Mainline Collett Goods Split Chassis problem

[Corsaman124]

I am having problems with an old split chassis Mainline Collett Goods loco which appears to be 'dead'. I have stripped it down to the bare chassis and removed the faceplate by removing the brush retaining plates. I have applied power directly to the commutator and the motor runs fine . But when I refit the faceplate (without the screws and brush assemblies) and simply insert the power leads through the holes in the faceplate (where the brushes should be) and these make contact with the commutator the overload/short circuit button on the controller is activated. I have checked that the commutator will rotate freely in the bearing in the faceplate by removing both from the chassis.
Any suggestions would be welcomed.

[mossdp]

If you insert the power leads through the brush hole, strands of wire may bridge the gaps in the commutator segments leading to a short circuit. On a separate matter, the brush springs might possibly need replacing as seem to have got too squashed to provide much springing.

[Butler Henderson]

Definitely needs new brush springs and seemingly brushes - Peters Spares PS3

Edited February 24 by Butler Henderson

[relaxinghobby]

There does not seem to be any brushes on the end of the springs.

 

Peters Spares PS3

[DCB]

Those springs look very long for Mainline.    It's a long time since I had one apart but  I don't remember the brush being a cylinder I thought it had a reduced diameter where the springs engaged like the Hornby ones.     When you get it running I would suggest putting it on eBay quickly before the wheels fall off.  Fitting pickups from frame to the back of one of the wheels each side helps and kept my 03 chassis going for the past 20 years my only surviving Mainline loco, which oddly enough replaced a Bachmann 03 chassis which the wheels fell off...  , 

Edited March 28 by DCB

[andyman7]

On 28/03/2024 at 03:53, DCB said:

Those springs look very long for Mainline.    It's a long time since I had one apart but  I don't remember the brush being a cylinder I thought it had a reduced diameter where the springs engaged like the Hornby ones.     When you get it running I would suggest putting it on eBay quickly before the wheels fall off.  Fitting pickups from frame to the back of one of the wheels each side helps and kept my 03 chassis going for the past 20 years my only surviving Mainline loco, which oddly enough replaced a Bachmann 03 chassis which the wheels fell off...  , 

No, the mainline brushes were simple cylinders and didn't have the taper like Hornby/Lima. The springs tend to end up quite compressed in a Mainline motor but are quite long before fitting. I've still got a original replacement brush and spring set sent to me by Palitoy in 1982...