Signaller69's projects

[MJI]

2 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

The 25 is getting there slowly. The huge tension lock couplings have been removed which makes quite a big improvement to the appearance in itself. The chassis is having some of the fairly flat detail lifted with plasticard and the Lanarkshire buffers and coupling hooks have been fitted.

The Railtech transfers have arrived, complete with custom numbers for D7591, but I'm thinking now I may do a Vac Braked only loco (due to the bodyside vent hinges on Dual brake fitted locos issue mentioned earlier), so more looking for photos of suitable candidates is required.

 

Sorry not a critisism, but I think they look better in blue. It seems to suit the 25 better.

[Clive Mortimore]

1 hour ago, MJI said:

 

Sorry not a critisism, but I think they look better in blue. It seems to suit the 25 better.

Hi Martin

 

Go wash your mouth out with soap, how dare you be so rude. Blue looks better than green?  Today's youngsters have no idea of what looks good.

 

By the way how is your leg this morning?

[MJI]

2 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Hi Martin

 

Go wash your mouth out with soap, how dare you be so rude. Blue looks better than green?  Today's youngsters have no idea of what looks good.

 

By the way how is your leg this morning?

 

A bit sore, off to hospital again in a minute so they can book me in tomorrow for ultrasound.

[AlfaZagato]

I'll add a second vote for blue from a man named Martin.   Something off about a rat in green.

 

Looking good so far, though.

[Signaller69]

8 hours ago, MJI said:

 

Sorry not a critisism, but I think they look better in blue. It seems to suit the 25 better.

 

4 hours ago, AlfaZagato said:

I'll add a second vote for blue from a man named Martin.   Something off about a rat in green.

 

Looking good so far, though.

 

I know what you mean, I grew up with blue 25s, the only green locos I was aware of in my teens were 40106 and then D200, and not being really keen on either, blue locos were what I modelled, as identities that I had spotted. 

 

Now I'm modelling the era in which I was a toddler I have expanded to green as well as blue locos. No kettles though (other than the odd industrial).

 

I might do another 25 or 2, the next one will most likely be blue to balance the fleet.....

[Gibbo675]

On 04/08/2020 at 11:30, Clive Mortimore said:

Hi Martin

 

Go wash your mouth out with soap, how dare you be so rude. Blue looks better than green?  Today's youngsters have no idea of what looks good.

 

By the way how is your leg this morning?

I like Blue except on a class 48 !!!

[MJI]

Leg finally have details

 

Supplementary vein inflamation very similar side effects.

 

Two big veins the deep one and the supplementary one, this one is partial blocked as inflamed.

 

Had ultrasound where they checked both veins from crotch to ankle.

 

Now on anti inflamitaries

[Signaller69]

7 hours ago, MJI said:

Leg finally have details

 

Supplementary vein inflamation very similar side effects.

 

Two big veins the deep one and the supplementary one, this one is partial blocked as inflamed.

 

Had ultrasound where they checked both veins from crotch to ankle.

 

Now on anti inflamitaries

Ouch, 

Hope your leg is better soon Martin.

[Signaller69]

11 hours ago, Gibbo675 said:

I like Blue except on a class 48 !!!

Model Rail mag may have you covered then!

[John Tomlinson]

I do have to smile a bit about the comments on BR railblue.

 

For those of us back in the '70's, which was when I started going out trying to do "serious" photography (sorry if that sounds pompous, it isn't meant), it was considered monumentally tedious. Everything had to be the same, and with no relief in the form of lining or other adornments at all. Just some crazed maniac with a spray gun covering everything in blue, except for the front which had to be all-over yellow, destroying the good looks of many classes in the process. It wasn't the Blue per se, just think of a Hymek with SYP and white window surrounds looking magic, rather the completely thoughtless and uniform application.

