Thanks for the advice mmad, I'm still confused though, I have one red wire coming from the loco pick-ups via the connection for the tender connection, does this pick up from both the left and right wheels? If I joint this with the red wire to the decoder am I not going to cause a short. Likewise with the black wire which seems to get it's pick up from the tender chassis rather than one side of the pick ups? I'm still a novice with installing decoders and like things simple! I thought I needed the red wire to pick up from one track via the wheels, and the black from the other track, again via the wheels and that both needed to be kept seperate.
Apoloies to Bromsgrove models, the links provided by that sight have been very useful for other conversions I have done, I meant no critiscism of Bromsgrove and recommend their sight and the links provided to anyone considering DCC conversion.
Unfortunatly converting the chassis to another maker is not an option, I am modelling on a budget and having bought the Patriot, which I consider to be a great looking model, I feel I must stick with it and if I can't convert it then it will have to go, which will be a shame because I like it so much.
I was hoping that Hornby would be making an LMS version with DCC on board, but sadly they are only doing rebuilt Patriots, and I can't get excited by the Royal Scot they've just bought out. My LMS themed lyout already has ore black loco's than crimson lake. The Bachmann Jubille "Australia" is a possibility though, if I'm patient!
Thanks again Mike