Hornby Class 142 Pacer

[Bilbo]

The wired coupling you want seems to be item code X8448. newmodellersshop.co.uk do have them listed but not in stock.It may be worth an email to them to see if they are likely to have any more in. The Service sheet makes it look as if it wouldn't be too difficult to fix yourself. Just a thought .

 

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[gnairn23]

1 hour ago, Bilbo said:

The wired coupling you want seems to be item code X8448. newmodellersshop.co.uk do have them listed but not in stock.It may be worth an email to them to see if they are likely to have any more in. The Service sheet makes it look as if it wouldn't be too difficult to fix yourself. Just a thought .

 

 

Thanks for your reply. I have asked nms to mail me when another comes in. Obviously Hornby dont make them anymore so im counting on a used one appearing!

[crompton 33]

Lendons Cardiff have them listed 50p each. http://www.lendonsmodelshop.co.uk/?button=button2&servicesheets=none

[gnairn23]

No they don't have the X8448.

 

Can you link me to them?

[JDW]

Those are the pivot pins that the coupling pivots on, of which two are needed along with two circlips, both of which I linked to examples of near the beginning of the thread.

[gnairn23]

yes you an see circles where the old coupling attached onto..

 

 

Just need the X8448 and it can be attached to the pivot pins, I wonder if there are other couples that fit onto the pivots like these.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2020 by gnairn23

[gnairn23]

someone wanting to take the coupler off their 142 and give it to me?

Only joking haha.

It's not the end of the world if the pacer never gets fixed. It would lovely to find the part but who knows.

[JDW]

The only other Hornby stock to use that kind of coupling was the APT. 

See my PM regarding parts.

[gnairn23]

1 minute ago, JDW said:

The only other Hornby stock to use that kind of coupling was the APT. 

See my PM regarding parts.

 

yeah I found that out yesterday, they use it on an APT too. Off topic but they are great looking trains too. I look forward to reading your pm regarding parts, thanks.

[Huw Griffiths]

8 hours ago, gnairn23 said:

 

 

I wonder if there are other couples that fit onto the pivots like these.

 

The only couplers I know of that use these are marked "L5313" or "L7823".

 

As far as I know, they weren't originally fitted with metal contact strips - even if I suspect some might later have been botched up to take them.

 

I personally encountered the L5313 on some very early versions of their Class 142 - the ones with a motor in each car and no wiring between the cars.

 

 

4 hours ago, JDW said:

The only other Hornby stock to use that kind of coupling was the APT.

 

I wonder if the couplers and plastic pivot pins were a weak point on that design as well.

 

In case anyone's wondering, I'm not saying this as a "dig for victory" campaign against Hornby.

 

Over the years, I've bought a couple of cheap secondhand Hornby 142 sets. I've deliberately gone for mechanically sound examples of early, "motor in every car" versions - but not worried about cosmetic or wiring damage. I also wasn't worried about couplers. This might sound strange to some people, but I had my reasons.

 

On one set, both the plastic pivot pins (plus miniature circlips) were intact - but the couplers had been stuck together (and not very well). It also looked like somebody had attacked them using a soldering iron. They'd also done a botched DCC conversion - their wiring was terrible - with the result that the bodyshell no longer fitted properly onto the underframe. On the plus side, the bodyshell and interior (although knocked about) were easily repairable - the chassis were beautiful - and the price was so good I would have been mad to leave it in the shop (especially since I was only really interested in the chassis).

 

On the other set, the coupler was intact - but one of the pivot pins had been replaced by a #4 self tapping screw. Otherwise, although old and in need of a clean, this set was in excellent condition.

 

In other words, 2 secondhand Hornby 142 sets - both with damage or homebrew replacements to the couplers or pivot pins.

 

 

6 hours ago, gnairn23 said:

someone wanting to take the coupler off their 142 and give it to me?

Only joking haha.

It's not the end of the world if the pacer never gets fixed. It would lovely to find the part but who knows.

 

Somehow, I suspect the joking would stop very quickly if / when somebody finds the couplers you're after, looking for a new home ... .

 

 

By the way, in case you're wondering why I got myself 2 secondhand Hornby 142 sets, they were for some homebrew railbus builds. I made a start on one (an On30 Wismar "Hannover" type railbus), for the RMweb 2015 "build a loco" challenge (I wish they'd repeat that challenge). I lost a lot of build time - and ended up having to abandon my entry - due to my mother having a cataract operation on Christmas Eve that year.

 

Due to other commitments, I never got back to the build - when I do, I'll probably do some things differently. I still intend to use the Hornby 142 motor / gears subframe and trailing bogie assembly - they're great for what I want them for (and I didn't have to pay much for them at the time, either).

