RMweb Gold AndrueC Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2023 31 minutes ago, bmthtrains - David said: I’ve found the Hunt couplings have made things slightly less horrific overall but still there seems to be only 1 specific combination of wagons in a particular order, facing a particular direction, on a particular track that allows them to run more than 1m without dramatically leaping off the rails… If they are the same JNA wagons that I had then I can understand. The ones I had had a really rubbish coupler design. The rear end of the coupler sat in a V shaped groove and would be pulled into one of the arms of the V as it went round a corner. There was a thin wire that was supposed to pull the coupler back to centre but it was far too weak. As a result at least one of the couplers in a pair would stick at an angle when coming out of a bend then cause a derailment or a break away. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sn5FtXtVbQtatBeJ9 (Sorry for the delay before it starts). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 That would explain why the hunt couplings pull out on corners - the magnet holding them together seems stronger than the coupling pocket, which if basically jammed at an angle will tug them out. David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold AndrueC Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2023 (edited) I think I'm right in saying that both types of wagon that I have had problems with were ones where the coupling was mounted on the chassis rather than the bogey. The 21T coal wagons might be the only ones that break that 'rule' but of course they don't have bogies. These were the green wagons I had I think (I remember they came in pairs with a coupling rod) and although they have bogeys the coupler is on the body and again relies on a wire to recentre it. I think this aspect worked but the couplers on several of the wagons drooped which is why they broke away. I could probably have fixed that by gluing them together. I'm pretty sure (can't check because my stock is packed away at the moment) that all the rest have the couplings on the bogeys. If you want to consider an attractive alternative to the JNAs I can recommend Dapol's silver bullet wagons. I think their couplers are on the bogey but anyway they use a proper spring and have never given me any grief. I also had a problem with my HST which meant it would derail coming out of a corner in reverse but I fixed that by tweaking chassis copper pick ups inward. It looked to me like one end the strips were too far apart, at the other end they were too narrow. The result was that at one end the bogey pick ups could 'fall off' the chassis. Thankfully my new layout doesn't require her to go in reverse anyway so it doesn't matter if the fix turns out to be temporary. Edited January 22, 2023 by AndrueC 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 22, 2023 My silver bullets exhibit classic Dapol behaviour exactly as David describes. I’ve got 20, and they’ll be fine and then they’ll spontaneously throw themselves off the track for no reason. The closest thing I could find would be the bogies snagging on the underframe on some, but never eradicated it; even swapping bogies between wagons. Great looking wagons, underwhelming performance. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold AndrueC Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2023 57 minutes ago, njee20 said: My silver bullets exhibit classic Dapol behaviour exactly as David describes. I’ve got 20, and they’ll be fine and then they’ll spontaneously throw themselves off the track for no reason. The closest thing I could find would be the bogies snagging on the underframe on some, but never eradicated it; even swapping bogies between wagons. Great looking wagons, underwhelming performance. How old are yours? I bought mine sometime in 2020 and I've never experienced that. The couplers of mine have always made me think they might be a recent tooling because they seem so much better than anything else. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Davexoc Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 22, 2023 Could these problems be due in part to flange clearances? Dapol seem to have recurring flange rubbing problems with the JHA O&K hoppers being the latest. I don't own many Dapol bogie vehicles, but the prototype HST dummy power car suffers, and I find the set is best propelled rather than hauled. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold AndrueC Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2023 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Davexoc said: Could these problems be due in part to flange clearances? Dapol seem to have recurring flange rubbing problems with the JHA O&K hoppers being the latest. I don't own many Dapol bogie vehicles, but the prototype HST dummy power car suffers, and I find the set is best propelled rather than hauled. It's an interesting (and disturbing) idea. My last layout was entirely Settrack so perhaps some of these problems manifest more on Streamline? I haven't tried running my bullet train on this layout because it's packed away with almost everything else until I've got a cover on at least one of my yards. I have so far only run my HST rake and my QE/Maunsel rake which seemed fine. Edited January 22, 2023 by AndrueC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted January 22, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 22, 2023 48 minutes ago, AndrueC said: How old are yours? I bought mine sometime in 2020 and I've never experienced that. The couplers of mine have always made me think they might be a recent tooling because they seem so much better than anything else. Picked up over the years. It’s conceivable they made a running change to them, but they certainly didn’t admit it! I did wonder about flange clearance, going as far as to put thin washers under some of the bogies, but it didn’t cure it. No layout at the moment to continue testing, mind! