ianmacc Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 2 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: I know I'm slow on the uptake, (no comments please!), but there are things on eBay I don't search for in the first place because they are crap and worthless to me, and I throw them away as surplus to requirements. Somehow, following a link posted on this thread, I happened to come across things like Lima/Hornby/Oxford etc wheels and bogies, random bundles of things like tension lock type and NEM style couplings and mountings, contents of unfinished plastic/whitemetal/brass kits and lots of other amazing items, all of which I dispose of. I know it's one mans meat etc, but it can't possibly worth the hassle of listing, posting and sorting out the items from the refuse bin? Mike. To be honest there’s a whole subgroup of folk that tinker and fix up old Hornby and suchlike either out of fun or financial necessity! There’s plenty of market for these sundry spares and it’s a waste to skip them. 1 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmacc Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 10 hours ago, Ruffnut Thorston said: In theory, it may look a bit like this...If it is complete... There is a similarity in general character. I have had a roof section off that self same building in my scrap box for ages! Now I know what it’s off. I actually thought it was some kind of hard landscaping item because of the rocks. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 I don’t know if this counts as “madness” but searching for a Silver Fox dock shunter threw up the following result … https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313590747812 I don’t know if this is actually a rare model or not, but the seller hasn’t done the usual “L@@K - R@RE!!” on this and it also has a very reasonable starting bid of £30 … I’m sure @Ruffnut Thorston will be able to tell us whether or not this is actually a rare item or not - I just know that I have never seen one, but that Model Rail are bringing out a version very soon!! #intrigued! Steve S 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 (edited) Hi. Trix isn’t my top subject. The Ruston shunter isn’t exactly rare, most came complete with a shunter’s truck. http://www.tcawestern.org/trix.htm https://picclick.co.uk/Trix-Twin-244-3-Rail-DC-Ruston-Hornsby-184781959384.html https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/trix-twin-3-rail-244-diesel-shunter-set-0-6-0-br-2290-c-0628719cf7# Google image search Trix Ruston Shunter... https://www.google.co.uk/search? Edited July 5, 2021 by Ruffnut Thorston Google link added and tested. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Trix Twin was a weird 3-rail system, designed to allow 2 locomotives to be independently controlled on one track (3 if you also had OHLE). Looking under the shunter you can see that in addition to the conventional 3rd rail pickup, there are rail pickups on one side of the loco. The idea was that the 3rd rail was the common return and the 2nd pickup collected current from the independently controlled running rails. If you wanted to run two of these shunters on one track, the second would have to face in the opposite direction to collect power from the other outer rail! It makes DCC sound simple! And look at the wheel standards too, they make Triang look finescale.... 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 (edited) The outer pick ups on Trix Twin locos are able to be removed, and replaced on either side. So no real need to turn the locos. The Twin system does make reversing loops, triangles (Wyes), and Turntables pretty much impossible though. The M.8 in white is a manufacturing date code. A decoder is in one of our books, which are not to hand just now. Edited July 5, 2021 by Ruffnut Thorston Date code added 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 26 minutes ago, Ruffnut Thorston said: The outer pick ups on Trix Twin locos are able to be removed, and replaced on either side. So no real need to turn the locos. It would have been more sensible if they had pickups on both sides (through the wheels perhaps?) and a switch somewhere convenient to set to 1 or 2, rather than swapping pickups over! Never mind. I've still got some TrixTwin fibre-based track which I used as conventional track for HD 3-rail. It used to be a complete oval, but all that's left is a couple of curves and straights. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 5, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 5, 2021 3 hours ago, Hroth said: Trix Twin was a weird 3-rail system, designed to allow 2 locomotives to be independently controlled on one track (3 if you also had OHLE). Looking under the shunter you can see that in addition to the conventional 3rd rail pickup, there are rail pickups on one side of the loco. The idea was that the 3rd rail was the common return and the 2nd pickup collected current from the independently controlled running rails. If you wanted to run two of these shunters on one track, the second would have to face in the opposite direction to collect power from the other outer rail! It makes DCC sound simple! And look at the wheel standards too, they make Triang look finescale.... My first train set was Trix Twin. I shared it with my brother and we had a double oval of track connected by two crossovers. They used the same NMRA couplings as Hornby-Dublo so I assume they could run with H-D stock. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 2 hours ago, PhilJ W said: My first train set was Trix Twin. I shared it with my brother and we had a double oval of track connected by two crossovers. They used the same NMRA couplings as Hornby-Dublo so I assume they could run with H-D stock. They can. The only TrixTwin rolling stock I have is a little tinplate 3 plank wagon which ran fine on my 3-rail layout. I got it when my school went for a summer trip to the Keightley and Worth Valley Railway! Everything is boxed up at the moment, but I've still got it. