Bachmann Tornado

[gwrcolin]

Is any one else here on the Bachmann club and recieved there grey Tornado yet? I ordered it yesterday and it is due today !!! THats quick service

[Bont Y Gra]

Is any one else here on the Bachmann club and recieved there grey Tornado yet? I ordered it yesterday and it is due today !!! THats quick service

Ordered Monday afternoon and arrived Tuesday morning. Just couldn't resist getting one and i'm glad i did as it looks like it'll be gone as quickly as a .......! Very, very pleased with it

[jonathan452]

Soryy if this is a bit of a basic one but any advice would be welcomed.

 

Despite being in-to D&E I bought a Bachmann Tornado from my local model shop (Modelzone Holborn ) today.

 

They only had one (display) sample in stock, therefore it wasn't until I got home that I saw the instructions on the box about the locomotive and tender being locked. Unfortunately this example was anything but locked.

 

Therefore is it easy to re-lock the locomtive and tender (without breaking anythying). I do trust that they didn't break anything when they put this sample on display.

 

Otherwise I will have to take it back. (Despite being a birthday present to myself after spending all Christmas in bed with a cold/high temperature and contributing towards the A1 locomotive trust.)

 

Many thanks in adavance to anybody for your assistance in this matter.

 

PS The gentleman on the counter had absolutely no idea what I was on about when I mentioned that Hornby are producing a version in 2011. Do their staff not keep up to speed on such matters?

[Accurascale Fran]

By 'locked' do you mean 'permanently coupled'? If so, then no, All Bachmann A1's including Tornado (I have a production A1 and a Tornado) are not permanently coupled. There is a bar attached to the Loco which slides through a slot on the tender and hooks onto a smaill round peg under the tender. There are two holes on the coupling bar, one for close coupling and one for tighter radius curves.

 

Hope this was of help.

[10000]

I think you will find the box say's 'linked' not locked. Its a warning so you don't end up breaking anything as you take it out.

 

To be fair to the member of staff you are referring to, you were in ''Modelzone". Its basically a high street store. They sell a lot more than model railway stuff and the member of staff's interest could be something like radio control cars not trains.

[jonathan452]

Thankyou to 071 and 10000 for your kind advice.

 

Seems relatively simple but I will wait until the morning to execute.

 

You'll have to excuse me if I'm on a bit of a learning curve with 'kettles'.

[Ian Hargrave]

Thankyou to 071 and 10000 for your kind advice.

 

Seems relatively simple but I will wait until the morning to execute.

 

You'll have to excuse me if I'm on a bit of a learning curve with 'kettles'.

With WHAT ? Kettles make tea or fill hot water bottles.I beg of you not to demean or patronise over 150 years of great BRITISH engineering heritage with a fashionable put-down!

[Cardiff Bluebird]

Kettles boil water to make steam, the hot water is then used to make tea etc. It still produces Steam like the boiler of a steam locomotive the only difference is a steam locomotive boilder uses the steam to produce motion. I dont like the OP was attempting to demean what is one of if not the most important techical stepping stone in the mankind?.

 

Regards.

 

Bluebird.

[Dan Hill]

By 'locked' do you mean 'permanently coupled'? If so, then no, All Bachmann A1's including Tornado (I have a production A1 and a Tornado) are not permanently coupled. There is a bar attached to the Loco which slides through a slot on the tender and hooks onto a smaill round peg under the tender. There are two holes on the coupling bar, one for close coupling and one for tighter radius curves.

 

Hope this was of help.

That tender peg is awful. It took me ages to connect the loco and tender and not long after I had it a bit of the peg broke so I've had keep it held with blu tac. Don't really have a layout to run it on anyway at the moment except a small oval

[LH&JC]

With regards to the pegs on the tender, it might be better to replace it with a screw, my Patriot took a dive tender first and after the inital heart attack an inspection revealed that the only damage was remakably the peg. After being glued on (twice) I decided to not bother trying to bodge it any more and instead drilled a small hole and fitted a screw. That repair still works but the loco and tender are as good as permanantly coupled as the brake rigging obstruct the screw head. Of course you have to mark it accuratly or you will need either a fireman who can long jump, or a loco unable to navigate any corners at all!

[beeman]

I put my christmas desire for an A2 to Santa, aka SWIMBO, prior, and low and behold I received an A1 and A2 come the morn.I moved all the locos off the DCC layout to give them a run on DC. The A2 initially derailing loco only.This was found to be the rear pony wheels being a little wide, simply adjusted. The tender was ok, and pleased with the free running when coupled. I was wary as Bachman suggest no R1 curves, which I have. The A1 engine ran smoothly but the tender did not like the curves. Out came the vernier to check the back to back dimensions. These were too wide. I removed the tender wheels and found the actual axle was superbly machined with no burrs or sharp edges on the steps, assume ground, for the wheel journals. 10X mag glass. When the wheels were individually tried on the track there was virtually no sideways play at all. I decided that I would reduce the shoulder distances having a lathe. This was done to achieve a b to b of 14.28 approx which I find is OK having some of the older Hornby points with the die cast blades.I should add when I can I fit Tender pickups. These points dont give me connection problems strange to say, assume its the high frequency of DCC. Anyone with this problem without a lathe could correct by removing one wheel on each set. and file almost off the flange of the insulating bush, but be careful not to dislodge the bush when refitting. An interesting comparison is, I have recently fitted coach lighting to 5 Hornby Gresley 57ft. I replaced those horrible wheels with the square axles,with Bachman replacements, with no running problems. As many others ask 'where is their quality control ?', Oh,and one of the front buffers had dropped off the A1 in the packaging. Beeman.

