R1119 WC/BoB Boscastle - Gears issue

[JohnR1954]

This relates to a West Country/Battle of Britain un-rebuilt loco "Boscastle (Golden Arrow livery) sold in the limited edition R1119 train set. (I don't have an R number of the actual locomotive). On this model, none of the wheels have projecting bushes into the rods, and the idler gear spindle is fixed to the gear and rotates.

The gear on the driving axle has split. But this particular gear is different from all of those I have found on possible replacement wheel sets. The actual gear has 20 teeth and is about 3/64ths inch thick. The gears on all available wheels for this class of loco that I have seen have 21 teeth and are 1/16th inch thick. (They appear to be metric 0.5 mod spur gears).

Perusing adverts indicates two versions of the transfer gears (part number S8849) but the difference in the idler gear is 21 or 26 teeth. And that would be a much greater difference in effective radius, than between 21 and 20 teeth on the axle gear.

Does anyone have a proper comprehensive analysis the various gears that were used on these variations, and what the part number is for the correct wheel set for the loco. Alternatively, is it possible to use the wheels I can locate (with the 21 tooth gear) and change the idler gear, and, if so, what is needed.

[What About The Bee]

Hello John

As this is your first post, welcome aboard!

I was hoping that someone would be along to help you sooner.

The Hattons web pages state that the locomotive in R1119 is a West Country locomotive. Hornby have produced a few, R2219, R2315 and R2685 to show a few.

The service sheet associated with those West Country locomotives is HSS 249f. You will be able to access that right here

https://support.hornby.com/hc/en-gb/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=R2315

Upon examination of that support sheet, the gear set is indicated as X8849 as a spare part.

Peters Spares used to have the 26 tooth version

https://www.petersspares.com/p/hornby-x8849l138-idler-gear-locked-set-china-built-locos-138mm but claims to now be out of stock. Its worth a telephone call, just to get information before you try other sources.

That's as far as I can go.

Bee

[LesXRN]

I bought a cog for one of my Duchesses from here; https://www.ultrascale.uk/eshop/products/view/CAT015/552

It might be worth seeing if they do the one your after.

[atom3624]

I was going to post the Ultrascale link as well - normally do - but left it a while in case there were other options.

I've used several of their gears, mainly on Duchesses - once on, they're not coming off, and fit and mesh is perfect.

Al.

[Going Spare]

I was hoping ColinB would pick up on this thread as I am sure he found a way round this problem - the detailed specification of the X8849 gear assemblies is a minefield with different combinations of gears given the same pack number.

As the Service Sheets are totally inadequate, have you spoken with Hornby's technical people?

[ColinB]

I did look at this post and figured it must one of the early West Countrys/ Battle of Britains made in Margate of which I have absolutely no experience. I did have one of this era but I sold it on as I found the newer ones better. I have built an awful lot of the newer ones which is no use in this case. When the guy mentioned the odd gear ratios I suspected that you Going Spare would know. Generally with all the Chinese variants up until the new designs of the last couple of years (mainly when SK influenced design) they stuck with roughly the same gears. Sorry but I honestly haven't got a clue.

[Going Spare]

@ColinB - no, it is a China-made loco from around 2008. Unfortunately, my direct involvement came to an end before these problems manifested themselves and it is almost impossible to advise with any confidence when you do not have access to the locomotive or the spares packs.

[ColinB]

I must admit generally I tend to look at the parts and see if they look the same. Having worked in automotive design I know that generally designers don't reinvent stuff that already exists so that is generally the case with Hornby. So normally I will look at the photos on that well known spares supplier, take a flyer and order the gears and hope they fit. Fortunately most Hornby spares if you get them from the right source are cheap and worth taking a chance. Generally I get it right although the new rebuild of the Princess class the gears are totally different as is the motor (same shell but spins at twice the speed). I can only suggest then to buy the gears for a rebuilt Merchant Navy or Duchess/City class (they are the same). The gear on the axle can be obtained from a guy selling them on EBay.

I just looked at the one on sale at Hattons that is a standard one, the R number confused me. Fortunately Hornby haven't changed the design much. The wheels are the same as the Rebuilt West Country so you can buy them. The arrangement is exactly the same as a Duchess, I have just rebuilt one from bits using Duchess gears. You can definitely get them on EBay and I think New Modellers and Lendons have them. If you want the exact numbers let me know.

[Sara-1281475]

Hello

I have a battle of Britain blackmoor vale, R2219. I need to obtain new valve gears as 1 has piece missing and the other is bent. Hornby dont seem to have this part and searches in other places have not found the part

X9029 is what is on the service sheet. Is there another loco that has the same part but just under a different number so i can fix my loco please

 

TIA

[ColinB]

1 hour ago, Sara-1281475 said:

Hello

I have a battle of Britain blackmoor vale, R2219. I need to obtain new valve gears as 1 has piece missing and the other is bent. Hornby dont seem to have this part and searches in other places have not found the part

X9029 is what is on the service sheet. Is there another loco that has the same part but just under a different number so i can fix my loco please

 

TIA

New Modellers did have 1 set when I last looked (I can't easily get to the site at the moment). Do a search on West Country valve gear rather than the part number, Hornby have a habit of renumbering their parts. I have in the past used the Rebuilt ones and cut them down, but you can't get them either. There is one on EBay if you don't mind paying a lot for them.

[Going Spare]

If you draw a blank with ColinB's suggestions, it might be worth checking with Lendons as, although stated to be out of stock on their website, alternative pack X8997 was showing on Hornby's master spares list last issued in May and displayed on their website.  X9029 is identical apart from a very small painted area on the slidebars.  X8997 may, of course, have sold out since May. As only decoration differentiated them from X8997, it is doubtful whether pack X9029 or an even more elusive X9095 have ever been available in quantity if at all.

Alternatively, contact Hornby Customer Services and ask whether the valvegear used on the Hornby-Dublo version is the same as X8997 and, if not, whether it is yet available (there has not been a Service Sheet issued to know what its part number is).