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 (edited) 21 hours ago, PhilJ W said: My first train set was Trix Twin. I shared it with my brother and we had a double oval of track connected by two crossovers. They used the same NMRA couplings as Hornby-Dublo so I assume they could run with H-D stock. NMRA is a USA standard, and I don’t believe that the PECO type coupling used by Hornby Dublo, Trix, and later Playcraft Railways was a USA standard. I thought that the NMRA standard was the “Horn Hook” coupling, as fitted to some stock made by Tri-ang Railways for export to North America, and a version of which was the Airfix kit standard coupling... Tri-ang Horn hook couplings. With mounting box that fits in place of the X.171 Mk3 Tension Lock coupling. Edited July 6, 2021 by Ruffnut Thorston Photos added 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Did anyone ever manage to get the Airfix kit coupling to couple up to anything else, including other Airfix kits? Or did we all just chuck them away as I did as a ten year old? 2 4 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 (edited) Airfix even sold boxes of their couplings.... They do come up on eBay from time to time... Edited July 6, 2021 by Ruffnut Thorston Photo added 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 1 minute ago, Ruffnut Thorston said: Airfix even sold boxes of their couplings.... They do come up on eBay from time to time... Handy. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted July 6, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 6, 2021 I used the dodge of dropping the hook of a tension lock coupling over the bar of the Airfix, fine if the coupling was kept in tension which it usually was with the stiff running of the Airfix kit wheelsets. This was not perfect, and less so with the later profile of Triang tension locks which had less 'defined' hooks than the earlier stamped metal type. You could use an earlier Triang vehicle as a converter wagon to couple Airfix kits in a train of Triang stock. The same dodge could be used with the Kitmaster loop and pin couplers, which I thought were a very good coupler, and less effectively with HD/Trix buckeyes. I complain about the lack of standardisation in modern NEM tension locks, but it is much less of a problem than it was back in the 50s and 60s when I was cuttting my teeth. Replacing coupling that were rivetted in position was beyond me as a child. The Airfix kit/Peco coupllings were a straight replacement for HD/Trix, and vice versa, but you were only replacing one coupling that was incompatible with Triang for another. My opinion of the HD/Trix buckeye was not high, though the real issues were the result of poorly laid track rather than a congenital failure of the couping. HD's later 'super detail' type was better, and the Airfix/Peco worked well enough In my experience, with the advantage of self centring with the little hooks connected by elastic band, though some faffing was needed to get the laccy band to the right strength. The Triang tension lock was pretty reliable and trains rarely parted due to couping failure, even on my dodgy track! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted July 6, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 6, 2021 Is this the version with magnahesion? Cheers Darius 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northmoor Posted July 6, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 6, 2021 36 minutes ago, Darius43 said: Is this the version with magnahesion? Cheers Darius No but the seller's in Australia. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 My attention has been drawn to some more oddities… Words fail me… yes, really! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194231474568? Test Run??? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203500332358? Now then…are you quite sure that you have the right item for that R. Number? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133791508283? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 7, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2021 2 hours ago, Ruffnut Thorston said: My attention has been drawn to some more oddities… Words fail me… yes, really! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194231474568? Scratchbuilt? I daren't ask what he was scratching when he built those. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ramrig Posted July 7, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2021 9 minutes ago, PhilJ W said: Scratchbuilt? I daren't ask what he was scratching when he built those. i think they have been painted using strawberry jam 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 7, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2021 3 hours ago, Ruffnut Thorston said: My attention has been drawn to some more oddities… Words fail me… yes, really! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194231474568? If they are on Kato chassis they might be well worth the asking price. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Ramrig said: i think they have been painted using strawberry jam And about £79 too much..... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 On 06/07/2021 at 01:43, MrWolf said: Handy. If you like that sort of thing..... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 7, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2021 I've sent a message to Rails asking what chassis is used for the two 'scratchbuilt' locomotives. If it is as I suspect Kato chassis even then they are overpriced as Kato chassis are about £25 each brand new. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John Besley Posted July 7, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2021 1 hour ago, PhilJ W said: I've sent a message to Rails asking what chassis is used for the two 'scratchbuilt' locomotives. If it is as I suspect Kato chassis even then they are overpriced as Kato chassis are about £25 each brand new. Why are Rails selling such bin fodder may I ask .... 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 7, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 7, 2021 3 hours ago, PhilJ W said: Scratchbuilt? I daren't ask what he was scratching when he built those. A fair bit of scratch and a lot of sniff. 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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