Yelrow Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 greetings. At the last Hornby sale, i bought one of these , at a super price. I can now see why. Without a degree in engineering, i am afraid, it might remain on the shelf. Has anybody fitted one of these, meccano kits to the track. Most of my track is flexi, and has no slots between the underside of the rails, and the track base.. The ramp you are supposed to press to grip the track, does not. I could go on. If anyone out there has made one fit, a simple DIY, set of instructions, would be greatfully appreciated. So much simpler, just to join my 3 rail one up. thanks. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 The last time I had one of these some years ago, I used a very specialised product that might not be available in France John. Glue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Most operating accessories are designed to work with the standard track / rolling stock, and will not usually work with someone else's equipment. The old Tri-ang and Hornby Dublo mail coaches even came with their own track pieces, in Triang's case with the ramps moulded to the sleepers and the gantry and net actually glued to plastic extensions of the rail section. and in Hornby Dublo's case the special track piece had a tinplate side extensionto house the gantry and net , that also incorporated an electric rail to trigger the mechanism via a shoe. If you have flexible track, presumably you could buy a length of Hornby System 6 track to fit the Mail operating equipment and graft this into the layout by cutting out an equivalent length of flexible track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Is there any flash on the bits that fit into the track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Would it be possible to cut some slots to take the ramps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 @ Yelrow I got one in the sale as well John, not thinking for a moment that just about all my track is blasted well ballasted now. D'oh. :-( On the shelf for mine also - until layout II anyway. R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 Hi, glad it was not just me. I am delighted with the coach, and if i can find any budding engineer, may be ........ I would like to know if hornby have one on their layout, and if so, would happily give the guy who fitted it, free B&B, while he spends a day or so, fitting mine. How much easier would it have been to provide 2 rails, with bits installed. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 ... How much easier would it have been to provide 2 rails, with bits installed. johnIn that case John, can you not replace a small section of your flexitrack with 'standard' track that it will clip into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 RDS, i may not have explained that comment enough. You get 4 bits of plastic, and 2 springy bits of metal. I would have preferred all these pre- attached/ fitted/ installed on 2 bits of track. . Its a bit like buying a bike, then having to install pedals/ chain, before you can ride it. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelerXYZ Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I know what you mean. I couldn't get my operating mail coach working, so it just runs are like a normal coach.XYZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelerXYZ Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I know what you mean. I couldn't get my operating mail coach working, so it just runs are like a normal coach.XYZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Fan Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 It might be a good time to remember that in the days of Super 4 track Triang boasted “clip-fit” accessories that were easy to fix into slots in the rail. I remember fitting track side fencing and overhead wires and devices to launch Battlespace satellites and aircraft using that system and feeling very pleased with myself but it was a long time ago. The great advantage of the clip fit system was that it was not necessary to take up screwed down rails to add accessories and was, arguably better than its Hornby Dublo equivalents. Buying ready fitted rails would be a backward step. Last time I looked the “clip fit” idea was incorporated in modern track. Seriously, please can someone explain the difficulty in fitting the operating ramps, hook and bin to Hornby track? I really can't see it and wonder if I am missing something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbird Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 The original design of these 'clip fit' accessories was for children to easily assemble the feature. I would have thought any reasonably competent railway modeller would be able to adapt or modify these accessories to fit any track system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted December 24, 2015 Author Share Posted December 24, 2015 At 72, with disabled hands, let me have your details, and i will post it to you for fitting. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81F Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 greetings. At the last Hornby sale, i bought one of these , at a super price. I can now see why. Without a degree in engineering, i am afraid, it might remain on the shelf. Has anybody fitted one of these, meccano kits to the track. Most of my track is flexi, and has no slots between the underside of the rails, and the track base.. The ramp you are supposed to press to grip the track, does not. I could go on. If anyone out there has made one fit, a simple DIY, set of instructions, would be greatfully appreciated. So much simpler, just to join my 3 rail one up. thanks. johnTrust me a degree in Engineering does not help!As I use PECO flexible track I was not surprised to find that the ramps did not fit so I inserted a standard Hornby double straight, but still find that it pops out. I think the problems is that the sleepers do not quite line up with plasic ribs on the underside of the ramp that need to fit in the gaps between the sleepers. When I have a bit more time i'll probably have a go at filing some of these so thay fit and look at ways if drilling holes in the base so that they can be pinned.Alternatively I may try making my own from "L" shaped plastic strip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony57 Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 HiI just had a look at an older version of the mail operating coach, it too has the new clip to track not under the rail ramps. I tried them on a piece of track as they are only held in by the friction of the two small clips my personal solution will be to glue them to a R600 piece of track with the bases pre attached so as to get the set up right so the pickup hook is before the operating ramp and the receiving bin is after the operating ramp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 Thanks guys.All this would appear to confirm why this item appeared in the clearance sale. Coach is excellent, but supplied meccano system obviously has resulted in probs. Glad it was not just me. Hornby designers, please take note. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR Greg Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I bought one in concession on sale. I have Peco flexible track ballasted. Dug out ballast for each end of the ramps, trimmed sleeper at one end so ramp slotted in, then fixed each end of the ramp down with track pins. A bit of extra work yes but all is working as it should . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man18240 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I had same problem,, it was ok for a couple of rounds and then the springy couplers started popping out of track ( Hornby track too ) and de railing the locos,,, really got P***ed off with it,,, put them back in box and forgot about it,,,, now I have just built a proper layout and thought mmm ill get the mail catcher out see if I can sort it,,, no chance,, the couplers are just cheap plastic flimsey and not much good,, as you say john how hard would it be to have a piece of track with this prefitted like the de coupler tracks,,,, and I am an engineer ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 @JohnOK the Hornby bits won't fit your Dublo track so chop off the bits that clip into the rails and use WTD's advice - clag it down with stickum, be-it tube, magic tape or hot glue gun. The secret is to get the operating bit on the board firmly located in the correct positiion for it to intercept the coach bit. If you have to chop bits off to achieve the correct thingy location then so be it. Once positioned - secure it with one of the multitude of adhesive solutions available to modern man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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