Class 37, by Accurascale

[Triumph1050]

Ahh well so finally it happened with 37608 Andromeda after 3 months of ownership and running on and off, the only one of the three I bought at the same time developed a motor fault. Watching it surging and looking at the volt meter spiking. Same as the other two now. So that's all the three I bought. A case of opening up the motor (no need to take the weights of the end)  there is just enough room to get in there and clean out the gaps between the plates on the commutator. A lot of muck removed, motor closed back up, all put back together and running sweet till the next time.

[Matt]

43 minutes ago, Triumph1050 said:

Ahh well so finally it happened with 37608 Andromeda after 3 months of ownership and running on and off, the only one of the three I bought at the same time developed a motor fault. Watching it surging and looking at the volt meter spiking. Same as the other two now. So that's all the three I bought. A case of opening up the motor (no need to take the weights of the end)  there is just enough room to get in there and clean out the gaps between the plates on the commutator. A lot of muck removed, motor closed back up, all put back together and running sweet till the next time.

Don’t suppose you have a photo of how you do this - I may have a need for this and am quite happy to give it a go.

 

[Triumph1050]

At 22 mins into the video you can see what's needed. The only difference is that I took the weights of this motor to clearly show what I did. 

 

[97406]

3 minutes ago, Triumph1050 said:

At 22 mins into the video you can see what's needed. The only difference is that I took the weights of this motor to clearly show what I did. 

 

 

Great video but “communator”? 🤣

[CazRail]

26 minutes ago, Triumph1050 said:

At 22 mins into the video you can see what's needed. The only difference is that I took the weights of this motor to clearly show what I did. 

 

I quite like Peter down in his man shed. I followed his guide for one of mine.

 

It's a shame it happens though, almost as if the motor's carbon brushes are of a poor quality perhaps? When i run mine, I feel almost as if there's an inevitability for it to happen.

 

Still love the Accurascale 37s though, and can't wait for some EWS ones to be announced 😉😉

[spamcan61]

41 minutes ago, Triumph1050 said:

At 22 mins into the video you can see what's needed. The only difference is that I took the weights of this motor to clearly show what I did. 

 

Thanks, not seen one of your videos before, very useful.

[SulzerPeak]

38 minutes ago, 97406 said:

 

Great video but “communator”? 🤣

Any need? A guy saying how to solve a problem.🙄

[97406]

1 minute ago, SulzerPeak said:

Any need? A guy saying how to solve a problem.🙄

 

It tickled me. I also said what a great video it is.

[SulzerPeak]

8 minutes ago, 97406 said:

 

It tickled me. I also said what a great video it is.

If a helpfull person whos accent or mispronouncian of a word tickles you need to grow up.

[McC]

We’d be very happy if anyone seeing any issues (motors or otherwise) would reach out to us, regardless where you bought the model, as the more feedback we can gather the better we can understand and  improve the models as we move forward. Ultimately we believe a model should be for life (within reason) and are standing by to help however we can in that goal and who better placed to provide advice , assistance and parts than the people who made it :) 

Edited December 21, 2023 by McC

[Andy7]

9 minutes ago, SulzerPeak said:

If a helpfull person whos accent or mispronouncian of a word tickles you need to grow up.

Sorry but that is a pathetic comment. He does good videos.
 

#helpful

 

Anyway when is my limited edition of 37800 and 37611 in current ROG livery getting announced?

 

[zr2498]

4 hours ago, Opelsi said:

I have also just noticed that there are only 4 magnets holding the roof in place, when there are spaces for 6 and I can see 6 on other models on Youtube. Looks like I might have a 'Friday' model. Shame as it ran in lovely on the test oval.

Also struggling to get my TCS ESU621 (1344) decoder to operate the functions.

I think I might just take your advice and get in touch with Locomotion in the morning, thanks!

I thought I had missing magnets, but not the case. It could be that the magnet on one side as become unglued, so you might find a a couple of double magnets on the lid. They are quite strong so the glue needs to be even stronger.

