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What made Triang more successful than Hornby Dublo and Trix?


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Tri-ang Railways switches, the same types carried on through Tri-ang Hornby, Hornby Railways, and are still currently made in China for Hornby.

 

Plastic cases. Metal levers. 
They slot together with two plastic pins on top, and a metal pin that acts as a common power feed, except for the R.47 On/Off switch, which has the metal  pin, but it is not connected to the switch. So it still lets the power through. A bit like “piped” rolling stock! ;)

 

Green. R.47. RT.47. RT.047. On/ Off. Isolating sections, etc.

 

Black. R.44. RT.44. R.044. Passing Contact. Solenoid point motors, etc.

 

Very early examples have on the box ends :-

 

R.44

LEVER FRAME SECTION

with leads

Points / Signals

 

EBE0C72A-D2EC-4A1A-AB65-9FBDB43C7F6D.jpeg.f66604fe274497cb5ffa7295975178f2.jpeg

This begs the question, did Tri-ang Railways intend to make solenoid operated signals? 
Again, I have written on this subject for collectors magazines…

 

The electric signals would have been R.46. (Probably R.46H for the Home (Stop) Signal, and R.46D for the Distant Signal.)

 

15330440-A8CD-497E-9867-095DAB3E6D9B.jpeg.558a26f2c3d6cc846ef597c52a9836ff.jpeg

 

R.46 was subsequently used for the On/On switch introduced at the same time as the Colour Light Signal set, RT.405.

 

Yellow. RT.46. R.046. On/ On. Colour light signals, selecting the output of a controller between the turntable and the track, etc.

 

Red. RT.48. (Didn’t last to receive R.048)

 

This is a spring loaded On/ Off switch. Sprung to return to Off.

 

It was intended to work the electric double track level crossings, R.170 B.R. Type with 4 gates, and the R.171 T.C. Type with 2 lifting barriers.

 

These used a special resistance wire, which contracted when it heated up as current was passing through.

 

If left on too long, the wire would overheat, and melt the plastic base, and/ or the wire would snap. The recommended maximum time being half a minute, 30 seconds…

 

Hence the spring loading, to stop the current being left on accidentally.

 

 

88A3B707-2101-4DB5-9EC7-E315CDF9B9E7.jpeg.a89d39940499ecd830f1133517cfe2b3.jpeg
 

D5C7685E-D83C-416B-8B32-F0485291CE55.jpeg.6b1842516bf8c722b1fc1b0fd30ecbfd.jpeg

 

 

Also see this earlier posting…

 

 

 

Edited by Ruffnut Thorston
More added including the Red switch that I forgot!
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23 hours ago, Ruffnut Thorston said:

Tri-ang Railways switches, the same types carried on through Tri-ang Hornby, Hornby Railways, and are still currently made in China for Hornby.

 

Plastic cases. Metal levers. 
They slot together with two plastic pins on top, and a metal pin that acts as a common power feed, except for the R.47 On/Off switch, which has the metal  pin, but it is not connected to the switch. So it still lets the power through. A bit like “piped” rolling stock! ;)

 

Green. R.47. RT.47. RT.047. On/ Off. Isolating sections, etc.

 

Black. R.44. RT.44. R.044. Passing Contact. Solenoid point motors, etc.

Very early examples have on the box ends “for points and signals”. This begs the question, did Tri-ang Railways intend to make solenoid operated signals? 
Again, I have written on this subject…

The electric signals may have been R.46. (Probably R.46H for the Home (Stop) Signal, and R.46D for the Distant Signal.)

Subsequently used for the On/On switch introduced at the same time as the Colour Light Signal set, RT.45.

 

Yellow. RT.46 R.046 O/On Colour light signals, selecting the output of a controller between the turntable and the track.

 

Red R.48. (Possibly RT.48. Probably didn't last to receive R.048

 

This is a spring loaded On/ Off switch. Sprung to return to Off.

 

The Green Lever Frame Switch first appeared in the OO catalogue as RT.47 in 1960 at the same time as the first isolating tracks for Standard Track R.203 and for Series 3 R.295. Up to then there was no direct use for a simple On/Off switch, unless it had a previous incarnation in the TT system. So it is unlikely that it first appeared as R.47.

