0-6-0 Pannier Tank

[geejbee]

Good evening.

Lately I have found the above loco is getting noisy when running very slowly/starting up. The best way I can describe it is a crunching sound similar to walking on gravel. It disappears when speeding up. Is this likely to be something terminal I wonder? In all other respects it is fine. There is no difference between forward and reverse. The traction tyres were replaced afew weeks ago.

[Going Spare]

It could be that the plastic wormwheel on the centre wheelset has worn, adversely affecting its meshing with the worm on the motor shaft and causing the noise.  Check the condition of the teeth on the wormwheel. 

[Rana Temporia]

Which version of the loco is it? Hornby haveroduced several pannier tank models and they have various types of chassis/motors as developments have taken place. If it's one of the Bachmann versions one has a terribly designed drive system that fails and spares are not available. The more up to date chassis won't fit the early body so unfortunately that is terminal. 

 

Check that nothing is stuck in the chassis that could be causing the noise and that the pick ups are in good condition and not catching on the spokes of the wheels.

[ColinB]

If it is a Hornby, probably as "Going Spare" said the worm drive gear is worn, or alternatively the screw holding the motor in has come loose.

[geejbee]

Ok thanks for the tips. I believe it has the "M" type motor. There doesn't seem to be any excesive play in the drive gears, certainly no more that in my jinty which runs quietly. I will check the motor mounting screw.

[GWR 14xx Tank]

I have a similar problem to you, the same crunching gravel sound, but the complete opposite to you. It is when speeding up, but the loco is silent at low speeds. This is in a Hornby 14xx, nothing seems loose or detached or catching. I'll check the suggestions here and then report back with any issues that I have found that might help the OP.

[Going Spare]

To the best of my knowledge, there is only one Pannier tank chassis that is fitted with traction tyres, the Hornby 'Super Smooth Pulling Power' (SSPP) version.  Mainline may have done so but Bachmann have not used tyres as far as I can remember.

 

[geejbee]

Hello.

I bought the pannier s/hand sometime ago. It is DCC fitted and was said to be from a train set.

I have removed the motor and can't see any particular signs of wear on the gears. There is some end float on the armature - about 1/16 of an inch. I did find some black sticky stuff under where the motor sits on the frame that looks like its there for the motor to bed down on, this is in addition to the mounting screw at the other end of the motor. I test ran it without the goo, it made no difference to the noise problem so I stuck it back in again.

So the most likely cause of the crunching gravel noise as I see it seems to be an excess of end float on the armature, nothing else seems to be amiss.

[Going Spare]

I note you say it is DCC fitted.  Are you running it under DCC control?  If not, I leave any further advice to those who know far more about DCC than I do but I believe I am correct in saying that running a DCC fitted loco under DC control may generate noise from the motor, but I stand to be corrected.

A further thought: check that the pick-ups are bearing on the wheel rims without any being hit by the wheel spokes and that that contact is smooth as the wheels rotate.

[geejbee]

Oh yes Going Spare, 100% DCC running. No evidence of pick ups or anything else catching anywhere. I guess I will keep on running it until it gets intolerable or goes pop.