 

Stratford's Union Jack 47's were like a breath of fresh air, followed by their pale off white roofs. Others started to experiment, Newton Heath's 104's on my then local line from Manchester to Blackpool got white stripes on the side, a great improvement. And so the monolith broke down, with Large Logo and so on.

 

At least we had proper trains to look at back then!!

 

John (Grumpy old g!t).

Edited August 6, 2020 by John Tomlinson
clarification

[Clive Mortimore]

My comments about blue livery are only lighthearted, to be honest I don't care what livery others paint their locos and stock.

 

How is this for a conspiracy theory. Back in the early sixties ICI developed a blue paint that didn't fade as fast as other blue paints did. They even painted their wagons in it as an advert. I know modellers who have ICI wagons and painted them in BR Corporate Blue as that is a very close colour.

Who was chair of ICI until the Government asked him to take over and sort out BR? The good Doctor. Who was in charge when BR introduced the new corporate livery. The good Doctor.

 

Did ICI have buckets of this blue paint they couldn't shift?

[John Tomlinson]

2 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

My comments about blue livery are only lighthearted, to be honest I don't care what livery others paint their locos and stock.

 

How is this for a conspiracy theory. Back in the early sixties ICI developed a blue paint that didn't fade as fast as other blue paints did. They even painted their wagons in it as an advert. I know modellers who have ICI wagons and painted them in BR Corporate Blue as that is a very close colour.

Who was chair of ICI until the Government asked him to take over and sort out BR? The good Doctor. Who was in charge when BR introduced the new corporate livery. The good Doctor.

 

Did ICI have buckets of this blue paint they couldn't shift?

Sounds convincing to me.

 

Just goes to show, politicians never change.

 

John.

[Signaller69]

On the toy train front, the 25 chassis has been sprayed black, I'm pleased with the improved look of the fuel tank area.

I have also been musing over the chassis. On the 25, this is notorious for causing the loco to lean to one side, for a couple of reasons; firstly the off centre pivot on the dummy bogie (easily filed down), secondly due to the pivoting action of both the motor and dummy bogies within the bogie frames, which of course carry the weight of the loco, which is worse in the 25 than most other Hornby Bo-Bo designs I have had experience of. Thus I have decided that the dummy bogie will indeed have all wheel pickup, whilst the motor bogie has had another insulated wheel added in lieu of a non Insulated one, in order that the traction tyre on that axle can be diagonally opposite the other one, whilst keeping both axles driven, a system employed by Fleischmann. An extra pickup may be added to the opposite side wheel, which would give 3+3 wheel pickup in conjunction with the dummy bogie revised pickups, which I feel is fair compromise of haulage v pickup.

 

The metal centre of the dummy bogie can be another problem area with axle slots not always cast parallel with each other,  so will probably be replaced with a plasticard one, with a PCB strip fitted with wiper pickups to all wheels.

A screw through the bottom of the bogie to hold it in place SHOULD then prevent any rotation within the frame. The motor bogie will still pivot slightly to allow for any uneven track.

[jessy1692]

14 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

Model Rail mag may have you covered then!

Sods law just as im gathering bits for a 48... may do it blue just to confuse people!

[Signaller69]

A plasticard dummy bogie block has been assembled, which is a reasonable friction fit in the bogie frame.

The trapezoid piece at the rear bares on the base of the bogie frame to keep everything square and prevent rotation. The new block is a couple of mm shallower than the Hornby cast one, to clear the chassis cross member. The slot across the top is for a copperclad strip for the pickups. A small bolt will run up through the bogie frame and the copperclad strip, to a nut which will sandwich the whole thing together and should eliminate the dreaded "lean".

[Signaller69]

The bogie is now complete, just need to solder the pickup strips and connecting wires to the PCB strip. No wobble or lean any more! 

[Signaller69]

The 25 now has it's identity as Vacuum Braked only D5188 of the Preston division, which carried this guise long enough for it to receive TOPs numbering. A coat of Matt varnish has toned down the finish nicely.