 

The colour light signal set was RT.405, not RT.45,

 

There never was an RT.45 and there couldn't be because R.45 was the standard track turntable and there never were R and RT items sharing the same number but for different items at the same time.

 

The Red Lever Frame Switch was known as RT.48, at least in the OO range from its first appearance in the 1957 3rd edition catalogue, with the R.170 and R.171 level crossings with which it was designed to work. It may have been R.48 back in 1956, but neither it not the electrically operated level crossings were in the 1956 2nd edition catalogue, hence the reference to "recent introductions".

 

816336247_RT.481957.jpg.851238443662fddd9ba82d283ea4c9df.jpg

 

When the level crossings were dropped in 1962, RT.48 went with them and it never reappeared, at least up to the end of the Triang Hornby period. It would have come back in the mid 1960s if the plans to launch the Minic Motorway double track level crossing with operating barriers RM.908 had come to pass. RM.908 was to use the same base as the RM.905 manually operated crossing which was designed with the necessary mouldings to fit the same mechanism as the R.170/R.171 level crossings and hence would have needed the RT.48 lever frame switch to operate it. A pity, I'd have bought the level crossing if they had launched it.

 

There was another use planned for RT.48 which was with the RT.49 diesel horn also intended for use with the TT system, and it is shown alongside the horn unit in the 1961 catalogue clearly labelled as RT.48. But the diesel horn never appeared. Pat Hammond speculates that there might have been problems with the mechanism. But Tri-ang make kids bikes, I had one myself, and I wonder if the idea was to use a battery powered horn being developed for the kids' bikes like the ones made by Pifco. Richard Lines was almost certainly on the lookout for items from elsewhere in the Lines Bros product and company portfolio that could be pressed into service for the model railway system. But when the horn unit was ready, the sound was too puny and unconvincing, like my Pifco horn, and that was why it was dropped.  

 

RT.48 would only have become R.48 when the "RT" was replaced by the usual "R" and then become R.048 if there had been a use for it which I don't believe there has been since R.170 and R.171 were dropped at the end of 1961.

 

All 4 of the Lever Frame switches, 44 - Black Passing Contacts, 46 - Yellow On/On, 47 - Green Off/On, and 48 -Red Off/ Hold for On, are spring loaded. 44, 46 and 47 have a detent/recess at the end away from the terminals to lock the lever in place. I don't have a 48 in front of me to check, but the illustrations show it without the recess so that it can't be locked in the On position. I would imagine that the same tooling was used for them all, but with a pin inserted to create the detent/recess when making the black, yellow or green versions.

 

Several of the "RT" number series started life before the launch of the TT range with the standard "R" prefix.

R.40 >>> RT.40 Battery Connector

R.42 >>> RT.42 Speed Control Unit

R.44 >>> RT.44 Black Lever Frame Switch

R.144 >>> RT.144 Lever Frame Mounting Plate

 

The RT.144, mounting plate has always struck me as unnecessary as the lever frames clipped securely together and each one had holes for fixing screws. However the lever frame sections were pigs to separate and frequently one or both of the plastic locating/fixing pins broke off if you tried to pull them apart by hand. Care was, and probably still is, needed, with the help of a blunt knife, to gently prise them apart and gradually split and separate them. 

 

In 1957, all the OO gauge accessories that could be used with the new TT system changed from being "R" to RT, see above. IT seems pretty clear that Rovex used a previously unused number in the "R" series for joint accesories but added the T for those suitable for use with TT. for example, both R.405 and R.46 were unused when the colour light signal set was launched, so they used RT.405 and RT.46. R.405 and R.46 remained unused until the TT range was discontinued and Rovex dropped the RT prefix in 1969, and reverted back to the plain "R" for all previous "RT" items still in the catalogue, which they could easily do as they'd left the necessary gaps.

