Class 31 Bogie removal

[bigal10]

I am in the process of re-working the innards of my Hornby Class 31

 

It's a lovely model, runs well etc., but, mine is an 8-pin version, and I want to add more functions, so I have binned the original motherboard, and the elastic band driven fan, and am replacing it with an ESU 21pin MTC board and using a Zimo 644D sound decoder (thanks Paulie) and am installing Cab Lights (note to Hornby, - you SHOULD have done it!), largest speakers I can, also a motor-driven fan, and the largest Capacitors I can get in, - there's loadsa room with the original mb and fan gone!

 

I have discovered a problem with the Hornby 31 chassis (no, not the dreaded metal fatigue / expansion, all is well with mine, so far !)

 

Having removed the original motherboard, and the elastic band driven Fan, (which has been replaced by ex-servo motor, and works very well, on F14 Compressor, at present, but open to options Paulie?)

I now seem to have dislodged one of the power feed wires from one bogie, and cannot see how to remove the bogie to re-solder the wire. - Any suggestions?

 

With the mb and the fan gone, I can see what looks like a retaining screw for each bogie through the chassis, but the head of the screw seems to be hidden under the Cardan drive shaft.

It would appear that the only way to remove the Cardan shafts, is to remove the motor, and presumably the shafts will pop out with the motor. Any thoughts / suggestions? I promise to laugh at the "bloody idiot, don't do it again" ones!

 

I could add photos if it would help.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Alan.

​

[Fireline]

I am in the process of re-working the innards of my Hornby Class 31

 

It's a lovely model, runs well etc., but, mine is an 8-pin version, and I want to add more functions, so I have binned the original motherboard, and the elastic band driven fan, and am replacing it with an ESU 21pin MTC board and using a Zimo 644D sound decoder (thanks Paulie) and am installing Cab Lights (note to Hornby, - you SHOULD have done it!), largest speakers I can, also a motor-driven fan, and the largest Capacitors I can get in, - there's loadsa room with the original mb and fan gone!

 

I have discovered a problem with the Hornby 31 chassis (no, not the dreaded metal fatigue / expansion, all is well with mine, so far !)

 

Having removed the original motherboard, and the elastic band driven Fan, (which has been replaced by ex-servo motor, and works very well, on F14 Compressor, at present, but open to options Paulie?)

I now seem to have dislodged one of the power feed wires from one bogie, and cannot see how to remove the bogie to re-solder the wire. - Any suggestions?

 

With the mb and the fan gone, I can see what looks like a retaining screw for each bogie through the chassis, but the head of the screw seems to be hidden under the Cardan drive shaft.

It would appear that the only way to remove the Cardan shafts, is to remove the motor, and presumably the shafts will pop out with the motor. Any thoughts / suggestions? I promise to laugh at the "bloody idiot, don't do it again" ones!

 

I could add photos if it would help.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Alan.

​

 

Alan, if you are inside the loco, look at the top of the bogie, where it meets the driveshaft. The plastic top of that is separate to the rest of the bogie. Gently use pliers on the "wings" that extend backwards into the centre of the engine, and flip them towards the chassis sides. This should release each side, and once that is released, the bogie just falls through the chassis.

[bigal10]

Thanks, Fireline,

 

Perfect, worked a treat!

 

Needless to say, as I popped the bogie out, the other wire also fell off, so both are now re-soldered, and all is well.

 

Onwards and ever upwards now towards rebuilding to my requirements.

 

Regards,

 

Alan

[No Decorum]

This project sounds fascinating, especially the motor-driven fan on F14. I took a look at the Digitrains site to see which function key controlled the cooling fan sound and realised (as you obviously have) that there isn't one!

 

Once you've finished, will there be any chance of a picture before you put the top back on? If possible, a video of the completed loco would be tremendous.

[Grovenor]

Motor driven fan will generate its own sound! I replaced the rubber band drive fan on my class 50 with a motor drive from a (non-sound) decoder. I would not bother again and am considering disconnecting it next time it is in the shop.

Firstly it cannot be seen when the loco is in use on the layout, secondly it has to be manually controlled which in no way replicates the thermostatic operation of the real thing.

A sound decoder could presumably have a suitable output to control it automatically but since it can't be seen the relevant sound effect would be enough.

Linking the fan to the compressor also seems somewhat unreal as the operation of the two devices is independent.

Regards

[Simon G]

I am in the process of fixing a friends Hornby 31 with sound (R2803XS), when I noticed a wire broken on one of the drive bogies.  To repair the wire really needs the drive tower to be dropped out of the chassis, but even with the advice above, I am not sure how to do it!  As it isn’t mine, I don’t want to break anything on it.  If anyone can supply a little more detail, I would be very grateful!

 

i have attached a photo showing the current arrangement.

