NWR-Gordon-4 Posted December 23, 2019 Share Posted December 23, 2019 The motor inside of Thomas is not unique to the Thomas & Friends range. Thomas' chassis and motor are the same as the what the 0-6-0's have, from the RailRoad range. GNR-Gordon-4 (HF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubaggieboy Posted December 23, 2019 Author Share Posted December 23, 2019 @StuBaggyBoy You have changed the motor three times? My goodness. Worried about my two R9287 Thomas' now. @walkingthedog All the 2015 / 2016 made Thomas models are from a bad batch Brian. There's so many faults with these models, sadly. GNR-Gordon-4 (HF)No I have not changed the motor 3 times I had 3 separate Thomas locos each of which the motors burnt out within a few minutes. Do you run the locos you are worried about? if so I don't think you will have a problem. I fitted a motor from 10 year old Duck loco which I had to remove the pick up assembly from the later one as the older units only have pick ups on 4 wheels. Now the loco runs smooth and noise free. PS I am not a Thomas fan at all I just purchased my Thomas collection just because they were Hornby and thinking at the time about future grand children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWR-Gordon-4 Posted December 24, 2019 Share Posted December 24, 2019 All of them have had test run at the model shops I purchased them at, but only Thomas and Percy have been one the layout so far, for an extensive amount of time. I have heard that R9291 Gordon and R9292 Henry's conrods are loose too and I ahv checked mine and they appear to be loose. I fear that if run them for a few minutes all that will fall apart. If that happns and of the rods bend, I fear that will ruin the models. I do not know if spare conrods can be purchased. GNR-Gordon-4 (HF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted December 24, 2019 Share Posted December 24, 2019 If they are loose tighten them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted December 24, 2019 Share Posted December 24, 2019 This is a nice tool for tightening crank pin screws with hexigon heads... http://www.hornby.com/uk-en/con-rod-nut-spanner-double-ended.html It works well, and isn't too long... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWR-Gordon-4 Posted December 24, 2019 Share Posted December 24, 2019 @walkingthedog I will tighten them up. @Sarahagain Thank you. I purhased that tool when Thomas' conrods came loose. I will check Edward's, Henry's, Gordon's and James' before they get ran. GNR-Gordon-4 (HF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 24, 2019 Share Posted December 24, 2019 Are you sure it is not the power supply damaging them? If you are using an old power supply, I think the voltage is a lot higher than modern ones so that might be the cause. I know my H & M power supply blows up locos with DCC decoder that are supposed to run on DC. When I took the power supply apart I found it was using wire wound variable resistors and was supplying rectified AC with no smoothing. It is just a thought. I suspect the older motors probably used thicker wires and could take the higher voltages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railtwister Posted December 24, 2019 Share Posted December 24, 2019 You can make your own sockets for tightening small hex screws by using appropriate size allen socket head cap screw screwed into a short wooden dowel for a handle. Make the hole in the dowel close to the tap size for the bolt’s threads to screw into, and use a dab of epoxy to lock it in place. A good hardware store will have th screws in many sizes, both metric and inches, usually quite inexpensive in price.Bill in FtL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted December 24, 2019 Share Posted December 24, 2019 Or buy the tool for a few quid. It is well worth the money, very well made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted December 24, 2019 Share Posted December 24, 2019 atom3624, what are the product numbers of the Thomas and Percy you own? I willl be abe to help determine the models ages then. Hi GNR-G-4, no boxes with mine, but both have Hornby and Made in China stamped on the bottom.Percy has a new-type 3-pole can motor, but with no flywheel.Thomas' motor seems bigger, the armature is exposed, but it's tiny, like modern can motors.Almost looks like a old-style X-04 installation but with a modern motor.The tension lock couplings are wide, not NEM width, the couplings in Thomas being shorter than Percy's.No sign of 'R' numbers anywhere. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWR-Gordon-4 Posted December 25, 2019 Share Posted December 25, 2019 @atom3624 Sounds as if you own the older models. Your verisions sounds as if they are prior 2001. There are no copyright years stamped on the chassis' in white? GNR-Gordon-4 (HF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 Thomas DOES have white lettering 2015 Gullane (Thomas) Limited.Percy doesn't. Both seem to perform very well. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubaggieboy Posted December 26, 2019 Author Share Posted December 26, 2019 To end the story of this disastrous purchase. The Thomas set was opened by my Granddaughter on Christmas morning with squeals of delight and set up on Christmas afternoon. Can you imagine my anger and frustration when after the trouble I encountexted with the sub standard locomotive motors the controller was also faulty as the forward reverse switch wouldn't move so Thomas could only go one way!! The inferior quality of this set is beyond belief and not a good advert for Hornby and after supporting them for over 55 years I no longer feel confident in purchasing any more Hornby products. Disgusting!