Triang TT Technical advice

[Golden Fleece 30]

Just going through some things here, GWR mogul bashed from a castle20170316_2221201.jpg

I have read that this conversion was in a model magazine in the 60's/70's, did you copy it or is it your own design/method?  Looks convincing though.

 

Garry

[Golden Fleece 30]

Resin bodied diesels for 3mm are good fun to try here is my current works in progress, the class 24 also obtained from ebay for very little money a few years ago.

 

20170316_2135121.jpg

 

Not a triang mechanism but vintage BTTB extended to the correct wheelbase. Given the sophistication of central motor, all wheel pickup and drive it is a little surprising these came out of East Germany in the 60s. Even runs well after being extended and lubed with WD40.20170316_2133271.jpg

I have wondered about using a foreign Bo-Bo chassis but don't like wheels with tyres on.  The Type 2 (?) bodies do look nice though but in real terms I am a steam man and only have a slight interest in diesels.  To me the ideal would be a DMU bogie used but they are rarer and dearer than anything else.

 

Garry

[NCB]

The Piko Taurus chassis has been used for Class 24s. Can't remember how much work was involved though; think the bogies are the correct wheelbase, but the chassis (a very solid metal casting) needs shortening. The loco was selling for under £50 about 4 years ago; I bought one out of interest and it runs superbly. Think the chassis was less that £40 on its own. More like £70 and £60 now. 3SMR sell them:

http://www.3smr.co.uk/readytorun.html

[Golden Fleece 30]

I have bought what looks to be an LNWR George the Fifth loco body and tender, Gem possibly? It is made up and painted, badly, so it will be getting stripped and rebuilt but there is no chassis and obviously no instructions. Has anyone got a set they can scan for me please mainly so I can see what was expected chassis wise. It seems strange there is a weight in the loco body leaving no room for a motor but nothing to indicate there would be one in the tender either to drive the loco. It will be a watch this space for developments which could take a while with this one at the moment especially as I will have to design a chassis to suit.

 

I have been informed it is possible this loco kit was designed to take a K's tender drive.  I know K's made a 00 one but had no idea a TT version was available.  It is very unlikely I will see (or get) one and I am not keen on tender drives anyway so a lot of thought and a new loco chassis is called for.  I do have an idea based upon my 14xx chassis design which will be done later this year.

 

Garry

[NCB]

Gem TT KG V: Introduced 1963 with a cast white-metal chassis, and designed to take the K's tender drive. Retooled in 1966 to take a K's Mk 2 motor in the locomotive body.

 

The masters have been through various hands since about 2000, most of whom have promised to issue an upgraded kit "in the near future". As is unfortunately common in this scale, nothing has materialised. I approached the then owner of 3SMR about 2002 to see if they could be introduced (he'd just taken on the TT kits from GEM) and was told they'd be the core of his new Heritage TT range, which never appeared.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Thanks, looks like mine is a 63 to 66 first batch version then.  I have a few ideas to look at but it will be loco driven as I wont be making a tender drive unit and doubt a K's one will appear.

[PatB]

Interesting that someone thought an unpowered, whitemetal loco required extra weight.

[Golden Fleece 30]

I have noticed the extra weight as such is actually part of the kit as the whitemetal cast block curves outwards at the top to fit the Boiler. I guess GEM thought more weight would help a "free wheeling" chassis run better which to a degree does help but if too heavy can be detrimental to the power of the drive.

Edited March 23, 2017 by Golden Fleece 30

[rodshaw]

Someone recently was kind enough to give me a Tri-ang Prairie body, all that was missing was one of the smokebox stays which would be easy enough to make. As I have 3 Prairie's I thought I would repaint this one into BR lined green livery to use on one of the others chassis's. I have run out of proper corners for the lining so each corner had to be touched in by hand, unfortunately due to the thinness of lines/eyesight etc it is not as neat as it should be but will do. As they were no numberplates available I just used waterslide transfers for the smokebox and cab sides. Unfortunately I did forgot to make a new stay before varnishing so that will now be made later (if I remember) but I am very grateful for being given it in the first place.

