Coarse Scale O Gauge

[Annie]

Thanks for the welcome David  

 

Ooooooo a 1920's LMS 0-4-0 loco would be highly desirable, I've always liked the look of those  That sounds like the kind of car boot sale I would very much like to stumble across.

                                                                                                           

 

I wasn't into Hornby Dublo, But I did convert quite a few Dublo LMS coaches to 2 rail as a teenager because I thought they looked better than Triang's plastic coaches.  

[Nearholmer]

The 0-4-2T is a great conversion.

 

I'm not much into Hornby 0, although we had a lot as children, mostly handed-down tin, but one of my bros was 'in at the finish', when he got the plastic clockwork 'Percy' set for Christmas. The top of the range locos are, of course, very nice, but I think they 'lost it' with the aesthetics of the 'affordable' locos after about 1928. The fat look, essential for beefy mechanisms, just doesn't do it for me.

 

Your conversion, however, is nicely proportioned.

 

K

[Il Grifone]

Thanks for the welcome David  

 

Ooooooo a 1920's LMS 0-4-0 loco would be highly desirable, I've always liked the look of those  That sounds like the kind of car boot sale I would very much like to stumble across.

                                                                                                           

 

I wasn't into Hornby Dublo, But I did convert quite a few Dublo LMS coaches to 2 rail as a teenager because I thought they looked better than Triang's plastic coaches.

 

That's the one, but mine have cylinders and connecting rods (or should have), but lack coupling rods. The drive is to the leading axle only, so really  they are 0-2-2Ts (or possibly 0-2-2-0s?). The tanks proclaim 'LMS 0-4-0'. I would have preferred the GWR version but one can't have everything - there was a biscuit van and an LMS goods brake van included in the lot. I did already have a GWR van, with gold lettering!

 

I found the second one a few weeks later (all squashed poor thing) at another boot sale and bought her for parts for the first one, which was missing her cylinders. Needless to say, she has been straightened out and the broken spring reconnected. I believe the first one is the 1925 version and the second the 1926. The difference is in the method of fixing the cab roof (tabs or clip-on) though they are missing from both mine. I think the later one should have a painted dome, but both came in plain brass - now polished, of course.

 

Unfortunately such boot sales are few and far between. I did find a Palitoy S gauge train set two or three years ago though. A couple of the rails are missing and the puny little Ever-Ready motor in the loco (ex-GWR prairie tank) has failed. I'll post pictures if anyone is interested. It certainly counts as 'coarse scale'

Edited March 28, 2017 by Il Grifone

[Il Grifone]

I remembered that I had already posted pictures of my Hornby 0-4-0T together with her coaches.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/53453-to-encourage-those-with-vintage-0-gauge/page-1

Edited March 28, 2017 by Il Grifone

[Annie]

They are seriously lovely David.  An excellent spot of clever work on the replacement coach roof too.  

 

[Il Grifone]

I am rather fond of her and her younger sister. They have a character that the later ones lack, I feel. The cab roof is from something else, but better than nothing. I'm still looking for the right ones. I have a key (only one), but again not the right one. I have since refitted the doors on the brake van, though one is missing unfortunately. 

 

Repro. roofs are available - at over a tenner a shot.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Il Grifone

[brianusa]

 

Not often seen are the docks and the canal normally used as an aisle!  Two Meccano Coasters are waiting to be loaded, one with coal from the S.P & S. hopper on the unloading ramp while a shunter brings another train into the yard;  US and UK trains work together here.  The engine shed are copies of Hornby and home made.

 

Brian.

[Spitfire2865]

Well today on my way home from work, I stopped by a local yard sale and found an old Marx locomotive. A light oiling and it runs rather nicely.

[rockershovel]

That 0-4-2 is rather jaunty..

[brianusa]

Just acquired a rather nice No,4 station.  The railings have suffered a bit over the years, a few scratches and turned to a faint greyish colour; they were white when new, weren't they?  So do I repaint them in the current colour or perhaps more like the original?  I'm inclined to the latter as its not that noticeable!  It now matches the  Wayside Station on the Down line.

 

 

Brian.

 

 

 

 

 

[Inversneckie]

Does anybody have any tips on removing the roof of a Darstaed Pullman to change it to a different colour.  The plastic seems quite thick but obviously I am anxious to avoid damage so I am wondering if there is a clever way of achieving removal.  Many thanks

[coronach]

Hi everyone, I have recently inherited approximately 50 gauge '0' clockwork four and six-coupled mechanisms (Hornby, BL etc).  I'm not sure what to do with them - they are too good to scrap - is there a market ?

[Nearholmer]

I would say "yes, but a limited one", this because a lot of people prefer to remove the clockwork, and fit electric.

 

However, there are dedicated "clockers", and people who wish to restore things to "as built" condition.

 

Sounds like a lot of e-bay selling, or a case of doing a deal with a dealer.

