Hornby Power Bogies

[cravensdmufan]

Hi everyone, I'm quite new to Forum and this is my first posting, so please forgive me if the subject has been covered before!

 

I have returned to the hobby after an absence of 18 years and have been servicing my old locos and got them running using DC control.

 

Amazingly they all still work after a good clean, light oil and running in.

 

I have mostly Hornby classes 86 and 90 (3 pole) and Lima class 87 and 92.

 

The problem I have is slow running.  All the Lima ones are fine as long as wheels are kept clean.  However the Hornby ones can never take off smoothly.  They buzz loudly then take off too fast.  They run nice and smooth and quiet when they do get going!  I have tried two types of controller - Gaugemaster HH feedback and Orbit Supertroller.

 

I have a fairly large fleet so I'm looking for a fairly cheap fix in anticipation of Dapol overhead wires which i understand will be released this year. I wrote to Hornby to ask if they make their new can motor bogies avalable as spares but no joy!

 

A couple of dealers told me their Bachmann 85's didn't sell too well, so I assume it's unlikely we'll see any all new 86 87 or 90 which is a shame. 

 

So if anyone can give me any advice it would be very much appreciated. 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Have you tried the Bach 85 or Heljan 86? These have their respective maker's designs of centre motor mechanism, which leave the previous RTR power bogies trailing by a country mile for all around performance. Personally I wouldn't spend a penny on attempts at motor bogie improvement but just switch to the new chassis, adapting them to the old bodies as required to get the range of classes you want to operate. You can recover some of the cash by selling the old chassis and any unwanted new bodies for spares.

 

Cost it out: I have seen folks advocating a replacement motor or armature and new wheelsets as an upgrade path, and after a fair expenditure and some work it is still only a motor bogie chassis. Probably little in it financially from buying a current centre motor model in an unpopular livery at discount, and then selling on the resulting spares.

[cravensdmufan]

Have you tried the Bach 85 or Heljan 86? These have their respective maker's designs of centre motor mechanism, which leave the previous RTR power bogies trailing by a country mile for all around performance. Personally I wouldn't spend a penny on attempts at motor bogie improvement but just switch to the new chassis, adapting them to the old bodies as required to get the range of classes you want to operate. You can recover some of the cash by selling the old chassis and any unwanted new bodies for spares.

 

Cost it out: I have seen folks advocating a replacement motor or armature and new wheelsets as an upgrade path, and after a fair expenditure and some work it is still only a motor bogie chassis. Probably little in it financially from buying a current centre motor model in an unpopular livery at discount, and then selling on the resulting spares.

Hi, very many thanks for your suggestion.

 

I bought a new Bachmann Class 85 for just £64 from Warley NEC show and the performance is amazing.  It's just a shame they haven't sold well (that price said it all!) so it doesn't bode well for any new AC electric models.  I firmly believe it's because there's no decent British catenary that there's so little interest in overhead electrics - a vicious circle! 

 

I'll look out for cheap Heljan 86's as well.  As you say costs mount up buying bits and pieces.  It's just that I'm kind of attached to my older stuff!

 

Thanks again.

[cobach47]

Hi

 

                    from your symptoms i'd guess the magnets are getting weak, using a compass find out if the magnet is north or south then

                    fix another magnet on the side of the motor north to south and it should run better in which case get them re-magnetized

                    most good model railway shops should be able to do this it's a lot cheaper than new motors. it worked for me.

                    Make sure the comm is clean and the tip of the brushes, don't use any solvent on the brushes just rub with wet and dry.

 

                                                                                                 let us know how you get on

 

                                                                                                                   Ian

[cravensdmufan]

Very many thanks for that suggestion Ian.  I hadn't thought of the alignment of the magnet.  But thanks to your suggestion I now remember overhearing a model railway shop owner mentioning something about magnets to another customer many years ago.  So I'll have a go at adjusting a particularly weak Class 90 and let you know how I get on. 

 

Aside from that I've had a little more success getting Hornby motors running sweetly. I purchased a lubrication kit by Labelle which included a tube of white grease.  The difference is unbelievable!  Having said that I've still got a few rogue locos that struggle even after lubrication, so I'll look at the magnets on those as well.

 

With little hope of ever getting brand new model releases of classes 86 87 or 90 to equal the splendid Bachmann 85, the rest of the AC electric fleet has to soldier on!

 

Best regards,

 

Vivian

Hi

 

                    from your symptoms i'd guess the magnets are getting weak, using a compass find out if the magnet is north or south then

                    fix another magnet on the side of the motor north to south and it should run better in which case get them re-magnetized

                    most good model railway shops should be able to do this it's a lot cheaper than new motors. it worked for me.

                    Make sure the comm is clean and the tip of the brushes, don't use any solvent on the brushes just rub with wet and dry.

 

                                                                                                 let us know how you get on

 

                                                                                                                   Ian

[Ian Fisher]

Hi Vivian,

 

I have loads of ohle stuff, but alas no wires yet.

 

We seem to shoot ourselves in the foot a bit though, we dont know for sure what the sales of the 85 need to be, again maybe in part a miss-assumption that people dont want to be left with them on their shelves?

 

If we want more and better, forums and exchanges maybe better in championing the positives of the new models than concentrate on commercially sensitive stuff which we aint got a clue about really.

 

Who knows what might happen with another release or two. I think there is a quiet ish revolotuion going on ohle wise.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, very many thanks for your suggestion.

 

I bought a new Bachmann Class 85 for just £64 from Warley NEC show and the performance is amazing.  It's just a shame they haven't sold well (that price said it all!) so it doesn't bode well for any new AC electric models.  I firmly believe it's because there's no decent British catenary that there's so little interest in overhead electrics - a vicious circle! 

 

I'll look out for cheap Heljan 86's as well.  As you say costs mount up buying bits and pieces.  It's just that I'm kind of attached to my older stuff!

 

Thanks again.

[cravensdmufan]

Hi Ian,

 

Yes I agree with you - I was just quoting feedback from a retailer.

 

But when all things are considered, if manufacturers and retailers are producing stuff like EM1's and EM2's there's still hope for new AC locos.  I firmly believe that things will improve, especially when the Dapol OHLE is released.  Who know's, even Dapol themselves may come up trumps with a 4mm electric loco release! 

 

Fingers well and truly crossed!

 

All the best,

 

Vivian

Hi Vivian,

I have loads of ohle stuff, but alas no wires yet.

We seem to shoot ourselves in the foot a bit though, we dont know for sure what the sales of the 85 need to be, again maybe in part a miss-assumption that people dont want to be left with them on their shelves?

If we want more and better, forums and exchanges maybe better in championing the positives of the new models than concentrate on commercially sensitive stuff which we aint got a clue about really.

Who knows what might happen with another release or two. I think there is a quiet ish revolotuion going on ohle wise.