Faircloss Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Hi, it's my first time posting on here, as like many during the current climate, I have sought to fill my days with a new hobby whilst in lockdown and hopefully thereafter too!I bought what was advertised as a "Brand New" train set from ebay but was surprised to find that all of the set was new except the locomotive. The good news was the seller was good, I received an apology, an offer to return the item, or a huge discount on what I had paid... so was time to get to work on the loco - it is clicking when running. I'd never taken a model loco apart before so found a number of sources of information - this website and www.hornbyguide.com seem to have the majority of Hornby Service Sheets - but to my dismay, the Mallard I currently have does not appear to have a service sheet. ☹️Does anyone know of anywhere I can source the service sheet from?As for the clicking noise when the loco is running - still a work in progress.. .any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 The most comprehensive online resource for downloadable 'Service Sheets' is (in my humble opinion):.http://www.lendonsmodelshop.co.uk/index.asp?button=button2&servicesheets=none.Scroll half way down the page to expand the "Hornby Service Sheets 607 files" section..There are 15 service sheets listed for the A4 locomotive. Review them all to see which one more closely resembles your particular A4. Note that the term 'Mallard' is not always used, because that is a name of a specific loco and not a loco class. Many different 'named' locos would be using the same Class A4 chassis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 There are many variants of Mallard - do you have an R-number for it or even the R-number for the set. Once we know which Mallard we are dealing with we can better advise. My Mallard had an odd clicking noise upon entering a curve and eventually I worked out it was the cab door catching on the tender. The way I found it was the noise stopped and I noticed the door lying on the track. When I stuck it back on the clicking returned. In the local Hornby service sheet download area (this site) I found searching on Class A4 better than Mallard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faircloss Posted April 28, 2020 Author Share Posted April 28, 2020 There are many variants of Mallard - do you have an R-number for it or even the R-number for the set. Once we know which Mallard we are dealing with we can better advise. My Mallard had an odd clicking noise upon entering a curve and eventually I worked out it was the cab door catching on the tender. The way I found it was the noise stopped and I noticed the door lying on the track. When I stuck it back on the clicking returned. In the local Hornby service sheet download area (this site) I found searching on Class A4 better than Mallard.The R number for the set is R1202 (the Mallard Pullman set). There is no R number on the loco itself that I have been able to find.I have taken the body off the loco and the tender, and just ran the loco on the track... still getting the clicking noise. I've noticed one of the coupling rods on the wheels is bent... I have straightened that out a little to ensure its not catching... noise still there etc.I do have a bent copper part that should be wrapped around the end part of the wheel base/chasis (sorry don't know what its called). Not sure how I would get that straightened? (See pic)/media/tinymce_upload/02cb8f3ed9e844c6898d2e21773796a9.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 I had a clicking on my Flying Scotsman which happened on every revolution of the wheels, it wa caused by the valve gear which was slightly bent. Another loco, an 8F, had a clicking which was caused by a split gear. Just two possible causes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 I've had a few locomotives like Rog mentioned ... valvegear. There are several areas, but typically it's the connecting rod catching the cylinder sliders.It can be the con rod catching the coupling rod screws ... Best to set going very slowly and listen to where it 'clicks' and where the rods are ... Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelnut19 Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Just to add to what others have said, please do not be too hasty.The clicking could be due to something minor and superficial so I would not recommend drastic surgery until you are clearer on the cause.Do you know if the motor is in the loco or in the tender?If the motor is in the tender, you could try gently pushing the main loco gently along the track to see if you can hear the noise or if there is any resistance to movement once every wheel revolution.If the front of the loco is motorised, as others have said, carefully look to see if anything is catching. It could be that part of the valve gear has been pushed out of alignment during handling. However, be cvery careful in trying to ease anything since modern valve gear is very thin and thus fragile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Those bent copper strips are the track power pickups and they should be adjusted so that they rub on the inside of the wheels. What has probably happened is one of them has been bent out of shape such that it was catching on the spokes of the wheel. Check that nothing else is catching, then put it all back together adjusting those strips carefully so they bear on the wheel backs, and that they make contact when you bias the wheels from side to side. Adjust as necessary. It is a fiddly job and you can end up destroying them. If you look up the train set R-number on Hornbyguide.com it should refer to either the loco R-number or even better directly ref to a service sheet. If not then look at the service sheets available for A4s and pick the one that matches your loco configuration. In fact SS275 is probably the one you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 The thin brass things are not meant to be wrapped around the plastic baseplate. These are pick ups. They are meant to lightly brush against the back of the wheel "tyre", that's the usually shiny bit around the outside of the wheel with the flanges on. The "bottom" one in the photo has the end bent over. It should all be in line. The angle of the pick up isn't too far off though. The "top" pickup in that flphoto needs reshaping to the same kind of angle as the "bottom" one to brush against the tyre of the wheel. It may be possible that one of these pick ups has got bent in such a way as to be brushing against the spokes of a wheel, making a clicking sound as it flicks across the spokes, like a fag packet pegged to a bicycle fork, in the good old days! 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 I was typing my reply, and attempting to edit it to correct some typos ( failed, flaky internet) while RAF posted his reply... Just so it's known, that we independently came to the same ideas, no one copying anyone! 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 The coupling rod appears kinked.Might be the photo, but needs some attention. Don't worry too much, I've had a few which have caught and kinked, have resolved whatever the problem was and straightened them out again without issue - Hornby rods are notorious for being 'scale', as in really quite thin!! As mentioned, the pick-up wipers should be nearly straight, gently touching the insides of the wheels at all moments - check when in place by moving the relevant axle side-to-side. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faircloss Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 Thanks to all for the replies. A quick update on this@I found the relevant Service sheet on the recommended website (thank you)I confirmed the motor is not in the tender.I've ensured the pickups are positioned as needed.I've straightened the 'bent' coupling rod.I believe ultimately the clicking was the bent coupling rod catching on another which is now sorted. But was great to service the loco at the same time. My only problem now with the loco, its running smoothly up until it reaches a set of points, or goes over the hornby power track... other loco's go over it fine.I'm going to remove the hornby power track, and replace it (using a Bachmann controller and power clip) - I don't like the default honrby solution!! So now I just need to figure out why this loco is derailing when not on a 'standard' piece of track (curve or straight). Will keep you posted, but happy to take any ideas. (Thanks in advance). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 Will keep you posted, but happy to take any ideas..Check the 'Back to Back' measurement of the wheels. Not sure what 'Back to Back' means. Search the forum using these terms:.Back to BackB2B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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