macman44

No, the code 100 flange depth of 0.100" refers to the rail height, and doesn't represent the maximum WHEEL flange depth I was after. Similarly for the code 75. The maximum wheel flange that can be tolerated is limited by the plastic moulding of the sleepers and chairs. For code 100, I measured that at about 0.060". I was also able to borrow a length of code 75, and the wheel flange space was about 0.050" - which answers my original question. I would, however, be interested in getting a copy of that Peco leaflet you referenced. Where can I find it?

Yes, I was afraid of that, which is why I asked the question. The question is "How deep is too deep"?

I want to incorporate a short length of plain code 75 track (approach to a turntable) into an otherwise all code 100 layout. But I have some older locos with wheel flanges up to 0.043" (1.09mm) deep, and I would like to know whether they will run on the code 75 without problems (before I send off to buy some!). I don't intend to incorporate any code 75 turnouts or crossings or any other artefacts other than plain track. Does anybody have any thoughts on this? Thanks.

Although the diameter of the centre wheels is the same as the others, the recesses in the chassis block into which the bearings are set is slightly deeper. And they do have flanges, but there are no grooves for tyres. As Sarah said, it looks like there was a design change at some point. I am wondering whether this design is still current, or whether things are different again. Paul.

And a curious thing about this model is that it's the centre wheels that are driven by the motor, but these are the ones that don't contact the track. So the entire tractive effort of this engine is being transmitted through the coupling rods to the front and rear drivers. I can't blame the deletion of the traction tyres on the fact that the centre wheels don't rest on the track, because the diameter of the centre wheels without tyres is the same as the front and rear ones - had there originally been tyres on these wheels they would have had a greater overall diameter. I really don't know why Hornby chose not to have these centre wheels touch the track. Or why they equipped them with power pickups which don't do anything except during accidental flanging. Paul.

Hi RAF96. This engine does not have any wheel springs anywhere, so no adjustment is possible. However, it would be interesting to know which Hornby 0-6-0s do or do not have springs, to guide me in future purchases. I don't want to go through this again. Paul.

Back in May/June last year (2018) I initiated a discussion regarding poor power pickup I was having with a Class J2 0-6-0 Jinty (Hornby R3121X). Many respondents kindly made suggestions, and I was able to resolve some of the issues. However, two items remained unresolvable at that time, and I thought I would provide an update on them now in the forum in case other people have had similar issues. I can’t find a way to reference the previous discussion, and reading it would probably confuse anyway, so I will summarise these two and how I moved forward. The first issue could apply to any engine that has been in storage for a while, not specifically this one. The rear face of the driving wheels, and the wheel treads, were coated with a difficult-to-see but partially insulating coating. The wheels looked clean and shiny, but had a fairly high resistance (15+ ohms, and variable) reading track-to-wheel and wheel-to-pickup. I surmised that it was some kind of oxide or tarnish, but it proved difficult to remove - normal cleaning agents such as iso-propyl alcohol had no effect. Fine emery paper would eventually get through it, but left scratches where dirt could easily accumulate. In the end, I used automotive rubbing compound (cutting paste), and this was effective and left the wheels smooth and clean. I haven’t seen this suggestion anywhere else, and none of the correspondents mentioned it, but it’s worth keeping in mind for those stubborn cases. The second issue is specific to this model, and I suspect other 0-6-0 tank engines made by Hornby. The centre driving wheels are not in contact with the track even though they appear to be, and a test with a steel ruler across the treads confirmed that they are offset towards the locomotive body by almost 1 mm. Consequently they are not contributing to power pickup, even though there are pickup contacts for these wheels. This in turn causes hesitation and even outright stalling on certain track configurations containing plastic parts (frogs, etc.) - in particular the Peco code 100 long crossing SL-94 has plastic parts separated by the same amount as the spacing between the front and rear drivers on this model, resulting in a stall every time. I contacted Hornby about this, and sent the engine back to them for investigation. They returned it without modification, stating that this centre driving wheel offset is in fact design intent (without saying why). I finally concluded that the only way to get this engine to run reliably would be to equip it with some from of ‘stay-alive’ capability - essentially a big capacitor which holds enough charge to carry a temporarily-unpowered locomotive for a few seconds. I didn’t see any way that the existing decoder could be so provisioned, so I replaced it with a TCS M1-KA decoder and KA4 Keep-Alive. Space is tight inside this model, but these components are really small and can be fitted OK. This engine now runs very well, albeit at some cost to me. There is no hesitation or stalling, slow running (even with the old 3-pole motor) is excellent, and all my auto-reversers switch smoothly. And the removed Hornby decoder is slated for a second life as a remote controller for my Hornby turntable. I hope this commentary is useful. Paul.

Thanks for all the suggestions. There does seem to be several alternatives out there, and IDbackscenes will also ship to me in Canada. Their range looks suitable for what I have in mind - I especially liked "Llanberis". Paul.

Does anybody know of a supplier of pictures/photos/prints showing background scenes suitable for forming the backdrop for parts of a layout? I am thinking of scenes showing open countryside, farmland, villages, less so towns & cities. I want English or Welsh views. A CD with the images would be ideal since I can then print to any size I need, but pre-printed posters might also work. Alternatively, are there any websites where similar images can be obtained? Suggestions? Of course I can theoretically go and take my own photographs, but there is that minor barrier known as the Atlantic Oean in the way. So not really on for me. Thanks for any suggestions.