Ruffnut Thorston

There is always the catalogue photo model… These were sometimes only finished on one side. If the two colours were available and illustrated in the catalogue at the same time, it could be possible that one model was used for photos of both colours? 🤔

As well as the Hornby Claw type of clip, the Tri-ang and Hornby masts can also be fitted to system 6 and current Hornby track using the standard clip fit tongues. The earlier type with full length tongues are probably better than the short tongue versions. These are the single tongue clips, as used for the indicator mast for uncoupling ramps, loading gauges, etc.

It is usually the round “springy” part of the armature bearing that snaps. I have found that plastic cotton bud stems are of a very similar diameter, and springiness. I have used sections, just dropped into place and held in by the traction magnets. Of course, plastic stems are now an endangered species, as it’s more environmentally friendly to use paper/card stems… Plastic tube for modelling of a suitable wall thickness and diameter would probably also work.

A Service Sheet…

Something to bear in mind with the LMB, later Motor Bogies, the ones with the black plastic “Top Hat” holding the wiper pick ups. Classes EM2, 31, and 37. The traction magnets may not do any attracting on Nickel Silver Rail, but they are a vital part of the bogies. The traction magnets also support the plastic bearings on the motor armature shaft, by filling the gap between the plastic baseplate and the bearing. So, don’t loose them! wink

SSPP Chassis Service Sheet 139.

The front wheel drive chassis was definitely not SSPP. It was found to be unsatisfactory, in that the gear wheel could foul an uncoupling ramp, pushing it down and preventing the front coupling hook from lifting. This led on to the new design, the SSPP chassis. The front wheel drive chassis was also fitted with what we call “stepped axles”. These axles were introduced to make the wheels look better, by reducing the diameter of the axle in the actual wheel, making the wheels look more to scale. The actual axles in the chassis were the same diameter as the original Tri-ang Railways design. This means that it is possible to fit the nicer looking, and finer flanged, stepped axle wheels to older models. The thin flange centre driving wheels were introduced at the same time, for the same reason, appearance.

@81F This is the second type of sleeping car. Yes SoT is correct, it’s from 1962. In 1962, when the sleeping cars were first released, there were a few variations. The very first had no BR crest, and the yellow line below the windows was very thin. The bogies had open axle boxes, and the then normal axles, with a spline on one end. Soon after, the BR crest was applied. Then the yellow line got thicker. About this time, later 1962, the bogies were replaced with closed axle boxes, using shorter, plain and non splined axles. (These were also used on the Trestrol wagon, and the Battlespace wagons based on it.) In 1963, the pin point steel axles with fixed plastic wheels meant that the bogies were replaced again. The sleeping cars were, I believe, the only Scale Length Mk1 coaches to have the open axle box bogies, and the closed axle box with plain axles bogies. All the others having Pin Point axle bogies. The underframes were common to all of the Scale Length Mk1 coaches. There are various different versions of these. The moulded Tri-ang and R. Numbers changed size and position. The roof fixing screw(s) changed position and quantity, from one central screw, to two at the outer positions, with an empty hole in the centre. Underframes with a large round hole are later 1960s onwards. We have had examples of all the above versions, most of which have now been passed on to others. Pat Hammonds Rovex History Books (Mainly Volume 1) has a lot of detail on these variations.

It may be worth remembering that when the current type of 0-6-0 chassis was first introduced, as the SSPP chassis (Super Strong Pulling Power), the centre driving wheels were unflanged, and fitted with traction tyres. It also had a sprung rear axle (The front axle when used in the old type Class 08 Diesel Shunter, as the chassis is used “backwards”.) The current issues, including the DCC fitted versions, have no traction tyres, no sprung rear axle, and the centre driving wheels have flanges. The reason why the 0-6-0 chassis had no flanges on the centre driving wheels, from the very first R.52 “Jinty” from the early 1950s to quite recent models, is to enable it to negotiate sharp curves, such as Radius 1. The flanged centre driving wheels may limit the ability of the current models to easily traverse Radius 1 curves… 2nd Radius curves, on the other hand, should present no problems at all…..

Just one example…

There are other types of underlay or roadbed. Some of these don’t have depressions for the sleepers, being flat. These would go under Super 4 track….

@RAF https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124760285279?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=124760285279&targetid=1279076612769&device=t&mktype=&googleloc=1006684&poi=&campaignid=14727339348&mkgroupid=127909237815&rlsatarget=pla-1279076612769&abcId=9300672&merchantid=6995734&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8pvmydGJ9AIVkJntCh1P5QTHEAQYASABEgK1AvD_BwE With EBay copied and pasted links, there is a lot added that references your search and other personal stuff. Everything after that first ? Is not needed. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124760285279?

@RDS Thanks. The duplicate would probably have occurred when I edited the post to remove the extra spaces… I’m still getting used to the spaces between paragraphs being automatically generated! wink

This is the Version with sintered iron wheels. Introduced in 1961, and also made, with the later style brass safety valves, in 1962. The bogie wheels are not original. The original bogie wheels were black plastic with open spokes.

