Potterton

Thank you for your replies gentlemen. I'm away from home until around the 8th April, so will post some pics upon my return However, they are both the ringfield bogie type so X8466 is probably the way to go. Thanks again.

Good evening All. Can anyone please tell me the part number for carbon brushes for the Hornby Class 37 and class 47 diesels, 1970/80's models, (viz 37130 and 47421)? Thanks in advance.

Why get rid of it? I'd say it looks nicely weathered.

morairamike said "My track is laid on pre-ballasted foam. Now, yes, I thought it would degenerate but it is now 4½ years old and still fine. The shoulders are loose ballast laid with ballast glue, a kind of PVA." I have attached a couple of photo's showing part of my layout laid in this way. In this case, the underlay is the Peco variety which, in my experience, is not as long lasting as the Hornby product. Regarding morairmike's concerns re. the disintegration or "failure" of the underlay, I wold like to add that this part of my layout was built in 1993 and the ballast is still fine. However, I admit that were I to lift the track the underlay would probably fall apart in my hands.

Sorry, I don't have an answer for you as I have never attempted this, but what an absolutely fantastic video! Lovely to watch. Thank you. grinning

@ntpntpnrp Possibly, but normally when a short circuit occurs the transformers/controllers hum loudly. With this loco they don't. I was suspecting a broken wire or connection somewhere, but that doesn't really make much sense to me as it runs one way, but not the other. This is only the second Heljan locomotive I've bought and I've never taken one apart before.

Well I bought a loco, (Heljan Clayton Class 17), fitted with a DCC chip and it wouldn't run on my DC layout. I bought a blanking plate and it ran, in one direction only and rather slowly. I turned the blanking plate around and it still ran in one direction only, the same end leading as before. I also bought a second blanking plate in case the first was faulty, but had the same results. I'm now assuming there is a fault in the loco itself. Just need to figure out how to remove the body. (Centre section is easy, it's the bonnets, etc. which are the problem.)

Many thanks LT&SR_NSE . That's perfect.

Seems to be a day for it having seen Kristain-353752's thread below. Unfortunately I haven't found the answer. I'm trying to remove the body from a Hornby Class 58 diesel. I don't know the R number, but it is made in Britain, in BR grey with the large logo, has Network Rail markings and has the number 58007. I am aware the cab ends are separate to the main body, but cannot see how to remove any of the components from the chassis. It's probably me, (though I do have an appointment at Specsavers next month), but any assistance would be most gratefully received before I carry on and break something. Many thanks.

Thank you ntpntpntp. That is most helpful. Should I acquire such a loco, I shall definitely remove the chip. At my age I have no intention of changing to DCC and after a lifetime of collecting locomotives I do not have the funds or time to convert all my stock, (especially the funds! face_with_rolling_eyes)

Hello All. What I know about DCC could be written on the back of a postage stamp so if my question appears stupidly obvious please forgive my ignorance. I was recently told a locomotive fitted with a DCC chip will run perfectly fine on a DC layout with the chip in place. Simply put, is this true? I thought that a chip would need to be removed and a blanking plate reinstated. (Hopefully, the General Discussion section is the right place to post this.)

@Rana Temporia You are right. The original loco's didn't have buffers. My first train set, (when I was 3 years old; I'll be 63 next month!), was The Dockmaster. One of those clockwork engines, a red open wagon and a blue fish van with a circle of Super 4 track. I still have it, (see attached photo), and it still works. The only differences are that it never had the BR totem or rods on the wheels. Incidentally I also have a pair of those coaches acquired sometime later; one from amongst a load of railway "stuff" I got from my cousin who had never shown any real interest and one from a neighour's son.

The scenic section of my layout has quite generous radii on the curves, (36" and above), but in the hidden fiddle yard in order to gain siding length I resorted to using second radius curved track. Unfortunately in my haste and admitted carelessness I used a number of sections of first radius curves. Fortunately, I have found that this has not presented any problems of any sort to any of my locomotives or rolling stock including a 9F, a 28XX and a Hornby A4, the latter with fixed pony truck wheels. All run through with no suggestion of derailing at all speeds. Aesthetically though they do not look great doing it, but as I say, it is only in the hidden sidings.

