Black Notley - BR Eastern

[pwr]

Bob

 

No I would concur with Jim. I have not heard of this failure on 31's - different gear train I think. The problem only seemed to affect the Hymek, 37,47,55, the latter all sharing the same bogie and mechanism with the Hymek using the same gears. My Deltic that said seems OK for now

 

I will get my older 31 out and give it a try this week but I find it galling that I am going to have to pay £240 in replacement gears to fix a problem of Heljan's making which although they acknowledge and have fixed on later locos, they have not taken any steps to redress the issues which I and others are still  having save pointing us to the authorised spares dealers.  Some owners may not feel they have the skills to fix these. I have to say if this was Hornby this would never have happened. They are well known for good after care (or at least they were).

 

I have also heard talk of some of the smaller gears splitting although I have never come across that particular issue as they are designed to freely rotate round the stub axles.

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Well I thought I would post a picture of the 47 arriving to collect the empty Warwell.

 

 

 

The wife has suggested I should buy some more replacement metal gears for these locos and has authorised the expenditure of £120 on Ultrascale replacements  for the Hymek and 37 which I have ordered. I thought this would then avoid the need to replace those in the Hymek but the delivery timeframe for these is 5 months! So I will just have to crack on and do them pending the supply becoming available. I think she is concerned at my blood pressure which rises every time I get annoyed by these issues!

 

Also next down to the conservatory for testing is the F5 which when I ran it last year sounded as if it needed lubricating. So I will do that but in the meatime thought a few shots of it on the branch passenger would be  in order.

 

 

 

 

 

This was built in 1993 from a Connoisseur kit which is still available and just goes together like a dream which is something that applies to all Jim's kits.

 

I have another to build which will have the F6 style cab. She does look rather good on the Heljan Gresley coach I must say. 

 

All for now and onwards to the Hymek

 

Paul R

[Andrew P]

7 hours ago, pwr said:

Bob

 

No I would concur with Jim. I have not heard of this failure on 31's - different gear train I think. The problem only seemed to affect the Hymek, 37,47,55, the latter all sharing the same bogie and mechanism with the Hymek using the same gears. My Deltic that said seems OK for now

 

I will get my older 31 out and give it a try this week but I find it galling that I am going to have to pay £240 in replacement gears to fix a problem of Heljan's making which although they acknowledge and have fixed on later locos, they have not taken any steps to redress the issues which I and others are still  having save pointing us to the authorised spares dealers.  Some owners may not feel they have the skills to fix these. I have to say if this was Hornby this would never have happened. They are well known for good after care (or at least they were).

 

I have also heard talk of some of the smaller gears splitting although I have never come across that particular issue as they are designed to freely rotate round the stub axles.

 

Paul R

A mate of mine bought a Factory Sound Fitted Hornby 08 back in 2013, a couple of weeks ago it failed. Burnt a very small hole in the roof and set the Chip on fire. He returned it to Hornby, with a polite letter and original receipt, and stating that if they could repair / replace the Chip then he would gladly pay ALL COSTS inc postage etc.

It arrived back last Friday, Repaired, but with original Body that he can sort out, and an Invoice stating New Chip and Tested, NO CHARGE. = Wonderful Service. 

[pwr]

49 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

A mate of mine bought a Factory Sound Fitted Hornby 08 back in 2013, a couple of weeks ago it failed. Burnt a very small hole in the roof and set the Chip on fire. He returned it to Hornby, with a polite letter and original receipt, and stating that if they could repair / replace the Chip then he would gladly pay ALL COSTS inc postage etc.

It arrived back last Friday, Repaired, but with original Body that he can sort out, and an Invoice stating New Chip and Tested, NO CHARGE. = Wonderful Service. 

 

 

Andy

 

That sounds typical of Hornby who treat their customers right. Heljan take note!

