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West Kirby Town: Parcels traffic has increased.


Dmudriver
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Rod

 

Couple of thoughts re corridor connectors.

 

Within rakes, I tend to use Kadees, and I use the corridor connectors as a "Spring buffer" to keep them tight, which makes the rake move as a single unit.

 

You might have seen my Toplight corridor connectors, I'm using the bellows, folded up from card. In your vehicles, given that the connectors are telescopic, you could use foam rubber. It might also be wise to use black plasticard for the surfaces that might rub,

 

There's a chap on WT with an MU, who tried this at my suggestion, he seemed quite pleased, hope it might help

 

Best

Simon

Hi Simon.

 

Yes, I've just had a look at your Toplight corridor connectors.  They look good, but I've just used what came with the JLTRT kit.  They are really not very springy at all, but I think I've got them working OK now.  Plasticard might have been a better bet, but I'll see how the card lasts in service.

 

I do like your laser cutter, by the way.

 

Rod

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Hello Rod good to see you back, I gasped and winced for you when I read about the stock box taking a tumble, I hope all is ok for you.

 

Craig

Hi Craig.

 

I've become very careful when handling any stock box now!!!  Especially taking them out of the boot of the car when fasteners can so easily catch on each other.  It's easy to become blase at times!!

 

Rod

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Hi all.

 

Yet more stock maintenance work!!  This time it's the 37 again: I replaced 2 cracked gear wheels in one bogie last November but a couple of weeks ago, I started getting the dreaded clunking again!!  An order to Howes delivered 2 new gear wheels this morning and I've fitted them tonight.

 

This time it was the other bogie: only one had cracked, but I replaced the 2, just to be sure.  Here's the culprit, along with its (so far) unbroken mate.  The latter is now in my spares box - in case!!

 

post-7571-0-72128700-1459547959_thumb.jpg

 

This is what happens when you keep playing trains operating(!!).   Not only on my layout, but the loco's had a few good runs on "Apethorne Junction", too.

 

I've tested it and it's fine again.

 

I've also decided that I'm going to sell my 33 and replace it with a JLTRT 25 - the  later version with the 3 larger windows.  Not because of the Heljan gear problems but because it's more appropriate to the area I'm modelling.  I saw more 25s than I ever did 33s when they were around!!

 

I've also had some of my v4 chips updated - the ones in 3 DMUs and also in the Ivatt tank.  We then did the function mapping to set up the CVs the way I like them (same functions on same numbers over all the fleet) but the chuffs on the Ivatt need resynchronising: that's a job for the weekend.

 

I'm also going to move the speaker in the Thumper from inside the vehicle to the underframe to try and improve the sound: at the moment it's too muffled.

 

So, still plenty to do before I start the scenery again!!  More soon.

 

Rod

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Hi Rod,

 

I'm sorry to hear about the constant split gear problems that you're encountering, hopefully they won't occur anymore now.  Is it only the Heljian class 37 that you have had these problems with?

 

I have been following this thread for sometime now and admire your work here.  I do hope that you will post some of your JLTRT class 25 build as I enjoy watching these being built as much as I do building them.

 

Many thanks

Cheers

Lee

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Hi Lee.

 

The 37 isn't the only Heljan loco I've had split gear problems with: I certainly had it with a 31 that I had and I'm also pretty sure I had it with a 47 that I had a long time ago.  It's not just me, it's a common problem.  Once you've got the replacement gears it's an easy, if fiddly, job to replace them.

 

Thanks for the comment about the work I've done.  I'd love to build the 25 but, with a layout the size of mine, there's so much to do and a pal has offered to build it for me.  He enjoys building and his work bench isn't too full at the moment so I'd get it done fairly quickly.  I started off building the 50 myself, but just got the motors, gears  and delrin chain into the bogies (and running well) and a friend at the club offered to complete the build for me.  Then Richard Pogson (Easybuild) painted and weathered it for me.  That's my favourite loco - I loved watching them when I was spotting with my son all those years ago.

