Wright writes.....

[gr.king]

I've noticed for quite some time that un-necessarily over-tightened screws are a common feature of all sorts of newly made items, often so tight that if screw removal is necessary, then the amount of force needed to grip the item in question, combined with the force that has to be applied in order to keep the screwdriver in the screw head as well as to turn it, runs a very high risk of breaking some part of the item. In some cases, the ex-factory screw can be seen to have already cracked the part through which it is screwed!  Cross threading is not unknown either.  I assume this is due either to factory use of power screwdrivers (robotised?) needlessly turned up to maximum torque, or to the employment of angry gorillas issued with screwdrivers featuring a tommy-bar for maximum leverage...

[Bernard Lamb]

1 hour ago, gr.king said:

I've noticed for quite some time that un-necessarily over-tightened screws are a common feature of all sorts of newly made items, often so tight that if screw removal is necessary, then the amount of force needed to grip the item in question, combined with the force that has to be applied in order to keep the screwdriver in the screw head as well as to turn it, runs a very high risk of breaking some part of the item. In some cases, the ex-factory screw can be seen to have already cracked the part through which it is screwed!  Cross threading is not unknown either.  I assume this is due either to factory use of power screwdrivers (robotised?) needlessly turned up to maximum torque, or to the employment of angry gorillas issued with screwdrivers featuring a tommy-bar for maximum leverage...

They probably have the tools set at the correct torque setting. They probably have not bothered to check the torque settings against a calibrated master. I also wonder exactly what QC requirements the commissioner has specified. While stuck screws or bolts on model locomotives are a pain in the whatsit, in certain applications the result can have very serious consequences. Carbon fibre parts on racing bikes being an example that I have come across.

Bernard

[Bernard Lamb]

7 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

 

As for that 'ghastly' plug and socket thingy, am I the only one to have had trouble separating the two? If so, why is it being replaced?

 

 

Good evening Tony.

No.

The situation with that ghastly plug and socket is even worse in my experience than yours.

I got hold of an Oxford Rail J27 intending to use the tender elsewhere only to find that Oxford use a different size item. Grrrrrrh.

Bernard

[stewartingram]

That Hornby plug and socket has been pinched from the computer/electronics world. As that was my job before I retired, I actually have no difficulty with them (broken wires aside, not that common). A small pair of electronic pliers does the job for me.

I believe Simon Kohler reacted himself to complaints about them, and he sourced the tool now available. I strongly suspect that if one looked (try RS Components or Farnell for a start?) the same tool would be available at a fraction of the price. I've never looked myself though.

[Tony Wright]

4 hours ago, Dominion said:

Perhaps Tony might make an exception for this ready to run item ? (Without the couplings of course).

The photo is from Hattons and the item is 37-075v in case your son doesn't already have one. Tom

Good evening,

 

He does!

 

 

It was given to him by a friend (apparently there was an actual wagon, though it could be a work of fancy - I don't know).

 

I applied the BR PO number (I have no idea whether it's correct), disposed of the horrid tension-locks and weathered it. 

 

Whether it would be seen at LB in 1958, I have no idea (unlikely?), but I like the notion of having a wagon with one's name on it.

 

Contrary to popular belief, I do have many RTR items of rolling stock on LB, given that most of them are accurate at source. All I do is lose the couplings (immediately), detail/modify as appropriate, then weather them.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2023 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Tony Wright]

The mention of storing models when not in use - highlighted by Barry Ten's (Al) entirely non-boring arrangement of little 'cubby holes' for his spare locomotives - set me thinking.

 

I have nothing so fancy, but it prompted me to look at how I 'store' my locomotives when not in use.

 

The following images might be of interest.............

 

 

Spare freight/local passenger locos are kept on two shelves at one end. 

 

 

Spares for immediate use are kept on a shelf at one end of the fiddle yard.

 

 

Locos for use on the trains in cassettes are kept on a shelf at the other end of the fiddle yard.

 

 

Further large locos are kept on a shelf underneath the fiddle yard.

 

Those not immediately required are kept in drawers.........

 

 

A mixture in this one.

 

 

Almost all V2s in this.

 

 

Anyone fancy diesels? Particularly Deltics? 

 

 

Mainly A3s.

 

 

And more goods locos. 

 

The oldest locos seen above are 50 years old now, so I've amassed quite a few over the last half-century. Along with the 40-odd needed on the layout at any one time, then it's quite a collection (some others are in boxes underneath the layout!). Locos are changed once a month, so, with at least four times more locos needed than to run the sequence, then each gets a go (approximately) three times a year (they're hardly likely to wear out!). 

