Old Lima Class 52

[CornishJim]

Hey Guys

 

I left an my old DC Lima Class 52 'Western Gladiator with my local model shop over a month ago for a full on service, went in there today and he hadn't even touched it, so got it back today, the brass wheels are almost black with dirt, whats the best thing to clean them up with?

 

Also, if anyone has one could you tell me if the brass pin on the rear bogie is supposed to be a bit wobbly?  I think I must of taken it apart when I was young and not put it back together right! Just need to know how it should be put back together, I have stripped the motor down and given it a good service/clean already and fitted a decoder, so its almost ready to be re born!

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

[walkingthedog]

Some of them will have or should have rubber traction tyres. Heavy dirt can be scraped off with a small screwdriver then clean with Isopropryl alcohol.  

[CornishJim]

I've used Isopro already, got most of it off, just wondered if there was anything else I could try.

[CornishJim]

Well after the model shop saying my class 52 was basically scrap I have her back up and running, the pivot pin/pickup on the rear bogie wasnt transfering power and dcc commands properly as it was all loose inside, soldered the pin to the pickups and shes sorted! She runs perfectly, better than some new locos I have! So lesson learnt, don't believe everything the 'experts' tell you!

[walkingthedog]

I'll second that CJ. The little man at the model shop can tell you something is rubbish so you'll buy a new one. I hasten to add that is not the normal situation. 

[The son of Triangman]

I see all sorts of locos in varrying conditions from scrap to mint. Some are indeed well past it, most are salvageable or repairable. I sorted a 9F out for someone some time ago, it was well past it's best, so many things were needed to sort it, it was cheaper to buy a new one but he had it done. The loco was totally worn out with worn out back motor bearing, pickup troubles, tired magnet, missing bogie spring, etc etc.

It's not just the little man that says locos are beyond repair, I've seen adverts in railway mags from a big discounter in the recent past advertising for "Cash waiting for your obsolete old models" and pictures of the mainstream manufacturers logos which included most manufacturers.

Your class 52 sounds like it was perfectly repairable to me.

Most repairers have waiting lists now due to the sheer volume of repair work coming their way.

[walkingthedog]

I was aiming my last sentence at you SoT. 

[The son of Triangman]

I see WTD, I agree most of us won't write a loco off as a rule unless it really is a goner.

[CornishJim]

I wasn't 'having a pop' at the model shop, I just asked him to have a look and let me know a rough cost to refurbish it, the fact that he said 'bin it and get a new one' is what annoyed me, ok the labour cost would of been more than the thing is worth but ive had it since I was a lad and wanted to keep it running. I should of done it myself in the first place, now I have I am glad I did because I have learnt a lot about how it all works and goes together, I would not hesitate to service any of my locos now!

 

I might even get a new motor for it !!

[walkingthedog]

Well I think he was wrong to say that. I had the main spring on an old clock that belonged to my grandmother repaired. The guy said the clock was worth about 50 quid and the repair  would be 125. He said its up to you, pay the money if you like the clock or bin it. I paid. The value wasn't important. 

[poliss]

If the dirt is thick you can take it off with a thumbnail. (If you haven't got a thumbnail borrow one from someone else.)

The easiest way to clean wheels is shown in this video.

 

chambs123 has plenty of maintainence tips on his Youtube channel.

 

When it comes to small model shops we are often told that we should 'use them or lose them' because they offer better service than the 'box shifters'. If they're not going to offer extra services, is there any point in keeping them?

[CornishJim]

 

My point exactly poliss, don't get me started about the drama I had with the A1 Tornado and how he refused to give me my money back as it was faulty!!!

 

I shall have a look at that guys channel on youtube too!

[cal646]

chambs 123 is a legend i upgraded my r921 controller after watching his video and im also enjoying his current series on every hornby box set that man has everything and he knows his stuff

[The son of Triangman]

Locos can be so bad they are beyond economic repair, bit like an old modern car when it starts being in the garage every week due to it's age, the time and cost of parts spent on it makes it cheaper in the long run to buy another car.  Very rarely are locos in such a state but the shop keeper or repairer has to bear in mind he has to charge for his time and the parts used. If a model is in poor condition and is beyond hope, it is only honest to say to the customer "it's worn out, life expired and it's going to cost this to mend and you could buy another one for a lot less", then if they want the work doing then you do the work.

 

Repair work takes time to be done properly and to a good standard and the customer should always allow for this. I had one guy pestering me every single day over some digital fittings, I had a workshop full of work and I needed three weeks to clear customer orders that had come in before starting his, in the end I got fed up with his pestering, boxed the lot back up without touching them and sent them back to him. Had he left me to my own devices the work would have been done.

 

"When it comes to small model shops we are often told that we should 'use them or lose them' because they offer better service than the 'box shifters'. If they're not going to offer extra services, is there any point in keeping them?"