 

Rod

Edited by Dmudriver
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There has been some (occasionally heated) discussion on the G0G website about the "Heljan gear problem", with suggestions that the Guild should fund a suitable supplier to tool up to make replacement gears, perhaps in brass, with the intent that the development costs should be recovered through subsequent sales. It appears that isn't going to happen.

 

Personally, I think it would have been a good use of the Guild's funds, particularly as it is really a "risk mitigation" approach rather than a means of making money but others do not see it that way. As I'm unlikely ever to own a bogie diesel loco, I don't have much skin in the game, I'm just hoping that the forthcoming Heljan large prairie does not suffer in the same way.

 

Best

Simon

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It's also worth noting that the gears will happily crack whilst sat in the box without ever running - it's not a problem associated with use, so even a 'shelf queen' is likely to suffer......

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There has been some (occasionally heated) discussion on the G0G website about the "Heljan gear problem", with suggestions that the Guild should fund a suitable supplier to tool up to make replacement gears, perhaps in brass, with the intent that the development costs should be recovered through subsequent sales. It appears that isn't going to happen.

 

Personally, I think it would have been a good use of the Guild's funds, particularly as it is really a "risk mitigation" approach rather than a means of making money but others do not see it that way. As I'm unlikely ever to own a bogie diesel loco, I don't have much skin in the game, I'm just hoping that the forthcoming Heljan large prairie does not suffer in the same way.

 

Best

Simon

 

Hi Simon, the old Farish models had the same problem when I modelled in N Gauge, sadly it is just one of those problems that us Modellers are "just" stuck with and we have to sort it ourselves.

 

Craig.

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There has been some (occasionally heated) discussion on the G0G website about the "Heljan gear problem", with suggestions that the Guild should fund a suitable supplier to tool up to make replacement gears, perhaps in brass, with the intent that the development costs should be recovered through subsequent sales. It appears that isn't going to happen.

 

Personally, I think it would have been a good use of the Guild's funds, particularly as it is really a "risk mitigation" approach rather than a means of making money but others do not see it that way. As I'm unlikely ever to own a bogie diesel loco, I don't have much skin in the game, I'm just hoping that the forthcoming Heljan large prairie does not suffer in the same way.

 

Best

Simon

Surely it is Heljan that should be sourcing a supplier for replacement gears - Sale of Goods Act "fit for purpose" and all that.

Ray.

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they do replace them - the replacements fail too, AFAIAA. 

 

Hence the idea that getting some made in brass...  but there's a minimum order...  so the suggestion was that the Guild could guarantee the minimum quantity, and then cover its investment by selling them to members (and at a premium to others) but there was no consensus to do so.

 

Best

Simon

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they do replace them - the replacements fail too, AFAIAA. 

 

Hence the idea that getting some made in brass...  but there's a minimum order...  so the suggestion was that the Guild could guarantee the minimum quantity, and then cover its investment by selling them to members (and at a premium to others) but there was no consensus to do so.

 

Best

Simon

 

Maybe an open market there for someone.

 

Jinty ;)

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Maybe an open market there for someone.

 

Jinty ;)

Hi,

 

I used to model in On30 and some of the Bachmann locos suffered this same problem. They were informed regularly and generally taken to task, here and in America, and, eventually, they acknowledged the problem and supplied new upgraded parts for free. They also said that they had tightened up on quality control as well. Only someone still modelling in that scale will be able to confirm whether this happened or not.

 

However, it does seem to me that Heljan should acknowledge this problem and supply upgraded replacement parts. I don't have any of their diesels but would not be a happy bunny if I did and this problem kept occurring.

 

They may already be aware but, from the number of posts, they don't seem to have done very much to improve the situation.

 

Regards,

Dave

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I have some spares ordered in from Howes just in case. Most of my Heljan diesels have not bene used and those that have have only run a few yards as yet. I am expecting at last one of them will have this problem hence the spares. I agree with Ray - Heljan should sort this. If necessary they should find the Guild to source replacements with all new locos having brass gears from the start. 

