Going Spare

In posts dating from 2013 from Gowest and others, it is strongly advised NOT to use demineralised water. Moderator's note - post translated for the benefit of the OP Dans les messages datant de 2013 de Gowest et d'autres, il est fortement conseillé de NE PAS utiliser d'eau déminéralisée

Yes, the complete loco is a possibly a later release than the one from which the valvegear assembly came or perhaps a hybrid as it has the plain coupling rods and what appear to be some of the original solid wheels. The model was introduced for 1956 (Service Sheet No.9 is dated November 1955) and retained the original valvegear until 1961 when the improved version was fitted together with see-through driving wheels and a smoke unit (as per S/S 9A dated May 1961). The last version, with a synchrosmoke unit is covered by S/S 77 (1970). According to Pat Hammond's Catalogue of British Model Trains, the first release (1956-1958) was finished in BR early logo black followed by late logo black in 1959 and finally late logo green in 1960 which it carried until production ceased for 1972. Although several modifications occurred over the years, all versions were sold as R59 or R59S (for synchrosmoke) and numbered as 82004.

Of those that are available thus far, that for the class 31 is probably as close as you can get.

All the above comments regarding pointwork relate only to the Peco flexible code 100 trackage system (with SL prefix to product codes), not to Setrack (sectional track) code 100 trackage with ST prefixed codes.

Hornby advise TT spares have yet to arrive in the UK and their pricing will be confirmed when the parts are made available to the market.

West Wood Way

I have not been able to find any reference to Wrenn Service Sheets - exploded chassis diagrams as per Tri-ang/Hornby/Hornby-Dublo - and as you have not received any response to either of your requests here and on RMweb, do such documents exist?

The plastic worm wheel has to be a tight fit on the splined centre-section of the axle. Normally, it can be pressed in to place by holding the remaining wheel in the fingers of both hands and gently but forcefully pushing the worm wheel in to place with both thumbs.

Kernow have just 1 x R9312 'Bolt' at what looks to be a decent price, also The Entertainer via Amazon but more expensive.

What are presumably the 'old' Forum Rules ("2 years ago - updated") still appear within the Support menu Contact Us section.

Yes, the newly announced set will have dark grey track and Hornby confirm that although the connectors are a slightly different design, red and grey tracks will link together.

Website now corrected.

An interesting comment regarding the wheelsets in pack R8218 versus R8096 because I had hitherto thought all wheelsets in R8xxx retail packs were double-insulated and only more specialised wheelsets such as those for the lit Pullman coaches (spares pack X9096) are insulated on one side only so as to permit track electrical pick-up for the lights.

Perhaps, like me, the OP has no knowledge of how and/or the means to post a photograph? We are not all tech-savvy in all areas. And for that reason, I thought the Service Sheet might be useful.

The Service Sheet exploded diagram for this type of loco may help you. Go to the 'Support' drop-down menu, selecting Product Support then Service Sheets and Hornby, then in the search box enter R1167. This should bring up a link to Service Sheet 380B which is the closest sheet yet published to your loco in set R1255.

I believe this is a genuinely new production run as I seem to recall R3284TTS was showing as pre-order only for some time and my query to Hornby questioned whether it would be re-run as a TTS model, eliciting the reply that it was anticipated to come still as TTS rather than TXS. R3086 is a 12 year old design. ColinB's post crossed with this one.

The only loco I can find on the website is the TTS version.

There is no idler gear on the traditional 0-6-0T chassis, the worm on the motor drives direct to the driving wheel axle-mounted wormwheel. If the wormwheel supplied is from pack X8199 the chassis is comparatively modern and the procedure is as ColinB describes: the chassis bottom moulding unscrews to release the wheelsets and once the coupling rods have been separated from the centre driving wheels, one wheel can often be carefully pulled off by hand to permit changing the wormwheel. If manual separation of the wheelset is not possible, there are wheel pullers on the market: one I used was sold by G W Models of Lancing but retirement may now have occurred.

When I queried this with Hornby, I was informed R3284 was likely to remain a TTS-fitted loco.

No, they haven't. One of very many that are well out of date and have not kept up to date with developments across the last 5 years or more.

The very early rebuilt Merchant Navy loco had a live chassis with a wired link to the motor from the driving wheel pick-ups on only one side so the non-wired pick-ups will have to be isolated from the chassis block and wired to the DCC socket.

I think you need to go back further to find suitable Service Sheets as this sounds to be a UK-made unit - try No. 108 via the Useful Links post pinned at the top of this forum section. However, the pin crimps and spade connectors are not, as far as I know, available as separate items (the pin crimps being smaller than the standard X8011s). Pre-fitted cables may still be stocked by Peters Spares in particular. The light lens is part number S9689.

An American working for Hornby? I have to say I am still sceptical as tyreless wheels and rice pudding skins come to mind from reports of previous attempts to run without them. But, if Hornby say they are not fitted, so be it.

I had to double-check I had not migrated to the RMweb; some parts very reminiscent. Not sure yet whether the list of topics tick-box system is an improvement.

Having looked again at the review posted on RMweb, it is stated quite categorically that the loco does have traction tyres and they are visible on the rear driving wheels of the example the reviewer is holding having removed it from a R30319 box. In addition, you can see reference made to them on the accompanying Maintenance Sheet.