Locomotive repair services- any suggestions?

[brianthesnail96]

I bought a Bachmann Brassworks 04 at the Bristol 0 gauge show this year, and unfortunately it's never really run right.

 

I managed to make it much worse taking the rods off to see if they were binding- it transpired that the quartering was out (the wheels appear to be a push fit on the axles with a soft plastic sleeve between wheel and axle, with no positive quartering- presumably they are built on a jig of sorts), the drive axle was wide to gauge and one of the springs was displaced. In taking the rods off I managed to spin one of the wheels further out of quarter (the rods were on very tight...), which is how I identified the problem. I've sat and tweaked with it and managed to get it to run acceptably forwards but still lumpy in reverse, I can't get it any better (I've tried tweaking the motor position too) and I've finally admitted defeat!

 

I really like the locomotive, and it wasn't a bad price, so I'm quite happy to cough up for someone better at this lark to have a go at it and see if they can get it to play ball. I plan to build a shunting plank so good slow running is pretty important to me.

 

To that end, does anyone have any suggestions as to who might be worth a try?

 

Thanks all

 

Matt