Bachmann Junior 0-6-0ST ? Great Warranty Support

[RosiesBoss]

Introduction

 

My church’s model railway club has been hosting an annual exhibition since 1987. For most of those shows, we have provided a “U-drive” display for visiting children to drive for free. In 2008, a new display was used, based upon a modified donated Roco pre-formed baseboard, Peco Setrack and other pre-loved rolling stock.

 

My wife inspired a novelty approach, aimed at attracting young children but also intriguing their parents. Many animals appeared, including many penguins.

 

I acquired three ancient Lionel giraffe wagons and installed in-track magnets to trigger their operation.

 

Trials showed that most small locos that could handle the sharp curves could haul no more than two wagons up the hills. Indeed, a Tri-ang “Nellie” only managed one – even after re-wheeling with Romford wheels!

 

So I fitted a second-hand unidentified American 0-6-0 chassis to her body and she was then happy to haul two and sometimes three wagons.

 

During a closing-down sale of a local model shop, I bought a Bachmann Jupiter, which worked well for a couple of years until one of the driving wheel axles fractured. After repairs, it now is on “light duties”.

 

So I could be sure of reliable operation, I bought a Bachmann GE 44-ton bo-bo diesel and repainted it in NSWGR colours. This has worked very well.

 

New Saddle Tank

 

I still wanted another reliable steam loco that would look cute and attractive to both children and their parents, so I bought a Bachmann Junior 0-6-0ST in time to use it for my club’s 2014 show.

 

Cosmetic Changes

 

I didn’t like it in black livery, so I chose to repaint it in yellow – a primary colour more likely to appeal to my target audience. This was completed just a few days before our 2014 show. Apart from colour, the only other change was to fit it with X2f couplers to suit the vintage (collector item) Lionel wagons.

 

Use

 

“Jennifer” looked and worked well at the 2014 show, taking turns with “Polly” and 7923.

 

Problem

As I prepared and tested things for our 2015 show, I found that the model emitted a strange clicking sound when operating – especially when under load and climbing. I suspected a piece of grit in the gears, but these were free of foreign bodies. After carefully stripping the chassis (for the very first time), I eventually traced the sound to a missing tooth on the gear mounted on the centre (driven) axle.

 

Solution

As the model was still less than 12 months old and still under warranty, I wrote to Bachmann UK to see if they could help, suggesting that, as I lived in Sydney, Australia, it might be cost-effective for them to supply a replacement gear, rather than air-mail the model to and from the UK. Imagine my surprise when a full wheel-set turned up in the post! Unfortunately, despite looking similar, the new gear didn’t fit, so I wrote again to Bachmann, detailing the differences in the gears. (Original, white gear: 19 teeth; new, black gear: 20 teeth)

 

Meanwhile, I overhauled another second-hand (recently donated) Bachmann model to use for this year’s display, as I had run out of time to restore and use “Jennifer”.

 

The show as a whole went well, as mentioned on pp 3 and 4 here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/104466-st-lukes-29th-annual-model-railway-exhibition-nsw-australia/

 

Apparently, the existence of two different gear designs in the Junior 0-6-0ST was a new issue for Bachmann, so they kindly sourced and supplied another wheel-set – this time with the correct gear. I fitted this to the model. “Jennifer” now works perfectly and awaits our club’s next display.

 

Thank you to Richard Matthews and the service team at Bachmann UK for your patient help with this tricky challenge.

 

[Railroading together]

IS THE POLLY TANK ENGINE FOR SALE?

[RosiesBoss]

Hello,

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

I'm afraid the layout pictured above has been retired and most of the stock dispersed.

 

Polly has been reduced to components and those have been used for other projects.

 

Her smokebox ended up as part of GWR 28, as detailed here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/167158-gwr-28-“cleobury”-–-ex-cmdplr/

 

The 6-wheeled chassis has a new life under GWR 680, as described here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/154031-gwr-680-–-ex-alexandra-docks-0-6-0st/

 

 

Good luck with your modelling.

 

Regards,

 

Rob