Further to this post, I was still getting running probs with the tender. On removing each axle set I found on holding one wheel with the inside of the flange pressed against the check rail of a point , then lowering the other wheel onto the frog I could feel the flange on the top of the rail. I finished up cutting off the flange of the insulating bush to narrow, and OK. Am I correct in noticing Bach have increased the radius at the flange root.?..

[mike tugsandsheds]

Thank you to all who have posted in this thread, I've managed to sort the tender coupling issue, I've added the nameplates and the A1 Trust Headboard.

 

I've also added buffer beam detail inc up to date piping and new dummy screwlinks.

 

I think she looks pretty impressive ! (JMHO)

 

Here she is

 

[Hilbert Herringgull]

The people complain about not having any roller bearing axle boxes on the engine and tender, cartazzi trucking, redesigned cabroof profile, size of the driving wheels, two piece moulded chimney and ultimately the washout plugs. To me I would disregard the driving wheels and washout plugs as the rest are important as what I did on my model.

[Hilbert Herringgull]

Basically the modifications in my opinion that are necessary are: the cartzzi and tender axle boxes into roller bearings and the replacement of the cab roof profile and chimney. I don't thing you should replace the size of the driving wheels or the shape and size of the front buffer beam and the bright lining as it is the incorporated looks that matters. Unless you want it to be extremely accurate your only option is a full repaint and modifying which I say is a waste of time. 

[Robin Brasher]

I am having problems with the tender and pony truck derailing on points with my Bachmann Tornado which I bought last month. The points on this layout are Peco Settrack but it is also derailing on Peco large radius points on another club layout even when approached from the toe end.  From looking at earlier posts it looks like there is a problem with the back to back width of the tender wheels. Hattons said there are no more in stock but there is a six month warranty on their locomotives so they have offered a refund. They suggested sending it back to Bachmann to rectify the fault. Bachmann have a 12 month guarantee. From this site and others it looks like other people have had the same problem. May I please have some advice about what to do next?

Edited August 23, 2014 by Robin Brasher

[southernelectric]

What has happened to the Express blue model, 32-550C? Bachmann appear to have withdrawn it but kept the earlier model - brunswick green version (32-550B) - in the catalogue. 

[S.A.C Martin]

I am having problems with the tender and pony truck derailing on points with my Bachmann Tornado which I bought last month. The points on this layout are Peco Settrack but it is also derailing on Peco large radius points on another club layout even when approached from the toe end.  From looking at earlier posts it looks like there is a problem with the back to back width of the tender wheels. Hattons said there are no more in stock but there is a six month warranty on their locomotives so they have offered a refund. They suggested sending it back to Bachmann to rectify the fault. Bachmann have a 12 month guarantee. From this site and others it looks like other people have had the same problem. May I please have some advice about what to do next?

 

It is not difficult to change the back to backs on your own with a gauger, surely? That's not something I would send back for a refund.

 

Easily sorted within five minutes. Try DCCconcepts. No affiliation, but have heard good things from others.

[southernelectric]

I am having problems with the tender and pony truck derailing on points with my Bachmann Tornado which I bought last month. The points on this layout are Peco Settrack but it is also derailing on Peco large radius points on another club layout even when approached from the toe end.  From looking at earlier posts it looks like there is a problem with the back to back width of the tender wheels. Hattons said there are no more in stock but there is a six month warranty on their locomotives so they have offered a refund. They suggested sending it back to Bachmann to rectify the fault. Bachmann have a 12 month guarantee. From this site and others it looks like other people have had the same problem. May I please have some advice about what to do next?

 

I had a squeaky tender on my Bachmann Tornado model (32-550A, the Apple green version) and got a 00 gauge (14.4mm) B2B gauge from the Double O Gauge Association. I was pointed to this gauge after mistakenly buying one in a shop that was not for 14.4mm standard 00, as per this thread:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/76427-c-l-finescale-4bboo-back-to-back-gauge-for-rtr-00-scale/

 

You can get the 14.4mm (described as intermediate) here:

 

http://www.doubleogauge.com/shop.htm

 

I only had mine running on a little test oval and no points on it but it was driving me nuts! Once I sorted the B2B on the tender wheels it seemed to cure it. But been a while since I tested it again. B2B may be your problem but I can't say for sure as I didn't have mine running over any pointwork when I was testing it. 

[southernelectric]

It is not difficult to change the back to backs on your own with a gauger, surely? That's not something I would send back for a refund.

 

Easily sorted within five minutes. Try DCCconcepts. No affiliation, but have heard good things from others.

 

I think the DCC one is still too wide though going by the comments here:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/76427-c-l-finescale-4bboo-back-to-back-gauge-for-rtr-00-scale/?p=1167790

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/76427-c-l-finescale-4bboo-back-to-back-gauge-for-rtr-00-scale/?p=1167930

[Ribird]

Bringing back an old thread for a question for everyone, where would one get a replacement chimney to make the Bachmann Tornado have the correct real life chimney? I have the 32-550A version, which is the unclipped version.