 

Thanks for reminding me about the Hornby 142s - and my forgotten plans to use secondhand chassis in my own builds. Now I've just got to find the chance to get back to this stuff (especially when I've got another build in progress).

 

 

Returning to the couplers, I hope you're able to find the "conducting" ones you're looking for.

 

 

Regards,

 

Huw.

 

 

Edited November 15, 2020 by Huw Griffiths
edited to correct errors

[gnairn23]

thanks for the input, was an interesting post to read.

I may be getting the Couling soon, someone has said they have a few and I just need to arrange to get it! will update when I know.

[Huw Griffiths]

Thanks.

 

Please keep us posted on the repairs.

 

By the way, it's been interesting to follow this thread. Also, following some of the leads from this thread - and checking out the couplers I'd removed from my first secondhand 142, plus those I hadn't from my second - made for an enjoyable diversion this evening.

 

I suspect a number of us have probably learnt something from this thread.

 

 

Regards,

 

Huw.

[gnairn23]

I think someone living nearby to me has a spare piece, so I’m just waiting for him to reply to an email and hopefully he’ll fit it for me too. Will keep you’s updated.

[Huw Griffiths]

6 hours ago, gnairn23 said:

I think someone living nearby to me has a spare piece, so I’m just waiting for him to reply to an email and hopefully he’ll fit it for me too. Will keep you’s updated.

 

Sounds great. Many thanks.

 

In case you're wondering, the only reason I hadn't explicitly offered to put the "non conducting" couplers I'd removed from my "142" sets in the mail was that it sounded like something more suitable was likely to become available.

 

With the right parts, fitting them isn't likely to be a major obstacle. Let's face it - manufacturers tend to design their products and parts so they can be assembled very quickly in a factory, without loads of fancy tools and specialist knowledge.

 

 

I also know - from when I stripped my secondhand "142s" - that the bodyshell is held on by one screw, near the floor, where a gangway could potentially be fitted. There's a small rectangular block moulded on top of the underframe to take this screw. The bodyshell can then be tipped out and removed.

 

The pivot pin is held from above the underframe by a small circlip - which can be released using a small screwdriver - so removal and replacement of the couplers should be straightforward.

 

As for wiring, I haven't come across this on early Hornby "142s" - but I'd expect to see strips of metal - and probably small spade terminals, with metal female connectors to clip onto them. If I'm right, these could work loose with repeated insertion / removal. Instead of spade terminals, it's also possible they might have used metal  terminals (probably crimped onto the wires) with something similar to a washer on the end - designed to be held in place by a screw. Neither of these options are likely to cause any major problems when being fitted.

 

 

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned about one of my secondhand sets having previously been the subject of a botched DCC install. The previous owner had drilled a couple of holes in the gangway ends and run wires through them. This sort of arrangement could also be made to work - although, if I were doing this, I'd probably fit some turned pin IC sockets in this space and make a flexible / removable jumper lead to go with them.

 

 

At various times, I have wondered about using some old multiple unit models for DCC experiments - which would probably involve a similar arrangement plus LED lightbars in the ceilings - but I'm in no rush.

 

I am, however, sure that any homebrew railcars I build will include allowance for me to fit DCC at a later date, in case I ever decide to "go digital". This is mainly because it's likely to be cheap and easy to allow for this now - but more of an issue to adapt already existing models a few years down the line.

 

Anyway, that's more than enough about what I might do - and probably not much help to you.

 

 

All the best with what you are doing.

 

Regards,

 

Huw.

 

 

Edited November 15, 2020 by Huw Griffiths

[gnairn23]

good post Huw, enjoyed reading that.

Fingers crossed I get an email back relatively soon.

It would give me great joy to see this train performing well on the tracks again!

[cravensdmufan]

5 hours ago, Huw Griffiths said:

At various times, I have wondered about using some old multiple unit models for DCC experiments - .

Following on from Huw's comments, here's what I have done with my old 142:

 

History - around 25 years ago I purchased one of the original models second-hand.  It was one of the early releases where each car was independently powered from it's own pick ups from three wheels per car.  But it was absolutely useless in getting over my (then) Insulfrog points. Each car would always stall and rely on the other to push (or pull) it over, and that only worked if it was going at a reasonable speed.  Slow running was out of the question!  So I decided to wire the cars together.  The only plug/socket available in those days was quite a chunky one primarily for model cars I think.  But it proved ideal as it also acted as the coupler.  I removed the original Hornby (non-wired) couplings.  Another added advantage was that it brought the cars closer together. Quick dab of dark grey paint and it was hardly noticeable.  Good result, and no more stalling.

