LouisLoco

Hello again, I'm back again for more advice, after getting some great help in the recent past. Firstly, thanks to everyone who responded to my earlier posts. My two boys love playing with the train set but I have a couple of issues... Firstly the one working loco I have, the clip at the back is now broken so it will not connect to any carriages etc. I've looked on eBay and was planning to bid for a second-hand loco I just wanted to check a few things... First, if the listings says 'analgoue' control and power 'DC' that will be compatible with my set and controller I think and as long as they are '00' gauge that would also be fine, wouldn't it? Secondly what does, 'running in' mean? Thirdly, a lot of the locos are Bachmann or Triang - I take it they would be Ok for an old Hornby train set? As ever, any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks again Chrissaf, you are most kind and helpful, sorry to bombard you with queries.

Thanks again Chrissaf and all the other posters. I've bid for the one you suggested. I did notice it doesn't come with the 'wires' to connect from the controller to the rail track - can I just use any old wire or should I get some of those off the Hornby website?

Hello, thanks for the long reply Chrisaf, it is much appreciated, thanks very much for taking the time to explain the basics to me. I have taken your advice on board re the tracks etc. I think I will probably end up buying a load of new track and trains but for sentimental reasons want to at least try to incorporate some of this stuff - even though I accept most of it will be obsolete and won't work well, if at all. On the transformer/controllor point, can I ask, would this sort of thing work... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-00-Gauge-R965-controller-C912-Mains-adaptor-R8206-power-rail-from-Set/233750275383?hash=item366c9a2537:g:l0kAAOSwY0BfgcMq or this... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-Power-Controller-Supply-R-8250-with-Power-Track-R8206-2/324349066819?hash=item4b84b5fe43:g:b5sAAOSw7EFfja8p or this... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H-and-M-Clipper-Controller-for-Model-Railways/203150636192?hash=item2f4cb8b4a0:g:VkAAAOSwIMJfktFW ??? And just so I've understood, on some models you have the controller then a seperate transformer ie the bit that goes from the mains with a plug that connects to the controller? Thanks again for any help.

Hello again, I asked some advice a few months ago about my old train set that my kids had re-discovered and got some very helpful responses – so here I am again asking for more advice. I didn’t get that far with the project in the meantime but my children keep asking me about the train set so here goes… I had a very old controller, made by Meccano, which some posters advised me was probably dangerous and possibly illegal given current regs and to dump it, and I took their advice. So I don’t have a controller and I’m a bit confused between the differences between analogue/digital etc. Basically with my old controller and from my memory as a child there was the controller then two wires from that, that clipped onto two metal pegs or screws onto a piece of track, which powered the trains. (pics attached) /media/tinymce_upload/59d082c222780b4741ddd0a4b0fd368a.jpg Can you still buy such controllors? If so, do I need to buy the power plug for the controller (I think its called the transformer?) seperately and the wires to the track separately? If so I would need ControllerPower transformerWires I ask because the controller (pic attached on sale from Hornby) has no plug attachment for the power source or wires with it? Hornby controller https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/analogue-train-and-accessory-controller.html?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliate If someone could advise what exactly I need that would be much appreciated. Alternatively if I went to a train model shop, would they be able to sort me out everything I need? It might be easier to do that. Finally, I’ve got lots of track, given to us by another member of the family. Can you simply add lots of track and as long as it makes an electrical ‘circuit’ the trains will run – or is that not possible? Ie you need to keep to defined track layouts for the trains to work? Sorry to bombard you with questions but its decades since I played with trains as a child so I’m a complete novice with a couple of boys who have got into trains.

Update: I did the battery 'test' and the wheels on the blue loco after a few slow turns began to whizz around. The other loco there was some 'life' there but not a full turn, so I took it apart and used IPA as suggested and cleaned it up and the wheels are turning now, though still quite slowly. Thanks again for all your advice.

@jimyjames thanks again for your all your help and advice, much appreciated.

@Chrissaf thanks again for your help and guidance, it is very much appreciated.

Hello all, just getting the hang of this forum and can't quite work out how to thank all the responders individually, but I must say what a helpful bunch of peope you are. I will take your advice and bin the controller as suggested. If you could just indulge my questions once more; I was told to clean the locos - what would I use to clean them and lube them? Do I just unscrew the bottom and clean out the inside? /media/tinymce_upload/036edc4ec8559d85ac488d9512f8cdf5.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/0c9e0980c3b6d0f734e63dbf8ea7fb62.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/49bf8bee298fdb374ede07ce4ec8ef70.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/2381ee07ea83ddb86ec21312d903d16d.jpgAlso what are 'brushes' and if they need replacing, how do I get them? If I was to try to attempt to clean up the tracks (to use as sidings or just display) what would be the best thing to use? Finally to buy a new set or for different accessories, am I better going to a model shop or ordering straight off the Hornby website? Thanks again all of you for taking the time to respond. I'll add some more pics so you may form an impression of whether the loco's etc are salvagable. /media/tinymce_upload/16563a2ce5fa16ae3af51eb11cdca46b.jpg

Hello, my old train set has been re-discovered by my own children, aged seven and four, but I'm having problems putting it all together and would really appreciate help as I've done some reading but feel a bit bewildred. I could buy them a new one but for obvious sentimental reasons, would like to at least try to get this one up and running or, if possible, incorporate it into a new set. I think it is a 'OO' gauge set and I will upload a pic, if someone could tell me that's correct before I buy some new track, that would be great. Secondly, I have a very old type 2 Meccano power control unit and a piece of track which I think connects to the power supply - but do not know what connectors I need with it. Any suggestion would be appreaciated. Again I have included pics of both./media/tinymce_upload/326434be4c48f37853dc275c4beb361b.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/1b4602f0ff4784445dfbf1e8f556a8c3.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/89e561fd8ca2a04b2655aa081a78c961.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/3f97229ec00d333321be014125731f67.jpgloco, am I good to go? Any help would be greatly appreciated./media/tinymce_upload/482057cfaf14d192b5777f69f33a28c2.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/57ddbbd5bfe2401ac52d2c04c91fb248.jpg