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Playing with Hornby Dublo 3 rail again


Jenny Emily
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That could be because it was a "toy" which we all started with Brian. We all grew up with it and knew nothing different, some left it while others did not want change. I personally have gone between the two. If I had space I would have liked larger curves but would not change the Dublo locos or their basis for other models. My wagons are nearly all Dublo and my coaches all Exley. I change the couplings for what I term more reliable. Modern track for more realism although with a third rail its not quite so but I do have an excuse for later on that.

 

Garry

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I had plans for a mini circuit based on Uxbridge Road station on the West London line, as if it hadn't been bombed in WW II and the Middle Circle was still operating. As an LT/BR line and four rail, the centre third would have been prototypical. Alas the space available is a foot too short for even the small version I had in mind. :( Links to the new terminal for the planned Channel Tunnel would have given an excuse to run almost anything.... Perhaps if I were to use tighter curves - I did want to make the end curves second and third radius.

 

It would also have been appropriate for the Dublo EMU. Pity I haven't got one! (I assume it was part of the 'Southern mania' current at the time of its release that they gave it a SR number rather than an LMR one, for which it would have have been only a couple of scale feet short than nearly ten for the SR version.)

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I keep trying to build my layout but things like this keep getting in the way.I bought this Co-Bo as a restoration project,it was 2 rail but i had a 3 rail collector in my spares box but of course,it seems a different bogie casting to the 3 rail casting.It was also a non runner,dead as a Dodo but on inspection armed with a multimeter,i found that one of the armature coils had become detached from the commutator,a few minutes with a soldering iron & the motor ran as sweet as a nut,Dublo locos are virtually bomb proof.As you will see from the pics,the pick up problem was solved by fitting a Marklin skate.I am not certain whether to repaint it in BR green or Rail blue as D5701 later in its life.Got to get some conductive paint to short out the insulated wheels now.

 

 

                                               Ray

 

                                  

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It should be the same casting Ray. The same collector was used for the EMU and E3002 which all had the open block whether 2 or 3-rail. The only difference was the Co-Bo had metal screw on sideframes the others were clip on plastic ones. These all had a shorter version of the normal Duchess one etc to clear the axles.

 

Garry

Edited by Golden Fleece 30
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It should be the same casting Ray. The same collector was used for the EMU and E3002 which all had the open block whether 2 or 3-rail. The only difference was the Co-Bo had metal screw on sideframes the others were clip on plastic ones. These all had a shorter version of the normal Duchess one etc to clear the axles.

 

Garry

I must confess that i didn`t look at my genuine 3 rail  Co Bo,however,it was simplicity itself to fit a Marklin skate which i sometimes think are slightly more efficient that the dublo collectors.I have ordered four more skates from Gaugemaster today working on the assumption that when i do want one,they won`t be available.Oh Humm!!!

 

             Ray.

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I have ordered four more skates from Gaugemaster today working on the assumption that when i do want one,they won`t be available.Oh Humm!!!

 

             Ray.

 

I do that with some things Ray and then when I want one I cannot find it anyway, until after buying another that is :scratchhead: Just recently I was looking for for some replacement pantographs I had for about 4 or 5 years and could not find them so bought 4 Trix replacements then a couple of days later found the originals (non Trix as I would modify to fit).

 

Garry

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Strangely my Co-Bo arrived with a wire detached from the commutator too. Perhaps they were made on the same Friday afternoon?

I also have a Pacific chassis with a dry joint on the tag under the pickup nut. It's worked until now relying on the tension in the wire! (It will get soldered properly....)

 

Märklin skates work very well. One was fitted to one of my A4s for ages until I acquired the proper Dublo part and the skate went under a Tri-ang DMU. Seeing the price the genuine (or even repro) Dublo parts sell for these days* :O , they are a bargain.

 

* I have bought complete locomotives for less!

Edited by Il Grifone
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One thing i have noticed is that Marklin skates can lose contact with the centre rail on points as the wing rails can lift the skate off the centre rail.This baffled me me for a while until i put a slight set in the skate allowing the ends of the skate make contact.

 

                    Ray.

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I used to put a little bend, "set", on the ends but then went for soldering little discs on each end.

 

I think you have to be careful which skate you fit as long ones will obviously reach further out on corners hence hitting the point wing rails, similar to some 0-6-2 front spoons I guess with their large overhang.  I know some don't foul the wing rails but some do, mine are about 50/50.

 

Garry

post-22530-0-93027500-1465322795.jpg

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I used to put a little bend, "set", on the ends but then went for soldering little discs on each end.

 

I think you have to be careful which skate you fit as long ones will obviously reach further out on corners hence hitting the point wing rails, similar to some 0-6-2 front spoons I guess with their large overhang.  I know some don't foul the wing rails but some do, mine are about 50/50.

