Nictor Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Anyone have any experience at getting into a Hornby Class 121 Bubble car. Trying to get inside to fit a DCC chip but having real problems getting the body shell off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Does this help at all? https://www.hornby.com/FileLibrary/Files/Download/?FileID=230 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papajulietdelta Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Not easy!! I broke off the running boards trying to prise the body away from the chassis. Eventually it came apart. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 I had similar problems with the 2-Bil. It is held by lugs but they are made from the window plastic so quite brittle and snapped in the process. Had to superglue them back before reassembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictor Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 [reply]Nictor said: Thanks guys. Yup, already have the operating and maintenance instruction sheet. Wish it were as simple as they illustrate. Having the same problem you guys did. Nothing will budge and if I use brute force then something is going to break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idlemarvel Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Try this link. It confirms that it is not easy but it may give you some more ideas. https://clarahost.clara.net/www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/hornby121dccinstr.htm I have always found Bromsgrove instructions to be the clearest and based on reality (i.e.someone actually doing it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictor Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 Post a new reply... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictor Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 Thanks. Already found that one via Google search. Sigh - was just hoping some Hornby fan might just have found the easy solution. Just bought some old small window rubber wedges via ebay to help hold the body sides whilst I pry elsewhere. I trust all DCC ready Hornby locos aren't as difficult to open? Probably in this case because it was an old Lima moulding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Old credit cards (or new) or similar are ideal for sliding between body and chassis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 @walkingthedog I have used those in the past but I found that the clear plastic, sometimes found in packaging where they want you to see what is inside before buying, to be even better because it tends to be a little bit thinner but still strong enough to do the job. I have found it essential to put a small piece of this plastic in every lug between the body and the chassis, otherwise they spring back in before you get the body off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictor Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 RDS said: @walkingthedog I have used those in the past but I found that the clear plastic, sometimes found in packaging where they want you to see what is inside before buying, to be even better because it tends to be a little bit thinner but still strong enough to do the job. I have found it essential to put a small piece of this plastic in every lug between the body and the chassis, otherwise they spring back in before you get the body off. Finally got around to doing this loco today. The tip re-plastic was really useful. Made six. Still needed some 'gentle' brute force with a small screwdriver to get one of the front retaining lugs free. After that easy. I trust all DCC ready Hornby loco's are not this hard to open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 The old mechanics mantra applies - don't use force, get a bigger hammer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delcour Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 I eventually was able to open mine. I then first of all sanded the two front blobs down so they would hold just, but would not give me any damaging problems the next time I would want to open it. There are two screws holding the body down after all. Bad idea in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Welcome to the forums delcour, and some ingenuity shown there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spireblade Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Maybe someone can help me here. A while ago I think I read that the Lima class 117 chassis was the same as the Horby class 121 bubble car and the bodies are interchangeable. is this correct? I have the Lima 117 DMU and added DCC but it dosen't run too well. i was thinking of getting the Hornby 121 and swapping the body over. obviously I dont want to waste money if its not compatable.Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregster Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Finally got the body off my 121 ! The lug at the driving end is slightly sprung, whereas the other end is smaller, but solid. The instruction sheet clearly indicates the unpowered end where the unsprung lug is! I wedged two very fine screwdrivers in the bodysides at the powered end, and managed to use a third to spring the body off between the buffer bar and body! Very tricky and frustrating! Suggest removing the exhaust pipes first (carefully!) I'm no expert in these things, so tread carefully! Still got the body off, so I'm going to file the small lug off and it'll be like the old days, one lug and 1/2 screw(s) hopefully !! I've only just taken it out of the box since buying it about two years ago! It won't run! Any ideas why? It says DCC ready on the box and has a blanking plate on the top of the motor unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howbi Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 You may have to dismantle the motor housing to free the motor and manually turn the worms with a bit of power on to get it going then re-assemble with a bit of lubrication (not you - the gears)........service sheet is HSS 322 if you don't have ......... 😀..........HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 DCC Ready only means it has a socket fitted with a blanking plate ready for you to remove so that you can fit an actual decoder. If it was really ready to run on DCC it would be labeled DCC Fitted. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregster Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 You may have to dismantle the motor housing to free the motor and manually turn the worms with a bit of power on to get it going then re-assemble with a bit of lubrication (not you - the gears)........service sheet is HSS 322 if you don't have ......... 😀..........HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregster Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 You may have to dismantle the motor housing to free the motor and manually turn the worms with a bit of power on to get it going then re-assemble with a bit of lubrication (not you - the gears)........service sheet is HSS 322 if you don't have ......... 😀..........HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregster Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 You may have to dismantle the motor housing to free the motor and manually turn the worms with a bit of power on to get it going then re-assemble with a bit of lubrication (not you - the gears)........service sheet is HSS 322 if you don't have ......... 😀..........HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregster Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 You may have to dismantle the motor housing to free the motor and manually turn the worms with a bit of power on to get it going then re-assemble with a bit of lubrication (not you - the gears)........service sheet is HSS 322 if you don't have ......... 😀..........HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregster Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Hi, thanks for the advice. I've downloaded the service sheet. Wish me luck! I've only just cleared my loft out and rediscovered my partly built layout of thirty plus years ago! And yes, the Peco underlay has deteriorated as expected. Still,more has arrived, and I've got plenty of retirement time to restart the job!ps. I think I've messed up my postings! Still learning how to use the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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