Edited by GoingUnderground
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I think this a good starting point for listing the various RT items

 

RT.40 Battery Connector - Originally R.40

RT.42 Speed Control Unit - Originally R.42

RT.44 Lever Frame Section - Black - Passing Contacts - Use with solenoid point motors - Originally R.44

RT.46 Lever Frame Section - Yellow - On/On - Use with Colour Light Signals

RT.47 Lever Frame Section - Green - Off/On - Use with Isolating tracks

RT.48 Lever Frame Section - Red - Off/Hold for On - Use with Level Crossings and Diesel Horn

RT.49 Diesel Horn - Cancelled

RT.144 Base for 6 Lever Frame Sections

RT.207 Packet of Track Pins

RT.208 Triang Railways - The First 10 Years

RT.265 Set of 4 Station Lamps

RT.266 Set of 2 Station Lamps

RT.267 Fog Signal

RT.268 Bell Signal Set

RT.286 Tri-ang Railways Lapel Badge (the metal pin one)

RT.288 Tool Kit

RT.297 Power-Clean Brush

RT.298 Home Maintenance Set

RT.395 Railway Sounds Record - Anyone got one?

RT.405 Colour Light Signal Set

RT.412 Quadruple Push Button Control for Electrically Operated Points

RT.520 Seuthe Smoke Unit

RT.521 Capsule of Smoke Oil

 

I've probably missed some, so please feel free to point out my omissions.

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23 minutes ago, BernardTPM said:

 

Yes, though haven't played it in a good few years.

 

TRRR1.jpg.44fda92878082d3c575367266bacf07b.jpgTRRR2.jpg.8c493b35129ccaf97e6b6bf91f25f37f.jpgTRRR3.jpg.e2af465ed46e2eab66eca2f410d85f5a.jpg

I love the way that the Class 31 on the sleeve has the same headcode as R.357 "4C01".

 

And who said "Sound" only came in with DCC? :jester: 

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RT 286 lapel badge - that was one up on Hornby Dublo (I think).

Also re the working level crossings worked by contracting wire, haven't seen either of those, did they actually work ok? The instructions to replace the wire if necessary seem complicated....

Edited by railroadbill
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1 hour ago, railroadbill said:

RT 286 lapel badge - that was one up on Hornby Dublo (I think).

2 up, as there were 2 separate badges.

 

The first one R.282 was red plastic, not sure if it was acetate or polystyrene, in the same colours and shape as the well-known Tri-ang OO/H0 logo. At one stage, there was one of these buttonhole badges in each train set. You can see this badge top left in the image that I posted earlier today. 

 

The later one, RT.286 was enamelled metal with a pale yellow background with the word Tri-ang picked out in red. The colours matched those of the TT system in being the reverse of those used for the OO/H0 system. It did not mention OO, H0 or TT.

 

 

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1 hour ago, sandwich station said:

 

i have 3 sets of these.

I have 1, so that's 4 in or around Melbourne! To one in Sydney.

The Bell Signal Set.

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12 hours ago, GoingUnderground said:

2 up, as there were 2 separate badges.

 

The first one R.282 was red plastic, not sure if it was acetate or polystyrene, in the same colours and shape as the well-known Tri-ang OO/H0 logo. At one stage, there was one of these buttonhole badges in each train set. You can see this badge top left in the image that I posted earlier today. 

 

The later one, RT.286 was enamelled metal with a pale yellow background with the word Tri-ang picked out in red. The colours matched those of the TT system in being the reverse of those used for the OO/H0 system. It did not mention OO, H0 or TT.

 

 


There were three Tri-ang Railways badges made.


The plastic badges were included in train sets, as well as being available separately.

 

E027FF22-EFAF-4C19-B2E2-7D21ED7DC061.jpeg.a7006ce0c92fe593701a3c00c50e8ede.jpeg

 

The red plastic with yellow printing for OO/HO.

 

There was also a yellow plastic with red printing for TT gauge.

 

65D6E3DC-C43A-4F7B-B97F-2459D829AC36.jpeg.baad3e6176ed11937b6078299935c7b3.jpeg

 

The metal badge was intended to replace both of the plastic badges.

 

It was only available separately, not included in train sets.

 

BC1F8412-8DC8-4E51-82E5-627FB98AF555.jpeg.75cba02792b280c78bf83e8e7c66989e.jpeg

Edited by Ruffnut Thorston
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14 hours ago, railroadbill said:

RT 286 lapel badge - that was one up on Hornby Dublo (I think).

Also re the working level crossings worked by contracting wire, haven't seen either of those, did they actually work ok? The instructions to replace the wire if necessary seem complicated....


I only have direct experience with the BR gated crossing.

