BreatGritain

Thank you Chris, Built today and working well. Thanks again for your help.

Sorry for the lack of clarity Chrissaf. The green dot was a suggested controller input and the badly drawn child like scribble orange lines were R8201's. Single controller. Looking at my drawing against yours, I've overthought it massively, and your simple solution works perfectly. I'm really frustrated with how simple that was and that I didn't see it myself. Thank you. One last question if I may, can I splice the output lead from my controller and feed it directly into those power clips? Or must the controller supply the track in one place, and then be split? Above is an image to explain what i'd like to do. Hopefully it's a bit clearer than the last one, but unfortunately the child-like scruffiness remains. Thanks again Chrissaf you're always really helpful.

Hi! First of all apologies, this post will be duplicated if/when Hornby approve the image on the last post I tried to make, but I really want to get resolved asap, hence the repost. I have built this layout with any regard for power. I already have one set of power clips that came with an expansion pack, but I think i'll need more. Please can anyone look over the image and double check that where i've marked them will work. Is there a better way to do it? Also, must I use the power clips this way? Is there any reason I can't cut the output from the controller underneath the board and run a feed from this to each location? Obviously making sure polarity is the same at each location. Is there a better product to use than power clips (that doesn't require soldering)? Thank you! Tom

Hello. Please could someone look over this? I have built the layout without any thought for power, silly mistake I know. Will this work? Can you see a better way to do it, using less power clip things? The passing loop in the middle, I would like this to be isolated when not in use so no poeer clips required there, everywhere else I would like to be powered at all times. Thank you. /media/tinymce_upload/3275ff85f33bd7ffdab20f6f118f7dfe.jpg

Thank you Chrissaf. Got the multimeter out ready to test. Put the loco on the track for a test run before getting the meter in line, controller trips out immediately as if there is a short. I give up, she's being split down and sold on eBay as parts. Thank you for all the assistance it really is appreciated.

Ok, Stripped down much further than I expected I would. Motor bogie running on its own, terribly. Opened her up, magnets are all free of debris, but feel much weaker than anticipated. Do the issues sound consistant with needing remagnetisation? Or am I wasting my time with this now? Thank you

I'm not sure about the motor magnet. I don't really know what i'm looking for. Are we talking debris or checking its strength? I will strip it back down later as far as I dare. All the track is modern except possibly a level crossing, which I honestly don't know. I never knew magnadhesion was a thing! Atleast I can rule out the polarity of those axel magnets as an issue. It doesn't derail on the modern track at all. But it doesn't run well at all. At mid power it is very jolty, go, slow down, speed up. At full volts it runs reasonably slowly, the kangarooing stops, but the noise increases.

I've chanhed my mind. It isn't running ok. It's running horrificlly. It "splurges", the motor gets hot and smells. Its awful. I've opened the cover on the power bogie and given it a really good clean out as it was filthy, I was really confiden that I had solved it, but if anything its running worse now I have put it back together. There are small metal blocks sitting next to each drive axel, which appear to be magnetic. Do these need to go back in a certain way, and if these were incorrect could that be the issue? D.G., the motor looks identicle to the one you've pictured. I don't know how old it is. All gears that I can see (both worms and the ones on the axels) look to be in good condition to me (the untrained eye)

Brilliant, thank you RAF.

Thank you Al! Jane2, I know the points will isolate the track, but the diamond crossing will be passing over a line that is always powered, so I was wanting to know if the diamond crossing would transfer power from the live bit of track to the passing loop 😎 that I want to be isolated. Thanks

Hello Please forgive me if this has been asked many times before, but I don't particularly know the lingo so the search function isn't answering my questions. I plan on adding a "siding" that is connected to the main track at both ends. (I know that's not called a siding, but as I said, clueless). The siding will cross over the inner track using the R614. What i'd like to know is that if the points at either end are not thrown to this "siding", will the siding be insulated? Or do I need to install an IRJ at the diamond crossing? Thank you Tom

Thank you for the replies. I'm using the basic controller that I think most of you dislike, but thus far it hasn't given me any reason to ditch it. It came with the Hornby Pendolino set, and is about 3 year old. The track is either from the same set or part of newer track packs. Excluding the level crossing which I purchased second hand. Interestingly, the noise is different when the loco runs over the crossing. Perhaps echoing differently? It does indeed have pick-ups on both bogies. The wheels on the non-powered bogie are reasonably free - they don't spin fast by hand as you would expect a brand new carriage to do, but there doesn't feel to be much resistance. I haven't touched these pickups though, just tested they work by placing power on the contacts. I will have a better look at them. I'll look at the rest of the suggestions once my little terrorist goes to bed. Thanks again, much appreciated.

Thanks for the reply Sarah I have a few loco's from the 70's, Lima class 33, Airfix 4F. It's even noisier than the tender driven 4F. It really is twice as noisy as anything else I have... Although your post make sense, it is the biggest loco I have, with the biggest shell. Thanks again

Hello! I went crazy on eBay this week, and got some absolute bargains. One of which was a Triang Class 37 Diesel, which after a service and wheel clean runs "ok". But it is exceptionally noisy to run, even at low speed. If you weren't concentrating you'd be forgiven for thinking the police helicopter was overhead. Can't see anything catching anywhere, bushes seem to have plenty of life left. I have oiled up the obvious moving parts, but I am a novice. Are they renowned for the noise or can someone point me in likely direction of a cure? Thank you for your time Tom

RAF. That is it. That's perfect. Thank you.