 

Paul R

[boeing7572t6]

Paul,

Nice F5, shame the branch passenger service to Bishops Stortford was terminated in 1952.
Thank you for you insight regarding the Class31 gears.
Bob

[pwr]

17 hours ago, boeing7572t6 said:

Paul,

Nice F5, shame the branch passenger service to Bishops Stortford was terminated in 1952.
Thank you for you insight regarding the Class31 gears.
Bob

 

Thanks Bob

 

Yes I agree. In my world the line never shut (Rule 1 applies) and passenger trains continued to run between Bishops Stortford and Witham every two hours with an hourly service overlaid between Witham and Braintree.  A curve was also built from the Braintree branch towards Colchester to permit through freight and diversionary passenger trains. According to Paye's book Britannia locos were permitted on the branch although there is no evidence to suggest they ever went that way.

 

There are even rumours of electrification! History would be bent a bit and the full line deemed to have been electrified in 1963 at the same time as the through route to Clacton. this would simply have been overlaid on the present track plan with probably only the passenger line being strung up, there being no need for electrified freight.  We will see! An O gauge Clacton set is a possibility - you can get 3D printed ends!

 

 

Paul R

[Mol_PMB]

Do you have any services through to Maldon?

I was born and brought up round there so have an affinity with the area and the layout name 'Black Notley' piqued my interest when I saw it a few weeks back. It's a lovely layout and captures the area well.

The freight should surely be in the hands of a Class 15, maybe one of the ones in green with double arrows and full yellow ends?

As for the electric string, I have very fond memories of the 309s and would love to see an O gauge model of that, but an interesting alternative under Rule 1 would be the extension of the 1500Vdc from Chelmsford to Braintree...

[pwr]

I was originally brought up in Witham and they say you end up modelling what you knew as a child! There is a you tube film of the Maldon line taken before it closed but I just did a search and can't find it!. 

 

I only wish I had the space to put more of the layout up but that will need to wait till the better weather. Yes I have class 15's - four of them in fact! If you scroll back through the pages you will see some photos and video.

 

I don't think there were ever through trains from Braintree to Maldon at least not passenger.

 

I see where you are going with the 1500v DC but I feel that would restrict the stock types even applying rule 1 and the catenary is completely different.  If I stick to 25kv I can run 307's, 308's 209's and 312's. Whether I ever do is open to question but as I am about to retire who knows.

 

 

Paul R

 

 

 

 

[Mol_PMB]

You are probably right about the lack of through passenger trains to Maldon; they may have featured in the earliest days of the pair of branches.

I think the Maldon branch did at one stage have a direct curve towards Colchester, but trains from Maldon to Braintree would have had to reverse in Witham station. Before Witham gained its loops, both the Maldon and Braintree branches connected to the up main line.

You're right that on DC you would be limited to the units that later became 306s and 307s (plus rule 1 would give you an EB1 and an EM1!). The sections electrified at DC retained their DC-style catenary (with bigger insulators) for AC and until recently this was a very distinctive feature of the first 30 miles of the GEML.

On AC, I think you could also justify a 302. Whilst they mostly worked on the LTS, there were some on the GE and one of the books I have includes a photo of a 302 at Braintree. And if the branch had been electrified in 1963 then a 306 would surely be ideal for the branch shuttle?

Looking forward to seeing a fleet of AC EMUs in 7mm scale!

[pwr]

15 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

You are probably right about the lack of through passenger trains to Maldon; they may have featured in the earliest days of the pair of branches.

I think the Maldon branch did at one stage have a direct curve towards Colchester, but trains from Maldon to Braintree would have had to reverse in Witham station. Before Witham gained its loops, both the Maldon and Braintree branches connected to the up main line.

You're right that on DC you would be limited to the units that later became 306s and 307s (plus rule 1 would give you an EB1 and an EM1!). The sections electrified at DC retained their DC-style catenary (with bigger insulators) for AC and until recently this was a very distinctive feature of the first 30 miles of the GEML.

On AC, I think you could also justify a 302. Whilst they mostly worked on the LTS, there were some on the GE and one of the books I have includes a photo of a 302 at Braintree. And if the branch had been electrified in 1963 then a 306 would surely be ideal for the branch shuttle?

