Model Railway - What's your latest acquisition?

[Deem]

If the front bogie is derailing, a couple of things:

1. Have you checked the B2B - back to back dimension. Typically 14.3-14.5mm. If too small, wheels can lock against the bogie frame and/or fall off the track.
2. How is the track itself - 16.5mm between rails - the track itself may be slightly deformed?
3. When you slowly lift the locomotive up, does the bogie start lifting off right away, or is there 'a little slop' permitting the bogie to remain a little? If lifting straight away, there's not enough 'weight' on the bogie.

Al.

Thanks Al,

Loco ran fine after I remove the packaging from front bogie, so at the moment I will leave the loco in storage, until i have 8 pin TSX decoder, I will try again at that time.

Regards

 

 

[DarkRedCape]

Been after one of these for a long time, finally managed to find one and bought it as soon as it was listed.

This was scheduled for delivery on Monday, but a nice Saturday surprise. I'm blown away by this thing, it's absolutely stunning.

[Bulleidboy]

@DRC

I have not unpacked mine yet - it also arrived this morning (via DPD!!). It looks a great loco. You made a good choice smile. It should look good sitting next to 35011 General Steam Navigation - one of last years Hornby Dublo models.

[81F]

A LIMA class 47 "ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL" in GWR 150 green.

[Ighten 1707822464]

Finally picked up one of the Oxford Pilchards.. Bargain buys and once weathered really look the business.

[Tony57]

Just received my 14th class 90, 90125 and did a body change to my 13th, from a 90037 to the new railroad 90135 body a perfect fit onto the ringfield powered bogie chassis, the only issue is the body securing screw hole is smaller on the railroad body than the older version so I will need to find a new body fixing screw.

[LTSR_NSE]

Could you not swap the screws? (i.e. keep the screw with its respective body)

[atom3624]

Black 5 #3 just arrived today, ex. Clark's - excellent store and well worth a look.

I plan to renumber this to 44871, to run with my weathered 44781.

As preserved she's lined, like this, with an early logo tender - which isn't as Hornby sold their version.

It's the correct boiler as far as I can see as well - only issue is the rectangular builder's plate - might 'correct' that at a later date.

Al.

[flyingfox4475]

Today my new R3434 Merchant Navy Channel packet 21c1 arrived.

[Tony57]

Hi LT&SR

I brought the Railroad class 90 body off ebay and it came without body fixing screw, I have left the other screw with the other body I removed.

[atom3624]

T57, you must have a box or jar of spare screws surely?

There should be plenty available on any of the sites we all know if you don't.

Wherever I move, despite trying to be 'tidy', I seem to find more screws I've 'misplaced' over the last 10 years - slot cars, R/C cars/trucks and railways combined!!

Al.

[Deem]

I have received

R30208 Hornby OO Gauge Hornby Dublo: LNER, A3 Class, 4-6-2, 4472 'Flying Scotsman' Double Tender - Era 8.

Really excited and I will open the box tonight then will upload the pictures

[DarkRedCape]

I've not seen a coupling like this from Hornby before. Very clever design.

[What About The Bee]

Hi DRC

I seem to recall CAD images from Hornby on that 'drawbar'.

If not mistaken, the drawbar contains all the electrical signals and power, eliminating those cable loops hanging down.

Just the interconnecting loco and tender blocks.

Is that the one?

Bee

[DarkRedCape]

Hi Bee

I only had enough time to have a quick look earlier before I had to go back to work. I’ll have a good look this weekend when I put a decoder in it.

There is no wire like on all the other locos I have, so it does seem to be an all in one system.

I’d be very interested in looking at those CAD images if you can recall where you saw them?

The movement of this drawbar doesn’t seem to have any of the “floppy” movement the older simple bar connector has. There seems to be almost no vertical play and the horizontal sway is quite stiff.

I have the R3972 Gannet arriving tomorrow (don’t let me down DPD!), I’m curious if that will also have this kind of system on it.

[DarkRedCape]

Although this is a clever and in my opinion, better looking design than the simple bar connector, it does seem that the loco and tender are separated very easily. It doesn't take much effort to pull them apart at all, and I'm foreseeing separations when hauling long rakes of coaches. Although this will be a pain, the loco itself will simply come to a stop without the tender attached. I'll try it this weekend and see what it's like.

[81F]

A second hand Titfield thunderbolt 60th anniversary pack with 1401. Just need the Rapido Lion version.

Indeed I am considering replacing the over complicated end of my colliery branch with a basic model of Monkton Coomb (it was only a loop and siding I think and I'm almost ready for filming!

