Running older locos on new Santa Express set

[Graymo]

Hello all,

I'm going to start by apologising, because I suspect somewhere on this site my question has been answered but I'm incredibly time poor at the moment and don't have hours to search.

I've bought a new Santa Express to go around the tree. I've added 10 small straight pieces to it to increase the circumference.

I’ve just set the track up on my dining room floor tiles as it’s a temporary setup and I plan to package it away until after Xmas (my kids are too young currently). This does mean fixing the track every day because either my 3 year old or cats have messed it up.

I bought my son a second hand Thomas the tank engine for Xmas (you’ll know they’re now discontinued due to licensing expense) . I’m not sure of the age but it says made in GB on the bottom – I know production was transitioned to China at some point. I thought it seemed sensible to test the loco before Xmas day. When the track is in order, the Santa Express runs well, however the Thomas the Tank engine really struggled to move. It just seemed like the track wasn’t providing it with enough power.

Now I have read that the basic controller unit which comes with the Santa Express track is pretty useless, but I wondered whether anyone can confirm that this is the likely cause. I take some comfort that the Thomas the Tank loco did move a little, although barely, so hopping it isn’t an issue with the loco.

If the suspected cause is the basic controller, could someone please recommend a suitable, inexpensive upgrade. I’m not planning to get into the hobby seriously, at least not until my kids are older, so would like to remain analogue

[Tim M]

Hi Nick,

The GB made models were pre 2000 - so your Thomas is over 20 years old.

The controller is fine for powering one normal loco. If Thomas is the only thing on your track and struggles to move, then based on what you've said, the problem is the loco.

Tim

[Chrissaf]

Yes the set controller is not the best, but the symptoms you describe is looking to be more an issue with the loco. If the loco was perfectly OK and the issue was totally with the controller, the controller issue usually manifests itself as a loco travels OK for a few minutes, then the controller overheats and shuts down.

 

In your case, you are not getting those few minutes of use from the loco. Things it could be are:

 

Dirty wheels.

Misaligned or bent or dirty wheel pickups.

Worn motor brushes.

Dry oil or solidified grease in the mechanism.

 

Follow the guidance in the 1st sticky post at the top of the 'General Discussion' forum index page titled: "FAQ - My loco/set is not working".

 

PS - With regards the Santa set, as you will probaly intend to leave it running for considerable time, don't have the controller turned up to max, run the santa loco more sedately, else you are likely to observe the controller keep overheating and shutting down to cool off.

 

TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

 

See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum. TIPs include 'How to post images' and 'How to make links clickable'.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

 

 

[Peter Stiles]

One thing to bear in mind is that the Santa's Express set includes the smallest curves that Hornby make (we call them "Radius 1") and lots of engines have trouble going round such tight curves.

Crissaf's comments are pertinent to getting the engine running in the first place, but you may find that once it does actually move it doesn't like the curves very much. I speak from experience as I hoped to have Thomas (a China-built one) going around my Tree with the Santa's Express, but it wouldn't stay on the curves. 

[Graymo]

Thank you for your responses. I'll have to try to send it back as it was described as "tested and appears to work".

I also double checked and I'm not sure why I thought it was made in GB, but it is in fact made in China.

I assume that makes no difference to the likelihood that it's the loco, rather than anything else?

Thanks.

[Going Spare]

A UK-made Thomas would have been ok on the Santa Express set curves as UK locos were made to negotiate 1st radius curves and did not have full depth flanges on the centre driving wheels for that reason.  Later Chinese models do have full flanges (without traction tyres) so 2nd radius is probably the minimum for them.  Having said that, there is probably a problem within the loco - possibly as simple as dirty wheels or pick-ups.  If you need to take the body off, release the horizontal lug at the rear just above the bufferbeam and allow the rear of the chassis to drop away thereby releasing the two claw fixings at the front.