Playing with Hornby Dublo 3 rail again

[Legend]

Playing with Dublo 3-rail again (Still) this week at our local HRCA meeting.

 

TerryDSCF7202S.jpgDSCF7203S.jpgDSCF7204S.jpg

Lovely layout Dublo Dad. Love seeing Hornby Dublo at exhibitions. So much play factor, sometimes I think we've lost the enjoyment factor as we get more sophisticated.. Please keep posting pics

[sagaguy]

I`ve ordered two side walls for my HD loco shed as i`ve got the roof & vents,this was bought years ago to make my shed a six road unit but it`s a bit big.The walls are coming without windows so i gave it a bit thought & scanned one of the windows & saved it into Photoshop.With a bit of editing,this is the result.Print it on to inkjet transparency,use narrow double sided tape on the outside edge of the frame so that it doesn`t show,stick it on to a piece of transparent plastic sheet as thick as you can comfortably cut,cut it out & fix into the window opening.This shoud print out at the right size on A4 paper.

 

[sagaguy]

This is the loco shed i made the windows for.

 

                   Ray.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Queen Elizabeth.
Here is my Blue City loco recently painted. The City of London is how it looked before stripping (I did not have a "scrapper" as such so this was used).  It is finished off with the colour RAL5002 which from a model and real railway paint supplier in the 80's said this was the closest. The transfers were actually for the 8F shaped tender so the tender has had about 4 sections cut and swapped used to make up the shape seen here. I am too tight  (being a Yorkshireman) to buy a set when these would never be used and who wants a blue 8F? The three quarter view is slightly lighter where as the side view is more like the colour. I do like using Modelmaster nameplates though as they do a full set specifically for Dublo locos in Stainless Steel, that is to fit the cast moulding as well as a scale set.

 

Garry

Edited June 22, 2016 by Golden Fleece 30

[sagaguy]

Whilst ripping out the wiring under the baseboard of the now defunct N gauge layout a little while ago,i found two Relco units wired in but i don`t think they worked anymore,i do know that they could give you a nice HF shock if you rested your hand on the track with no loco on it.Does anyone remember them?.

 

                              Ray.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Yes Ray, a long, long time ago.  I never had one, was always going to buy one or two but never got around to it.  I have a Gaugemaster one from about 5 years ago but not wired it up yet.  I cannot remember, but think I was told by Gaugemaster that there may be an issue if using Dublo track having the metal base as a common return if more than one controller was used. 

 

Garry

[Dublodad]

I have used Relcos many years ago with 3 rail track and an H & M duette with "cab control" with no issues. I wouldn't bother to use them now just clean the track,collectors and wheels as necessary.!!!!!

 

Terry

[cctransuk]

Queen Elizabeth.

Here is my Blue City loco recently painted. The City of London is how it looked before stripping (I did not have a "scrapper" as such so this was used).  It is finished off with the colour RAL5002 which from a model and real railway paint supplier in the 80's said this was the closest. The transfers were actually for the 8F shaped tender so the tender has had about 4 sections cut and swapped used to make up the shape seen here. I am too tight  (being a Yorkshireman) to buy a set when these would never be used and who wants a blue 8F? The three quarter view is slightly lighter where as the side view is more like the colour. I do like using Modelmaster nameplates though as they do a full set specifically for Dublo locos in Stainless Steel, that is to fit the cast moulding as well as a scale set.

 

Garry

 

I have to say that the blue livery does much more for the old HD City casting that the rather half-hearted maroon livery ever did.

 

Well done !!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Here are some maroon repaints I have done of both the City and Duchess locos.  Dublo's maroon did seem an odd colour shade especially some versions that had nearly pink looking cylinders.  Mine were done with a metallic shade which is hardly noticeable after varnishing.  I do have an LMS repaint as I needed one for my Exley lined out set, this again was metallic but a different shade. One photo shows my LMS version with an original Atholl and London for comparison.

 

Garry

[Golden Fleece 30]

7026 Tenby Castle

Here is my blue Castle finished apart from its centre pick-ups which will be on the loco and not the tender. I have just noticed that I forgot to put a blanking plate in the tender front where the normal loco to tender wire goes. I did polish up a new copper chimney only to find they were made of brass and copper plated, so yes, the plating polished off. This is an old Denbigh Castle 2-rail Chassis which has had its wheels shorted out with electrical paint and metal tender wheels fitted on the same side. I have gone for the gloss boiler and satin black finish, and, unusually for me I found a reversing lever to replace. I normally loose those along with the front hooks.  I am not too happy with the "brass" safety valve cover and when a suitable paint turns up I will probably redo it.  This was done with a paint pen marker and is not as good as they used to be.

 

Garry

 

[Il Grifone]

I must get around to lining my blue Duchess... (and a name/number - I can choose from 46231/3/49/50).

[Brit70053]

Follow up to posts #76 - 79.

A get together was finally managed yesterday and many small problems were tackled successfully, particularly the Std. 4 Tank derailing Pony truck.