Note the green is actually a darker shade than here which is lighter due to the flash.

 

Garry

 

Excellent paint job. I'd never have thought that this was a Triang TT body.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Thanks Rod, there is a video coming soon showing this green Prairie running, along with a few others.

[rodshaw]

Thanks Rod, there is a video coming soon showing this green Prairie running, along with a few others.

 

I occasionally get out my Triang TT with a view to deciding whether to sell it or do something with it. I made a start on a small layout a few years ago but didn't get anywhere:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/64957-lowmoor-hill/

 

I sometimes look at it and think it's old hat and should be got rid of, even given away. Then at other times, especially when I see efforts such as yours, I almost get the urge to revive it. Some of the locos sound a bit gruff, but then I remember (and this is the technical bit I suppose) that you can work wonders with a bit of oil in strategic places like the felt pad behind the motor.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Hi Rod,  most Tri-ang TT motors are really quite quiet, especially the DMU and A1A's.  Others can be quietened to a degree by careful cleaning and oiling then it depends on their wear.  Some will be very quiet and others a little noisy but they are really good motors.  My layout yesterday was fairly quiet but obviously other layouts were around and for some reason my camera seems to make things noisy anyway.  Video should be on by tonight.

 

Garry

[Golden Fleece 30]

Here is the video of yesterdays show in Goole. Until I saw the head on view with the DMU clip I had not realised how up and down the tables/track was.
It is supposed to start with a close up down the Pullmans in the station so you may have to move the slider back after it has started. Also on the outer track there were a couple of voltage drop sections where you will see the train slow or speed up, its not the operator.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-imvFut-WQ&t=55s

 

Garry

Edited March 26, 2017 by Golden Fleece 30

[APOLLO]

I like your Peco "Wonderful Wagons" - Well done with the Prarie & J11 also - Nice to see TT running, brings back many memories !!

 

Brit15

[Golden Fleece 30]

I like your Peco "Wonderful Wagons" - Well done with the Prarie & J11 also - Nice to see TT running, brings back many memories !!

 

Brit15

Thanks Lindsey.  I have a feeling my father may have made the Peco wagons as I was too young to be let loose with a soldering iron to melt the plastic to the bases in those days.  I did recently try to tidy them up a bit though.  The Prairie in green makes it stand out nicely as something different and the J11 looked the part on suburban or freight.

 

Garry

Edited March 26, 2017 by Golden Fleece 30

[TT3]

I am impressed that you get the old Triang track to work. I have boxes and boxes of the stuff all NOS and the level or corrosion makes it difficult to determine what to do with it. The deliberately old fashioned look works so well I have a strong desire to use some of my old trackwork.

 

What is the width of the baseboard?

 

Also found your loco bodies, have the remains of a ks tender drive somewhere and plenty of wheels, triang and otherwise to send you. Love the look of the 9F, now that is just what is needed.

[Golden Fleece 30]

I am impressed that you get the old Triang track to work. I have boxes and boxes of the stuff all NOS and the level or corrosion makes it difficult to determine what to do with it. The deliberately old fashioned look works so well I have a strong desire to use some of my old trackwork.

 

What is the width of the baseboard?

 

Also found your loco bodies, have the remains of a ks tender drive somewhere and plenty of wheels, triang and otherwise to send you. Love the look of the 9F, now that is just what is needed.

Hi,  I think the tables provided were 5 foot x 2 foot 6 inches but I am guessing as they belonged to the hall used.

 

The old track is cleaned firstly with fine wet and dry using water then an old toothbrush with CIF cream and plenty of warm water.  Left to drain for a few minutes before drying with a paper towel.  I cannot do the sides of the rails with the wet and dry so accept some look clean and some are tarnished.  Points are done the same after removing the cast blade.  The blade is cleaned with a brass wire brush in a Dremel and contacts cleaned with a fibre glass pencil.  They do not always make contact and sometimes trains moving over them can make them move slightly which is why they will be modified on the portable layout.