[Krieghoff]

5 hours ago, Opelsi said:

I have also just noticed that there are only 4 magnets holding the roof in place, when there are spaces for 6 and I can see 6 on other models on Youtube. Looks like I might have a 'Friday' model. Shame as it ran in lovely on the test oval.

Also struggling to get my TCS ESU621 (1344) decoder to operate the functions.

I think I might just take your advice and get in touch with Locomotion in the morning, thanks!

Hi there

check on the underside of the lift off roof panel. I had two of mine have this same issue and its so easy to sort. Simply mirror the magnets (missing) and they will be attached to the underside of the removable roof section. Simply remove them and glue them down but ensure that they go back in the same orientation making sure the 'poles' are correct otherwise they will 'repel' each other. 
 

its a really simple fix. 👍👍

Edited December 21, 2023 by Krieghoff

[atom3624]

Is it possible that the end bushing at the brushes end has been over lubricated, some weeping through to the brushes, POSSIBLY softening them, causing them to both arc and also break up more easily - filling in the gaps between the segments of the commutator?

Or possibly they're too hard / fragile - the converse - which has caused them to fragment?

The motor seems to be a very good one.

When I had brushed R/C modified motors, there were different brush options - Cu impregnated, etc - harder but apparently better, but required you to clean the commutator more frequently as they arced more - something you really want to avoid.  Much of this related to people not 'bedding in' the brushes before applying 'full beans'.

One way of breaking / bedding in new brushes was to run the motor on light power, in water ...

Al.

[tlm]

The motor issue and the videos now appearing remind me of when my father taught me how to service my terrible running 3 month old Triang Jinties (I was 8 at the time).

 

At one time both had run very well, but had suddenly deteriorated. To be fair they had been subjected to many hours of high-speed running, being the only way to get their somewhat primitive smoke generators to produce an appropriate amount of clag, albeit that in the process I also managed to burn out several smoke generator heating elements. He showed me how carefully to remove the gunk from the brushes from between the commutator segments, how to replace the brushes (similar to the attached image), how to clean and degrease the remainder of the motor and drive, and how to lubricate relevant parts with the tiniest drop of quality oil, resulting in completely transformed locos.

 

In a way we seem to have come full circle, albeit that it's a rather more difficult task to dismantle and service an AS 37 than was the case with my old Triang Jinties and most of the locos that followed in those early years.

Although I have not had this issue with any of my AS 37s so far, I suspect that is likely to be because they don't have enough running time as yet, and probably won't for a while. While I would be the last to try and draw any comparison between a Triang Jinty and an AS 37, I would far rather have something that was user maintainable, as opposed to a sealed unit that is not. Full marks therefore both to AS, and to those here producing guides to show how this maintenance is best done. I have sent a note to Support to see whether or not replacement brushes can be made available, perhaps via the Accessories section on the website. However, knowing how good AS are at listening to feedback and modifying as required, I would not be at all surprised if a slightly different specification for the motor brushes might already be under consideration to extend the required maintenance intervals.
 

[derekdoestrains]

11 hours ago, tlm said:

I have sent a note to Support to see whether or not replacement brushes can be made available, perhaps via the Accessories section on the website.

but have you had to do it on any other modern (as in recent non Lima) loco?

 

I’ve had plenty of second hand stuff, and ran them longer than a friends 37, and his had issues and none of the second hand items which will have far more hours running had problems? I don’t feel this is “normal maintenance” in the modern world of model railway loco’s at all…

 

telling people it’s normal maintenance is just hiding the issue, not working towards a solution?

[atom3624]

I find the Dapol Class 68 motors fail in a very similar manner - brush related.

I have 2x TPE 68's.  Brutus is on her 3rd motor, Splendid her 2nd.

Part of that is poor brush alignment somebody once observed I think.

Al.

