Jeff Mennell

HST 125 dummy & power cars Previous owner must have used 3 in one oil to lube the axels. The oil has gone hard and sticky and is stopping the wheels on the dummy car from running smoothly. Same with the power car although the loco actually runs very very well! It's also on the outside of the wheels! This loco was sold as 'spares/repair' because the motor screeched every so often. Strangely it just needed oiling but I never got 'round to a proper service 'till now. Body is very good too.

A second hand Peco(?) signal box being repainted. Took out all the existing glazing as the prev owner had installed this before painting the frames, resulting in bad smudges. I have some fresh perspex to replace it with. The front catwalk has disappeared so I'll need to fabricate a new one as well and also install a hand rail. Nowhere on my diddy layout to place it though! All enjoyable stuff.

Usually find plenty of books on railway modelling in libraries and if it's not in stock then you can send an online 'purchase suggestion' form and they will buy it in for you. I worked in a big reference library for thirty years. 😉

I thought I would check with my local library authority and see if they included any model railway mags in their free online periodicals and........no, they don't. Shame that. 😢

I just wanted to look at the pics but I see the Hornby site has cropped pics of the items listed in each catalogue , so that will suffice,,,,, ta! http://www.hornbyguide.com/year_menu.asp

HB, sorry I should have been more specific, it was 1970 thru to about '82.

Been looking for old Hornby catalogues converted to pdf format but had no luck. Any ideas? Cheer, Jeff

Sarah, ineresting information.......always a pleasure to read and it's nice that you're back on this forum regularly again!

jimbopuff, better get use to that 'smell' and noise the x04 makes!

SoT, the axels seem to have metal 'ring' bushes which locate, (by pushing), into special notches in the chassis. I don't think the wheel is lose as such but as you suggest it looks like it could be the plastic bushing. When I first got the loco it was awash with oil. Took ages to clean it all away....... the more I cleaned, the more would appear. I think the seller must have been trying to eradicate the rough sound and like I said, it turned out to be a brush! Thank you for your help. When is the new venture starting and will it have a website?

Ok so I brought the Jinty back to the workbench. and fixed the noise. There seemed to be excessive play in the armature spindle so I pushed the worm gear and heard a click. Nothing was broken or split and this reduced the amount of play. Also, the biggest contributer to the noise was a carbon brush. It still had planty of meat left on it but was very 'round'. A replacement stopped the noise and the loco runs very well now. Still got the stupid wobble though. One of the wheels is either not seated squarely on it's axel or the axel irself is bent. I can see lateral wobble when running the loco upside down. All the axels are seated and fixed correctly...... the wheel is solid metal not plastic sooooo...I don't know!

Maroon LMS JInty just leaving the workbench. I have given up on it. A slight wobble that couldn't be located, (which I could live with), and a very noisy motor when running in reverse, (which I cannot live with). Gear/worm seated correctly, pickups well adjusted, brush spring tension acceptable etc. Well it was only ten quid........so I may keep it for s & s. The body is good, if slightly faded.

Weathering/repainting a used Hornby brick water tower!

Swmbo picked up these two non fiction books from the charity shop @ 50p each..... /media/tinymce_upload/14d0a29d98bb05cd5b1d85101f865bf8.JPG

Jacob, it's impossible to have too many water cranes. I seem to have aquired a 'few' due to buying joblots of general spares from ebay.

A few minor things on my workbench. Railway workers need a lick of Mattcote and they will be finished. I want to paint some parts of the 75 ton crane I bought the other day. And a few bits and pieces of signaling that I should be able to cobble together to make a complete working signal.

Couldn't resist these for £5 plus £3.40 postage.

Nice buy, Jacob..........well done! 😀

Jacob, it has a box but it's not the original! Too cheap to leave and no other bids!

Swmbo non too happy but at £5 with £3.95 postage (ebay) I couldn't leave it!

I bought these for 99p each boxed. Combined postage was £2.95 (Tot £4.93) 1. R730 25t LWB 'SC' Open wagon 2. R564 'Bolsover' Open wagon (Ebay)

Jim, I'm fascinated by The Royal Alex'. Not seen one of these before. Looks really nice and in good condition. Be good to put it on display. Well done.

Jacob, as mentioned it really depends on whether I am allowed to save up!

Jacob, yes indeed, she's already spent it. Apparently I'm allowed one loco per month. Second hand of course. Can't afford the new loco prices, even from the 'box shifters'. I'm not sure if she's allowing roll-overs, (if i miss a month). Heck, if she does then maybe I could afford to buy something other than 0-6-0 s! I've always wanted an Evening Star and a Flying Scot. Also, it was the Mainline loco that was wonky.

Sometimes it can be a 'dry' gear pinion that creates the squeal. Again the application of a suitable lubricant should sort it.