RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted March 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2023 I employ a finely tuned and delicate judicial brutality; a rattlecan of WD40 electrical switch cleaner is powerful enough to blast the bulk of the grease away, and bud to wipe off any residue, When the switch cleaner has evaporated, apply non-mineral plastic-friendly lube (as advised by my local Antics) to the locations shown on the service sheet, as sparingly as possible with a syringe or droplet on the end of a pin. With a fleet of 14 locomotives and a WTT to real time (Cwmdimbath time, only in operation during running sessions and stopped for time out as necessary), I can and have instituted a 'boiler washout' schedule, base on the idea that Tondu locomotives had boiler washouts every 7 or 8 operating days (check out BTC films 'Wash & Brush Up' on da toob, which describes the process on a Patricroft Standard 5MT and is a fascinating insight into working with steam engines). This takes about 48hours of Cwmdimbath time. In practice, 8 operating days takes around 40 actual revolutions of the planet, and the loco is out of service for about 5 or 6 revolutions, plenty of time to clean the lube out and re-apply. Pickups and any other minor fettling jobs can be done at the same time, much like prototype practice in principle, and the wheels cleaned while they are dropped out of the loco. My running, on a DC layout with insulfrog turnouts, is not perfect, but it is pretty good most of the time, and this is, I think, due in part to the above maintenance regime, along with regular almost daily running which keeps the track clean, and care taken in track laying to ensure level and smooth joins between the sections of track. I use rail joiners for this, so as to hold the rail ends smooth to the adjoining, and have found them adequate for electrical contact as well, though on a large more complicated layout I'd want to be backing this up with droppers and busbars. I find I have to clean out the turnout blade/stockrail interfaces occasionally. The other thing to keep an eye on is crud in the flangeways, which can be removed with a stiff-bristle paint brush; I have as set of nylon bristled pound shop childrens' paint brushes which are u/s for painting but great for this sort of job, and the brightly coloured handles make them easy to find as well! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 WD40 is corrosive to plastic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlfaZagato Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 52 minutes ago, PenrithBeacon said: WD40 is corrosive to plastic. He specified their electrical switch cleaner. I'm guessing a different product? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Sitham Yard Posted March 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2023 9 minutes ago, AlfaZagato said: He specified their electrical switch cleaner. I'm guessing a different product? Definitely. WD40 Specialist Contact Cleaner for use on electrical contacts, plastic and rubber as stated on the can. In this context WD40 is just the brand name. Andrew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlfaZagato Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 I'll keep an eye out here stateside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 2, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 2, 2023 I let my loco get quite dirty. It runs fine though. 10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 (edited) 15 hours ago, PenrithBeacon said: WD40 is corrosive to plastic. GT85 Multi-purpose PTFE Spray Lubricant Penetrant and Water Displacer 400ml https://amzn.eu/d/iz4T9sL I use this in stead of WD40. For cleaning up grease I use IPA Edited March 2, 2023 by PenrithBeacon 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlfaZagato Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 I went with the IPA mentioned by @PenrithBeacon. Cleaned up well. I was even able to get the wheels out and back in with no issues. Added oil, then checked directions. Accidentally oiled the hornblocks. How much of an issue will that be in the long run? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 11 hours ago, AlfaZagato said: I went with the IPA mentioned by @PenrithBeacon. Cleaned up well. I was even able to get the wheels out and back in with no issues. Added oil, then checked directions. Accidentally oiled the hornblocks. How much of an issue will that be in the long run? Can't be sure because I haven't taken mine apart. But I always use Singer oil because I can be sure that it too won't rot plastic 'Singer' Oil Lubricant for The Mechanical Parts of Appliances https://amzn.eu/d/c3gRyiL 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Flintoft Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 After a spell on the rolling road my "baby" Hunslet is a really good runner & I am highly satisfied with it. NCB loco's had a hard life, so mine has been weathered , three-link couplings fitted & real coal added. She has received a fictitious name ( my wife's muddle name ) & number. Cheers, Ray. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerzilla Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 21 hours ago, Ray Flintoft said: After a spell on the rolling road my "baby" Hunslet is a really good runner & I am highly satisfied with it. NCB loco's had a hard life, so mine has been weathered , three-link couplings fitted & real coal added. She has received a fictitious name ( my wife's muddle name ) & number. Cheers, Ray. True love: naming a grimy piece of machinery after your wife. Fred Dibnah did the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ngtrains.com Posted March 4, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 4, 2023 2 hours ago, rogerzilla said: Fred Dibnah did the same. He then ammended it to the mother as that wasnt going to change :-) 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted March 5, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2023 ive had both of mine running on the rollers before chipping and afterwards once chipped and they ran fine, gave them a run today on the layout and they seemed to get worse as they ran for longer, the issue im getting is on curves it just stops, then after a second or two it will restart without any human interaction and trundle along fine then next curve same again, holly bank (which i bought new) is the