 

Sent you a PM. Garry

[fallen]

It all looks to have been running very nicely at Goole, Gary, well done! Good to see someone showing the flag!

 

Frank

[APOLLO]

I never owned any Type A points, only an oval of type A track I got with my Jinty & 2 suburban coach set back around 1959. The Type A connected to the Type B with converter sections, which I had two of. Stalling on type B points was also an issue for me over the years - cured by running trains a bit faster !! If anything let the side down with Tri-ang TT it was the type B points. I tried GEM points but (back then) they were expensive and I couldn't fathom live frogs.

 

My sister bought me a Peco Wonderful Wagon at Christmas time for a few years back in the 60's. As you said Garry it was fun melting the pins to attach the metal body to the nylon chassis - I used a red hot clothes hanger heated on the gas stove, and learned quickly about heat conduction !! The glue on embossed coloured sides were nicely printed, and the finished wagons always looked the part and ran superbly free.

 

Brit15

[Golden Fleece 30]

I never owned any Type A points, only an oval of type A track I got with my Jinty & 2 suburban coach set back around 1959. The Type A connected to the Type B with converter sections, which I had two of. Stalling on type B points was also an issue for me over the years - cured by running trains a bit faster !! If anything let the side down with Tri-ang TT it was the type B points. I tried GEM points but (back then) they were expensive and I couldn't fathom live frogs.

 

I prefer the Type A points for the very reason they don't have an actual frog so no wheel drop and no stalling if plastic used.  I know Type A is not as realistic as Type B but it is my preference of the two.  I am going to hot wire them for the layout and put a saw cut in the rail for isolating sections (another Type A track not made).  At times on some points (worn?) the casting can move giving an edge that can derail a wheel if it hits it so I am going to use wire in the tube to a lever frame to eliminate any possible movement.  Wrenn points had an unusual "frog" that had the blades close to eliminate any wheel drop but in the old days it was an issue soldering thin wires and the getting small switches to work right, plus, the fibre base used to warp.  I never got any Gem points in those days.

 

 

The glue on embossed coloured sides were nicely printed, and the finished wagons always looked the part and ran superbly free.

 

I have to admit the finished card does look a lot more realistic than the plastic bodies but these days very few turn up and what do are expensive.  My only issue as such were the plastic couplings which are slightly smaller than the Tri-ang ones and not as free but as you say very free running wagons, especially when fitted with metal wheels.

 

Garry

[Robert Shrives]

Hi ,

Looks like you had fun ! the 9f as might have been is really good!  and the 37 likewise, loved the sound of wheel on rail very evocative of the era.

 

Robert 

[TT3]

Well looks like my Tri-ang track is no worse than yours when started. I have a good mix of Type A and B but it corrodes in the boxes so even unused track come out poor. Have started a different method to clean, using a bath of coke. Will post some results but already have lovely shiny rail joiners.

 

Peco wonderful wagons are indeed wonderful, had to get over that 'collectable' feeling of opening int wagon kits and building them but they sure make good wagons given that some of mine are over 50 years old. Modern wheels/bearing in tri-ang wagons and coach bogies work very well too but loose the originality and then they pretend to be scale but still, nice to have a free rolling train on modern trackwork.

 

Peco wonderful wagons in action, weathered and generally reduced in collectabilty..

 

 

 

[Golden Fleece 30]

Nice sweeping curves there, it certainly does not look like TT although it is.

 

Never thought about the coke even though we used to clean coins years ago.  Unfortunately I doubt my wife would buy it for that use.

 

Garry

Edited March 29, 2017 by Golden Fleece 30

[TT3]

It is alot better than drinking it thats for sure and can be used a couple of times.

 

Layout is the slow in progress shillingstone

 

 

Kit built G6 and scratchbuilt "Big Boiler" 4F on jinty mechanism

 

Can't get too far away from the triang though

Edited March 29, 2017 by TT3

[Golden Fleece 30]

Very nice.