Rebuilt Merchant Navy and Rebuilt West country valve gear cylinder block.

[ColinB]

I don't know if many people know this but Peter's Spares sells Rebuilt West Country valve gear which is virtually the same as that fitted to a Merchant Navy. Now an important fact missing from the site is that it will replace the Merchant Navy valve gear but you must use the corresponding Rebuilt West Country Cylinder block. I didn't realise but I could not understand why the newly fitted valve gear was sticking when fitted to a brand new Rebuilt Merchant Navy cylinder block. Eventually when I sourced the correct West Country part I noticed that there is about 1 mm difference in the distance between the location pin hole and the piston rod hole between the two. So it you use the Merchant Navy cylinder block the piston rod sits at an angle which can cause issues (it did on mine). Added to that as in thread "Hornby getting spare part numbers wrong" Hornby are supplying the Rebuilt Cylinder Block with the wrong part, it is the unrebuilt part. I sourced one second hand. This is not a criticism of Peter's Spares the part he supplied is absolutely correct and I was grateful that I could use it instead of the Merchant Navy valve gear which nobody has at the moment. I just thought I should point out that you need the right cylinder block for it to work correctly.

[Bulleidboy]

Thanks Colin - I've not had any problems with my M/N's, but this was useful information.BB

[atom3624]

The only problem I've had is that pesky final drive plastic gear splitting - on Canadian Pacific I think.

Runs beautifully now.

Al.