Instructions to open a Heljan O scale Class 37?

[tpm1ca]

Hi everyone:

I have a lovely Heljan O scale Class 37 (shown on my website, here) into which I want to install a decoder. However, I can't for the life of me figure out how to get the body shell off the mechanism. I don't have an instruction sheet for this model.

Can anybody help? Some photos or a diagram would be wonderful.

Thanks in advance!

- Trevor

[jcarta]

Morning

 

You will need to ease the side frames of the bogies and then you will see 4 screws by the centre wheels undo these and the body will come off. if you need to take the bogies away from the chassis then there is a further 8 screws to undo again these are situated by the centre wheel. If you're fitting the decoder then the bogies will remain attached to the chassis. Good luck

Edited September 4, 2023 by jcarta

[jcarta]

[tpm1ca]

So... where I've added the arrow?

Brilliant. Thanks!

- Trevor

 

Sop..

 

.

[F-UnitMad]

Just be aware there was at least one batch where those screws were extremely stiff and sometimes almost impossible to budge. IIRC the story was they'd been inserted so fast with the tool at the factory that they melted the plastic & stuck tight as it cooled.

I had to use a fair bit of pressure to remove those screws on mine (centre headcode, skirted buffer beam) but maybe (hopefully!) it was a one-off with that production run.

[pwr]

1 hour ago, F-UnitMad said:

Just be aware there was at least one batch where those screws were extremely stiff and sometimes almost impossible to budge. IIRC the story was they'd been inserted so fast with the tool at the factory that they melted the plastic & stuck tight as it cooled.

I had to use a fair bit of pressure to remove those screws on mine (centre headcode, skirted buffer beam) but maybe (hopefully!) it was a one-off with that production run.

 

The ones on my first gen split box are very stiff. I have had them apart several times to replace gears and these themselves may need repla

 

Paul R

[tpm1ca]

3 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

Just be aware there was at least one batch where those screws were extremely stiff and sometimes almost impossible to budge. IIRC the story was they'd been inserted so fast with the tool at the factory that they melted the plastic & stuck tight as it cooled.

I had to use a fair bit of pressure to remove those screws on mine (centre headcode, skirted buffer beam) but maybe (hopefully!) it was a one-off with that production run.

YEP - that's the one I have. I have been unable to budge them. I have a screwdriver with a good grip but of course as Philips heads the driver is prone to slipping and rounding the screw - and I'm hesitant to wreck them. How I wish the Canadian "Robertson" head had been the screw of choice!

 

Did you apply anything to help - penetrating oil? Or just bash on? 

[tpm1ca]

Thanks again, everyone! I was able to remove the shell this morning. It took some cranking to get those screws out - and the head stripped on one of the four, so I had to do some drilling (but 3/4 screws will definitely hold the shell on when I'm done).

Another question: Is it possible to open up the cabs on these, so one can add a driver? If so, how does one get into them?
Thanks in advance!

- Trevor

[tpm1ca]

Thanks for the help on this, everyone!

I’ve now installed DCC + Sound and I’m very happy with how it turned out. You can read about it - and see video - here:

“A couple more should do it…”

-Trevor