Tony57

Are Tri-ang Trains worth buying? Tri-ang Trains with the open ended Mark 2 couplings to be honest NO but some people like them Tri-ang Trains with the closed D Mark 3 couplings No and Yes to later model toys. However people like the early stuff. Transcontinental Range still has a following as does later CP and CN and American range made by Tri-ang for ATT. Tri-ang was sold in Canada, Australia, New Zealand South Africa it was also made in Australia. So some interest by collectors in regional variations Tri-ang Hornby Yes Tri-ang Wrenn Yes Hornby (Tri-ang rebranded made in Margate) Yes Hornby (Tri-ang rebranded made in China) ? Those into DCC and for display on shelfs Yes Questionable on affordable. From a personal point of view is a five coach modern EMU worth a month's pension money?

Hi I agree with a lot you wrote and disagree with some. Tri-ang trains are firstly toys made when plans were drawn by hand on large drawing boards where everything was in foot and inches converted by slide rules and could take 6 months plus to do 1 drawing, before tooling was started True scale was not an issue as long as it looked right and near enough. Lines brothers used as many bits already in production in multiple engines to keep cost down, that is why there are only 4 motors across the whole range. The same can be said about original Hornby Dublo / Wrenn, Trix Twin Track and many other toy trains made in the same period they are toys that are still kept running today by people the enjoy them, where reproduction parts are made today for many makes no longer in production. My questions, Would we have todays models if there is no computers and CAD where everything had to be done the old way? Will todays masterpieces still be working 10 years from now let alone in 50 years time?

Hi I would check to make sure there are no reverse power issues as I can see a couple of power reverses which will cause short circuits. I take it the coloured section is a raised track, you may find that modern locos will need double the length of incline both up and down.

Did anyone see the second episode. Going to watch the replay at 8.00pm tonight (Sat) I thought the snow covered N gauge layout was great although I did like Eddy Izzard"s family layout. Looking forward to watching next episode.

Hi Just brought a secondhand Railroad Blue Rapier, it was advertised as a none runner, simple fix I thought having a spare motor. On arrival had a look found that both the wires from the pickups to motor had been cut, (the motor works), had a look at the light PCB found the wires from front bogie to PCB had also been cut and the bulb on the PCB had been removed, the same damage to the light PCB had been done to the dummy end. The spare / replacement parts required have been ordered. On the plus side I will be able to add extra wires connecting the front bogie pickups to the motor as well as the lights, may even attempt to make it operate from overhead catenary via a metal HO size pantograph (Will have to look out for a Lime Class 87 pantograph switch) whilst doing the repairs

You don't. The light array is a clear piece of plastic glued into the body. Have a look at service sheet 464 the Railroad version or 420 detailed version available on this site in Support. It may be you have to change the light PCB.

Hi Tony You have to remove both weights either end of the motor to get access to the motor unit then carefully insert a thin screwdriver between the motor and plastic chassis at the coupling end and slowly prise the motor out of the chassis. The motor unit have two slopped lugs that hold in the chassis. Its easy to replace it just slides in.

Hi I watched the program last night I found it enjoyable to watch, found Joles Holland's layout interesting to see and watch liked the minic motorway and the motorised tram elements it makes the layout more real somehow.

Hi I sort of agree with the principles of your topic but what about early locomotives from around the rest of the country say from 1840 to 1900, with the modern periods being overcrowded with producers Hornby could find a captive market, if they made early locomotives in the right livery to go with the 4 and 6 wheel coaches they make now. By making a clerestory roof that fits both the 4 and 6 wheel coaches would add extra coaches to the range for little cost and time frame covered

Hi A few years ago I got my track out of storage a lot was steel track and had surface rust. I read on another forum some advice from an American modeler about using Wahl Hair Clipper Oil to treat steel track with rust. I rubbed the surface rust off the top of the track clean, then applied the oil to the track with a cotton bud and left it, I came back to look at the track 3 days or so latter the oil had appeared to dried up and the rust had disappeared. Had to replace some of the fishplates as they were to far gone, the track was still useable. My track is both Super Four and Series 6, I have also have Universal and Series 3 which I also cleaned up.

