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What's on your workbench?


81F

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I've removed the '9' from 61669 on the B17/6 on both sides.

I've also removed the '33' from the 61533 on the B12 - both sides.

 

Hornby numerals are pretty well printed on, so one main 'reliable' way is to actually scrape the numbers off slowly and very carefully using a scalpel - this is the technique I used.

I went through in one small area on the B12 - somewhere which should be covered up by the replacement numeral fortunately, but apart from that, it was actually a big success.

 

Al.

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i am carrying on with servicing the locos, with mixed success, as I can't always fathom out how to get bodies off, and am always wary of doing damage.

 

Bachmann Clayton - the centre cab came off easily enough, but no luck with the bonnets so I could not get to the motor.

 

Hornby DMU class 101 - I could not get to the motor on that - as I could not see how to detach it from the frame. The body is however easy to get off once you know how. I did however discover that current was not being picked up from two of the wheels, which I have sorted, so the DMU should run a lot better now.

 

Bachmann Blue class 25 - this has the same problem as my Bachmann peak - it slips to a halt - so likely to be the same issue, which was a cracked plastic sleeve on a driveshaft. Body easy to get off, just 4 screws, but getting to the drivetrain is another matter - might need to unsolder wires.

 

Bachman 9F Evening Star - dare not get the body off - it seemed like the brake rodding would have to come off and it is so flimsy I doubt if I could do it without a breakage. I have wrecked rodding before, so thought best to leave it alone.

 

Lima D400 - many years old now but still runs very well - I nanaged to find a buffer that was missing.

 

Lima D1842 Class 47 and Lima Class 40 - these also run very well, and seemed to benefit from cleaning and oiling. I even found a dead fly inside the 47's body ! 

 

Otherwise I have ben reapiring broken ratio signals - a snapped post - so I drilled holes in each part and glued in a piece of wire to help with the strength.

 

All good fun of course, but frustrating at times. 

 

On the layout all the track is now cleaned and working aprt from the usuall issues with the Peco points - the small sprung metal that connects the point blades to the rails is a constant weak point, so I am going to modify them when they "fault" by dropping wires down through the baseboard from each side and join them with a block connector. Too much trouble taking the points out to modify them neatly as I did with one a few weeks ago. I am on cab control, with many sections, so the points dont need to serve an isolating function.  

 

 

    

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R3003 - B17/6 61669 Barnsley to 61663 Everton ....

 

Purchased as an older, unused locomotive - and obvioiusly was, for a good price.

I'm a born Scouser, from the in-city side, so support 'the Blues', even if I'm 'guilty as charged' and living outside (Evertonians are said to live in the city, Liverpudlians outside ... ongoing!)

 

I'd already 'renamed' a blue King to 6023 King Edward II, but that was simply placing plates over originals - nothing complicated.

This one required to remove the splasher plates, scrape off the '9' in 61669, then replace with '3' - all from available sources - Fox's and Ebay.

 

Not perfect, but a good effort - Fox's nameplates also included a steel number plate for the smokebox door, so that is covered - more ways than one!

 

As purchased

/media/tinymce_upload/5e96786e79f9240f0167917c6cfa857c.jpg

 

Splasher nameplate removal - 'gentle persuasion' is all that's required.

/media/tinymce_upload/dfb4b5a503a12654d19423f9fd0b277a.jpg

 

'9' removal - normal pastes and potions don't work on Hornby, had to be scraped off with a scalpel - accepted practice apparently.

/media/tinymce_upload/0813fdf5efc24f376b0af232ee2d93a4.jpg

 

Completed - '3' inserted and lightly lacquered over - not perfect but pretty decent - Everton has arrived.

/media/tinymce_upload/5f4c2073190492097a3fb24a86cb90b3.jpg

 

Al.

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Renumbering completed on the B17/6, from 61669 Barnsley to 'the Mighty Blues' (we'll see!!) 61663 Everton.

 

Photos have been posted, just pending clearance.

 

Locomotive is renamed and renumbered - only needed to remove the '9' and replace with '3'.

I'd been reading up, and trying on other locomotives and brands, but it appeared inevitable that Hornby numbers are the most difficult to remove, requiring 'gentle and controlled scratching' with a scalpel.  It worked.

 

Same treatment with the B12 from 61533 to 61572.  I have to use waterslide transfers for the smokebox door number - transfers available, not attempted yet ....

 

Al.

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I'd been reading up, and trying on other locomotives and brands, but it appeared inevitable that Hornby numbers are the most difficult to remove, requiring 'gentle and controlled scratching' with a scalpel.

 

I've always found a cotton bud and T-Cut, with gently sustained rubbing, is more than adequate for Hornby numbers.

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Hi all, I always wanted a test track that could take DC & DCC so I made up the attached for a 2 loop test bed. (Base from last years christmas layout) Each loop is wired to the centre of the DPDT switch. The loops are isolated at the crossovers. I can plug in 2 DC controllers or a DC & DCC. Really enjoyed making up the copper busses. /media/tinymce_upload/e22ab791da7a087acae223783bfd51dd.JPG

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I have 2 super-detail late-model retooled - not quite latest but with sliding roof, drain-cocks and cinder / wind guards on the cabs - 70000 Britannia and 70013 Oliver Cromwell - both originals preserved of course, Ollie requiring revision.