Though the HD Super Detail Mk1 corridor coaches are very nice, they share the same dimensional error as the Deltic, they are too short. That is all except the BG, full brake. The real BG coaches were shorter than the other MK1 corridor coaches, and so the HD BG is close to the correct length. Tri-ang and Lima standardised on the other coaches for their scale length Mk 1 coaches, and both Tri-ang and Lima BG coaches are actually too long! thinking_face

@ threelink. I think that the plain ended axle wheelsets you had were either Hornby Dublo, or Wrenn. (Or possibly PECO HD type.…) Wrenn made plain ended axle wheelsets to suit the original style of Hornby Dublo axle hangers. Later, Wrenn made plastic axle hangers to take pin point axles, and then made both plain and pin point axle wheelsets. The later wheels have plated metal tyres. Hornby Dublo only made two types of two-rail wheelsets, disk and spoked, in black plastic. Tri-ang Railways had an intermediate stage between the open axle boxes and pin point axles. In 1962, the new sleeping cars had open axle boxes, then later the same year I think, closed axle boxes, but still with the sleeved axle wheels on plain axles. These are not splined, and are a tight fit into the plastic axle boxes. From 1963, pin point axles were introduced, with the plastic wheels fitted onto the axles. Some wagons, e.g. the Trestrol and Battlespace versions of it, retained the plain axle, sleeved wheels, and closed axle boxes.

If the drive gear on the axle is brass, it should match up ok with a brass worm X.04 motor. The plastic worm was used on the New Type X.03 motor. This motor has no felt oil pads around the bearings as well. (The number has been reused, the original X.03 predated the X.04, and has a brass worm.) The black plastic worm is a single start worm. The drive gear for this is usually silver grey plastic. But other colours of plastic were also used. The brass worm is a two start worm. The drive gear for this is either brass, or later black plastic was used.

Tri-ang and Hornby never made the “Outer” wagons, that have standard buffers and draw gear on one end. The real wagons have bar couplings between the wagons in the sets, so do not need intermediate buffers. I did convert a couple of wagons by fitting a buffer beam spare part, I think it is from the rear of the tender of the Hornby (ex Dapol, etc.) Dean Goods loco. Some plastic card was used to make up the framing at the buffer fitted end. I also fitted hand brake wheels, and added wagon numbers. Two other details missing from all the wagons. I got hold of some transfers for containers, and used them to decorate some unfinished containers obtained as spare parts. I made up a door end from plastic card, as they came without doors. https://shop.c-rail-intermodal.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=72_75 Blue was, I believe, the original colour for models and the real wagons. Black wagons came later. The BP tankers were also made in Harold Wood livery.

The Bulleid tender is from the Battle of Britain loco Winston Churchill, R.356. The GWR tender is indeed from a Hall, Albert Hall, R.759. Airfix 61XX large Prairie tank locos…

The colour of the tanks was a lot of the time connected to the loads to be carried. Petrol and other low Flash Point liquids was mainly carried in silver tanks, partly as silver would reflect heat away from the contents. These tankers would usually also have the solebars of the chassis painted red. Before, and during WW2, some tankers were painted buff, a sort of cream, with a red stripe. Models of these have been produced by various manufacturers. Black tanks generally carry higher flash point liquids, and those that can be a bit viscous, gloopy, when cold. Fuel Oil, Tar, Bitumen, etc. The solebars were not painted red. Tri-ang and Hornby Dublo both made Pertrol Tankers, coloured silver, and Fuel Oil tankers, coloured Black. They also had Lubricating Oil tankers, coloured Yellow…but that would probably be more to do with the company livery, Shell Mex Yellow. BP tankers can be green, again a company livery, as is Red for Texaco, Vacuum Oils (Mobil), Regent, etc.

Hi JJ. Yes, the orange cables and hoops are not that common. grinning

The orange cables are the very first release by Tri-ang Railways. Not so common… The ones with brick effect stickers for the piers are a recent release, China made. The hoops are supports for the Phase 2 type overhead wiring, and are not required if not using overhead wiring.

These units use “white noise” to approximate a steam exhaust chuff. The chuff rate on these units is determined by a feed from the track, measuring the track voltage. The higher yup the voltage, the faster the train, and therefore the chuff rate. The unit itself needs a 16V A.C. Supply, as used for point solenoid motors. These connexions are the two sets of wires in the photo. All noises, including steam whistles and diesel horn, are electrically generated, not based on recordings. OK for a bit of fun… NOT DCC COMPATIBLE! There was also a small, battery operated, portable sound box, and another small, battery operated sound box for Scalextric.

Airfix, Mainline, and Dapol are a bit out of my field really. I can see a likeness between that motor and those used in other Airfix locos. Dapol May have changed the N2, they did change the 14XX…

The 1973 Catalogue cover painting was originally carried out for a BR poster, “Forging Ahead”. The telegraph pole insulator mouse is the Evening Star painting, originally a private commission This was used on the 1971 catalogue… A modified version was used on the 2021 catalogue which retained the mouse…