Upgrading the old Hornby chassis and XO4 setup

[beachcomber_bob]

I'm afraid I took the easier option of just replacing the whole rolling chassis with a later Hornby one. I'm also guilty of over-engineering things sometimes...

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/36233-3f-deeley/

[hayfield]

Can I add another suggestion, this seems to be a dodge the EM boys did many years ago and it works very well. Just brought a loco with this done to the chassis

 

Buy an old Triang Jinty chassis or chassis block (I think its the one with the solid wheels) where you have 2 steel frames with Mazac castings in the middle and (most important) its the one with screws that holds it together.

 

Bin the wheels (if it has any) undo the screws, throw away the Mazac castings. Either buy a set of round (Romford) frame spacers, The type that has a counter sunk screw at each end, and fit 3 of them to the chassis. Or cut some brass tube the same length as the width of the Mazac castings and use the 3 existing screws to hold all together, or make up some L shaped frame spacers and solder in place.

 

You now have an open frame chassis ( like the old Jamieson or K's kits) but with the Triang / Hornby body fixings in place. You can use a thin motor mount / gear box. Ream out the axle holes to accept 1/8th tophat bearings, if using Romford wheels buy the Triang/Hornby size replacement axles. Mainlytrains do a 1 piece etched coupling rods, though I guess someone like Alan Gibson may do 2 part ones. Fit standard Paxoline copperclad pickups. Job done

[Simon G]

I thought that I would add an update to my earlier contribution to this thread. Since the earlier post, I purchased some replacement wheels & axles from ebay (1846marion, who sells a load of spares each weekend). The old wheels were removed and these were easily fitted to replace them. Building on my experience from earlier, I didnt try to replace the flangeless centre set of wheels, as having three flanged wheels seemed to be the cause of stiffness while running. Picture of the result is included. It now runs very sweetly with the 5 pole motor, and will happily manage a set of crossovers in Code 100 track, where it would come to an abrupt stop on the original wheels. I havent tried it on Code 75, as I dont have easy access to any just now. The only remaining issue is a slight 'waddle' as one of the wheels is not completely 'square' on its axle. I should be able to sort this out.

 

I now have a couple of other Triang 0-6-0's to convert - a Deeley 3F and a 1950s saddle tank.