@ellocoloco Didn't Willis' in Maryport Street, Devizes stock GF? They were an excellent model and toy shop, toys downstairs and models, (mainly railways), up. Mr Willis would always go out of his way to help and his assistant, Mrs Gummer was a pleasure to talk to. Both knew their stuff and if they didn't have it, they could get it for you. It's now a general toy shop, (Devizes Toys), with little in the way of model railways apart from train sets.

@Deem That is a very useful link Deem. Thank you.

@Tony57 THAT'S the sort of exhibition I like. One with a bit of everything which caters for all ages and all tastes from purists and rivet counters to those who just want to "play with trains." Speaking for myself, my layout is run mainly using Western Region blue era diesels or Great Western/Western Region steam to a timetable. Not together, I just "change" periods by changing the locos and rolling stock. There are certain other locos from different regions/companies I particularly like so the WR stuff comes off for a while and I "play" with the others. This involves other company's steamers and may mean a LNER liveried Mallard running alongside a SR West Country, or a Porterbrook liveried Class 47 running alongside a BR blue Class 86, but without any overhead catenary, (although steamers and the diesels are not run together). All totally fictitious. I don't have any fictitious liveried stock though. At least, I don't think I do!

Just something to think about before you change/modify both bogies. If you intend getting more of these pullmans to make a complete train, just change the one at the brake end, run the train in a fixed rake using the existing hornby dublo couplings and change just one bogie on the coach at the other end. Obviously if you intend incorporating this single coach into an existing train you will need to change both. (Hope this doesn't sound like I'm trying to teach you how to suck eggs!) kissing_closed_eyes

Well, as your original post asked, "what would you Lovely folk would put it towards" (my italics), and not "spend it on" and having seen your video about alternative buffer stops, I thought taunmarc88's suggestion was an excellent idea!

Thank you gentlemen for your replies. @Rana You seem to have had the same "luck" I had. Just about every class going on the Western Region, but no Westerns. I did wonder if there was some incompatibility with the braking systems as the Class 52 were initially vacuum braked although some, (at least), were also fitted with air brakes later in their careers which may explain their apparent absence on freightliner trains. @ The Bee Many thanks for the pictures and especially for including the links. Much appreciated.

taunmarc88 said, "Or how about a buffer stop 😁" Excellent! laughing

Fair enough and thank you. (But I added the question mark! smile)

Maybe an odd question, but does anyone know if the Class 52 Westerns were ever used to haul block freightliner trains back in the 60's and 70's? And if the answer is in the affirmative, when and where? RDS Mod Edit: I have amended the title in line with your question.

Thank you gentlemen for your replies. Thanks to the service sheet suggested by Rog I could see that I had missed the gap at the rear of frame which the chassis block clipped into thus allowing the two lugs at the front to be released. @Al I had looked at that, but the space was VERY tight and there is very little flexibility in the frames. Even if there had been sufficient room, I would have had to remove the wheels because in this case the tyres were so old I had to cut them off with point of a scalpel. Both were so brittle they broke into two pieces and were rock hard. Thanks for the suggestion though.

I need to replace the traction tyres on an old Airfix Class 31 diesel, but for the life of me cannot see how to remove the bogie side frames from the motor bogie. I can see there are four clips which I thought would enable the frames to drop clear when released, but they don't. Has anyone any experience or ideas? There is probably as simple solution, but I can't see it.

I think you will find that it can vary even on the same line. For example, as 5Dublo2 says, the main line out of Paddington has the fast lines on one side and the relief on the other. However, further along the line towards Bristol the relief lines were placed either side of the fast ones between Didcot and Swindon. Admittedly I'm talking about the 1950's and 60's before the relief lines in this area were taken out of use. I admit I do not know what the situation there is now, although I believe there are four running lines again, whether they are laid as at Paddington or as they were in the 1950's I have no idea. Thinking about it, this post probably isn't a lot of help to you, sorry, but it does illustrate what has happened historically, (I hope!).