 

Kevin

[Il Grifone]

Just acquired a rather nice No,4 station.  The railings have suffered a bit over the years, a few scratches and turned to a faint greyish colour; they were white when new, weren't they?  So do I repaint them in the current colour or perhaps more like the original?  I'm inclined to the latter as its not that noticeable!  It now matches the  Wayside Station on the Down line.

 

4stat 004.JPG

 

Brian.

 

Sorry for the late reply. IMHO I would touch up to the current colour, but restore to the original. The use of acrylic paint will allow return to the original finish. Alcohol is instant death to acrylic finishes, but has little or no effect on 'proper' paint. It doesn't seem to affect lithographed tinplate either, but testing on an inconspicuous area is advisable.

Edited September 29, 2017 by Il Grifone

[Il Grifone]

gdsyd 001.JPG

 

Not often seen are the docks and the canal normally used as an aisle!  Two Meccano Coasters are waiting to be loaded, one with coal from the S.P & S. hopper on the unloading ramp while a shunter brings another train into the yard;  US and UK trains work together here.  The engine shed are copies of Hornby and home made.

 

Brian.

 

I love the Meccano ships! I must build one myself. I've just found a whole box of the stuff I'd forgotten I had. 

It's started a mini craze in yours truly to the desperation of SWMBO. She even said  I can't have the Dinosaur Set. We'll see about that....

Would it be pushing things to start a thread for Meccano, Bayko etc.?

[andyman7]

As if I didn't have enough projects/interests, I now have a clockwork Hornby No2 LMS 4-4-0 on the way, bought on impulse at auction as no-one else wanted to, plus a couple of rather battered Pullmans. I've sourced some track and am just going to have a play. 

[Nearholmer]

Welcome to the slippery slope!

 

Pictures, please.

 

Kevin

[Il Grifone]

A Hornby 4-4-0 not wanted?   I can't believe it! 

[andyman7]

Thanks - I will certainly post pictures when my new toys arrive....I am left with playing with the track for now....

[andyman7]

My parcel from the auction turned up today  :

 

 

 

The items are most definitely used but have a wonderful patina to them. The tender and one coach end are missing couplings so replacements have been ordered. I do not want to restore the finish which to my eye is fabulously aged. So, the next question was whether the engine would run. Now in the description it clearly said Clockwork, but the model is most definitely fitted with an electric mechanism! 

 

 

I'm aware that the No.2 specials were made as both clockwork and electric versions; and also that over the years many clockwork models have been converted to electric. However, the body of my model has no hole for a clockwork key and no obvious sign of this having been covered - but it has the plain (rather than the lightbulb) smokebox. So it would be great if any of you more knowledgeable collectors in this field could advise me of exactly what I have got!

 

Also, could you confirm that this mechanism will be a 20v one? I know the first Hornby electric trains used mains voltage, and that at some point they used 6v but as far as I can establish these were fitted with 20v mechanisms. Assuming this is the case, would the 12vDC out of a Duette be enough to at least turn the mechanism, and if not, what are your suggestions?

 

Thanks as always for help/advice!

 

 

[Nearholmer]

I'm not an expert on Hornby, but it looks as if you have one from the late 1930s, distinguishable by the shape of the rear left splasher. I get confused about the light bulbs, but even if it had one, lots of owners changed the smokebox front.

 

It probably should be 20V, with that stamped on the plate between the spoons.

 

Personally, I would gently clean the mech, then bring the voltage up very, very gently, with an ammeter in circuit.

[brianusa]

Agree.  Definitely 20VAC but your H&M should at least turn a wheel, if not make it go but it won't activate the Hornby type reverser which can be troublesome at the best of times.  Your engine appears to have suffered the common fading from red to brown, although it might have been helped by being in a smokers house judging by the patina.  The handrail and other bright parts should have remained clean and bright so a good clean would work wonders. Its all there; no dents, wheels not deteriorated, even an added coal load!   Depending on price, it looks a good buy and I can't believe nobody else wanted it either!

 

Brian.

[Il Grifone]

'Liked' for the lack on an 'envious' button....

 

I could never have got that past SWMBO however....

 

IMHO she looks far better without the stupid headlight.

[brianusa]

I like them, David, in fact all my electric locos have them.  They're one of the most important aspects of toy trains of the era when electricity was still a novelty to some, especially in  a child's toy.  Like yourself, there were those who ordered them without but I would have been one of those who had to have a headlight.

 

Brian

[Il Grifone]

Hi Brian,

 

But then, over the pond, a headlight is normal (a legal obligation I believe?). Here she would have been graced with one or two puny oil lamps - available from Hornby as a non-working accessory. These were quite cheap back then, (IIRC 3d in the 50s) but command a collector's premium today. (Well they were easy to lose I remember....)

 

I suspect today's Health and Safety would have a fit over a toy with a fragile glass bulb stuck on the front. They wouldn't be too keen on the metal edges of tinplate either. Hornby's were usually quite smooth, but others weren't so particular. (All part of growing up for us - Done once we took care not to do it again....  The 1990s Meccano set I have here as I write is marked 9+. I was 3 when I got mine!)

 

David