Weighting a Hornby 28XX

[DCB]

Has anyone successfully added weight to a Hornby Loco Drive 28XX 2-8-0.  We opened ours up last evening and found the boiler was not hollow as we expected but seems to have a cast Mazak lump which includes the safety valve glued or moulded into the boiler.   The smokebox door does not appear to come off, unlike the tender drive version. The Mazak is not very heavy, so the loco lacks weight, its about 66% of the weight of my Tender drive body on a modified Wrenn chassis computer motor powered 28XX and has about 60% of the haulage. It does look a lot better though!  Has anyone had the Mazak lump out, is there any space in front of it?  Any ideas please?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

The weight in the boiler appears to be securely glued in, on these and other models of similar introduction date. It's a pain, also afflicts the otherwise very good B1 and B17. Normally I attack RTR with abandon to correct such tractive deficiencies, but have not 'found a way' to do so on these loco bodies, that will achieve the objective without irrepairable external damage.

[1466]

I try to add weight to my locos but haven’t found a way to this with loco drive Hornby 28xx .
I have 2 which have been converted to EM gauge .  They can haul 30 odd wagons around 36 inch radius curves in my shed . The shed has settled slightly so there are unintended slight gradients as well , so I have no problems with their haulage powers .

Slightly off topic, I did add weight to a Hornby 72xx . Some went into the smoke box to be balanced by a similar amount in the bunker . The 72xx , again , converted to EM gauge, will pull 30 odd wagons .

[DCB]

1466,  Our 72XX  is also weighted with copious amounts of lead flashing but it pulls 50% more than the 28XX.   The 28XX is about equal to a Bachmann Manor with 6 bogies/ 15 peco or H/D wagons  up a 1 in 36 and inferior to Triang Hornby Halls which manage 7 bogies and 17 wagons.   Its actually my son's 28XX and he finds it very frustrating. 

Edited July 7, 2020 by DavidCBroad

[1466]

I am sorry that your son is disappointed with the performance of his 28xx .

i believe that the centre of gravity is as important as weighting and balanced my 72xx on a lolly stick to get it right .

Back to the 28xx . You’ve probably tried these suggestions already and hope they are helpful .

The springing of the pony truck can have an effect . I mentioned the unintended gradients when the shed settled . Both 28xx slipped to a stop  on a curve with a slight gradient. I fiddled with  the trucks , at one point fitting a light spring from phosphor bronze wire . That helped track holding but diminished traction so I discarded it . I adjusted the securing screw to slacken it off and lubricated the sliding faces and finally added a slug of lead .

I also changed the tender coupling to a hook on the tender bearing down on a bar on the drag beam . I had weighted the tender so that a bit more weight bears down... I fancy the 28xx May   be a little nose heavy .

I hope  these suggestions help and wasn’t trying to boast about the 28xx’s performance .

 BTW I don’t think the conversion to EM gauge was a factor in that the extra gauge helped . One 28xx has the Hornby wheels pulled out on its axles and the other has Ultrascale wheels . I can’t detect any difference in grip between the two . The 72xx runs on Gibson’s .! 
Best wishes

[1466]

David, this  photo shows the hook and bar coupling and weight more hat I recall adding!). A fall palte ws fitted later

Hope this helps.
Ken