worst and beatrice, which was an ebay bargain at £95 chipped up seemed to run a bit better but displayed similar traits as the other one after a while took the keeper plate off and checked the gears for excess grease etc and it doesnt seem to have too much, certainly not caked in it, is there any CVs i could adjust on the chip to improve things maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 5, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2023 2 hours ago, big jim said: ive had both of mine running on the rollers before chipping and afterwards once chipped and they ran fine, gave them a run today on the layout and they seemed to get worse as they ran for longer, the issue im getting is on curves it just stops, then after a second or two it will restart without any human interaction and trundle along fine then next curve same again, holly bank (which i bought new) is the worst and beatrice, which was an ebay bargain at £95 chipped up seemed to run a bit better but displayed similar traits as the other one after a while took the keeper plate off and checked the gears for excess grease etc and it doesnt seem to have too much, certainly not caked in it, is there any CVs i could adjust on the chip to improve things maybe? Jim both mine had either slight paint or blackening residue on the outer part of the tread and I got stuttering on rollers and curves. I popped each on the wire brush wheel cleaner and polished them up and they ran perfectly after that so I think it was spreading. I’ve now added stay alives too so they aren’t so sensitive to dirt. I had an issue with another loco a few years back that seemed to have excessive blacking on the backs of the wheels and once I cleaned that it also ran well after being a dog. I think some wheels don’t get a thorough clean and the wire brush ones do the treads and backs so seem to clean with less effort. Trix, Conrad & Gaugemaster all do them in HO & N and they are so easy they are worth the dosh, around £20-25 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted March 6, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2023 How easy is it to put a stay alive in one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 6, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2023 2 hours ago, big jim said: How easy is it to put a stay alive in one? Depends on the chip having + & ground solder pads. The Mx618 doesn’t but with a Zimo ms sound decoder they have the pads on the chip and if that scares you Digitrains will solder it for you for £2 😉 and then fits in the slot on top of the pcb. Non sound you’d need to find one that has pads for a stay alive so might be worth giving Digitrains or similar a call. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted March 6, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2023 One of mine’s got a Rails chip fitted, will have to have a look at the spec to see if it has solder pads, I’ve got a DCC concepts stay alive knocking around somewhere I don’t know what the other loco has, will have to get the top off for a nosy im going to order one of those wheel cleaners, look a useful piece of kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 6, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2023 20 minutes ago, big jim said: im going to order one of those wheel cleaners, look a useful piece of kit The HO one is as you can clean OO & TT wheels on it 😉 Just sits on the track. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted March 6, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2023 3 hours ago, PaulRhB said: The HO one is as you can clean OO & TT wheels on it 😉 Just sits on the track. They work well . I always clean wheels with them when new out of the box. Buy two and they clip together,a feature which is useful if treating a diesel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelu Chris Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 (edited) I put on here recently about us making a specialist crew for this loco. Please see the pictures below and a link if you would like to purchase them. https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product/11224/ Edited March 9, 2023 by Modelu Chris 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginelane Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 My Hunslet has returned back from Rapido and now is a much better runner with it moving much more freely through points and much improved when running on DCC. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Flintoft Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 On 04/03/2023 at 14:05, rogerzilla said: True love: naming a grimy piece of machinery after your wife. Fred Dibnah did the same. To be fair, my wife's first name, Hazel, is carried by a very clean Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0t. She is very pleased with both engines! Cheers, Ray. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D3489gibson Posted March 28, 2023 Share Posted March 28, 2023 Somehow managed to not post this photo, but I took my 16" hunslet to the local club last week, paired up with a pair of Hattons Genesis coaches and boy do they look the part! Just waiting on works and name plates from Narrow Planet now. I've decided to finish it as No.3507, which was one of the few exported to Peru. Ironically, I'd settled on the name Overlord before figuring which works no. to do, as much as people would have said "call it Paddington"... Now to get the supplied loco crew painted up and fitted. Nathan... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted March 29, 2023 Share Posted March 29, 2023 Mine will be strutting its stuff on NO PLACE at the South Notts show this coming weekend. I've now given it a very subtle weathering, taken off a lot of the shine and added a tiny amount of dirt where it first starts to show. I've tested it under the screens and it performs perfectly but it will probably chuff around on the passenger and in the shed as it is too clean to be hired to the Coal Board. The dirty WD next to it in the pic won't be going as it isn't sound fitted. Cotgrave Welfare NG12 3PJ, only a fiver to get in (cash preferred as our card machine takes forever to contact the living...) Les 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 Is there enough room for a Hornby fat next 18 txs decoder to fit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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