 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

11 hours ago, Simon G said:

I am in the process of fixing a friends Hornby 31 with sound (R2803XS), when I noticed a wire broken on one of the drive bogies.  To repair the wire really needs the drive tower to be dropped out of the chassis, but even with the advice above, I am not sure how to do it!  As it isn’t mine, I don’t want to break anything on it.  If anyone can supply a little more detail, I would be very grateful!

 

i have attached a photo showing the current arrangement.

 

The retaining component is right on view in the photograph, to the left of the fan.  The top of it has the little square window through which you can see the worm, the sides go downwards either side of the gear tower, and the two projections to the right each side of the drive shaft assembly are also part of this component. There are two clips each side which retain it on the gear tower, just need to ease the sides apart gently to release. (It's easier to see what you are doing with the moulding of the cab wall temporarily removed.) Don't worry about the drive shaft it is 'split' with a splined slide in it so simply parts as the bogie drops out. HTH!

 

 

[Simon G]

Thanks for the extra detail.  It was just the job!  Once I had moved the cab wall moulding, the clips were easily visible and I eased them out with a small screwdriver.  Of course, the bogie doesn’t drop very far, as it is held by the one good wire, which has virtually no slack!  Fortunately there is just enough space to solder a new wire, so I should be able to effect a repair.

[dave parker]

On 17/04/2019 at 19:36, Simon G said:

Thanks for the extra detail.  It was just the job!  Once I had moved the cab wall moulding, the clips were easily visible and I eased them out with a small screwdriver.  Of course, the bogie doesn’t drop very far, as it is held by the one good wire, which has virtually no slack!  Fortunately there is just enough space to solder a new wire, so I should be able to effect a repair.

Thanks for the info,i have a sound loco not run for many years and was running slow found 1 bogie was very tight. I have removed the bogie and found the grease had hardened on the drive shaft into the gear box . I have removed the hardened grease and relubed 

current drain is now 300ma instead of 700ma which was making the sound chip get a bit warm  .

Does anyone know how to clean the pickups on these locos has they appear to be in the wheel bearings, not sure how the bogie comes apart

cheers Dave 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I have never yet needed to clean the pick ups! There are brass bars inserted in the bogie sideframes, and the axle ends run in holes in these, and that's how pick up is obtained. I have however needed to straighten these bars to stop the wheelsets dropping out!

 

With bogie out of the frame (by unclipping the worm cover as described above) look down the sides of the gear tower from above, and you will see four flat clips which are upward projections from the keeper plate. Ease these away from the gear tower and the keeper plate detaches, releasing the bogie side frames with the brass bars.

[dave parker]

11 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

I have never yet needed to clean the pick ups! There are brass bars inserted in the bogie sideframes, and the axle ends run in holes in these, and that's how pick up is obtained. I have however needed to straighten these bars to stop the wheelsets dropping out!

 

With bogie out of the frame (by unclipping the worm cover as described above) look down the sides of the gear tower from above, and you will see four flat clips which are upward projections from the keeper plate. Ease these away from the gear tower and the keeper plate detaches, releasing the bogie side frames with the brass bars.

 

[lochlongside]

22 hours ago, dave parker said:

Thanks for the info,i have a sound loco not run for many years and was running slow found 1 bogie was very tight. I have removed the bogie and found the grease had hardened on the drive shaft into the gear box . I have removed the hardened grease and relubed 

current drain is now 300ma instead of 700ma which was making the sound chip get a bit warm  .

Does anyone know how to clean the pickups on these locos has they appear to be in the wheel bearings, not sure how the bogie comes apart

cheers Dave 

 

Try Hornby service sheet HSS276H off their web site - its got an exploded diagram which you can expand on screen until you can see whats what - its what I used to pull the bogies apart - good luck.

 

PS. The white glue masquerading as grease Hornby used around 2008 in their diesels is just awful. I had a Class 56 which had locked up completely while sitting on the shelf  -I  ended up using pliers and a rubber jawed vice to break the grip of this white so-called grease between worm shaft and the bearings - it was more like Loctite. I cleaned the whole lot out with meths and paper towel and used electrolube and now, like you, I have a smooth running loco pulling 20+ coaches on around 300mA ......as the designers intended.

[dave parker]

20 minutes ago, lochlongside said:

 

Try Hornby service sheet HSS276H off their web site - its got an exploded diagram which you can expand on screen until you can see whats what - its what I used to pull the bogies apart - good luck.

 

PS. The white glue masquerading as grease Hornby used around 2008 in their diesels is just awful. I had a Class 56 which had locked up completely while sitting on the shelf  -I  ended up using pliers and a rubber jawed vice to break the grip of this white so-called grease between worm shaft and the bearings - it was more like Loctite. I cleaned the whole lot out with meths and paper towel and used electrolube and now, like you, I have a smooth running loco pulling 20+ coaches on around 300mA ......as the designers intended.

hi thanks for the replies, whilst removing the bogie I managed to loose the end bearing on the drive shaft, all not lost though as I found the bearing on a reduntant fan unit from a 31 is the same size  so saved me buying a complete drive shaft assembly

thanks Dave