RMweb Gold sjp23480 Posted June 7, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2020 Hello everyone, I am hoping someone can help me out! I have two Hornby Clans, Buchanan and MacLeod. Both are DC. They have been stashed away for some time but I figured I should test them. On placing them on my rolling road neither would work, save for a slight buzz from the motor. No problem I thought, I checked the wheels and valve gear, neither was locked up. So I removed the body to get a closer look. Everything looked fine. In my process of elimination I wired the controller directly to the motor contacts. On both locos all I got was sparks, like a short circuit. Neither motor would turn. I started to take the screws out to get a closer look at the motor but thought better of it. Having wrecked the chassis of a Mazak rot infested Patriot! Any suggestions? I wondered if the brushes were sitting across two of the commutator plates inside the motor, would this cause a short? It seems so unlikely that both locos would both have thisfault. I also have a couple of Britannias from around the same production period and they run fine - of course! Many thanks for any assistance Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Half-full Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 My friend has 2 Clans which run very well on DC, but will not move on DCC, despite being hardwired. The decoders have been tested in other locos with no problems Very strange indeed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold sjp23480 Posted June 7, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2020 Thanks Half-Full. The irony is that I am sure both of mine were fine when I last tested them, probably 4-5 years ago. Needless to say am a bit frustrated with them right now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypherman Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 (edited) Hi Sip, You need to do a continuity test between the wheels to see if they are shorting out. Plus check that the pick ups have not warped and are shorting out. They probably could do with a good service. Take the motors out and make sure that their chassis's are free running. With the motors out check that thee motors are still working. Storage is not just about dirt and dry oil. Variations in temperature can cause plastics to become brittle and warp causing problems. Edited June 7, 2020 by cypherman 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimwal Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 Some years ago I had a similar problem with a Hornby 'Castle'. After removing the motor from the chassis I found it to be seized up. Gripping the worm and holding the motor I was able to free it up. I can't remember if I needed to use pliers to hold the worm initially, but be sure to protect the worm with a wrapping of card if you have to. Once freed, a bit of oil on the motor bearings and it was fine. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 Possibly congealed grease. I bought a model not long ago which had probably been on the shelves for quite a few years. New but unused. A Hornby Bulleid Pacific if anyone is wondering. Put it on a bit of track. Buzzed, but nothing else. Everything seemed fine otherwise. Started to take it to bits to examine it and before I had got far, a big glob of grease fell out which resembled a dollop of Hellman's Mayonnaise. Tried it again and it ran like a sewing machine. Jason 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 7, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 7, 2020 1 minute ago, Steamport Southport said: Tried it again and it ran like a sewing machine. Jason A bit noisy then! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted June 8, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 8, 2020 The only problem I had with my Clan was the front bogie fell apart. It first expanded so that the wheels wouldn't turn, then it broke apart when I took the coupling out. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR-fan Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 Like jimwal above I also had issues with a couple of Hornby models not used in several years. The motors were locked solid. I removed the motor and rotated the worm a few revolutions, reassembled and tested the loco with no issues. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold sjp23480 Posted June 8, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 8, 2020 Okay thank you everyone for your replies, consensus seems to be a stuck motor. Will take a deep breath and take it apart to try to manually turn the armature to see if this helps. ThNanks again, Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold sjp23480 Posted June 8, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 8, 2020 8 hours ago, BR60103 said: The only problem I had with my Clan was the front bogie fell apart. It first expanded so that the wheels wouldn't turn, then it broke apart when I took the coupling out. That sounds like Mazak rot! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold sjp23480 Posted June 8, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 8, 2020 Hello everyone, I would just like to thank you for your guidance. I managed to get the motors out, when I turned them by hand it felt like they were full of grit! Wherever Hornby use to grease their mechanisms clearly deteriorates over time. I gave them a shot of sewing machine oil and after a few more turns by hand I managed to get the motors to spin up. Now reinstalled and being run in to help loosen things up a bit. Now all I have to do is get this horrible black stuff off my hands they use to "stick" the motor in before I handle the bodies to reassemble them. Thanks again Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypherman Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 Hi Sips, I found a mixture of white spirit and washing up liquid helps shift that awful black stuff. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Half-full Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 (edited) 9 hours ago, cypherman said: Hi Sips, I found a mixture of white spirit and washing up liquid helps shift that awful black stuff. Guinness? Edited June 9, 2020 by Half-full Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR-fan Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 11 hours ago, sjp23480 said: ............................................................... I gave them a shot of sewing machine oil and after a few more turns by hand I managed to get the motors to spin up. Now reinstalled and being run in to help loosen things up a bit. ......................... Just a word of caution. Sewing machine oil might be fine for the motor bearings, but I believe that as a mineral oil it may not be plastic friendly, leading to plastic embrittlement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold sjp23480 Posted June 9, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2020 Thanks GWR, I only applied to the motor bearings and gears (all metal) in this instance. I say it's sewing machine oil, but I am not too sure it's actually from a 3M Precision oil pen picked up from Lidl a few years back. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypherman Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Hi Sip, I only ever use synthetic oil. It stops the plastic degrading and becoming brittle . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted June 9, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2020 33 minutes ago, cypherman said: Hi Sip, I only ever use synthetic oil. It stops the plastic degrading and becoming brittle . ^^^^ this Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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