 

The movement of the gates is most realistic, as all four gates move together, and bang into the gate stops just like the real crossings.

 

The big problem being that there was no latching function, and the 30 second limit on having the gates open to road traffic.

 

This makes it difficult to open the gates, and drive a vehicle across. ;)

 

The TC barrier crossing is normally open to road traffic, and would work more like the prototype, only being closed to road traffic while a train was crossing.

 

As the barriers are clear of the railway, it was safe to do this, as if not operated, the train wouldn’t hit any barriers.

 

This is why the BR crossing was arranged to be normally closed to road traffic, so that it defaults to a safe condition, with clear passage for a train.

 

If arranged to be normally open to road traffic, there would be a danger of a train running into the gates.

 

Another example of the designers actually thinking of the use of the product.

 

A YouTube video shewing the BR crossing working.

 

 

Edited by Ruffnut Thorston
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Thank you, that is the first time that I've seen one working. Quite realistic, and an early use of "memory wire" in the hobby.

 

The mechanism fitted quite unobtrusively below rail level with Standard track. That would not have been possible with Super 4 without raising the rails up to the same level as they were with the Standard track which would have looked a bit strange, and is probably why such a neat and well designed idea was not used with Super 4 track.

 

Thank you also for pointing out that I'd forgotten to mention the TT badge. I'm afraid my knowledge of TT is limited to the one and only time that OO/H0 and TT appeared in the same catalogue.

Edited by GoingUnderground
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On 19/07/2021 at 16:08, BernardTPM said:

 

Yes, though haven't played it in a good few years.

 

TRRR1.jpg.44fda92878082d3c575367266bacf07b.jpgTRRR2.jpg.8c493b35129ccaf97e6b6bf91f25f37f.jpgTRRR3.jpg.e2af465ed46e2eab66eca2f410d85f5a.jpg


There was also a recording of sounds for Tri-ang Scalextrix, named “roar!”…

 

EE922C68-C00E-43B4-A6A7-895845F7A788.jpeg.d9882397eb3c89290a78eac525679eba.jpeg

 

D8749980-51FA-438A-826D-04566A82C1DE.jpeg.8cb0e13804a928022ce2d45404ccbdd0.jpeg

 

D76B4825-F3CD-42B7-9AE0-734CD25EB8E8.jpeg.2fba23830c0f6a93bee8d8a9b0511d00.jpeg

 

4B45D360-5CE3-4619-A174-E911C935FFA1.jpeg.0e2abde802dee556ac75b5c2e9d2a87e.jpeg
 

 

Edited by Ruffnut Thorston
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  • 2 weeks later...
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On 18/07/2021 at 06:41, Ruffnut Thorston said:

Apparently, the big headed Hornby made in China signal does now come fitted with LEDs…

 

Also, it seems to have retained the same R number, making for more confusion.

 

There were already two different types of incompatible bulbs and bulb holders! :scratch_one-s_head_mini:
 

 

R406 is a number that has been reused from BEFORE the signals came in. It was the catalogue number for the Automatic Train Control set. I don't have one, but here is a series of excellent photo of such a set. There is no doubt as to the cat number or the contents.

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/triang-Hornby-r406-automatic-train-538509041

 

It appears that this set is the heart of the signal set, but without the actual signal!

 

The contents list is also listed in a review in Railway Modeller 1962 December, where the parts are 2 isolating rails, 2 rail clips (mechanical contacts), 1 relay, wire and instruction book. Elsewhere in this issue, there is an article on building such a system (not using Tri-ang parts), but states the 'the new Tri-ang unit uses this principle'.

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The 25th year edition of The Hornby Book of Trains 1954-1979 gives a list of products with the following R numbers having been reused by then  -

 

R11/18-28,40-42,48,51/2/6/8, 60-75, 77-80, 83/4/6/7/9,90/3/6-8

R100-109, 114/9/25/6, 130-137, 143/54/6, 162-165, 181-184, 190-197, 199

R201-206, 208-218, 220/2/4/7, 229 -232, 235-237, 239-242,244,252,254-256,282

R300-304, 307-318,331, 350-353,357/8,360-367,377-379

R385-391,395/7/8

R400/1/7, 410-413, 415,422/3,428-439, 448-452, 454/5, 474

R514-9, R550-2

R620*/1/4/5/8, 630-632,634/5/7/9, 657/9, 660,670/1

R720/4/6

*R620 had been reused three times - 1963 Engineering Dept Coach, 1970 Flexible Track, 1979 rerailer/uncoupler.