Looking forward to seeing a fleet of AC EMUs in 7mm scale!

 

 

You may have to wait a long time!

 

Yes you are right about the west to north Maldon line curve at Witham. There were also additional curves at Maldon and Wickford to facilitate the Southend to Colchester service which in fact lasted no more than a few years after which the curves were superfluous. The Witham curve is buried under a road now. Peter Paye's book published by Lightmoor Press has a very detailed history of the Maldon lines.  Likewise his book on the Braintree and Bishops Stortford line. As far as I know though there is no similar history of the Witham to Braintree line.

 

Paul R

[Izzy]

I presume you’d just (!) stick to 4-car sets for the EMU’s as finding room for longer ones might be a bit of a challenge.......  Of course a 2-car 309 set would be shorter but apart from odd times didn’t really run much on their own, (until the mid 80’s and onward when they were made up to 3/4 car sets), and I do wonder whether they would have been used on such a branch anyway. But of course rule 1 always applies.....

 

 

 

[Mol_PMB]

These are the three books I have, all fairly old. 

[Mol_PMB]

5 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I presume you’d just (!) stick to 4-car sets for the EMU’s as finding room for longer ones might be a bit of a challenge.......  Of course a 2-car 309 set would be shorter but apart from odd times didn’t really run much on their own, (until the mid 80’s and onward when they were made up to 3/4 car sets), and I do wonder whether they would have been used on such a branch anyway. But of course rule 1 always applies.....

 

 

 

The advantage of a 306 or DC predecessor is that it’s only 3 shorter cars. 

[pwr]

1 hour ago, Izzy said:

I presume you’d just (!) stick to 4-car sets for the EMU’s as finding room for longer ones might be a bit of a challenge.......  Of course a 2-car 309 set would be shorter but apart from odd times didn’t really run much on their own, (until the mid 80’s and onward when they were made up to 3/4 car sets), and I do wonder whether they would have been used on such a branch anyway. But of course rule 1 always applies.....

 

 

 

 

 

Yes I can run just about get a 4 car set in both fiddle yards.  However a 2 car 309 could have been detached at Witham - as you say Rule 1 applies

 

Back in the day I can recall a 2 car unit would leave Clacton, call at all stations to Colchester and then wait in Platform 4 for an 8 car combined Clacton/Walton combined set to couple up and run as a 10 car to Liverpool St. I never saw a reverse working.

 

Paul R

[Izzy]

3 hours ago, pwr said:

Back in the day I can recall a 2 car unit would leave Clacton, call at all stations to Colchester and then wait in Platform 4 for an 8 car combined Clacton/Walton combined set to couple up and run as a 10 car to Liverpool St. I never saw a reverse working.

 

Now that's very interesting. About when was this? I ask because I have built a small layout in 2FS based around the general premise of St Boltophs - but nothing like it - at which either a Maroon 4-car 309 or a Blue/Grey 2/3 car 309 unit calls on it's way to Colchester North. The altered reality I have used says these are the Walton portions that get detached/joined at North rather than Thorpe-le-Soken and call at the alternate stations to the 'main' Clacton portion.

 

Up until now my knowledge has been that the 2-car sets never normally ran on their own except during the early/mid 1980's and prior to re-furbishment when they were bolstered by converted Mk1's to become 4-cars, went down to 3-car sets when the buffets were withdrawn, before going back to 4 again. Or that 309 sets were ever broken/joined at Colchester. I have learned that very occasionally 309 sets would run the odd local service when 302's/308's were out of action for one reason or another but not that they would go onward to LS.

 

It would be very handy info to have to bolster my back story to know the time period during which this happened.

 

thanks,

 

Bob

 

[pwr]

Time for another trip back in time. The Claude has been rostered today for the Braintree line trains because the branch J15 and N7 are not available. This is because I haven't started the kits yet!!!

