AndyThomas Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Hi everyone. I aquired a fairly new Hogwarts express but unfortunately with no tender nor drawbar screw. I can concoct somthing quite easily that will work and look the part but I am missing the screw for the drawbar. Does anyone know the actual size of the thread for this screw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dukedog. Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 You could try Peters spares Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Spare Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 The drawbar for the current Hogwarts loco, based on Hornby's Hall rather than the Castle, is in pack X6636 which also includes the two screws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyThomas Posted January 23, 2023 Author Share Posted January 23, 2023 Peters spares said they dont know the thread size and the pack with the drawbar is rather expensive to say the least which is why I only wanted the screw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Yes, I have had the same issue with that spares supplier, surprising really you would think that they would know but I have asked the same question on other parts and got the same sort of reply. The screw thread is probably an M2 (2mm ) although sometimes it is a M2.5. Sometimes on some really old designed loco chassis it is some BA thread like 8BA although this is really rare. On the A1/A3/A4 tenders Hornby use a self tapping thread, which if it is like the rest is M2.2 self tapping, generally I buy a drawbar kit just for the screw. The kit Going Spare suggests is the cheapest way to get the screw, especially if you order it from someone different like Lendons (if they have the kit). For some reason that particular supplier seems incredibly expensive. You can buy "stepped" screws in stainless steel from China that work really well (I have bought many) but again expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyThomas Posted January 26, 2023 Author Share Posted January 26, 2023 The drawbar for the current Hogwarts loco, based on Hornby's Hall rather than the Castle, is in pack X6636 which also includes the two screws.Many thanks for that info and relitively cheap as a spares pack for a Hall rather than Castle. Its arrived anyway but not opened packet yet. Many thanks. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyThomas Posted January 26, 2023 Author Share Posted January 26, 2023 Yes, I have had the same issue with that spares supplier, surprising really you would think that they would know but I have asked the same question on other parts and got the same sort of reply. The screw thread is probably an M2 (2mm ) although sometimes it is a M2.5. Sometimes on some really old designed loco chassis it is some BA thread like 8BA although this is really rare. On the A1/A3/A4 tenders Hornby use a self tapping thread, which if it is like the rest is M2.2 self tapping, generally I buy a drawbar kit just for the screw. The kit Going Spare suggests is the cheapest way to get the screw, especially if you order it from someone different like Lendons (if they have the kit). For some reason that particular supplier seems incredibly expensive. You can buy "stepped" screws in stainless steel from China that work really well (I have bought many) but again expensive.Not sure if we are thinking about the same screw thread here as the one I need is probably 1mm or under. No where near 2mm and probably in the 14 BA size bracket. This screw goes into a nut that is fixed into the plastic so a self tapper is a no no. It may go in but will probaly be stuck forever spinning round. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 RDS Moderator Note:Andy, could I suggest that if you are going to include the post you are replying to in your post, that you add a blank line before you start typing (to prevent the vertical grey bar attaching to your post as well), otherwise it is difficult it is difficult to see which is your reply and which is just a complete copy of a previous post. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-Henny Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 RDS wrote"............that you add a blank line before you start typing (to prevent the vertical grey bar attaching to your post as well..........."I offer a slight modification of the text to aid clarity:............that you add a blank line by placing your cursor in the blank space below the quoted text before you start typing (to prevent the vertical grey bar attaching to your post as well...........I agree with mod RDS, trying to separate the new text in your replies from the quoted text makes reading the post very difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Spare Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 You said in your original post that the loco was fairly new and I therefore took it to be Hogwarts based more correctly since 2019 on the Hall than on Hornby's earlier offering using the Castle. Both versions were made in China and will have metric screws.As you now seem to be questioning the size and type of the screw, are you actually dealing with a Castle which has a two-piece drawbar incorporating an electrical connection and a spring? Do you know the R-number for the loco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 Well I agree with all the comments, especially when the response is included in the original message. I took Going Spares advice (thank you for the really good advice) and bought the kit for a source of stepped bolts for drawbar attachment on my other locos. I can confirm that as I have said previously they are m2 thread. Other than the coupling rod screws witch are some incredilbly small thread size, Hornby according to my experience never go less than m2. Bachmann however frequently use 1.6 mm thread screws and in their tenders captive nuts of the same thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyThomas Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 The drawbar for the current Hogwarts loco, based on Hornby's Hall rather than the Castle, is in pack X6636 which also includes the two screws. Bought the X6636 pack and have to report that they are not the correct screws for the hogwarts. May be correct thread but much too short to be of any use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyThomas Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 RDS Moderator Note:Andy, could I suggest that if you are going to include the post you are replying to in your post, that you add a blank line before you start typing (to prevent the vertical grey bar attaching to your post as well), otherwise it is difficult it is difficult to see which is your reply and which is just a complete copy of a previous post. Thanks.You mean like this?What is the difference between REPLY and QUOTED REPLY? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-Henny Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 You mean like this?What is the difference between REPLY and QUOTED REPLY?No, not like that but like this.Note that there is no vertical grey bar to the left of this text. The vertical grey bar indicates that the text is a copy (quote) of a previous post. The difference between REPLY and QUOTED REPLY is that REPLY doesn't include the quoted text. When your new text incorrectly shows the vertical bar to the left, forum member readers can not see what is new text and what is quoted text.REPLY is the preferred method of replying. The issue with using QUOTED REPLY on this forum. Is that unlike other forums QUOTED REPLY doesn't indicate whose reply you are quoting, so it is only marginally better than a chocolate teapot. It is far more efficient to use REPLY, then if you want to indicate whose post you are replying to start it of with their @nickname monika. For example, if I hadn't used the QUOTED REPLY for this reply I could have started it with @AndyThomas to bring it to your attention.To avoid your reply having the grey vertical bar to the left. You just place your cursor in the blank space below the grey bar text before you start typing.If you feel you must use quoted text, then at least make an effort to edit the quoted text to shorten it so only the relevant sentence you are replying to is repeated. There are many instances where someone has quoted a very long post such as this one I am writing to only then add a response to one single comment in it. It is very time consuming for members to have to read through a long quote to try and identify the one single point in it that the new reply is responding to. To demonstrate this, notice how I have edited the quoted grey bar text above by removing the RDS Moderator note text in this reply to just leave your comment that this reply relates to.To use REPLY it is easier to just use the REPLY TEXT BOX at the bottom of the page rather than clicking the 3 dot menu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Spare Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 In that case, it would appear you do have the Castle-based Hogwarts loco, for which the drawbar/deep shouldered screw/spring pack is the obsolete X8520 (aka X8765). Lendons still have stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
508006 Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 I have often kept the brass screws from triang hornby locos that I have had in my collection and have found the screws to be very useful even on most of our modern day steam locos.The screws I have acquired over a number of years have been a mix of shouldered and non shouldered screws but their threads are very close to those on the current range of locos.It is possible if you have any that you might find a screw that fits because the other option involves drilling the screw thread area to enlarge it and using a computer screw to secure the drawbar in place.I would like to point out before any members start barking at me that I have done this myself on some of my locos if the threads either on the loco, tender or both have chewed up including on the screws themselves.Yes it means the locos have odd screws to what the should be but they work. Might be worth exploring that option.Also if I may point out, the computer screws were salvaged from old cd dries a friend of mine had which also enabled me to salvage the cd motors from them for use in my ringfield locos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 You can buy brand new shouldered screws in stainless from China via EBay. I use these a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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