In view of the sucessful return to steam of the 1895 T3 on the Swanage Railway, how about a model of the T3.

It looks like the twin track crossing has be laid over the top a single barrier crossing. Do the gated crossing have the new style flashing lights?

Hi Rt It could be a model moving Church Bell

Hi What a great site thanks for the fixed link, its a little scary on how fast things are changing, with older DMU/EMU taken out of service which the model scene has not yet modelled and new ones being introduced into service.

Hi Arjan I would not quit these things are sent to try us, try sharing the same amount of space with two brothers and two sisters, just take your time Rome was not built in one day. This great hobby is one big learning curve I am still learning after 45 years doing this hobby.

Hi In the Big 4 period and early Br times it was common for a branch line Rail Car / DMU to pull a box wagon / milk tanker, same with a small tank loco pulling a couple of coaches and a couple of freight wagons, as road traffic increased these practices stopped, as it was quicker to send freight by road than rail.

Hi Just to confirm you are talking about the R406 Automatic Control set that can be used on the series 3 and super 4 track? A further question you have got the X355 actuating switches and X414 relay?

Just finished my 12 new Wrenn chassis, 4 short ones have been fitted with HD couplings, 2 have been fitted with tension lock, 4 long ones have been fitted with tension lock and have had new bodies attached, 2 have been fitted with HD style couplings.

My Latest buy Hornby Dublo Duchess Body and Tender Body repainted into BR Blue named as City of Birmingham, a neverwas.

Another area I would love to see 3D printers develop is making replacement motorized chassis for Corgi trackside and Oxford Diecast and others 1/76 scale vehicles where possible, which are conpatible with Micro Scalextric and Minic Motorway. Many Minic motorway vehicles are now over 50 years old some are 60, motor spares becoming harder to get, there is so much track about but nothing much or new to run on it. The same can be said for the old 12volt Micro Scalextric how many miles of track is laying in sheds, lofts and cupboards still very usable but nothing to run on it. With a little research a number of todays diecast vehicles could become motorized for use on the 12volt Micro Scalextric and Minic Motorway track and or with model railway.

The problem with Railroad is Hornby has muddled it, the principles are sound, an entry level system that is affordable and robust, then the range for the collector / enthusiast with all the bells and whistles which can be added to the level entry system. Hornby have merged the two together with too much of an overlap between the two brands. Hornby needs to produce more Railroad brand items and less Collector range items as the top end is very crowded market place now. I hate to say this, if I had youngsters today and they were interested in model railway I would buy them old Hornby Ringfield powered locos to start with, as they are reliable, robust, reasonably detailed, easy to maintain and service which is what parents of youngsters want. As they grow older then consider newer higher spec locos.

Hi I just just looked for the above thread to update my last posting to update it only to notice it is missing where has it gone?

Hi 81F Have you sorted you issue with the N2 rear bogie? I have managed to fix a HD coupling to a N2 bogie, would you like me to describe what I used and did?

Hi On my work bench a couple of the new chassis I brought that have now had their couplings attached in total 4 short chassis will have HD couplings attached and 2 will be tension lock and 4 long ones will be tension lock and 2 will have HD type couplings also a Wrenn N2 with a HD type coupling

Hi An interesting side line would be the designing and making replacement motor mountings for the older locomotives where the electric motor is no longer available. When Hornby changed from the X04/3 they made a motor holder for the M7 type that fitted the X04/3 designed chassis. With so many different motors used today different holders will / may be required or is the plan one giant landfill for of dead Hornby Locos and others. Another idea is making new gears and gear sets that Hornby don't make available as spares, I need the intermediate gear for the railroad Hitachi Class 395 this gear is not available as a spare (No part number) only in the complete replacement bogie assembly which may be available when Hornby staff get around to ordering a new batch sometime. The same gear fits the pandolino and the other class 395.