How do I clean badly soiled, burned 1980s Hornby driving wheels.

[DCB]

I need some advice on how to clean the bright finish driving wheel tyres on some 1980s Hornby locos which the tyres are filthy with a black band almost burned into the tyres.   They are worse than anything I have previously tried to clean.

The owner said he had some H/D locos from the 1950s he wanted to get going for his grand daughter to play with and playing with H/D 3 rail is always fun and which was straight forward ish when I realised Controller rheostat had failed  and a loan of an H&M Clipper a drip of oil and a bit of sandpaper soon had them running.   

However he also had  2 rail collection of an 8751, an Ivatt,  and an 0-4-0T all 1980s Hornby with bright finish driving wheel tyres on which the tyres are filthy with a black band almost burned into the tyres.   It's not just gunge which flakes off, it has to be filed off and looks like the surface has been eaten into by arcing ,  The motors won't spin the wheels with wires brushed against the tyres or flanges. 
I usually bin those wheels and fit H/D or Markits of 2000 era Hornby but that's not an option.   Suggestions please.
 

[frobisher]

I have a vague recollection of metal polish loaded cotton wool type product (Duraglit?) working in removing this "back in the day" as it seemed to shift this kind of staining/tarnish like nobody's business...

[The Johnster]

Coca-Cola.  US highway patrol police keep big bottles of it in their cruisers to clean up some of the less pleasant aftermath of RTAs. 

Tbh, if the tyres are pitted by arcing, these sound as if their time has come, in which case there is little that can make the situation worse and you can try almost anything (so long as the owner understands the situation).  The 8750 and 0-4-0 can be easily given eBay donor replacements, but the Ivatt might prove more problematic.  

 

[GeraldH]

I wonder if a Relco was involved... I have had some success using a rotating felt attachment in my Dremel clone with some mild abrasive paste.

[kevinlms]

1 hour ago, GeraldH said:

I wonder if a Relco was involved... I have had some success using a rotating felt attachment in my Dremel clone with some mild abrasive paste.

Never had any damaged wheels when I used to use Relco's. The mind boggles at how they got into the state reported by DCB. Try cleaning with mechanical means, as you suggest - if that fails, time for the bin.

[ColinK]

Toothpaste?  It us a very mild abrasive.

[ISW]

18 hours ago, DCB said:

 Suggestions please.

I've cleaned 'stubborn' wheels with a Dremel (well, a clone anyway) fitted with a brass wire brush. I leave the wheels installed and, with the loco upside-down, I power the loco at slow speed (jump wires ...) and then let the rotating brass wire brush get to work. The wheels usually needs a quick wipe with IPA (or similar) afterwards. It'll remove all your gunk, but (obviously) can't help with any pitting.

 

Ian

[Steamport Southport]

16 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Coca-Cola.  US highway patrol police keep big bottles of it in their cruisers to clean up some of the less pleasant aftermath of RTAs. 

Tbh, if the tyres are pitted by arcing, these sound as if their time has come, in which case there is little that can make the situation worse and you can try almost anything (so long as the owner understands the situation).  The 8750 and 0-4-0 can be easily given eBay donor replacements, but the Ivatt might prove more problematic.  

 

 

The Ivatt should be just as easy if you don't mind spending a few pounds. It used standard 1970s Hornby parts. The wheels are the same as the 8750, J83 and others of that era, even though the real ones had five foot wheels.

 

http://www.hornbyguide.com/service_sheet_details.asp?sheetid=10

 

Here's the 0-6-0 chassis for comparison.

 

http://www.hornbyguide.com/service_sheet_details.asp?sheetid=237

 

Same wheels and you can probably pick them up from somewhere like Peters Spares or eBay. In fact they have these ones which I assume are correct.

 

https://www.petersspares.com/p/Hornby-x962-ivatt-wheel-semi-flanged-with-crank-black

 

Or these.

 

https://www.petersspares.com/index.jsp?searchStr=x424

 

With the flangeless ones somewhere here.

 

https://www.petersspares.com/index.jsp?searchStr=flangeless

 

 

 

 

Jason

[cypherman]

4 hours ago, ISW said:

I've cleaned 'stubborn' wheels with a Dremel (well, a clone anyway) fitted with a brass wire brush. I leave the wheels installed and, with the loco upside-down, I power the loco at slow speed (jump wires ...) and then let the rotating brass wire brush get to work. The wheels usually needs a quick wipe with IPA (or similar) afterwards. It'll remove all your gunk, but (obviously) can't help with any pitting.

 

Ian

Hi all, I have done the same with a Dremel and copper wire brush. I always use copper brush as it seems not to damage the metal as much as a steel one. You can also try using T Cut with cotton buds. That seems to work well cleaning off well stuck on dirt and grease for me.

Edited April 6, 2023 by cypherman

[RobinofLoxley]

If Coca-cola (phosphoric acid) wotn do it the next chemical step up is kettle descaler. I've got some models with slightly blackened wheels which I'm fairly sure are staining from traction tyre debris. But if the wheels are normally clean, that is have been wiped with IPA onto tissue until nothing more comes off, then they run perfectly well and the discolouration isnt really visible anyway. Abrasion, as in very fine emery paper, didnt tackle it. So I'm with the man who suggested replacing the wheels

[33C]

I had this same problem with a Hornby pannier tank. Current collection was fine from the pick-ups but through the wheels, nothing. Drastic action called for so, fine grind stone in the Dremel and polished them all round and dressed with very fine wet 'n' dry. No more problem and now runs even better than before.