Cab Handrails, glazing and headcode blinds to be tackled next, plus the obligatory weathering in due course.

[ISW]

11 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

The 25 now has it's identity as Vacuum Braked only D5188 of the Preston division, which carried this guise long enough for it to receive TOPs numbering. A coat of Matt varnish has toned down the finish nicely.

Cab Handrails, glazing and headcode blinds to be tackled next, plus the obligatory weathering in due course.

Martyn,

 

That's a real improvement over your starting point of the Hornby Class 25. You just show what's possible with an 'old' model compared to one of the more recent releases. Do you plan to re-motor the model as well? It's a reasonable simple task to install a CD-ROM motor and you get a much smoother running model, and one that has good slow speed control.

 

[Signaller69]

3 hours ago, ISW said:

Martyn,

 

That's a real improvement over your starting point of the Hornby Class 25. You just show what's possible with an 'old' model compared to one of the more recent releases. Do you plan to re-motor the model as well? It's a reasonable simple task to install a CD-ROM motor and you get a much smoother running model, and one that has good slow speed control.

 

Thankyou Ian, most kind.

 

The idea with this particular loco was just a few modest improvements such as the roof fan and cab end detail, and in particular the underframe, plus a repaint.

 

I have not put much thought into re-powering it; if it runs ok with the revised bogies/extra pickups/extra weight I will leave it as it is, but will keep an eye out for another cheap, older, Model Power US loco (think it was an RS-7) as used for my 24/1 chassis, as these used a plastic chassis with central can motor and all-wheel drive/pickup. But I'm keeping an open mind. 

 

Martyn.

 

 

[ISW]

3 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

Thankyou Ian, most kind.

 

The idea with this particular loco was just a few modest improvements such as the roof fan and cab end detail, and in particular the underframe, plus a repaint.

 

I have not put much thought into re-powering it; if it runs ok with the revised bogies/extra pickups/extra weight I will leave it as it is, but will keep an eye out for another cheap, older, Model Power US loco (think it was an RS-7) as used for my 24/1 chassis, as these used a plastic chassis with central can motor and all-wheel drive/pickup. But I'm keeping an open mind. 

 

Martyn.

 

 

Martyn,

 

The idea of replacing the chassis with one from an American model is not one I've come across. However, it does sound really interesting in that you get all-wheel drive, somewhat better than my CD-ROM drive conversion of the original motor. Hopefully (?!) it's something you'll be showing in these pages at some future date. I, for one, am looking forward to it!

 

 

[Signaller69]

12 hours ago, ISW said:

Martyn,

 

The idea of replacing the chassis with one from an American model is not one I've come across. However, it does sound really interesting in that you get all-wheel drive, somewhat better than my CD-ROM drive conversion of the original motor. Hopefully (?!) it's something you'll be showing in these pages at some future date. I, for one, am looking forward to it!

 

 

Ian, 

Well here it is, warts and all, no beauty prize competitor! It's functional, certainly not my neatest work......

I think the idea of using "foreign" outline chassis came about in the 60s or 70s, for powering MTK kits etc. Bogie wheelbase is usually slightly out compared to the UK locos (about 1mm short in this case).

 

I did my 24/1 some years ago; essentially, the Hornby 25 chassis had everything inside the frame cut away to fit around the donor Model Power chassis, which itself was extensively cut and shut to get the right bogie centres. One of the ABS drive shafts had to be modified accordingly. The Hornby bogie frames also had everything cut away inside to fit over the Model Power innards.

Everything about these chassis is basic. But it runs just as well as my Bachmann and Heljan locos, very controllable, if not quite as quiet, and will happily creep along all day. If the cheap motor expires they are easy to replace. The wheels are a little less chunky than the Hornby ones too.

 

I am intrigued about remotoring the Hornby Ringfield with a CD drive, having heard about it before, but have never (knowingly) seen one in action.

 

Martyn.