 

As previously noted, I'd inserted a piece of coiled spring cut from that supplied by Bachmann on the bogie of their B1 model, together with a brass washer to reduce the excessive play/ slop on the pony truck, but this had only partially improved running and rail holding and the pony still derailed at on a particular point/ turnout.

 

When I had a look at the assembly yesterday, I found that the open end of the spring had insinuated itself through the washer, and as a result the washer was inclined at an angle instead of lying flush against the pivot hole in the chassis. The springing effect was therefore limited and an unintended rigid spacer was in effect in place.

I removed the washer and left the soft spring alone in place on the pivot screw.

Result, the loco can now negotiate the entire layout without regular derailment - we all know that some derailments will occur randomly with vintage HD 3 Rail stock.

 

A thoroughly enjoyable day was had and we left the layout owner with a big smile on his face after a successful running session during which all 8 locos performed without any major issues - despite some (ahem) operator errors. Only a few minor details (optional) remain to be attended to now.

 

Thanks for the helpful ideas contributed on here, especially in regard to the Std.4 and point set up.

 

Regards,

 

               John

 

Edit typo

Edited July 5, 2016 by Brit70053

[sagaguy]

At last,i plucked up the courage to 3 rail my Olivias trains Heljan EM1.In the end it was very simple.I soldered a Marklin skate to a small piece of shim brass which in turn was epoxyed to the keeper plate under one of the bogies.A bit of rewiring to make sure all the wheels returned current to the track.I`ll have to look into uploading video.Anyway,here it is.

 

                                   Ray.

 

[sagaguy]

Here`s the other pic.

 

                   Ray.

[sagaguy]

Hopefully,a link to my 3 railed Heljan EM1.I havn`t got the hang of embedding a video in here yet but copy & paste does work.

 

                     www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWMkf2HFpck

 

                            Ray.

Edited July 8, 2016 by sagaguy

[Golden Fleece 30]

Here is my latest R1 chassis modification, this time to make a rebuilt Royal Scot.  The front axle has been moved 8mm or so further forwards and Castle wheels fitted along with Duchess valve gear, this did require the connecting rod lengthening 6mm.  All it needs is the Bristol models kit finishing and fitting around it.  This kit is a very nice one, the boiler looks quite round after the two halves were soldered together.

 

 

Garry

[sagaguy]

Hi Garry,how do you link a youtube video to here?.

 

                   Ray.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Hi Ray, just copy and paste the http code from you tube.

 

Garry

[sagaguy]

Thanks Garry i`ll see if it works now.

 

                     Ray.

 

            

[sagaguy]

Success!!,i left the http code off before!.

 

                    Ray.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Here are a couple of photos showing where the Rebuilt Royal Scot is at.  It is all soldered up in the photo without chimney although I am not too happy with the cab area I am not going to try to adjust it.  The chimney and smoke deflectors are only laced in position.  I want to try to have the deflectors screwed on to make the painting easier so hopefully a small nut can be soldered on the flange.  Dublo R1 buffers are used which although not quite correct are better than any whitemetal offerings.  The tender is all complete but needs a false internal chassis making (as per Dublo).

 

Garry

[Player of trains]

Wow, that royal Scot model is really coming together well, I'm also impressed with the R1 chassis conversion it looks better than the original wrenn chassis. so nice to see a large following for these classic models.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Thank you Player of trains. I think the better looks compared to the Wrenn version is due to Duchess cylinders used as opposed to the later City ones. I do prefer these ones. Once I started re-drilling the R1, and Castle, chassis's they became so much more versatile.

 

Garry

[Il Grifone]

Hi Garry,

 

When redrilling a Dublo chassis, do you enlarge the space between the frames as well, just drill straight through 1/8" or drill larger  (e.g. 9/64") and then fit bushes to reduce the diameter?   I have a few to do....

 

Regards,

 

David

[Golden Fleece 30]

Hi David,

 

All I do is use a centre drill to start the hole followed by 3/64" or similar equivalent then use a 1/8" slot drill for the axle hole.  A normal drill can easily bend and run off but a slot drill is ridged so will (should) go straight.  You will be aware of the issues drilling Mazak and I frequently remove both drill/slot drill from the hole to clear any build of swarf to prevent them clogging and breaking.  I would prefer to use the slot drill straight off but due to its small diameter and the make up of Mazak it does not always work.

 

If a new hole needs to be partly into an existing hole (or very close) then both sides of this hole are countersunk and 1/8" brass is inserted and riveted tightly into the countersinks which gives the new drill a solid base to go through.  Trying to make any hole which runs into another can give a problem with drill wander.  The photo here shows a brass block used where the new axle was about 0.5 to 1mm into the original hole.

 

I have never bothered opening any space between the frames or used any bushes.  I do have a 9/64" slot drill for Tri-ang chassis when needed.

 

Hope this helps, just shout out if you need anything else.

 

Garry