 

Since over 95% of the locos seen above have been built by me (apart from the diesels), then I question my 'sanity' at times, but it is a most-absorbing hobby.

 

As for the number of lamps and crew members needed, well....................

 

 

[Tony Wright]

Of course, there are the spare locos for the smaller bit of LB.............

 

 

On top of the 'light blocker' at the north end of the main line.

 

 

 

And in the middle.

 

 

And on a shelf above the MR/M&GNR. 

 

There are a dozen more locos in boxes underneath, so plenty for the services on the little bit.

 

Again, I've made most of these. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

With reference to my two posts above, has anyone any tips on how to rid a model railway of spiders, please? 

[APOLLO]

8 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

With reference to my two posts above, has anyone any tips on how to rid a model railway of spiders, please? 

 

Get one of these 3D printed !!

 

 

Actually, try a few drops of Peppermint oil around your layout. Spiders detest this.

 

https://www.countryliving.com/uk/homes-interiors/interiors/how-to/a56/how-to-keep-spiders-out-of-your-house-the-natural-way/

 

Brit15

[Northmoor]

3 hours ago, Bernard Lamb said:

They probably have the tools set at the correct torque setting. They probably have not bothered to check the torque settings against a calibrated master. I also wonder exactly what QC requirements the commissioner has specified. While stuck screws or bolts on model locomotives are a pain in the whatsit, in certain applications the result can have very serious consequences. Carbon fibre parts on racing bikes being an example that I have come across.

Bernard

I wish I had committed to memory the explanation given by one of my mechanical engineering lecturers - complete with equations providing the mathematical proof - of why no matter how much you tighten a nut on a bolt thread, the first three threads will carry something like 90% of the load.

So further tightening does nothing except eventually deform the threads.

[TrevorP1]

1 hour ago, Northmoor said:

I wish I had committed to memory the explanation given by one of my mechanical engineering lecturers - complete with equations providing the mathematical proof - of why no matter how much you tighten a nut on a bolt thread, the first three threads will carry something like 90% of the load.

So further tightening does nothing except eventually deform the threads.

That rings a bell but I’ve also no recollection of the whys and wherefores. 

[billbedford]

9 hours ago, t-b-g said:

So a simple loco tender coupling, which worked perfectly well for many decades, is no longer seen as a suitable option.

 

It is almost as if they think "That way of doing things that has worked perfectly for years...... we don't want to do that".

 

You are assuming that these models are all made in the same factory. 

[Compound2632]

7 hours ago, Dominion said:

Perhaps Tony might make an exception for this ready to run item ? (Without the couplings of course).

The photo is from Hattons and the item is 37-075v in case your son doesn't already have one. Tom

 

Produced as a special limited edition for the Midland Railway Society - should be a card with the box. 

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

A loco plug removal tool may well be found in you cars fuse box, a small extraction tool can sometimes be found in there, for the removal of fuse's. For what it's worth.

 

Terry (aka manna)

[Coach bogie]

In case I missed it being mentioned Hornby sell a special tool to remove the electrical plug to the tender.

 

X6468

 

https://www.petersspares.com/p/Hornby-x6468-tender-plug-insertion-extraction-tool

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

Sorry. Already covered. Time differences - I should have looked back further.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Coach bogie

[lezz01]

Also to be found in computer toolkits. I discovered that I already have two of them.

Regards Lez. 

[t-b-g]

1 hour ago, billbedford said:

 

You are assuming that these models are all made in the same factory. 

 

I don't see how you have reached that conclusion based on what I wrote but I have seen the same sort of approach from several manufacturers.

 

 

[Bernard Lamb]

10 hours ago, Northmoor said:

I wish I had committed to memory the explanation given by one of my mechanical engineering lecturers - complete with equations providing the mathematical proof - of why no matter how much you tighten a nut on a bolt thread, the first three threads will carry something like 90% of the load.

So further tightening does nothing except eventually deform the threads.

When all fiixings were made from material of a reasonable strength that seems to be a pretty fair comment.

Now that the absolute minimum grade is used in many applications the strength of the material can easily be exceeded. He says with painful memories of when the UK switched over from home production to importing them from the far east. Bolts will deform, but often not visibly. Then when subjected to even a minor overload will fail catastropically. Look at bike components and their instructions and they are all marked with torgue settings. That is not just for fun. 

Bernard. Who must hve spent many hours testing nuts and bolts and calibrating the checking equipment.

