Mystery O gauge 0-6-0T

[roythebus1]

Many years ago an old fella I used to work with at Kings Cross gave me this loco to try to get running. I never did much with it and it's remained in a box for the last 40-odd years! The wheels and gears have freed up, the motor turns but I believe the magnet isn't any more! Any contacts as to where I can get it remagenised?

 

I suspect it's either a Leeds or Bonds loco. It has on flangeless centre driver and the crank pins and coupling rods are missing. It's painted early BR back with the cycling lion, stud contact and there's a serial number underneath. I can't quite read it even with my manifying glasses, maybe someone else can identify it for me. It'll be worth getting running again.

[Paul H Vigor]

Stud contact skate. May indicate use on an electrified layout that also ran non-insulated clockwork locos and rolling stock?

 

I believe, in the real world, 69021 was a J72?

Edited January 5, 2022 by Paul H Vigor
to add information

[Nearholmer]

Leeds standard 0-6-0T, early post-war, I’m 90% sure.

 

I have one that represent a LSWR/SR G6, but the only thing different between the various regional types was boiler fittings.

 

Yours certainly has odd wheels, which look like turned iron ones to me, whereas mine has the cheaper cast monkey metal wheels.

 

Lots about Leeds locos here https://www.dutchhrca.nl/lmc.html and here http://www.leedsstedmantrust.or

 

They are quite “growly”, but run smoothly, and parts to fix them up are available.

 

The skate is for stud contact, as opposed to third rail.

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Nearholmer

[Nearholmer]

Here’s mine. It was restored by a very adept Reverend gentleman who specialises in. collecting Leeds and has a layout built entirely with their products.

 

 

 

 

[roythebus1]

I think this model may have cast wheels, not iron. Odd how the flangeless centre wheel has pop marks on the Romford style nut holding the wheel on. the chimney also seems a bit off-centre, maybe fell off sometime and has been put back on?

 

So any ideas where I can get the magnet done and find some coupling rods? If I put the loco's magnet between a couple of industrial welding type magnets I wonder if that will restore the magnetism? they seem to magnetise my metal work bench quite nicely!

[Nearholmer]

TBH, I haven’t yet found anyone who has remagnetiser that can accept magnets of that size. I have a very similar motor, a Milbro one, that has similarly lost all magnetism and am trying to work out what to do about that, because the rest of the loco is excellent, and I don’t really want to replace the motor with a modern one.

 

For other bits, try David Peacock via the second of those two web links I gave. If he hasn’t got the parts, then Bruce Palmer, whose email address I will forward when I find it.

 

You should be able to do a good resto, because you have the original chassis, which is solidly engineered. I acquired another one that someone had fitted with a replacement chassis, which was made from very thin brass, and all out of square - that I gave up on!

 

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Nearholmer

[roythebus1]

What would the restored loco be worth? I can't find anything on a "popular auction site" at the moment.

 

I'll let you know if attaching to other magnets works.

[Nearholmer]

Not huge sums, because they are not particularly rare, maybe £250 +\- £50 depending upon the quality of the paint job.

 

In the condition yours is currently, ripe for restoration, there is demand, but I doubt it would get over £100, and might not even get anywhere near that.

 

[roythebus1]

That's more or less what I thought. It's worth spending a few bob on it though. But whether to restore it to stud/2 rail or 3 rail? The chap who runs the spares has coupling rods, crank pins and can supply exchange magnets for pre war and post war motors, it seems this has the pre-war motor as it's a horseshoe magnet.

What's the best stuff to get the old paint off? I'm reluctant to use Nitromors in case it eats away any cast bits.

It'll make a change from restoring old buses!

Edited January 5, 2022 by roythebus1

[Nearholmer]

Mr Muscle oven cleaner comes highly recommended, but you might need to go easy on the castings.

 

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by Nearholmer

[goldfish]

The paint on Leeds stock is notorious for peeling off on its own, and in my experience doesn't need anything particularly aggressive to remove it. In fact I have one 0-4-0 tank awaiting some work that has a fresh chunk of paint fallen off every time I look at it.

 

The couplers look interesting. Are those drop links fitted to standard 3-link coupling hooks?

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by goldfish

[roythebus1]

The couplers are the standard 0 gauge single link coupling.

 

The whole loco is now stripped down, it needs new magnets, brushes, a centre driving wheel, chassis end castings, coupling rods and crank pins. The footplate is bent upwards on the right sude under the cab, maybe 1.5mm out of true as is the cabside top! The chimney and dome were wonky so have come off as well.

 

It was a bit of a surprise when I started chipping paint off, it was LNER apple green under the back, along with some black and white lining.