[McC]

As above, no one is calling this maintenance, and indeed even trying to do so would void your warranty :)

 

We've seen literally a handful of motor related returns, and based on shipped locomotives with the same motor now numbering in excess of 40k, there is nothing we are, or customers should be concerned about.

 

That said, our support team are here to help, and can provide any repair, replacements or parts needed. 

[IOW O2]

18 hours ago, McC said:

We’d be very happy if anyone seeing any issues (motors or otherwise) would reach out to us, regardless where you bought the model, as the more feedback we can gather the better we can understand and  improve the models as we move forward.

Bit flummoxed by this, do you mean contact for repair, feedback on issues when bought elsewhere or both, in one of above posts you told them to go back to Locomotion Models  for info.  

 

I have what I think may be constructive feedback on my Manor motor (purchased elsewhere) but not sure who to feedback to at Accura.  Still have D6992 on order from yourselves got in early for this one🙂.

[McC]

While under warranty, your recourse is to the provider of the goods. The retailer, commissioner, or outlet, can support you and / or replace the items as needed, and any models with issues will make their way to us in due course.

 

Outside warranty, and where bought direct, you come to us for anything.

 

Aside of support, we're always open to feedback, criticism and areas we might improve on, or photos, research, notes or anything else our wonderful customers feel might help us :)

 

Hope that's clear!

 

[Waverley West]

To strike a more positive note for a moment, I thought I might post a few pics of the third Accurascale 37 to be released from the Waverley West works in the shape of 37099, renumbered from 37051. The two locos are very similar as far as I can see, apart from 37099 having a fully welded roof at the no. 2 end. So the roof panel at this end was sanded down and the roof repainted. The depot plaques also had to be removed. Otherwise, it was a simple renumbering/weathering job. 

 

All three of my Accura 37s (026/043/051) have so far performed faultlessly and they have done a fair few miles already. 37027 Loch Eil (with the white stripe removed) will be the next Accura 37 to be released into service. 

 

Here is the end product, trundling through Princes St Gardens and into Waverley West with a rake of BBA steel wagons...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[97406]

24 minutes ago, Waverley West said:

To strike a more positive note for a moment, I thought I might post a few pics of the third Accurascale 37 to be released from the Waverley West works in the shape of 37099, renumbered from 37051. The two locos are very similar as far as I can see, apart from 37099 having a fully welded roof at the no. 2 end. So the roof panel at this end was sanded down and the roof repainted. The depot plaques also had to be removed. Otherwise, it was a simple renumbering/weathering job. 

 

All three of my Accura 37s (026/043/051) have so far performed faultlessly and they have done a fair few miles already. 37027 Loch Eil (with the white stripe removed) will be the next Accura 37 to be released into service. 

 

Here is the end product, trundling through Princes St Gardens and into Waverley West with a rake of BBA steel wagons...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely smashing! Here's my fleet covering different times in the 80s with a toe hold in the 90s. Very pleased with them all told.

 

 

[NHY 581]

Given the recent repetative negativity from certain quarters, I am happy to report a good thing. 

 

Email from Accurascale yesterday advising 'original' sound decoders back in stock. Subsequent email received advising 'Kelsey' from DPD will be delivering said decoder this morning. 

 

Looks like it will be a noisey Christmas morning. 

 

Excellent service. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

[Downer]

Excuse me for asking a question that’s probably already been answered in the previous 312 pages of this thread, but have Accurascale brought out or announced a second plain green version of the first few 37s? (the sold-out Locomotion one being the first)

Edited December 23, 2023 by Downer

[NHY 581]

5 minutes ago, Downer said:

Excuse me for asking a question that’s probably already been answered in the previous 312 pages of this thread, but have Accurascale brought out or announced a second plain green version of the first few 37s? (the sold-out Locomotion one being the first)

 

No. A confirmatory check on the website seems to show all released/announced models to date and a plain green job isn't there. 

 

Rob