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted January 23, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 23, 2023 13 hours ago, Davexoc said: Could these problems be due in part to flange clearances? Dapol seem to have recurring flange rubbing problems with the JHA O&K hoppers being the latest. I don't own many Dapol bogie vehicles, but the prototype HST dummy power car suffers, and I find the set is best propelled rather than hauled. Hi This is how I fixed mine Cheers Paul 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold AndrueC Posted January 23, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 23, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, PaulCheffus said: Hi This is how I fixed mine Cheers Paul That sounds similar to what I had to do with my HST. On the right you can see the powered unit after it went round a bend - the chassis has dropped down because the vertical copper bogey contacts have fallen between the horizontal chassis contact strips. Curiously it could handle this going forward but not in reverse. Edited January 23, 2023 by AndrueC 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted January 28, 2023 Author Share Posted January 28, 2023 A little bit of running today, Pendolino style! David 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted January 30, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 30, 2023 Hi David, I've just got access back to the layout forum - sorry for all the 'like spam'! You've made great progress since I've last visited! I'll definitely give the buddleia a go for Gresby :) Regarding the couplings yep I've had the same issues - once I got the back-to-backs sorted on the cargo waggons they've been the most reliable I have - but they had a habit of being narrow to gauge which shorted and jumped the points. Not had the HIA or JNAs on the layout yet (but they seem to behave on the unitrack on the floor) and the MJAs I ditched the long bar and made a fixed couplings from two Dapol knuckles glued together with Krystal Klear. The Telescopic Hoods have to go in the same order the same way round and I don't know why... my stockboxes make it easy (with markings underneath) but it's a pain. I've sold so many pairs of FEA/Bs on, I just can't get them to run right (sorry if anyone's bought one of mine off ebay!) My secret weapon is a smear of Krystal Klear on the inside of the coupling just to give it something to grip onto and a blob of it in the NEM pockets to stop it bobbing up and down (also on Farish Frieghtliner/Fastline hoppers too)... but it's as much of a pain as the old 80s Farish flat couplings... What's Pendolino banana-ing? Cheers Simon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted February 10, 2023 Author Share Posted February 10, 2023 Pendolino banana-ing is where all the coaches except the powered ones have gradually started to curve longitudinally so it looks a little like a Loch Ness monster… a real shame as it’s a lovely model and a good runner. David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted March 5, 2023 Author Share Posted March 5, 2023 I managed to spray all the component parts of the two industrial units today so assembly stage one can commence! David 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted March 5, 2023 Author Share Posted March 5, 2023 A bit of careful assembly of the elevations and the first building is on its way… David 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted March 5, 2023 Author Share Posted March 5, 2023 And then there were two… David 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 Top stuff 👍. They have come out really nicely haven't they. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 Thanks David! A little more detail today - the roof ridge, down pipes, and some alarm boxes have been added. Next is a few door signs and some light weathering. David 12 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkie Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 Excellent work David. Those units have come on really well. Since the last update I saw. Keep the updates Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bmthtrains - David Posted March 26, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 26, 2023 I finally made a start on the OHLE portals for the left hand board today. One more to make up and then these can be painted and added to the layout. With a few days off ahead I’m hoping to push on with the front industrial units scene. Hopefully the FL 90 will arrive in the next month or so, I’m really looking forward to it pulling the imaginary FSA flats from C-Rail that really need to hurry up and appear! I have plenty of containers but no wagons! David 21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted March 27, 2023 Author Share Posted March 27, 2023 That’s all the OHLE portals in place so now on to the front scene! David 17 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted March 27, 2023 Author Share Posted March 27, 2023 Another step almost completed now - fence and extra buddleia. Just need an order of N Brass fencing to complete the gap, but I can press on with adding the buildings and weathering the ground. David 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bmthtrains - David Posted March 27, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 27, 2023 A good day modelling today. I’ve glued the buildings in place and started to mock up the scene with vehicles etc to see what works. The glimpses of the layout between the industrial units are coming out just how I wanted them. David 24 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium GWRPhil Posted March 27, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 27, 2023 The layout is looking incredible and the nr buildingbin the background really works well in the scene. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spenc Posted March 28, 2023 Share Posted March 28, 2023 Wow that's transformed the front of the layout nice to see trains in-between buildings. now you have all the masts on its all coming together great, not fancied putting the wire's on then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now