Hornby 3F Jinty from the Night Mail trainset

[GWR-fan]

I recently purchased two "pre-owned" Hornby "Night Mail" trainsets.  While the packaging was well shelf worn on both sets,  the contents look to have never been used.  One Jinty ran very well,  however the other was a non-runner,    although not described as such.  Immediately obvious was the model did not sit squarely on a flat surface,  plus it seemed that the drive was locked solid.  Upon disassembly all six brass bearings were seized on the axles,  plus the axles were locked solid in the diecast chassis.  Considerable force was needed to release the axles from the chassis block and then the brass bearings needed to be freed from the axles.  I have never seen this condition previously.   After cleaning up whatever had caused the bearings to seize on the axles,  the bearings were lubricated with oil and the bearing recesses in the chassis block cleaned out.  After reassembly the chassis sat squarely and the model now was a runner.

[Il Grifone]

It looks like an unsuitable lubricant has been used in the past and it has gone hard. Normally these things are near indestructible, without 'enemy action'.

[cypherman]

Hi,

Was there any sign of corrosion on the axels. But as David has said they probably seized up because of either wrong or no lubrication.

[andyman7]

8 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

It looks like an unsuitable lubricant has been used in the past and it has gone hard. Normally these things are near indestructible, without 'enemy action'.

I think 'indestructible' applies to the X.04 and X.03 ones. The more recent (post-1985) 0-6-0 chassis is slightly more vulnerable to issues but still pretty robust

[GWR-fan]

No sign of any corrosion or "crud" on the axles or bearing recesses in the chassis block.  The loco appeared as new with no sign of use.  

[Il Grifone]

13 hours ago, andyman7 said:

I think 'indestructible' applies to the X.04 and X.03 ones. The more recent (post-1985) 0-6-0 chassis is slightly more vulnerable to issues but still pretty robust

 

I assumed (incorrectly - check first David!) that we were referring to the ealier version of the chassis. This appears to be one of the later Far Eastern products with the SSPP chassis. These are indeed less resistant to usage and need careful adjustment to work properly. The 'use and throw away' motor is definitely a retrograde step.

[DCB]

It sounds like the lubricant went bad.  Some brass instrument players smear  Vaseline petroleum jelly on the slides, detachable U bends which are removed to get rid of condensation, left for a while it turns into effective glue and the slides won't come out.  It may well be similar gunge was applied at the factory.

  There seem to be four major variations of the Jinty Chassis. Oldest and best has strip steel side frames and an X04 type motor, Then a Cast mazak chassis with an X04, Then a Cast Mazak, Front wheel drive version with a plastic worm X04 and then the post 85  SSPP with the type 7(?) throw away motor, axles held in by a plastic keeper plate a sprung rear axle and traction tyres  There may be more recent versions but 1985 is modern to me.

The brass bearing type wheels do seem prone to corrosion, both between the axle and bearing and bearing and chassis,  maybe the clearances are less between axle and bearing  or the materials are more prone to corrosion,  Wear in the axle holes and collapsed plastic bushes tend to kill off my old Jinty Chassis, and the keeper plate allowing the gears to de mesh killed off my later ones.  Romford 1/8th axle bushes,   Hornby Dublo  wheels and  axles or when I could afford them, Romford wheels rejuvenated my old Jinty chassis, 5 pole armatures from K's motors and Super neo magnets improved them and they keep going (Though my scrap box seems to have remains of a huge amount which have been scrapped!)

Edited June 6, 2023 by DCB