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 That is a shame. Just in case, you are aware that the control knob must be set to zero before the direction switch can be moved. I'm sure you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 .... I'm sure you are. Good point WTD.I look forward to the reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 That's terrible.I hope you find a suitable resolution. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 If it is the same controller I got with my boxed Pendulino set, I know what it is. There is a plastic lever inside that connects the forwards/reverse switch, to stop you changing direction without the control setting being at zero. This seems to make the forward/reverse switch dificult to operate. Just remove it, it only stops you going from forward to reverse with the knob at the zero setting. As I have said in previous post and got criticised for, Hornby aren't too good on electrics, the lever looks like a bodge, you could have done the same thing with electronics. I only noticed it when I took the controller apart to fix the same issue you are having. Incidently, I use DCC, but used the Pendulino controller to test the locos before I convert them (my H&M finally died, and it is too old to bother fixing). The thing is slider switches aren't the most reliable of things, so why attach a lever to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubaggieboy Posted December 26, 2019 Author Share Posted December 26, 2019 That is a shame. Just in case, you are aware that the control knob must be set to zero before the direction switch can be moved. I'm sure you are. Thanks for your comment WTD. Yes I am aware about the way the switch operates and I am planning to investigate the controller later today and hopefully it will be an easy repair. Yes I know I should be taking it back to my retailer bud unfortunately this was the last Thomas set on the shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubaggieboy Posted December 26, 2019 Author Share Posted December 26, 2019 Are you sure it is not the power supply damaging them? If you are using an old power supply, I think the voltage is a lot higher than modern ones so that might be the cause. I know my H & M power supply blows up locos with DCC decoder that are supposed to run on DC. When I took the power supply apart I found it was using wire wound variable resistors and was supplying rectified AC with no smoothing. It is just a thought. I suspect the older motors probably used thicker wires and could take the higher voltages.My apologies for not replying to your comment Colin as I have only just noticed it. I only use Gaugemaster controllers so the issue is with the sub standard motors. Refgards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWR-Gordon-4 Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 @atom3624 There's a chance that StuBaggy Boy owns the 2015 copyighted Thomas, without the dummy headlamp, but these batches sold fast and mainly through pre-orders. Being that StuBaggyBoy purchased his R9285 Thomas Passenger and Goods Train Set very recently for his granddaughter, there's a good chance it's from the second batch from 2016, which is the Thomas with the dummy headlamp. The chassis' of these Thomas' are copyrighted 2016. @StuBaggyBoy I do believe that Hornby went through a bad stage with faults etc, with the majority of them ending up on the 2015 and 2016 Thomas & Friends models. The models I have purchased that were made after those two years have been better from Hornby, but those are not from the Thomas & Friends range. I understand your frustration however. Many people have put up with these and gone through them. I'm sorry to read that you have had this trouble. 😀 GNR-Gordon-4 (HF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubaggieboy Posted December 26, 2019 Author Share Posted December 26, 2019 Controller now repaired and yes it was the small interlocking lever that was not fitted correctly, everything is now fine with the Thomas set. Now for something more positive as I am quick enough to moan when items are faulty I also like to give praise where praise is due. From my family I was given the BR blue Princess Coronation Duchess of Gloucester and also Bachmann class 66 EWS weathered version. Absolutely outstanding models from both manufacturers even though the coupling rods on one side of the Duchess were loose. Both excellent runners quit responsive and smooth beautiful!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 Glad you got the controller sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted December 26, 2019 Share Posted December 26, 2019 Glad it is resolved.100% correct to check all of the screws before use, but highly unusual that they were loose on that Duchess - just goes to show! When I think back, I had to recover and replace the screw on one of the coupling rods of my Thomas when it first ran, so QC was obviously very sadly lacking in that 'manufacturing era'. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubaggieboy Posted December 26, 2019 Author Share Posted December 26, 2019 Thank you all for your comments. Atom the Duchess is a fine model and yes your correct about the QC shouldn't have to check tightness of any screw with a model in that price range or in any price range Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzler down under Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Absolutely you have earned the right to moan and you have every reason to moan I agree with you 100% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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