 

Well I can say the paragraphs below without bias as I'm quiting the business and hobby for good on the 20th of January 2015.

 

YES we do need to keep the small shops, there may be that occasion when you need something in a hurry and the big box shifters haven't got what you want or carn't get it to you in time.

 

Also it can be helpful to befriend your local small shopkeeper, he can sometimes put good deals your way for being a regular customer that you wouldn't otherwise have got, you can often get access to spare parts that other customers wouldn't, models maybe cheaper too it may suprise you all but it is possible to undercut the big discounters on most products but the margins are then down to £5 for a large loco and a lot of small dealers do it. There are good and bad small, medium and large shops, most shops are generally very good at what they do.

[CornishJim]

I agree with you, but, this shop is my nearest at 30 miles away and he knows this, I left it there for over a month, I didn't contact him at all, he told me it had to go to his workshop in St Austell which is another 30 miles away. I was in the area and had to take my A1 Tornado back as it had more problems than I was prepared to fix for a new loco, so I asked him about the class 52, 'ah yes that old thing' he said and went and got it from out the back, 'I thought you were sending it away I asked' ' no it's knackered it needs a new dummy bogie, ive been trying to find one.' Now seeing as I couldn't get my money back on the Tornado as it's not his or hornby s policy too give back money but to issue a credit note (totally against consumer rights) I didn't argue the fact but accepted a credit note, by this time I was getting pretty fed up with the guy, I asked for the class 52 back, took it home, had a look on Peters spares and found a complete bogie set but thought I would have a look at the 'broken one' myself, all it needed was a bit of re engineering which took me all of half an hour and now runs perfectly. So if my local model shop has an attitude like that why should I go there? I would rather wait a few days for delivery and pay a little more! I have to admit, he isn't the only one who needs a few lessons on customer service!!

 

[The son of Triangman]

Doesn't sound a good shop.

[poliss]

" I'm quiting the business and hobby for good on the 20th of January 2015." You're not trying to pull that one yet again SOT? You must think people have the memory of a goldfish.

May 2009 "We used to repair the locos and armatures, but since the end of April we no longer do model railways."

March 2010 "I'm a retired retailer. We gave up the business two weeks ago."

March 2010 "We are getting out of the business and hobby by the 1st of December and have started clearing spares and stocks."

Feb 2012 "Going down the same route myself now, the last ever customer restoration will leave the famous triangman workshop on my birthday later in the year after which I'm going into just doing "boxshifting" and spares."

[The son of Triangman]

We injected a lot of money to keep it going Poliss because people asked us at those times to keep going, but this time it is closing the door time.

[Graskie]

 

Whatever happens, I hope you stay on the forum, SoT, because of your technical advice for restoring old locos alone. Best Wishes.

[2e0dtoeric]

Seconded.

[The son of Triangman]

Many thanks guys, I am off to a big easten region toy and train fair on Sunday with a little 6ft stall to start the cleaing out of the stock.

[The son of Triangman]

Family, a decent job (when one turns up, prays on knees) and my beautiful old horse are my new priority. Model Railways will either be forgotten or take a rest on the back burner unless a full time job comes up in the field of model railways.

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[trainlover23]

" I'm quiting the business and hobby for good on the 20th of January 2015." You're not trying to pull that one yet again SOT? You must think people have the memory of a goldfish.

May 2009 "We used to repair the locos and armatures, but since the end of April we no longer do model railways."

March 2010 "I'm a retired retailer. We gave up the business two weeks ago."

March 2010 "We are getting out of the business and hobby by the 1st of December and have started clearing spares and stocks."

Feb 2012 "Going down the same route myself now, the last ever customer restoration will leave the famous triangman workshop on my birthday later in the year after which I'm going into just doing "boxshifting" and spares."

Yes he must do it is also noted that the first post is dated 2009  I think you will find they started well before that date and as the song goes WE`ve heard it all before

[The son of Triangman]

With some of the attitudes from the minority I'm coming across it's no wonder I want to sell it all and give up the hobby, it makes you want to do that.  We tried everything to keep it open, working 18 hour days, but lack of sales have meant it had to go. A lot of people asked us to stay open and myself and others invested a lot of money into the business to keep it afloat over the time it was running. At several points in time we very nearly gave up but invested more and kept it going to please people and offer a service.  Have a look at the website oh "non believers" and "knocking the small man people", it is closed until the 7th Jan 2015 and will close permanently on the 20th Jan. 2015. Yes I really am considering giving this hobby up, some comments here have made up my mind.

[CornishJim]

I hope you don't consider me as either a non beliver or knocking the small man! As that was certainly not my intention of the post, I was merely commenting on that one guys attitude, I have always tried to support the local model shop, and have bought plenty of stuff from them in the past. In fact now that I have got my class 52 up and running again I am now on the lookout for some spares for it, maybe even a replacement motor and drive gears as it is all pretty worn. Do you have anything SoT?