 

Garry

Hi Garry,i use marklin skate 7164,i think it may be for coach lighting but it does the job,i`ve just received a couple of repro couplings for the Co Bo,they have two lugs on the side,peculiar to this & the CoCo loco.

 

 

                        Ray.

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Hi Ray, it is not just the Co-Bo and Co-Co with that coupling but the EMU too, and I think E3002. The Bo-Bo also has two lugs but it was a metal coupling only. This loco had a plastic spacer underneath with two protrusions on for the coupling and often cracked leading the couplings to over ride the lugs.

 

Garry

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I believe that it could be, there were a number of neverwazza's and Dubloised foreigners brought along by Rev Kip. Also a 3-railed EFE 1959 tube stock with fine scale wheels that was unhappy on Dublo points and diamonds. I understand that it is OK on 3-railed Peco track.

 

To be pedantic, it's on three 6 foot x 2.5 foot tables, giving a layout area of 7.5 feet x 5 feet. Designed in SCARM by my son Mark

 

Regards

 

Terry

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My wife bought me this display unit for my recent birthday,it was better to have at least part of my collection on show rather than stored in a large chest.

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                                 Ray.

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Last incarnation for a while of my Dublo 3-rail.

 

Local primary school summer fete - Driver experience layout, therefore only 4 circuits.

 

In order to prevent reversing and over speeding I use a dual controller system.

 

Each circuit is controlled by a A3 transformer/controller, the variable DC output is then fed into the AC input of a C3 (slave) controller. this is then connected to the track. Maximum speed and direction are controlled on the C3's by a supervising operator.

 

Will not bore my readership on this subject for about a month.

 

Note to Brianusa, similar photograph, but I an in Tony Penn's!!!

 

Terry 

 

 

 

 

 

post-15443-0-25037200-1465751832_thumb.jpgpost-15443-0-82071600-1465751995_thumb.jpg

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I keep trying to build my layout but things like this keep getting in the way.I bought this Co-Bo as a restoration project,it was 2 rail but i had a 3 rail collector in my spares box but of course,it seems a different bogie casting to the 3 rail casting.It was also a non runner,dead as a Dodo but on inspection armed with a multimeter,i found that one of the armature coils had become detached from the commutator,a few minutes with a soldering iron & the motor ran as sweet as a nut,Dublo locos are virtually bomb proof.As you will see from the pics,the pick up problem was solved by fitting a Marklin skate.I am not certain whether to repaint it in BR green or Rail blue as D5701 later in its life.Got to get some conductive paint to short out the insulated wheels now.

 

 

                                               Ray

 

                                  

13312920_258530234510841_506439937337681
13346844_258530287844169_858305058570298
13335653_258530334510831_890402010571649

 

 

 

  Update,the finished loco as D5701,the only Co Bo to receive this paint job.Also, a pic,Shades of Woodhead.post-4249-0-38854500-1466103568_thumb.jpgpost-4249-0-31486300-1466103585_thumb.jpgpost-4249-0-63831600-1466103640_thumb.jpg

 

                       Ray

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We all know (or you should being train enthusiasts) that City of Lancaster was the only streamlined Coronation loco to make into BR days with the number 45243.  Unfortunately it stayed in wartime black until rebuilt. What would have happened if BR decided not to rebuild it, how would it have looked to those of us old enough to properly remember steam locomotives?  Here is my vision of it in BR lined green livery.  This body and tender was my very first soldered loco kit (1965/6).  When I bought it (mother most likely did) I did not know it would not be able to be glued being a Jamieson kit.  I was about 13 or 14 and had glued a couple of Wills whitemetal kits previously but this was different.  My mother then had to buy me a soldering iron which was the Weller gun type in a large red carry case, and, after a lot of practice, flux and solder everywhere I managed to get it together.  Holes were drilled using my father's Black and Decker and not very straight. It was a while before a suitable chassis was made as I wanted a Dublo one, Tri-ang looked so poor.  This chassis is the original one used from then although I did have to use a Tri-ang Britannia pony truck at the rear. This loco has been repainted a couple of times but the LMS lining was never very good. The only difference now is I removed the old brass handrail knobs along with the thin wire so I could use split pins etc and the tender now has a separate brass one as opposed to wheels running in the axleboxes. For interest these kits were mainly Nickel Silver with the odd brass part and very few whitemetal fittings.

 

I will say I do have the modern full length Hornby ones on Dublo chassis's with matching coach rakes in blue/silver and maroon/gold.

 

Garry

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Nice paint job Ray but unfortunately I just do not like blue diesels.

 

Garry

 

 

Well,i`ve got a green one so i thought it would make a change coupled with the fact that i`d got a part used jar of Rail Blue & warning panel yellow,i hadn`t got any green. :lol:

 

 Ray.

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