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hello,

 

 

 

I have bought a couple of ACE locomotives and I'm looking for some track and a good transformer.

 

Can I get some recommendations from the forum for buying track and a transformer?

 

Thank you

 

Paul

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Assuming that you wish to include point-work, the easiest option will be either Atlas three-rail from the US, or Merkur tinplate from the Czech Republic, either of which is easy enough to buy in the EU.

 

There are other options for track systems that include point work that is compatible with coarse wheel-sets, notably Maldon Track, which I use, but they are slightly more exotic.

 

If you don't want to include any points, and the locos are recent ones, not pre-2008, you can use Peco SM32 or Peco 0 gauge Flat bottom with confidence. The Peco SM32 larger radius points also work, but there are mixed reports about compatibility with the SM32 set-track points, and the Peco 0 gauge points can only be used after modification.

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hello,

 

 

 

I have bought a couple of ACE locomotives and I'm looking for some track and a good transformer.

 

Can I get some recommendations from the forum for buying track and a transformer?

 

Thank you

 

Paul

 

Hello Paul,

 

Are you looking for 2-rail or 3-rail track (many modern ACE locomotives are switchable)? And do you want tinplate style track  or more modern track with a plastic base? If you are looking for 3-rail tinplate track Merkur is a good choice. These can be bought from https://www.blik-en-speelgoed.nl/  in the Netherlands (I see you are in Belgium).

 

I can recommend an LGB Jumbo transformer, but that might be a bit expensive solution.

 

Regards

Fred

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I forgot power supply!

 

My recommendation is this http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GMC-10LGB&style=&strType=&Mcode=Gaugemaster+10LGB

 

In fact for running a single locomotive with no train, at sensible speeds, an ordinary 12V dc controller as used for H0 will suffice, so if you have one of those it might allow you to start. Such a controller won't harm the loco, but it will overheat and trip-out if used with multiple locos or with a locomotive pulling a heavy train, and it won't allow you to achieve 'top speed', but top speed is dangerously high anyway!

 

Fred's advice is good - im merely adding alternatives.

 

Kevin

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thanks for the answers.

 

I forgot to tell that I would like to run 2-rail.

 

I have tried ETS track but when you put 2 coaches to a locomotive and the wheels start slipping and it does not move anymore. I think that the rail head is to narrow so the locomotive has not enough grip.

 

I have also tried it on Peco O gauge setrack that a friend has but with the same result. 

 

Paul

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Hmmm ....... that sounds very strange indeed.

 

Which locos are they? What are the coaches?

 

To me, it implies that the coaches are causing enormous drag, perhaps by catching on something.

 

You don't have a coach with a third-rail current collector for lighting, which is catching on the sleepers, or some problem like that, do you?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey all,

Ive been considering selling most of my coarse scale stuff due to lost interest and space concerns, and was wondering if any of you would be interested in first pick before I slowly stick it all on Ebay or the like.

All American stuff mind, but most in good shape, plus a good bit of prewar tinplate stuff.

Tried to sell it as bulk to a reseller but they quoted me a price insultingly low, even for resellers.

Anyone interested in seeing an inventory list?

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  • 1 month later...

In a recent "Dr Blake Mystery", an M1 and Tender were a clue to solving the problem.  Also Father Brown had a Hornby O gauge collection on display in one programme, so the clergy does have an interest in trains after all!

 

Brian.

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In a recent "Dr Blake Mystery", an M1 and Tender were a clue to solving the problem. Also Father Brown had a Hornby O gauge collection on display in one programme, so the clergy does have an interest in trains after all!

 

Brian.

I thought a few did Brian. Peter Deny of Buckingham fame was and I thought Edward Beal was a Reverend but could be mistaken on that. Over the years there have been others that I never remembered their names but there was one very large WR layout built by a Reverend. It was only a few months ago I saw it again after it had been sold when he died and was being set up although in a smaller version. Rev Audray of Thomas fame and Bishop Eric Tracery who was well known photographing the real thing are a couple of others.

 

Garry

Edited by Golden Fleece 30
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The last one you were trying to think off was the Reverend Teddy Boston of Cadeby in leistershire.I think he wrote a book,"Rails around the Rectory" as he had a narrow gauge railway laid out in the grounds,he also had a large 00 model railway.

 

                       Ray.

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  • 2 months later...

The Tri-ang thread drifted into Hornby's releases for the French market in the 1920s, which probably has more relevance here,

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/116538-tri-ang-railways/page-27

 

There doesn't seem to be a specific Hornby 0 gauge thread.

Edited by Il Grifone
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Good call Grifone; I should have routed it here myself.

 

I'm in the process of sorting a big stack of HRCA magazines for recycling, extracting 0 gauge articles that cover interesting ground not covered by Mr & Mrs Graebe's book, which barely scratches the surface on French items.

