Hornby 60 - problems with the self centreing couplings

[Ian_B]

I have a small fleet of Hornby class 60's and for the most part they are well behaved. However one of the engines has an issue with its self centring NEM pocket - to put it bluntly it doesn't. The Loco entres a curve with a following train, the coupling in its pocket deflects to the side, the train exits the curve but the pocket fails to recentre. Engine crosses pointwork, deflected coupling causes the following wagon to derail - every time. When examined the pocket appears to move freely without binding, but back on the track it does the same thing.

 

Has anyone encountered this behaviour? Does anyone know a cure?

 

Regards

Ian Birchenough

[Lowlander]

Hello Ian

 

It's a common complaint with the Hornby class fifty six and sixty. We also found that when the models were running on our layout "Swinlees" the coupling was not self centering coming off of a curve and would therefore derail the first wagon of the rake.

 

My solution has been to take the coupling fittings off altogether and replace them with a fixed wire loop.

 

This was my way of dealing with it, others may have a better solution to a very annoying problem that has been with these models since they first came out. The only negative point in two otherwise excellent models.

 

Best Regards

 

Stephen

[SRman]

My solution, which I have applied gradually to my class 50s and 60s, is to use a cylindrical burr or file in my Dremel, and grind off the point of the coupling guide so it follows a shallow, almost flat, curve. A bit of teflon grease or graphite powder also helps. This allows the mechanism to slide more easily (which means it doesn't get stuck on the wrong side for a reverse curve, for example) but also means it can centre on the flattened curve for the straight-ahead position.

 

So far, this has worked well for me, for both long and short trains.