbs back in place, and refit the PCB. Make sure that the tabs at either end are making contact with the bulbs, and that the motor tab is making contact with the motor.

Step 8 - Refit Bogies & Body

Refit the bogies by popping them in while the chassis is upside down, then inserting the retainer pin using tweezers. Put the body back on and tighten up the screw.

Step 9 - Test

Place your loco on the programming track and read its ID. If all is well, test that the lights function work as expected and are illuminated depending on the direction of travel. You may need to dim the head/tail lights if they look too bright.

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