 

So far, good extracts cover:

 

- The Blue Train

- Fleche D'Or

- French Railcars

- Etoile Du Nord

- A really in-depth article, almost an entire edition, about the Met Electrics, which is fascinating to me as much for its electrical (not) safety content.

 

If you want me to look out for detail on an particular Hornby material, you have a few days to shout, before 99% of the stack goes either to The Doctors' waiting room or recycling.

 

Kevin

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Can non-members buy these books? the ordering instructions don't make it simple!

 

As far as I know non-members cannot buy these books (I became a member since a book (the first one ever) on LR (LeRapide) trains was announced). But you might try to email. Here is the contents page of the Hornby book:

 

34469362oq.jpg
 

Regards

Fred

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Many thanks indeed Fred.

 

It looks as if all the things that it covers and which i’m really interested in are the subject of magazine items that i’ve already got.

 

I’m desperately trying not to get too interested in French Hornby, but that is proving hard, because I have good memories of travelling by train across France pre-TGV (and by TGV, but that has nothing of the old flavour). I already ‘accidentally’ acquired all the post-war goods wagons!

 

Kevin

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I already have a fibre wagon (it has lost its load over the years), but would like a wine wagon. I gather there are single and twin barrel versions. I have a small collection of these - Märklin, Lima and a couple of Rivarossi. The latter hides its barrels away in a van body but has the doors permanently open. I intend to modify one to close the doors so it can legitimately travel in a train. I always find it strange that actors in films can alwaysfind an open box car door to jump aboard. Even empty, the doors are supposed to be closed when a train is in motion!

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  • 2 months later...

At our Hornby Railway Collectors Association meeting on Tuesday 19 February Martyn Pring ran his 0 gauge LSWR M7, Adams Radial and LSWR coaches made by Darstaed and Ace. These firms seem more adventurous than the 00 gauge manufacturers in producing LSWR coaches to go with their LSWR locomotives. Milk vans were a common sight on the railways before the glass lined milk tanker was invented.

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I think that us coarse people are fortunate, in that, because we aren't too picky about the precise detail of coaches, makers can provide "plausible generics", in a multitude of liveries, thereby avoiding excessive tooling costs. Finescalers sort of shoot themselves in the foot by requiring absolute accuracy, or nothing, and often getting the latter.

 

The Ace C1, tooling 'inherited' by Darstaed I think, has appeared in countless liveries, with and without clerestory roofs, and the Ace and Darstaed six-wheelers ditto, and, to me at least, they more than capture the spirit of typical pre-group-built coaches and vans.

 

Oddly, given how strange it looks, the LSWR pink milk van does seem to be a pretty close model of the prototype, as is the, less weird-looking, SR version of the same thing.

 

The only problem with these coaches is that they are so nice that one is always tempted to collect just-one-more rake, in just-one-more-delightful-livery, which then "necessitates" just-one-more-matching-loco!

 

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On 01/12/2018 at 18:28, Il Grifone said:

I always find it strange that actors in films can alwaysfind an open box car door to jump aboard. Even empty, the doors are supposed to be closed when a train is in motion!

How did I not see this post back when it was new?

Youd be surprised at how common an open door was.  Obviously they are supposed to be closed, latched, and locked in transit but often was forgotten or neglected.  Next thing you know your shipment is sharing a roof with unwelcome guests.  Different means of locking doors were in use, from proper locks, to latches, to wire twisted together with a lead seal.  If it wasnt latched fully or left unlocked, the door could rattle open during running.  

A lot can happen when no supervisors are around.  

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  • 3 weeks later...

As if mucking around with all sorts of 00 railways wasn't enough, I have well and truly caught the bug with coarse O scale. The scale does of course encompass many churches, but for me the semi-scale approximations of the Hornby E220 and E420 locos and bogie coaches are most enchanting. Following acquisition of an LMS  Compound, SR Schools and GW County, Bramham Moor came to me via auction at a relatively modest price due to mechanism being described as 'ceased' (sic) and bits of the valve gear missing. 

 

On arrival, the 'ceasing' (!) was quickly traced to one very badly fatigued wheel which was a good few mm larger in diameter than when originally cast. Fortunately I had saved some wheels from another Hornby No.2 loco which had been re-shod and one was donated to Bramham Moor. It needed a missing brush replacing too, and in the end I got Nat Donnelly to give the mech a once over for a remarkably modest fee. Chris Ford supplied the missing valve gear and another vintage Hornby loco was once again operational. A very satisfying project indeed!

 

 

IMG_20190317_130341.jpg

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Edited by andyman7
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The scaleness of the No. 2 locos when compared to the No.2 bogies is apparent when compared to modern size coaches of later manufacture, so is it reasonable to assume that Hornby had the No.3s in mind which  seem to be more appropriate and look better size wise with the No.2 coaches.  They didn't seem to see the need to rush into 'scale' coaches.

Anyway, the Hornby boy of the day was probably less concerned with appearance especially if he had just replaced his MO sets; he no doubt  was most impressed with his new toys!:yes:

 

Brian.

 

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