[MPR]

6 minutes ago, Bernard Lamb said:

When all fiixings were made from material of a reasonable strength that seems to be a pretty fair comment.

Now that the absolute minimum grade is used in many applications the strength of the material can easily be exceeded. He says with painful memories of when the UK switched over from home production to importing them from the far east. Bolts will deform, but often not visibly. Then when subjected to even a minor overload will fail catastropically. Look at bike components and their instructions and they are all marked with torgue settings. That is not just for fun. 

Bernard. Who must hve spent many hours testing nuts and bolts and calibrating the checking equipment.

In a previous life I had to hunt down and physically destroy a large (and by the time we had noticed, well-distributed) consignment of screws that had been obtained for a very good price, but had the yield stress of mild cheddar. The rework process after fitting one of these to an expensive CNC machined product housing was time consuming and costly. 

[Jesse Sim]

13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

With reference to my two posts above, has anyone any tips on how to rid a model railway of spiders, please? 

Would regular pest control work? 
 

I know it works for roaches etc but not sure on spiders. 

[jwealleans]

I'd suggest a hoover and then lemon cleaner on the surfaces which will tolerate it.    I was told years ago to clean PIR detectors with lemon to deter spiders from building webs over them.

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, jwealleans said:

I'd suggest a hoover and then lemon cleaner on the surfaces which will tolerate it.    I was told years ago to clean PIR detectors with lemon to deter spiders from building webs over them.

Thanks Jonathan,

 

I do Hoover the floor from time to time, and the walls/joists, but it's on the railway itself where the spiders are a real pest. 

 

They spread their webs where the main line is covered, resulting in the first loco run (after as little as a few hours) appearing with its front end festooned. I poke a feather duster through, but they're very resilient. 

 

Signals have 'scale guy wires' installed. 

 

Ironically, some of the spiders are eaten by bigger spiders!

 

I'll try the lemon cleaner. 

 

Someone suggested leaving peppermint sweets (Polos?) in the most-affected areas. Might that work? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[30368]

15 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Since over 95% of the locos seen above have been built by me (apart from the diesels), then I question my 'sanity' at times, but it is a most-absorbing hobby.

 

Tony,

 

Looks like you have a few locomotives then. Don't worry about your sanity, it is much too late, I should know.....

 

I agree, our hobby is very, very absorbing.

 

Kind regards,

 

30368

[MJI]

16 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

The mention of storing models when not in use - highlighted by Barry Ten's (Al) entirely non-boring arrangement of little 'cubby holes' for his spare locomotives - set me thinking.

 

I have nothing so fancy, but it prompted me to look at how I 'store' my locomotives when not in use.

 

The following images might be of interest.............

 

 

Spare freight/local passenger locos are kept on two shelves at one end. 

 

 

Spares for immediate use are kept on a shelf at one end of the fiddle yard.

 

 

Locos for use on the trains in cassettes are kept on a shelf at the other end of the fiddle yard.

 

 

Further large locos are kept on a shelf underneath the fiddle yard.

 

Those not immediately required are kept in drawers.........

 

 

A mixture in this one.

 

 

Almost all V2s in this.

 

 

Anyone fancy diesels? Particularly Deltics? 

 

 

Mainly A3s.

 

 

And more goods locos. 

 

The oldest locos seen above are 50 years old now, so I've amassed quite a few over the last half-century. Along with the 40-odd needed on the layout at any one time, then it's quite a collection (some others are in boxes underneath the layout!). Locos are changed once a month, so, with at least four times more locos needed than to run the sequence, then each gets a go (approximately) three times a year (they're hardly likely to wear out!). 

 

Since over 95% of the locos seen above have been built by me (apart from the diesels), then I question my 'sanity' at times, but it is a most-absorbing hobby.

 

As for the number of lamps and crew members needed, well....................

 

 

14 locos missing Diesel wise.

[Dominion]

It is fairly common in Canada to have cottages by one of our thousands of lakes. Spiders have a field day near the water especially with its breezes. We spray a repellant around the outside of the cottage when it gets bad. It does not need doing every year. It significantly reduces the number of spiders inside the house too. 
If you don’t like the idea of using a chemical you could propel something that is easy to clean on your first run each day. 

I use one of this Dapol wagon mounted vacuum cars occasionally. It wouldn’t get the spiders but it might get some loose stuff, and eggs perhaps. It is also much easier to wipe off than a loco ! Tom

It also gets small parts that have fallen off :-)

Edited September 10, 2023 by Dominion