[atom3624]

I've just 'won' a Hornby R3555 Sir WIlliam Stanier FRS.

It's been on the radar for a few years.

Fair price and looking forward to receiving.

There are a couple of recent-tooling Coronations on Ebay, but one in particular looks a little suspicious - initially looking at the (cheap) price drew my attention, and Spidey Sense made me err on the cautious side, so I avoided it.

Al.

[atom3624]

Just prior to Sir William Stanier I finally managed to get a perfect example of Ince Castle at a reasonable price - what superb runners Hornby Castles are .... except ....

I'm certain 'somebody' (Sam) may say the gearing's a little high / fast permitting over-scale speeds, potentially compromising slow speed starts, station entries ... except the latter doesn't happen - it's super smooth!

One problem I've encountered is typical of 50% of Hornby steam locomotives with tender pickups - they just don't!! EVERY TIME I have to readjust - now it's running perfectly.

I used Fox Transfers etched brass to rename and renumber her to Clun Castle - been wanting to do this for ages!

Happy.

Al.

[atom3624]

Clun Castle was an instant success - just applying the brass plates, once carefully cut out and smoothed, was easy.

Routinely I'm using black-tack at the moment - things can slide slightly on occasion, particularly in the warmer months, but simply require realigning.

Just received R3555 Sir William Stanier - what a beautiful locomotive, and mine's quite a 'smooth operator' as well as being capable of higher speeds.

The one problem I've encountered is if she's a bit late, and making up time - shall we say - then with the draincocks fitted, and as tightly / high as possible, the bogie with the extra side casting on can catch and derail the front bogie on a section I have with a slight 'zig-zag' - express point, then straightened.

I'm not going to remove the drains - just completes 'the look', but also hides this 'extra detail', so I'm looking at ways of possibly fixing it in position, or simply removing it. I've a couple of older streamlined Coronation 'donors', so may use one of their bogies and replace the wheels.

Al.

[Fazy]

Al, would 1/8 felt washers behind the front bogie wheels help? It would reduce the side play of the pony truck over the wheel axles. This might help with out going to the extent of swooping the complete bogie.

[atom3624]

TBH it's a weird one, and quite honestly a big stuff up by Hornby!

Bogie looks great - with no drains fitted.

Bogie design is a fixed mounting point type, like the A4's, with the bogie which slides side-to-side above the centre point of the bogie, but with drains fitted there's 1-2 mm either side.

It makes it around the track - the smallest radius is 'Express points' the rest 4th radius, at up to perhaps 60-65mph scale speed - perhaps transferring lateral loading to slide the rear drivers / shuffle the chassis - this 'extra detailing' on the bogie pushing against the drains.

Once I crank it, the bogie's off.

I could dry 'angling' the drains outwards slightly, but won't - looks wrong!

I found an older-style bogie without this 'detailing' on, plus an appropriate shoulder screw as it pivots here, and she's perfect - full throttle 110mph+ runs are possible - sorry Officer!!

Beautiful locomotive - runs very nicely.

Al.

[atom3624]

The other 'new addition' is an older Coronation in 'as new' condition - R2312 City of Chester.

I've been working on other locomotives but building on this one as well.

I've already fitted wind deflectors on the cab - quite easy to do, but very easy to get very wrong - I won this time!

Interesting version this one - early logo, just 'de-streamlined' tender.

I've one 'glowing firebox' led left, so will drill out the firebox doors to permit light - same as I've done with 'as running now' Duchess of Sutherland.

Pipework 'metal' painted under the running boards, crew fitted, drains to be fitted now.

Already 'run in' so raring to go, and she's a gem!

Al.

[LTSR_NSE]

@atom - how is the inability to negotiate Radius 4 and less, at high speed (with optional drain-cocks added) a ‘big stuff up’?

i.e. how does it differ from other set-track compromises like the flangeless/flanged pony truck wheels, or the undersized/full-size streamlined coronation bogie?

(I do not wish to appear critical, I am genuinely seeking to understand.)

[atom3624]

Point taken, with a smile!

The problem is there is a cross-piece on the bogie casting, not an extra within the chassis.

This cross piece moves with the bogie, but if/as/when the drains are fitted, it has nowhere to go, except hit the drains.

Perhaps 'big stuff up' is a touch exaggerated, but they could have accommodated the drains as well.

This is why I had to revert to an old-style bogie - works perfectly now - doesn't have this cross-brace thus the bogie is free to move laterally!

Al.