[ISW]

1 hour ago, Signaller69 said:

*snip*

 

I am intrigued about remotoring the Hornby Ringfield with a CD drive, having heard about it before, but have never (knowingly) seen one in action.

 

Martyn.

Martyn,

 

Given your obvious abilities with modification of locomotives, fitting a CD-ROM drive will be a 'walk in the park' for yourself.

 

The CD-ROM motors come in different voltages and sizes. Try to get a 6v or 9v model, as the 3v ones tend to need some serious modification to the CVs (assuming you are DCC control) to keep the speeds down! A motor closer to 12v is obviously preferable. As to size, the standard ones seem to be 12mm thick, but I prefer the smaller (and slightly harder to find) 10mm thick ones as this gives you a bit more space in the bogie. Some conversions (eg: Mainline Class 45 & 56) do not have enough space for a 12mm thick motor. In the case of the Mainline Class 56 I even had to grind down the case of the motor to get sufficient clearance to the backs of the wheels.

 

For a Hornby Ringfield conversion you:

1. Remove the back of the Ringfield motor and throw those bits away put the bits in your spares bin.
2. Remove the pinion gear from the armature (prize it with a flat blade screwdriver). You need to reuse this bit (on a Lima motor you need to buy a replacement plastic pinion gear but these are cheap and available). Remove the armature.
3. Using superglue (or similar) glue the CD-ROM motor into the Ringfield housing, making sure it is centralised! This step just makes the next one a bit easier.
4. Finalise the fixing of the CD-ROM with hot melt glue around the perimeter (3 spots should be enough).
5. Attach the pinion gear to the CD-ROM armature. This is the fiddly bit as the pinion hole is slightly larger than the CD-ROM armature. Roughen the armature with sandpaper to aid glue attachment. Again, centralise the pinion gear on the armature as much as possible and fix with Superglue 'in layers'. Do not glue in one go as the glue could run into the CD-ROM housing; not good. To avoid this, place a piece of paper over the armature, under the pinion gear, to 'catch' any surplus glue. It also ensures a bit of clearance. It helps to replace the 2 plastic gears that drive from the pinion gear to aid alignment. Remove the paper 'glue catcher'.

And that's about it. There are plenty of YouTube videos explaining / showing the process, and is where I learnt how to do this myself.

 

Here is a CD-ROM motor installed in a Hornby Class 25. Please ignore the red wire as that is to the additional pickups. This is a 10mm thick motor but, as you can tell, there is space for a 12mm version.

 

And here is the pinion gear side. Again, the black wire is to additional pickups. Looks like I didn't do a very good job of centralising the pinion gear on the armature, but it is not causing any problems at all.

 

[Signaller69]

11 minutes ago, ISW said:

*snip*

1. Attach the pinion gear to the CD-ROM armature. This is the fiddly bit as the pinion hole is slightly larger than the CD-ROM armature.

Ian,

 

Thanks for the detailed explanation, I think the above is the part I'd be most wary of.

 

As I'm using analogue control it sounds like a 9-12v motor would be essential? 

 

All the same it is an ingenious, low cost method, particularly if it gives improved response at slow speeds.

 

Martyn.

 

 

[ISW]

5 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

Ian,

 

Thanks for the detailed explanation, I think the above is the part I'd be most wary of.

Martyn,

 

Indeed. A nice goopy Superglue is preferable to the runny stuff for that step.

 

Ian

[crompton 33]

7 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

Ian,

 

Thanks for the detailed explanation, I think the above is the part I'd be most wary of.

 

As I'm using analogue control it sounds like a 9-12v motor would be essential? 

 

All the same it is an ingenious, low cost method, particularly if it gives improved response at slow speeds.

 

Martyn.

 

 

Hi martyn . I've converted 4 of my loco's to C D rom drive . Used the 9 volt one as i use Analogue not had a problem in 4 years they run nice and slow.  used epoxy to fix them in .  The one's i got had the pinion gear fitted to them . Alf