 

Fast forward 25 years - My layout is now DCC and the poor old 142 was languishing in a drawer for a few years.  So I decided to have a go at converting it to DCC!  Easy job, as it turned out.  Just one cheap Hattons decoder required, an 8 pin one with the plug chopped off ready for hard wiring, using just the red/black and orange/grey wires.  I disconnected the track pick up wires from each motor and attached them to the red/black wires into the decoder which I hid in the toilet compartment in one car.  Then I ran orange/grey wires from the decoder to each motor.  This required another plug/socket to connect the other car but these days ultra small ones with very fine wires are available.  I get mine from Squires Tools. 

 

The DMU now works better than ever on DCC.  It can actuallymove at a scale walking pace - and of course still no stalling!  Just a very slight wobble/bouncing off it's original chunky wheelsets - but that looks prototypical!   It growls a bit - so I don't need to sound fit it!

 

So here's a few photos and a video of my old 142.  With weathering, IMO it still looks good and runs well on the layout alongside the modern stuff.

 

Cheers.

 

Vivian

 

 

 

 

[ColinK]

That is really good.

[gnairn23]

Cravensdmufan,

 I got one of those older models in grey and to. my surprise it came with the two trains attached with wire like you see with the newer pacers.

So in theory I have the 2 engines with wired coupling pacer and so should be doubly reliable.

The previous owner I bought it off must of wired them together themselves. 

I suppose I should be content with this pacer on it's own, instead of thinking about repairing my newer(1 engine model)that I got as a gift 22 years ago!

 

This is the one I scored on Olivia's trains..

 

 

Grey is my favourite colour, so this is the livery I chose.

 

[ColinK]

I’ve got a spare Hornby Pacer motor unit if its any help?

[gnairn23]

Thanks man but no its not the motor I need, it's the electrically connected couplings.

Thanks though.

I must say you've all been helpful and some people going out their way to get the spare to me.

Will definitely post a picture of the revived Northern Spirit Pacer, if it happens.

 

 

[gnairn23]

Someone is kindly coming round to my house in Thursday to attach a new coupler and solder the wires in the connection.

I'm excited to see this railbus going round the track again.

I'll update yous when the operation is over!

Cheers

[Huw Griffiths]

3 hours ago, gnairn23 said:

Someone is kindly coming round to my house in Thursday to attach a new coupler and solder the wires in the connection.

I'm excited to see this railbus going round the track again.

I'll update yous when the operation is over!

Cheers

 

This is precisely the sort of stuff I really like about this site - also about this hobby - well, most importantly about the vast majority of people involved in this hobby.

 

Some of our friends the other side of the pond summed it up extremely well, when they started marketing model railroading as "the world's greatest hobby" - but this doesn't just refer to the hobby itself (great though it is).

 

A number of years back, Robson Green described angling as being all about the people you're with. Although I, personally, have never been into angling, I think he's absolutely right.

 

All hobbies are really all about the people you're with - the people you encounter through the hobby - and the vast majority of railway modellers I've encountered have been thoroughly decent people, who happily go out of their way to help others.

 

I'm sure this is true of everyone who's been involved in this thread.

 

Ultimately, that is what this hobby - indeed any worthwhile hobby - is all about - decent people doing the decent thing.

 

I don't think anyone here would want it any other way.

 

 

Huw.

 

 

[ColinK]

Spot on Huw.

[gnairn23]

4 minutes ago, Huw Griffiths said:

 

This is precisely the sort of stuff I really like about this site - also about this hobby - well, most importantly about the vast majority of people involved in this hobby.

 

Some of our friends the other side of the pond summed it up extremely well, when they started marketing model railroading as "the world's greatest hobby" - but this doesn't just refer to the hobby itself (great though it is).

 

A number of years back, Robson Green described angling as being all about the people you're with. Although I, personally, have never been into angling, I think he's absolutely right.

 

All hobbies are really all about the people you're with - the people you encounter through the hobby - and the vast majority of railway modellers I've encountered have been thoroughly decent people, who happily go out of their way to help others.

 

I'm sure this is true of everyone who's been involved in this thread.

 

Ultimately, that is what this hobby - indeed any worthwhile hobby - is all about - decent people doing the decent thing.

 

I don't think anyone here would want it any other way.

 

 

Huw.

 

 

Couldn't of said it any better myself. Also, the way it brings a family together, such a magical aspect of the hobby.
With Christmas coming, it brings back memories of pure joy receiving a train set from parents, well this year I have a Tornado Express train set under the tree to enjoy with dad.
Magic

[gnairn23]

Joe came round and fixed the Pacer and now it runs very well.  He also did repairs to 2 other locomotives. I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done. This demonstrates this forum and all model rail forums at their best. So thanks everyone for the help.