 

 

 

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  • 2 months later...
On 07/07/2021 at 13:33, Ruffnut Thorston said:

Any wooden accessories are not likely to be Tri-ang Railways made.

 

Trix and Hornby Dublo both had wooden buildings pre WW2.

 

Trix…

 

https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category:Trix_Manyways_station_sets

 

0BBB011B-B37A-42BD-B1AF-BC0C9177227F.jpeg.549c6e0cd58b8518d5c143716de452a8.jpeg

 

A Trix display model incorporating the not to be made shop units…

15F88677-40FB-44E3-9D17-C1B0A0EA3FE3.jpeg.526ec1feae865f33b1ef89a24f8da3ae.jpeg
 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/trix-ttr-many-ways-wooden-model-1778512138

 

B6DC4543-BF8D-4A7E-A933-A6A269C5C7BA.jpeg.38c0a7968ff847dbf51d21dbe4075959.jpeg

 

Hornby Dublo…

https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category:Hornby_Dublo_buildings_-_wood

 

Hornby Dublo station and goods depot.

 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/special-auction-services/catalogue-id-srspe10023/lot-e73eaa05-a760-4247-969d-a3ff00c2d3f1#lotDetails

 

B5F06EE1-F084-42B4-8023-63C4355607FD.jpeg.efc0ea2ea4516b0d9b768d920dc1aaa0.jpeg

 

 

 

There were other manufacturers of mainly scenery products that also produced buildings.

 

This over track station sounds like a Mastermodels “Woodside” model.

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/master-models-woodside-footbridge-247462343

 

56EECCF4-BE20-4399-A904-52DBB12DE8B5.jpeg.c120cc0df4b07d3ad3e5396f7f647989.jpeg
 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/special-auction-services/catalogue-id-2838884/lot-11442635
 

7B079EF1-EEB7-47C2-AA13-234C1BBC323B.jpeg.b4fa245df2b1252db999950b620d6854.jpeg
 

Mastermodels also had the “Rickwood” range of wooden buildings…

E716D662-A9AC-498D-BBA0-3F0C2B960843.jpeg.8fea23c6c620f7312fe64ec5927d185e.jpeg

 

 

Hi, I signed up in the hope of finding out something about the "Rickwood" buildings my father left me.  He would have bought them in the mid-sixties and they were part of the layout he built in the attic.  They’re all in boxes and In pretty good condition after being stored since about 1970.  I have to tell you that I was a bit of a disappointment to him as I was never much interested in trains and much preferred my Scalextric!

77A4F030-3E2F-42B2-BD0A-AF2E1ECA57EF.jpeg

3ED9EC11-5CD2-4CF2-BAD9-B11890BB949C.jpeg

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Rickwood was one of the brands marketed by Mastermodels. (B.J. Ward. Wardie Products.)D4BF2D1E-37D0-469E-9970-4E59257265DE.jpeg.a7f6535c726dd6fca2dbe82c160f0436.jpeg

 

Not to be confused with the current Modelmasters company.

 

Going by the catalogue reference numbers, your collection is for TT Gauge.

 

No.22 TT/P2 PLATFORM  The TT denoting TT Gauge. Around 3mm to I foot scale. Tri-ang Railways had a TT Gauge range for a time.

 

There are collectors of these items.

 

There was also the Woodside range of buildings. The Woodside station name boards have “CHANGE FOR RICKWOOD” on them.

 

6133BCC3-F3BA-4A14-A757-36B2BCBAC2FE.jpeg.39fd443b2efb358abb2ae49fdc13bc7f.jpeg

 

B40C57A0-CC4B-45B1-A49E-7FB95B23A972.jpeg.47c228a1917dd8f9c44ea05efb6bf198.jpeg

 

53B316FA-7BB3-4046-9B1A-BA4AE5E35731.jpeg.694e10b6d8d95b08db31d023d870cf57.jpeg

 

 

 

 

Edited by Ruffnut Thorston
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