How to fix a Hornby class 56

[hornbyandbf3fan]

Trying to remove the body off a Hornby Class 56 to clip the fan off to hopefully get it running again. There's 4 screws I need to undo, but the bogies are in the way. Tried seeing if part came off to allow access , but it's just snapped off. Is there a way, or do I have to work around the bogies. Thanks

Edited August 10, 2023 by hornbyandbf3fan

[MartynJPearson]

It's been a while since I had the body off my 56 - 56128 - but I don't remember having to remove the bogies - just wiggled them to a point that gave me sufficient access to the screw. May well have not been perfectly straight but at an angle that I could remove it.

 

Worth giving the contacts a clean with IPA while it's open if yours is the same as mine with the wire springs that need to make contact for the lights to work. 

[hornbyandbf3fan]

Was just about able to get them

 

The issue I've had with mine is when I try to get it to run, it won't move and makes a humming noise at regular ~ 5 second intervals. Lights still work, direction change works, so I dont think it's the decoder, it just won't move. Should I cut the fan or is it likely to be something else. It has been in storage for a while, but similar models have worked with no problems. There is some corrosion, but this appears to be for the wiring for the cab lights which do work.

[Andy7]

It will be the worm drives in the top of the gear towers that have seized up. You need to remove the gear tower clips, then pop out the worm drives and half shafts, get the bearing blocks (square brass parts either side of the worm) moving freely on the shaft and lubricate them and the worms, put back together and all will be fine again.

It is a bit faffy but easy enough.

[hornbyandbf3fan]

Thank you, could you point out which are the gear tower clips so I know where to start? Instruction manual for this is long gone and it's the first time I've taken apart a Hornby diesel. Thanks

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

14 hours ago, hornbyandbf3fan said:

Should I cut the fan or is it likely to be something else.

I'd start with what Andy7 has suggested.

 

Once the drive train is running freely you can assess what the fan drive is doing. My own experience of these is on mazak rot failed Brush 2 drives, and on this model they do nothing for slow speed smoothness. While the mechanism is out of use the rubber band develops a set which leads to variable drag on the drive line, but even in the case of a seized fan mechanism it didn't stop the mechanism running, the motor has ample torque to overcome drag from the fan unit.

[dasatcopthorne]

On 09/08/2023 at 10:20, hornbyandbf3fan said:

Thank you, could you point out which are the gear tower clips so I know where to start? Instruction manual for this is long gone and it's the first time I've taken apart a Hornby diesel. Thanks

Hard to describe without a pic.

On top of a gear tower is a flat area. This stretches down each side by about 10mm. Down each side are two clips that need gently prising outward until they release from the tower's body.

 

Good luck.

 

Dave