 

This was an SM models kit and it was a real pig to put together.  The head on sot looks as if the loco has a distinct lean but I can assure you it hasn't and I cannot have railed it properly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am giving these an outing as they haven't been run for a while. I am running them on some track on the conservatory window cill.  The F5 was needing oil as it screeches along like a banshee which I have only partially corrected. I am leaving it a while to let the oil soak into the bearings and gears.

 

The B2 is next after this one

 

In other news contrary to the message on their web site, the replacement Ultrascale gears for the Hymek and 37 have been posted. They must have had some on the shelf.

 

Paul R

[jcarta]

2 hours ago, pwr said:

 

In other news contrary to the message on their web site, the replacement Ultrascale gears for the Hymek and 37 have been posted. They must have had some on the shelf.

 

Paul R

 Paul

 

I also had my email to say that my set for the Class 33 has been posted. Next month I am just going to bite the bullet and replace all the gears on my Class 37's, 47's & 55. I know it's going to be expensive but at least I know they will never be out of service.

 

Jim

[pwr]

1 hour ago, jcarta said:

 Paul

 

I also had my email to say that my set for the Class 33 has been posted. Next month I am just going to bite the bullet and replace all the gears on my Class 37's, 47's & 55. I know it's going to be expensive but at least I know they will never be out of service.

 

Jim

 

That was my view Jim. The only loco not fitted will be the Deltic but that doesn't seem to be afflicted. If and when it goes I'll order some then.

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Today's flashback is to summer 1958 when B2 Ford Castle was on an excursion to Clacton. 

 

Yes I realised after I took the photo that the front bogie wheel is not seated on the track correctly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was a DMR kit and was not one of their best as it was upscaled from 4mm and bits simply did not fit. I had to cut the cylinder block in two to make it wider or the wheels and valve gear did not align correctly.

 

They also of a B17 kit which was much better as it was drawn at 10mm and downsized although I don't have one.

 

They also do a J17 which I would like.

 

I ran the Claude on the test track this morning and it still runs very sweetly. Another run for the F5 showed an improvement with the wailing banshee noise having gone. The F5 has a Mashima 1833 and fold up gear box in it so its not the best whereas the Claude and the B2 have a Ron Chapman motor with a better gearbox.

 

I am trying to emulate Andy Peters low level shots by turning the phone upside down!!!  He does have a better depth of field as he is using a proper camera!

 

Paul R

[boeing7572t6]

Hi Paul,

I’m still envious of the B2, I would love to have a B17 for the odd excursion through Felsted. Attached is a snap of my BTH Type1 leaving Felsted with the pick up freight. Hope it’s of interest.

i promise not to hijack your thread with my stuff.

Bob

[pwr]

Bob

 

I don't mind you hijacking me thread when you post excellent pictures like this!

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Well over the weekend I replaced the cluster gears in the Hymek with the new Ultrascale ones. One of the plastic originals had split although the one I had replaced before was OK. However when I ran the think it still sounds like it has a permanent wheel flat so I am wondering if another of the gears has split - different type. I have heard stories of this happening built its not that usual. Replacements are available rom Ultrascale.

 

I will have to have the keeper plates of the bottom and have a look.

 

More on this later.

 

Paul R

 

 

[pwr]

Not much to report this week but I have had the keeper plates off the Hymek bogies but I can't find any other gears that are split. I ran it again on the window sill test track and the problem persists. Its only at one end and mostly loud in one direction, much less so in the other. I think I am going to have to run it on the desk upside down with the keeper plate removed and see what is going on. 

 

The other problem with this loco is the noisy fan drive. Does anyone know if these can be disabled by removing the connections or will this affect the loco drive? I think I would rather it were not there its that bad unless anyone knows how to correct a noisy fan motor?

 

Paul R

[jcarta]

Paul

 

The fan can de disconnected and it will not affect the loco drive.

 

The noisy drive motor on one end only.... I had a similar problem with the Class 31 where the motor had dropped, have a look at the motor and losen it off and rise it up from the gears a little to see if this resolves your issue.

 

Jim

[pwr]

Thanks Jim I'll certainly try that and report back.

 

Paul R