 

I agree with Sam on that famous 'channel' on YouTube in that they're a tad high-geared, not easily permitting slow operation.

 

Brit has a tight spot at very low power, but from 35pmh equivalent upwards, it's super-smooth, always quiet and will run with the best up to a scale perhaps 110-115 mph with relative ease, in silence.

 

No clicking, but slows.

Thing is it's perhaps every 380 degrees, or slightly MORE than one revolution - ruling out quartering and valvegear interaction.

 

If you have one of these beauties, and they really are, you'll know it's a very careful man who opens them up - very easy to damage something - no such problems as forewarned, etc ... all OK here.

 

I removed the motor, and when rolling on the track, at every point for several revolutions pushing and pulling by hand, it's 100% perfect.

I think it's got to be related to the mesh of the motor with the intermediate and / or the final drive on the axle.

I lifted out the intermediate, found there's a translucent plastic / nylon spacer / washer, but with no need for insulation, it'll be there as a spacer / shim.

 

I tried it on the opposite side - worse!

I have now removed it in case it was making things a little too tight - not really better but no worse.

 

I've managed to slightly slide the final drive gear one side, back to original position, slightly to the other - no real change.

 

I think it's possibly the gears under light load actually being slightly out of alignment, vertically - as in placement in the chassis / moulding, as when 'loaded' it's perfect.

I'm about to simply accept it for what it is - a beautiful, very fast locomotive which cannot crawl in the same manner it's sister can - but will try a total of several hours' use at heavier load, in case a bit more 'bedding in' is required.

 

No wish to destroy it - Brit's a beauty!!

A bit strange nevertheless.

 

Ollie CAN crawl, but relatively - cannot approach Royal Scot, Princess and Coronation standards but can go acceptably slowly.  I think it's manufacturing tolerances ... we'll see.

 

Al.

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I have been building a few rows of Scalescene Terrace houses. Eventually be trying to build a "village" in the one unfinished corner of my layout. Now have a couple of large Terraced Houses by Kingsway to assemble, then a row of High Street Shop backs which will be inclined up to the Station in the corner. Maybe by Christmas!/media/tinymce_upload/168fdb304a45f4a75baaec97b04ef87e.JPG

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Upshot of the Britannia slower speed efforts - a slight improvement.

I'm a little concerned that removing the small shim may risk additional wear on the thinner, slightly smaller diameter gear on the same shaft - there are 2 gears - one driven by the motor worm, one which transmits to the final drive.

 

It runs perfectly at slow medium speeds and above, so whenever used, I'll remain at these.

The motor must have neodymium magnets as the pull is immense - MUCH stronger than the magnets in A3,4; Royal, Coronation, Merchant N.

 

Al.

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The loops are isolated at the crossovers.

 

Just using Insulated Rail Joiners is not enough. It only takes a lapse of concentration and have one loop set to DC and the other set to DCC and then try and run a train across the cross-over and you will end up connecting the outputs of the DC and DCC controllers together. This has the potential to do permanent damage to controller electronics.

 

Are not all the brass wires shorted together in this image or is it an optical illusion due to the camera angle?

/media/tinymce_upload/c4b16f5e05ad4cf6cfcba8b59130fe2b.jpg

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30863 Lord Rodney , tried to escape through a new opening (glue had dryed out) wall had fallen off in the tunnel.l herd the derailment and looked up just in time to see it appear under the base board heading for the floor. The damage not as bad as first thought .

1. Smoke box door off

2. Chimney broke off , glued back on 

3. Tender buffer off pushed back in

4. Tender hand rail lost some paint 

5. This got me going ,piece of green plastic , nothing missing , right hand cab door not the easiest piece to put back on , but glued in position after removing the tender body .

After much messing the wall in the tunnel is now screwed on no more escapes.

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Pity it's a super-detail locomotive - always the way.

 

I've Hunts couplings fitted to many rakes - work well, but beware of NEM coupling ones.

Currently I've the Virgin HST super detail set out - beautiful runner and with the Hunts, I can run both ways without issue.

 

Almost on cue, the moment my back's turned, running backwards, a couple of coaches were pushed off.

Running less than half power - HM2000 - perhaps 80-90 mph equivalent - as stated, a couple were pushed off, but power car not powered up enough to spin the wheels, with the traction it has (weight / steel wheels only - 8WD) and a 'hot smell' was emanating from it.

 

Fearing the worst, I replaced the coaches, and ... she's running perfectly - no problems, and no loss in smoothness, increase in noise, and no loss in speed / power - lucky escape!

 

Al.

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The loops are isolated at the crossovers.

 

Just using Insulated Rail Joiners is not enough. It only takes a lapse of concentration and have one loop set to DC and the other set to DCC and then try and run a train across the cross-over and you will end up connecting the outputs of the DC and DCC controllers together. This has the potential to do permanent damage to controller electronics.

 

Are not all the brass wires shorted together in this image or is it an optical illusion due to the camera angle?

/media/tinymce_upload/c4b16f5e05ad4cf6cfcba8b59130fe2b.jpg

Optical illusion, they are separated vertically. Correct on the DC + DCC. I generally only plug the DCC in on its own and toggle the 2 loops to that controller.

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