 

Do the Class 60 and Falcon have the same gear sets given they have a different drive train?

 

Paul R

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Hi all.

 

For some reason, I thought the spare gear wheels that are available were new ones - i.e. upgrades from the originals.  But I don't know where I got that from so I wouldn't claim it as gospel.  I didn't know they could crack when still in the box - just thought it was the stress of running that did it.

 

Anyway, to continue from my last progress post.  I spent a pleasant hour last night setting up the chuffs on the Ivatt: I'm sure it could have been quicker but I was playing as well!! 

 

Later last night and today I've fitted the speaker to the underframe of the Thumper.  This was the original set-up:

 

post-7571-0-53176900-1459702247_thumb.jpg

 

The speaker was fastened to the ceiling and the sound came out through the rectangular hole: there was plenty of space (unfortunately) for the sound to bounce around and it was decidedly muffled.  This is where it is planned to go - hidden in the fuel tank:

 

post-7571-0-94220000-1459702256_thumb.jpg

 

So I set to with a razor saw and Xuron cutters.  Spot the mistake? 

 

post-7571-0-80153200-1459702270_thumb.jpg

 

While removing the supports I inadvertently cut through one of the pickup wires from the rear bogie to the motor bogie.  So I thought I'd take advantage of that by rerouting the wires away from under the speaker (as at the right) and chopped the other one.  Without marking which wire was which, I instantly gave myself a 50/50 chance of a short circuit!!   Sometimes I don't think enough but adhere too much to the JFDI style of work/management!!!  Not a major problem at all but an irritant I could have done without.

 

The finished job is here:

 

post-7571-0-36247500-1459702358_thumb.jpg

 

I've tried it on the layout and the sound is so much better - everything is crisper, particularly the brake release as it sets off and the buzzer/bell.  All in all, I'm very happy with it!!

 

Now what to do?

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

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Hi all.

 

Decision taken - my 33 is up for sale on Buy and Sell!!!  Then it's a 25 for the layout in its place.

 

Have also ordered a Gaugemaster 12mm grass mat - just to see what it's like.  Will post comments on here when I've got it.

 

Rod

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Hi all.

 

A bit of a mixed bag today!!  First of all, I've been on my shed roof again as water has found it's way in somewhere other than where  I stopped it last time.  I think I'm getting close to needing it reroofed.

 

To answer Paul - I've opened the package and my first impression was how little you get for your money!!  Thereafter, there's a lot of loose strands - I had to hoover my kitchen worktop after I'd opened it.  I was going to lay it out today but, after videoing (see below) it was a bit cold.  Maybe in the next few days.

 

However, a pal at the club has treated some teddy bear fur for me:  I've cut it and laid it loosely and here's some pics of it:

 

post-7571-0-13064200-1460310842_thumb.jpg   post-7571-0-23998800-1460310849_thumb.jpgpost-7571-0-30346800-1460310857_thumb.jpg

 

I have to admit that the green does add a lot to the layout, although it needs a lot more doing to it, but personally, I'm not convinced, but maybe it would be better if it was laid properly.  I can't seem to get the fur/grass all lying or leaning  in the same direction - it looks like it's been hit by a bad storm at the moment!!  But I'll find a comb or something similar and see what I can do.

 

However, after Paul's request above, I've done some video of the Thumper.  Here's the first - starting up and leaving the station:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGX4YFFoNbI

 

I have to admit that I've cropped that one - just after the end, the wind blew down a building which landed on top of the train.  I nearly left it as a "how not to" but decided to keep it (fairly) serious!!

 

Then coming out into the country and into the fiddle yard:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r63f5CD7YOc

 

Then, on the return journey, the WKT bobby must be brewing up because he's missed the train on his track circuit indicator and it has to stop:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rQwIEG-eAY

 

Finally, the signal having cleared, the train sets off for the station - a bit too fast, I think, but as I never saw Thumpers in real action, I don't know.  Any comments?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7VmjsEDkuQ

 

Hope you like the videos.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

 

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