philbyway Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 Sorry for what seems a stupid question, but I am building an outdoor O Gauge layout as part of a mini-model village and want to buy a Hornby clockwork locomotive but I don't know how they stop running. Do I need a specific train that has a stopping facility - and if so, would you recommend any model in particular or what I need to look out for - or is it the track that can stop the train. If so, what do I need to look out for and can I buy this new? Before I begin buying the track and locomotive, I want to make sure I get it right. I would really appreciate any help or advice and apologies for sounding like a Numpty, but I've had days of computer research trying to find the answers I need.
Yelrow Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 Hi, welcome to the forum. If it is the old Hornby O gauge clockwork, they stop when the spring has fully expanded. The ones i have, you can adjust the forward/ reverse, but i know of none with stopping facility, but no doubt LC&DR, will put me right. john
96RAF Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 Going back donkey's years, when I were a lad, I seem to remember there was a stop/start rod sticking out of the cab on some wind-up locos. Couldn't say what make they were now though as I never had a 'named' train set such as Hornby or Bassett Lowke, etc.. I also seem to remember having a wind up train set which auto-reversed by way of a sticky up bit near the ends of the track that clonked a lever on the engine and made it change direction - definitely not Hornby or predecessors though, it was a Made in Japan tinplate modern train shape type of thing.
walkingthedog Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 I seem to remember some clockwork locos had a lever underneath that either stopped it or put it into reverse when it crossed a tab between the rails.
Yelrow Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 Mine have 2 rods, one changes direction, and the other, starts it, and in theory, stops it, but not when its going flat out. You would do yourself a nasty, trying. RAF/WTD, , there is nothing on my hornby ones, or on the track, that, makes for direction change. At the speed mine go, they would de rail, rather than change gear or stop. john
walkingthedog Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 I or should I say my dad had a couple with the rods protruding from the cab. The ones I'm thinking about had a lever on a section of track. You moved the lever and a tab raised up. Maybe it was something else clockwork that one of the kids had.
Yelrow Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 WTD, was it the long multi wheeled ones your dad had, cos mine, in the orange boxes, were around, in both our young days. I had 2 of these big beasts, but swapped them for Meccano, big mistake. john
96RAF Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 Maybe it was something else clockwork that one of the kids had. Just going slightly off topic for a mo... I had a ski-jumper who ran down the hill, tripped a lever near the bottom which released a spring loaded section that flipped him into a sumersault and he always landed on his wheeled skis again to zoom across the lino. Great fun in the day.
Ruffnut Thorston Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 Most Hornby O Gauge Clockwork locos have a tab underneath that stops the loco when it hits a tab on a special "Brake Rail". Th etrack tab can be moved so that it does not stop the loco. Some also had a tab that reversed the loco (Mainly Tender and large tank locos) using a Brake/ Reverse Rail.
poliss Posted April 11, 2016 Posted April 11, 2016 I remember an old book bemoaning that all the skill had been lost from railway modelling because all people need to do 'now' to stop a train was to turn a knob. In their day they had to calculate exactle how many turns of the key it would take to stop the train at a station.
Yelrow Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Sarah, neither of my locos, are so fitted, and none of my track/accessories, have any provision. john
walkingthedog Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Most Hornby O Gauge Clockwork locos have a tab underneath that stops the loco when it hits a tab on a special "Brake Rail". Th etrack tab can be moved so that it does not stop the loco. Some also had a tab that reversed the loco (Mainly Tender and large tank locos) using a Brake/ Reverse Rail.Thank you Sarah, I knew I wasn't going mad, well not any madder than usual 🤔
philbyway Posted April 12, 2016 Author Posted April 12, 2016 Thank you to everyone and Sarah, that is brilliant and makes perfect sense. I now know what I am looking for but yes, poliss makes a comment that seems obvious but it hadn't struck me that I can just measure how many turns it takes to get me to the station. Doh! I am so grateful to everyone for their time and help. I shall begin looking now for a suitable train and track and cannot wait to get started.
Ruffnut Thorston Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Sarah, neither of my locos, are so fitted, and none of my track/accessories, have any provision. john Hmmmm. Possibly a "cheaper" range? Though I thought that the "cheap" "M" Range by Hornby still had brake rails (On a Curve track I think, so they could be part of the Train Set Circle.).Are they Hornby? Or Brimtoy / Chad Valley/ etc?
Ruffnut Thorston Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Most Hornby O Gauge Clockwork locos have a tab underneath that stops the loco when it hits a tab on a special "Brake Rail". Th etrack tab can be moved so that it does not stop the loco. Some also had a tab that reversed the loco (Mainly Tender and large tank locos) using a Brake/ Reverse Rail.Thank you Sarah, I knew I wasn't going mad, well not any madder than usual 🤔Not mad....just confused a bit? 😉 The Tri-ang Clockwork locos never had any track brakes, though the earlier 0-6-0 locos did reverse, unlike the "cheaper" 0-4-0 locos!Hornby O Gauge. Disaster simulation?My brother would set up a long straight track, brake rail just before a level crossing. The rails from th ebrake rail were oiled with 3-in 1 oil, and a dinky toy or two placed on the crossing. With the brake rail "On", a train would be dispatched down the line.... The loco wheels would lock up at the brake rail, and the train slide into the traffic on the crossing! 😮
Rana Temporia Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 The 0 gauge models with the return switch at the side of the track were Tri-ang Big Big trains which were also made by Novo and there was a copy made in China. These were all battery operated and had an on/off switch sticking out on one side of the loco and a forward/reverse on the other. If the lineside switch was on the on/off side the loco would stop when it reached it. If on the other it would change direction. Everything worked fine with new batteries but I remember mine being a bit sticky when they were low.
Ruffnut Thorston Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 Ah Yes.... Big Big Trains.... There was a TV advertisment that had a "Blue Flier" Hymek running full tilt towards an open drain cover! 😮 Just before disaster, the train reversed back from the brink.... The reverse switch in action....but I wouldn't risk it! 😉
LCDR Posted February 11, 2017 Posted February 11, 2017 Interesting how threads from 9 months back suddenly re-appear. 😉
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