Hi Doug and Peter.
Well I followed Hornby's information page and did the conversion. Peter you're so right about the noise level at slower speeds, it is so much more acceptable.
I used a standard R8215 Loco decoder and it works well and now I have the choice to go clockwise or anti-clock. Interestingly it wouldn't accept the code 99 (which I would have preferred to assign, as an 'accessory' - strange that!)
Fortunately my layout has the t/table on the inner edge of a 1st radius curve with the entry road at 7 o'clock (relative) and only one exit road at 4 o'clock (relative) which is a spur that rejoins the existing yards. This allows for a quick 180 degree turn around either prior to rejoining the main rail or before retiring to the diesel fuelling station in the yards. (The yards are accessible from elsewhere on the layout as the 'main' entrance)
Sorting the small incline over a short entry slip was an interesting challenge, but the Loco's all seem happy with result. Not one complains, slips or does a "Duchess" ( ie, falls off)
Thank you all for your help. Especially to David and Doug for moving my posting into the correct forum.
On a different subject, the railway society I am a member of has a 'track night' every month. At the first one I attended a group of chaps were talking about the Pendalino 'leaning' train and I commented that when I had my first layout in early sixties, I had the "Duchess of Atholl" which was a leaning train, sometimes it leaned so far that it leaned all the way off at the corners! Hence, my expression 'Doing a Duchess'
Thanks again folks.
KR's
Mike
1.9.08