Hornby "Rougemont Castle" from "Red Dragon" trainpack

[GWR-fan]

The chassis used in this model and the "Legends" "Nunney Castle" (and possibly more) is an upgrade from the old Dapol/Hornby ringfield loco drive version.  I purchased several of these drives believing them to be better than the old ringfield drive,  but alas, not so.  On paper the drives lok great with black can motor and brass (copper) bushes on each axle plus separate power feeds to the DCC 8-pin plate,  dispensing with the old live chassis return as on the ringfield drive.

 

Most of my locomotives suffer with slipping drive gear and stripped coupling rod mount bosses in the centre drive wheels (perhaps due initial assembly as unlike many other Hornby models, there is no brass insert in the wheel hub).  Also the power pickups are not secured to the lower inner chassis cover plate.  At one time perhaps during assembly heat was used to "stick" the strips to the plastic cover.  All but one purchased new.

 

Some I stripped for whatever usable parts could be gained but today my tolerance was sorely tested and I decided to get at east one mobile.  While a simple drive it is fiddly and frustrating to reassemble.  In the abscence of a serviceable axle drive gear I decided that the gear would need to be reattached using the unreliable superglue method.  The gear and axle knurling were thoroughly cleaned of oil deposits.  The gear was a relatively tight fit on the axle but did rotate under load so perhaps there is some chance of success,  but I am not confident of a successful outcome.  Another unreliable part is the retention of the coupling rods and connecting rods to the centre drive wheel given that the threads in the drive wheel plastic hub are stripped.  I am hoping that friction will hold them in position,  however,  like the unreliable gluing of the axle gear,  long term reliability is not in the future.  Perhaps the loco could just be used "light" engine with minimal load on the drive.

 

I now have doubts as to my Legends "Nunney Castle" purchased new and never used plus several other later release Railroad locomotives that use a similar drive.  A pity as the design could have been better executed and a can motor drive chassis has to be a step up on the old ringfield drives used in these models (at least that was my thinking at the time,  but now not convinced).

 

Edit: the end result was a very smooth running model (but for how long??????).

Edited February 17 by GWR-fan
Additional information

[cypherman]

Hi,

I know you may think this a retrograde step. But Have you thought about reintroducing the older tenderdrive motor and using a CD motor in it. Thus scrapping the obviously unreliable can motor and drive train?. I am assuming that the new tender body would fit on the older chassis.

Edited February 17 by cypherman

[GWR-fan]

When a locomotive with this chassis, is running it is a very smooth,  relatively quiet drive.   I have repaired numerous Hornby locomotives and apart from the West Country/BofB and Rebuilt Merchant Navy drives,  this can drive chassis is up there with my most frustrating to work on,  not because of complexity but the issues that seem to plague each of the models that I have. 

 

I actually have a supply of CD drive motors purchased mainly for Lima conversions but I have done a couple of Hornby conversions.  Before converting all the Lima models I got so peeved off with the poor power pickup,  mainly due the crusty seemingly non-conductive wheelsets Lima used and actually sold off all my Lima models before I could complete the conversions.