Hornby Gordon running issues.

[johnboyadvan]

Hi there! I've done a basic look around and couldn't find something so I just went with starting from scratch! Sorry.

So I've got a Hornby Gordon and he's not very well. I'm pretty sure that I need to clean something in the tender, the issue is I can't find a way to pop the tender off or any screws. I'd rather not damage the tender shell.

It is a pretty old model, it is from a Gordon passenger train set which I think was in the 80's/90's.

Also any advice on what's gone wrong on the tender would be most appreciated.

Video:

[RDS]

The Loco seems to stop at the same point in your layout each time. I couldn't be certain from the video where your track connection is but I would start by checking that the fishplates are making good contact around the position that it stops.

Do one at a time, so that you know which, if any, have made a difference.

[XleeHS]

When removing the tender body shell you grip onto the two sides where the number four is located, push, and lift up and it should come up. However for some reason my 80s hornby Gordon came with the tender shell glued which I don’t believe is normal but if yours is glued it’s going to be a little more difficult. If for whatever reason your tender shell is glued on, I would just go in with a very small flat head screwdriver and just pry the tender body up and that should work as well.

[johnboyadvan]

I would start by checking that the fishplates are making good contact around the position that it stops.

 

 

The track is pretty tight on, and closing any gaps hasn't done any difference really.

 

 

[johnboyadvan]

When removing the tender body shell you grip onto the two sides where the number four is located, push, and lift up and it should come up.

 

 

Following your instructions, its not coming up, I don't think its glued on, just think its a bit gunked up. Cleaned the tender wheels and where it connects together with cotton ear buds and alcohol gel. Try prying it off later.

Oh and just noticed one of Spencer's rim's coming off the wheel in the tender! Going good so far!

[Going Spare]

Rather than squeeze the tender sides, try squeezing the ends, quite strongly. This should cause the sides to bow outwards slightly and release the clips holding it in place.

If the body does not release, very carefully use a thin blade inserted at one corner between the base of the body and the top of the chassis frame. Gradually work the blade along the side, gently levering the body outwards as you go. There are four clips holding the body in place, approximately one- and two-thirds the way along each side. Once one has sprung free, the others will follow quite easily.

Spencer's wheel tyre can probably be put back in place by finger pressure as you slowly rotate the wheel.

[johnboyadvan]

Many thanks mate! Trying this out now.

Mod note...Johnboy, it would be appreciated if you would ignore the blue button with white arrow. This is not a "Reply to this post" button. To reply to any post, just scroll down to the bottom of the page and use the "Reply text box". Your uneccessary requotes have been edited out.There is no real need to requote the WHOLE text of the post directly above your reply.

Edit: Gotcha and the thin blade technique worked now to clean the motor...

[johnboyadvan]

So yeah, just before putting away the train set for a bit, I just thought, because Gordon and James have the same motor, run James on Gordon's motor and see if it is actually the motor. And it runs well. I did clear out a bit of gunk from the gears but didn't do a full strip down of the motor. But it doesn't explain that surely. So I'm guessing I need to clean or replace something on Gordon's chassis/main body, any advice is appreciated.

[96RAF]

Three service sheets may be of use to you.

247 and 269 for the ringfield motored version and 424 for the later can motor version - all tender drive locos.

It is often possible to upgrade an early model using later parts.

[Going Spare]

Check that Gordon (engine only) runs freely when given a gentle push by hand. If it does not, establish why: are all front bogie and driving wheel axle bearings free of fluff, etc., and lubricated where the five axles pass through the chassis blocks?

Does the valvegear (side rods) work correctly and freely without rubbing?

Alternative 1: remove the long bolt holding the pony truck in place under the cab and check the cleanliness of the spring top and bottom bearing surfaces on the chassis block and the pony truck frame.

Alternative 2: if a spring is not fitted (as on later models of Gordon), remove the pony truck bolt and check that the spring washer is making good contact with both the chassis block and the pony truck frame on clean surfaces.

Check the jaw contacts underneath the engine drawbar and the tender pin are clean and that the jaws grip the pin firmly. All these contacts are critical in getting electricity from the engine to the tender motor.

Check that the pinpoint axles on the pony truck wheelset have not worn to the extent that the pony truck is allowed to droop such that the drawbar contacts do not grip the tender pin correctly.

[96RAF]

This illustrates the principle of the powered drawbar spoken to by GS above.

Although the drawing is for a loco drive setup with a DCC socket, the underlying connections are the same for a tender drive loco, the motor being connected across the tender wires not the loco socket as shown.

The service sheets also indicate the actual wires to some extent.

[Going Spare]

If your Gordon dates from the 1980s/90s as you say, seemingly confirmed by the video, the drawbar will not have the upper spring finger contacts shown in 96RAF's diagram above: their absence does not affect the loco's running.